Notice of Award and Synopsis for RFP # 260000000598

The Michigan Department of Technology, Management, & Budget's Procurement office issued Request for Proposal No. 260000000598 for the provision of milk, dairy, and related products to support state operations across multiple agencies including Michigan Veteran Homes, State Police Training Academy, and the Department of Human and Health Services. The RFP was publicly posted on January 29, 2026, with a 28-day solicitation period and proposals due on February 26, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EST. The contract will be awarded for a four-year initial term with up to six renewal options available. Evaluation criteria included product selection (25 points), service quality and consistency (35 points), ordering delivery and acceptance (25 points), additional requirements (10 points), and vendor questions (5 points), totaling 100 points. Required qualifications include the ability to meet all specified product container sizes, demonstrate consistent service delivery, provide statewide support capabilities, and establish effective ordering and delivery systems. The successful vendor must supply 24 different line items of milk and dairy products meeting state operational needs.

Two qualified bidders submitted proposals for this opportunity: Prairie Farms Inc. of Battle Creek, Michigan, and Cedar Crest Dairy, Inc. of Hudsonville, Michigan. Prairie Farms Inc. was selected as the responsive and responsible bidder offering the best value to the State of Michigan, achieving a technical evaluation score of 87.5 points with a total price proposal of $108,060.20. Cedar Crest Dairy, Inc., despite scoring 89.5 points technically, submitted a higher price proposal of $118,533.11 and was deemed non-responsive due to its inability to provide products in all required container sizes necessary for state operations. The award recommendation of $500,000.00 to Prairie Farms Inc. is pending State Administrative Board approval. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types are mentioned in the available documentation. The selected vendor will be responsible for meeting delivery, service, and statewide support expectations across the contract term, with noted areas for improvement including enhanced online ordering system capabilities and more comprehensive quality assurance documentation.