Procurement of Lima Beans

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Contracts and Procurement Department has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the procurement of lima beans, solicitation number IM230313. The procurement seeks 5,100 units of dried, triple-cleaned, USDA Grade 1 lima beans, to be packaged in 850 bags per load with USDA Grade certificates. Specific product requirements include sound whole beans from dry-threshed field or garden varieties, white to creamy white in color, manufactured in accordance with good manufacturing practices and compliant with federal food, drug, and cosmetic act provisions. Bidders must submit electronic responses to BIDS@TDCJ.TEXAS.GOV, with a maximum attachment limit of 10 megabytes per email. Key deadlines include October 28, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. CST for questions, with anticipated amendments to be posted by November 3, 2025, and the final bid opening date of November 14, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. CST. Delivery is specified to the TDCJ Terrell Canning Plant & Potato Warehouse in Rosharon, Texas, with unit prices to be quoted F.O.B. destination, freight prepaid and allowed, and bid prices firm for 30 days from the bid opening date.

The procurement includes a mandatory Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Subcontracting Plan requirement, with the TDCJ designating a HUB goal of 21.1 percent for this Commodities Contracts Category. Respondents must complete and submit a State of Texas HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP), with bids being disqualified if the HSP is incomplete or not received by the opening date and time. Vendors must choose between two good faith effort methods: Method A, which involves utilizing HUBs meeting or exceeding the subcontracting goal, or Method B, which requires written notification to at least three Texas-certified HUBs and two trade organizations. The contract includes additional compliance requirements such as suspension and debarment screening, E-Verify system compliance, and various state certifications. Payment terms are set at 30 calendar days after the later of invoice receipt, goods receipt, or service completion date. While no specific award value is mentioned, the procurement involves 5,100 units of lima beans, suggesting a substantial contract volume for the TDCJ's food service operations.