MEATS-CHICKEN

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation for chicken meat products to support its Food Services Division, specifically seeking two primary line items: 1,000,000 pounds of chicken leg quarters and 400,000 pounds of miscut chicken breast pieces. The solicitation, numbered 5400024920, was released on February 22, 2023, with bid offers due by March 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The procurement requires weekly deliveries of fresh, USDA or state-inspected chicken products, with quantities varying based on inmate population. Deliveries must be made to the SCDC Food Service Warehouse in Columbia, South Carolina, with products palletized, shrink-wrapped, and accompanied by full truckloads and proper documentation. Specific requirements for the miscut chicken breast include "No Antibiotics Ever," "Raised Cage Free," and "Hatched, Raised and Harvested in the USA" designations. Vendors must submit unit prices for each line item, with pricing remaining fixed for the initial contract term, and provide brand submissions including manufacturer cut sheets with size and nutritional information.

The contract is structured for an initial one-year term with four optional one-year renewal periods, potentially extending to a maximum of five years. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were noted in the solicitation. Vendors must be registered with the State of South Carolina and provide a signed cover page and second page with their offer. The solicitation is issued under a perishables procurement exemption, rendering it non-protestable, and state preferences do not apply due to the total potential price exceeding $500,000. Delivery defaults trigger a ten-day cure period, with potential consequences including SCDC purchasing replacement products on the open market and invoicing the vendor for price differences. Vendors failing to meet cure periods may be deemed non-responsible for future bids until full payment is made. While no specific award value was explicitly stated, the procurement involves substantial quantities of chicken products, with potential annual purchases of 1.4 million pounds of chicken across two product categories.