MEATS

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) issued a non-protestable Invitation for Bid (IFB) for a meats procurement solicitation covering approximately 875,000 pounds of frozen meat products for the SCDC Food Service Main Warehouse. The contract includes seven specific line items: ground turkey (240,000 lbs), turkey ham (150,000 lbs), smoked sausage (240,000 lbs), turkey roll (100,000 lbs), ground beef (80,000 lbs), turkey franks (40,000 lbs), and frozen unbreaded catfish (25,000 lbs). Vendors were required to submit sealed bids by April 21, 2022, at 10:00 AM, with award posting scheduled for April 28, 2022. All deliveries must be palletized, shrink-wrapped full truckloads delivered to 4422 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina, with specific delivery dates between April and December 2022. Bidders must list approved brands they will supply, with failure to do so resulting in bid rejection. The contract term is one year from the award date, with pricing fixed for the duration and limited adjustment potential after the first two months based on the Producer Price Index. Vendors must meet strict packaging specifications, delivery timelines by 1:00 PM, and comply with all state and federal vendor requirements.

The procurement was issued under Exemption #2 for raw materials, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned. Vendors were required to be registered South Carolina vendors and comply with certifications regarding debarment, ethics, and drug-free workplace standards. The contract was ultimately awarded to five different vendors across the seven line items, with a total award value of $1,589,480.00. Specific vendors include Spartanburg Meat Processing Company ($424,800.00), JNS Foods LLC ($264,000.00), National Food Group ($400,080.00), Atlantic Beverage Company LLC ($248,000.00), Clark's Trading Company ($197,600.00), and Classic Seafood Group dba Carolina Classics Seafood ($55,000.00). Unit prices ranged from $1.05 to $2.48 per pound, with all meat products required to exclude pork or pork by-products. The contract became effective on May 18, 2022, and will run through May 17, 2023, with specific brand name requirements for most line items.