MPA 533 OE Food Products Spot Opportunity Buy Program

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases has issued an Open Enrollment (OE) Master Price Agreement (MPA) solicitation seeking qualified vendors to provide food products for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) main food depository through a Spot/Opportunity Buy Market program. This procurement (Solicitation Number OEV24003170) is structured as an ongoing vendor assessment where firms can submit proposals at any time between April 29, 2024, and July 11, 2025, with an initial contract term from approximately June 2024 through July 2025 and potential renewal options for two additional 12-month periods. Vendors will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis and, if accepted, placed on a qualified vendor list from which state agencies can request quotes for specific food product needs. The solicitation requires vendors to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 in general liability, workers compensation, and automobile liability insurance. When specific project needs arise, agencies will issue mini-bids to the qualified vendors, requesting competitive price quotes with specific evaluation criteria focused on price, expertise, and availability.

The solicitation emphasizes Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation, requiring vendors to submit an MBE Participation Acknowledgment Form and mandating that at least one quote per project must come from an MBE/WBE/VBE certified vendor if such vendors are on the qualified list. The contract has statewide applicability, allowing participation from political subdivisions, institutions of higher education, municipal and state schools, quasi-public agencies, and the Legislative and Judicial branches of Rhode Island government. While there is no guaranteed purchasing volume, the state will assess a 1% administrative fee on all purchase orders issued under the Master Price Agreement. Vendors must register in the Ocean State Procures eProcurement system to submit proposals and be considered for inclusion on the qualified vendor list. The Division of Purchases reserves the right to make single or multiple awards, remove vendors from the qualified list for non-responsiveness, and cancel the solicitation at its discretion.