MPA 583 OE Local Perishable Food Vendors

The State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases is conducting an Open Enrollment Vendor Assessment (OEV21000321) to establish a Master Price Agreement (MPA 583) for local perishable food vendors. The solicitation seeks to create a qualified vendor list to supply perishable food products to state agencies, quasi-governmental organizations, Rhode Island municipalities, and the Legislative and Judicial branches of government. Vendors will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis and, if selected, will be placed on a qualified vendor list from which agencies can request price quotes for specific projects. The open enrollment period runs from August 12, 2020, to September 9, 2020, with a vendor Q&A period from August 12 to August 26, 2020. The initial contract term will be three years, beginning approximately October 1, 2020, with options to renew for up to two additional 12-month periods. Vendors must submit proposals electronically through the Ocean State Procures system and must be prepared to provide pricing quotes when specific project needs arise.

The solicitation includes a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, with a requirement that a minimum of 10% of the total dollar value must be awarded to certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and Veteran Business Enterprises (VBEs). Vendors must comply with state affirmative action and non-discrimination policies and provide an MBE Utilization Plan for review. Insurance requirements are specific, including $1,000,000 in general liability coverage, workers compensation, and automobile liability coverage. A 1% contract administrative fee will be assessed on all purchase orders to support the state's eProcurement system. While there is no guaranteed minimum purchase amount, selected vendors will be eligible for project-specific quote requests. The State reserves the right to review vendor qualifications and remove vendors from the qualified list at its discretion. Interested vendors must be registered to do business in Rhode Island and will be selected by user agencies based on factors such as price, expertise, and availability.