Pre-qual fresh/frozen/canned food, bread/bakery, milk/dairy

Palm Beach County, through its Board of County Commissioners Purchasing Department, in conjunction with the State of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is seeking to establish a pre-qualified vendor list for the supply of fresh, frozen, and canned food products; bread and bakery items; and milk and dairy products on a term contract basis. The solicitation encompasses a comprehensive range of food categories including baby food, breakfast foods, bread, cheese, coffee, condiments, dairy items, desserts, beverages, fish, fresh fruit, frozen foods, ice cream, meat, pasta, poultry, rice, snack foods, and vegetables in bulk, non-bulk, and retail formats. Qualified vendors will be invited to submit written price quotes on an as-needed project basis, with individual projects awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Pre-qualified vendors must maintain current business licenses and health department inspection reports, provide minimum insurance coverage of $500,000 for both Commercial General Liability and Business Auto Liability, maintain proper storage and delivery temperatures, comply with USDA grading certificate requirements for vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood, and ensure delivery within five business days of receiving a delivery order with F.O.B. destination terms. Vendors must also be registered in the County's Vendor Self Service (VSS) system and comply with all federal, state, and local laws, including E-Verify employment eligibility verification. The initial pre-qualification submission deadline was February 24, 2022, though new vendors may submit applications at any time thereafter for rolling evaluation and addition to the pre-qualified list. The contract term is sixty months or until estimated funding is expended, with an anticipated contract value over the sixty-month term of $3,361,100, though Palm Beach County reserves the right to adjust this amount based on actual requirements.

The procurement includes provisions for Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (S/M/WBE) under the Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Program, with S/M/WBE vendors within 10 percent of the lowest bid eligible for award consideration. A 5 percent local preference is available to vendors with a permanent place of business in Palm Beach County or the Glades. No specific incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the pre-qualification solicitation documents, as this represents the establishment of a new pre-qualified vendor roster rather than a renewal or modification of existing contracts. The pre-qualification process serves as a foundation for future competitive procurement actions by authorized state and local agencies across Florida, with subsequent individual purchases and contracts to be issued on an as-needed basis. Vendors approved through this pre-qualification become eligible to participate in multiple purchasing opportunities from various state and local entities, with specific pricing terms, quantities, and contract values to be determined through subsequent individual procurements. The amendments issued to the original solicitation (Amendments 2 and 3) modify specific terms, conditions, vendor requirements, and operational procedures that vendors must satisfy to maintain or establish pre-qualified status. All pre-qualified vendors must demonstrate financial stability, product quality standards, delivery capabilities, and ongoing compliance with state procurement regulations and food safety standards throughout their approved tenure.