MPA 533 OE Spot Opportunity Buy Program for Food Products

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases has issued a Master Price Agreement (MPA 533) Open Enrollment Technical Proposal (OET20000070) to establish a qualified vendor list for a Spot Opportunity Buy Program for Food Products, specifically targeting the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Central Distribution Center. The solicitation seeks vendors capable of providing food products on an as-needed basis through a flexible, ongoing procurement process. Proposals will be accepted electronically through the Ocean State Procures system from June 9, 2020, to September 30, 2020, with the initial contract period set for three years starting approximately August 1, 2017, and options to renew for up to two additional one-year periods. Vendor selection will be based on technical qualifications, expertise, and pricing, with user agencies having sole discretion in vendor selection for specific projects. The procurement will utilize a mini-bid process where agencies will solicit quotes from the qualified vendor list, with delivery terms specified as Free On Board Destination and payment terms set at Net 30 Days. Vendors must maintain specific insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 in general liability and automobile liability per occurrence.

The solicitation includes a mandatory 10% set-aside for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (VBE), requiring vendors to submit an MBE Utilization Plan for each purchase order. The agreement has statewide applicability and can be utilized by various governmental entities, including municipalities, quasi-governmental organizations, higher education institutions, and the Legislative and Judicial branches of Rhode Island government. A 1% contract administrative fee will be applied to all purchase orders, effective January 1, 2020, to support the state's eProcurement system. While no specific contract value is listed, the open-ended nature of the procurement suggests flexibility in potential spending. Vendors must electronically register in the Ocean State Procures system and comply with all state procurement regulations, with the state reserving the right to review and remove vendors from the qualified list at its discretion. The solicitation does not indicate incumbent vendors or require specific technological integrations, focusing instead on establishing a diverse, responsive vendor pool for food product procurement.