Milk & Dairy Products for Cherokee

The State of Iowa is seeking a single vendor to provide Milk & Dairy Products for Human Services in Cherokee through a Request for Bids (RFB) procurement process. The contract will run from 01/31/2023 to 02/01/2024, with potential for up to four annual extensions. Specific product requirements include whole milk (1 gallon), buttermilk (1 quart), 1% milk (1/2 pint), chocolate skimmed milk (1/2 pint), cottage cheese (5 pound), sour cream (5 pound), and half and half (1 pint). The estimated annual purchase quantities range from 28 to 131,988 units across these product lines. Pricing for fluid milk products will be subject to an escalator clause based on the Class I price published by the United States Department of Agriculture in Iowa Federal Order 65 & 79. The evaluation criteria will focus on identifying the lowest responsible bidder, with a preference given to products grown and produced within Iowa. The proposal submission deadline is November 15, 2022, at 1:00 PM CST, and bids must be submitted electronically. The primary contact for this solicitation is Randy Bennett, who can be reached at randy.bennett@iowa.gov or +1 515-322-1210.

The procurement is open to the State of Iowa, identified agencies, state boards and commissions, and political subdivisions including cities, counties, and educational institutions. There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on disadvantaged enterprises mentioned in the documentation. The successful vendor will be required to pay a 1% administrative fee on all sales and provide quarterly electronic reports detailing sales. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the vendor must maintain firm pricing for the first year of the contract, with potential price adjustments considered during subsequent renewal processes. The State reserves the right to reject any or all bids and can cancel the award if the successful bidder fails to negotiate and deliver an executed contract within 30 days of the Notice of Intent to Award. The procurement uses US dollars, and there are no minimum order quantities or total order amount requirements. The commodity code for this procurement is 24540 for "Milk Cans, All Types".