Produce 2025-2026

The City of New Haven Board of Education, Food and Nutrition Department is soliciting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Fresh Fruit and Produce procurement for fiscal year 2025-2026, covering approximately 224 service days with 21,000 meals per day across summer programs, USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and school year nutritional needs. The solicitation was released on March 26, 2025, with a response deadline of April 22, 2025, at 11:00 am, and includes a non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting scheduled for April 8, 2025, at 2:00 pm via Microsoft Teams. Evaluation criteria will comprehensively assess vendors on pricing (25 points), delivery and Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) partnership (30 points), Group Purchasing Organization benefits (20 points), business stability and environmental efforts (10 points), and item description completeness. Vendors must comply with the Buy American Provision, requiring domestic agricultural commodities or processed foods with over 51% domestically grown ingredients, and demonstrate capabilities in day-to-day delivery services, quality assurance programs, and detailed product reporting. The contract term is one year, from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with potential options to renew for two additional one-year periods.

The RFP emphasizes supporting local and diverse businesses, with specific requirements for tracking and reporting purchases from Connecticut, adjacent states, and the Northeast US. Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (MWBE) are strongly encouraged to participate, with evaluation criteria specifically allocating points for MWBE partnerships. While no incumbent vendors are explicitly named, the procurement policy of New Haven Public Schools prioritizes open competition and supports locally owned, minority-owned, female-owned, and small businesses. The solicitation allows for potential award to multiple respondents and maintains flexibility in procurement, with pricing expected to be firm and fixed for the contract duration, subject to potential adjustments for significant market changes. Although specific budget ranges are not directly stated, the scale of the procurement involves supplying produce for approximately 21,000 meals daily across 224 service days, suggesting a substantial annual contract value. Vendors must provide comprehensive product information, demonstrate business stability, and align with the district's nutritional and procurement goals, including compliance with USDA regulations and the Good Food Purchasing Program standards.