Registered Dietitian for Institutional Menu Planning/Review

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, on behalf of the Department of Corrections, is requesting statements of qualifications from Registered Dietitians for a five-year institutional menu planning and review contract, with qualifications due October 12, 2026. This is a Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) procurement under Utah Procurement Code 63G-6a Part 15; the highest-ranked vendor will be selected to negotiate compensation determined to be fair and reasonable, and pricing is not to be included in submissions.

Mandatory qualifications are current active licensure as a Registered Dietitian from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, a Bachelor's degree or higher in Dietetics, Human Nutrition, or a related field from an accredited institution, and successful completion of a UDC criminal background check. All contractor staff providing on-site services must also pass background checks; wireless devices are prohibited within Division of Prison Operations without prior security clearance approval.

The scope spans three facilities: Utah State Correctional Facility (approximately 14,000 meals per day), Central Utah Correctional Facility (approximately 6,000 meals per day), and six Community Correctional Centers (approximately 1,500 meals per day). Services include menu assessment and development, nutritional review to meet Recommended Dietary Allowances, and accommodation of medical, therapeutic, and religious diets. The contractor must respond to requests within 48 hours, maintain litigation-grade documentation to support potential expert witness testimony, and conduct routine planning remotely to minimize travel costs. On-site inspections occur only with written authorization from the contract monitor. All pricing must be guaranteed for two years; price adjustments require 30 days' notice and supporting documentation.

An evaluation committee of at least three UDC representatives will score submissions on a 1000-point scale: Correctional Expertise & Institutional Menu Engineering (350 points), Litigation Defense & Expert Witness Experience (200 points), Capability to Execute the Scope of Work (400 points), and Professional References (50 points). Offerors must provide at least three professional references from clients receiving similar large-scale menu review services within the past five years. The contractor certifies compliance with anti-boycott provisions and restrictions on forced labor and foreign entities.