Nutritionals and Supplements RFI

The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services is requesting information on nutritional and dietary supplement products, with RFI responses due September 18, 2026, to inform development of a competitive statewide contract. This is an RFI phase; a formal competitive solicitation will follow based on RFI feedback.

The scope covers powdered and liquid formulas for essential and non-essential nutrients, vitamins, and dietary management products designed for newborns, the elderly, and individuals with medical conditions requiring nutritional supplementation or enteral feeding. The market basket evaluation framework specifies five primary categories: Oral Nutrition Supplements for Adults (standard, high-calorie/high-protein, disease-specific, and clear liquid options); Infant & Pediatric Formulas (standard, premature/transitional, hypoallergenic/amino acid, and metabolic formulas); Enteral Nutrition products for tube feeding; Nutrition Modulars & Therapeutic Support Products (protein modulars, fiber supports, wound healing nutrition, and dysphagia management); and Medical Foods for inherited metabolic disorders. Bidders will price desired line items with specified minimum flavor requirements; evaluation assigns point values based on expected purchase frequency.

The Department estimates total potential annual contract sales at $2 million to $3 million. The anticipated competitive solicitation will award up to two statewide contracts with a sixty-month term commencing February 15, 2027. Primary purchasers are Washington hospitals and prison facilities. All Washington state agencies, institutions of higher education, political subdivisions, federal agencies, public-benefit nonprofit corporations with federal, state, or local funding, and federally recognized Indian tribes in Washington are eligible purchasers under a Contract Usage Agreement.

A Reserved Award option is available exclusively to Washington Small Businesses and Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses that do not receive a Main Award. Evaluation will score up to 850 points for cost factors plus up to 150 points for Washington State procurement priorities including Executive Order 18-03 Worker's Rights compliance (50 points), recycled packaging materials (50 points), and PCB-free products and packaging (50 points). A 5% bid preference applies to PCB-free products and packaging. The anticipated competitive solicitation deadline is October 29, 2026, with apparent successful bidders announced December 14, 2026.