Nutritious Snack Foods for Food and Child Nutrition Services

Dallas Independent School District's Food and Child Nutrition Services is soliciting proposals for snack food products for district-wide, as-needed delivery, with proposals due December 3, 2026. Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation is an evaluation factor worth up to 20 percentage points, not a set-aside, and proposers that omit the completed, signed SBE compliance forms receive a zero for the SBE component. Sole-source providers are encouraged to participate.

The district has an aspirational SBE goal of 30 percent of the total dollar value of its goods and services contracts. Proposers can earn SBE points through certified SBE status, joint venture or prime-subcontractor teaming agreements with certified SBEs, listed certified SBE subcontractors, a detailed SBE Participation Plan, SBE references, or SBE capacity-building efforts. Vendors that do not use certified SBE subcontractors must document good-faith effort. Approved certifications include 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Small Business Enterprise, Veteran-Owned Small Business, and Woman-Owned Small Business.

Products must be of U.S. origin and substantially processed in the United States, with preference for Texas or adjacent-state products within 500 miles. Products must meet the district's clean-label Non-Preferred Ingredient List, which excludes artificial colors and flavors, synthetic dyes, specified antioxidants, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and BPA packaging. Caramel-colored products require the caramel class at bid submission. Vendors must submit a product specification and formulation form for each bid line item and maintain HACCP or equivalent food safety documentation. Pallets must be 40 by 48 inches, no taller than 50 inches, and no heavier than 3,000 pounds. Deliveries are scheduled by appointment to the Food Services warehouse at 1515 Al Lipscomb Way, Dallas, Texas 75215, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST.

The initial term is one year, with two successive one-year renewals not to exceed three years total, contingent on district needs and mutual consent. Either party must give 90 days' written notice of non-renewal. The procurement is conducted under 2 CFR Part 200 and USDA and Texas Department of Agriculture requirements, and may be used with local, state, federal, and grant-funded programs.

Evaluation considers purchase price, vendor reputation, product quality, extent to which products meet district needs, past relationship with the district, and total long-term cost. The district will not award on low price alone, may award to one or more responsive and responsible offerors providing best value, or may make no award. SBE participation receives significant emphasis across multiple evaluation levels.

Proposals must be submitted through the Bonfire portal at dallasisd.bonfirehub.com or delivered to Dallas ISD Procurement Services, 9400 N Central Expressway, Suite 1510, Dallas, Texas 75231. Late bids are rejected, and contact with user departments during evaluation is prohibited. Required forms include a Form 1295 Certificate of Interested Parties filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, and signed EDGAR certifications. Payment terms are net 30, and delinquent delivery orders carry liquidated damages of $200 per line item.