Procurement of Yellow Corn.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Contracts and Procurement Department is conducting a solicitation (IW206282) for the procurement of 7,500 tons of U.S. Grade #2 Yellow Corn to be delivered to the TDCJ Wainwright Unit Feedmill in Lovelady, TX. The procurement seeks a blanket purchase order for corn with strict quality specifications, including less than 20 PPB for aflatoxin and less than 5 PPM for fumonosin. Each delivery is estimated at 25 tons, with deliveries expected to commence in February 2025 and continue through August 31, 2025. Pricing will be determined using a formula based on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closing price on the date ordered, plus a vendor-specific constant per bushel. Bidders must submit electronic proposals to BIDS@TDCJ.TEXAS.GOV by January 31, 2025, at 3:00 PM, with a 10 MB attachment limit per email. Questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted by January 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM CST, with answers to be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily by January 17, 2025.

The solicitation includes a mandatory Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Subcontracting Plan requirement, with a 21.1% HUB participation goal for Commodities Contracts. Vendors must submit a completed HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) with their bid response, demonstrating either committed HUB subcontracting, good faith efforts to include HUB vendors, or justification for self-performance. Failure to submit a complete HSP will result in automatic bid rejection. TDCJ reserves the right to accept or receive orders plus or minus 10% of the requested 7,500-ton quantity (equivalent to 15,000,000 lbs or 267,857.14 bushels). While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the procurement allows for flexible ordering based on institutional needs. Vendors must be prepared to provide comprehensive documentation of their subcontracting approach and potential HUB vendor partnerships, utilizing provided resources such as trade organizations and development centers to identify potential HUB subcontractors.