Request for Bid (RFB 4074) for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snacks

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Purchasing Services has issued Request for Bid (RFB 4075) for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to be procured for the USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, targeting elementary students. The district requires approximately 5,100 weekly servings of fresh, ready-to-eat produce to be delivered on Thursdays during school sessions. All products must be sourced within 150 miles of Madison and within Wisconsin, with vendors required to provide documentation verifying their point of origin. The bid was released on March 30, 2020, with submissions due by April 29, 2020, at 2:00 PM CST, requiring one original and three copies submitted via mail or delivery service. The initial contract term spans from September 8, 2020, through November 30, 2020, with potential for two additional three-month renewals. Bid evaluation will use a 100-point scoring system, with cost weighted at 40%, geographic preference at 15%, distance documentation at 10%, traceability documentation at 15%, diverse-owned business certification at 5%, and references at 15%.

The contract includes specific vendor requirements, such as maintaining commercial liability insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Non-exempt vendors must comply with affirmative action requirements and submit Equal Employment Opportunity documentation, with exemptions available for businesses with 15 or fewer employees or annual revenues under $25,000. The contract is contingent on receiving federal grant funds from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, anticipated in July or August. Pricing will be calculated per pound for produce items, with an incentive of a $0.20 per pound price reduction for organic produce submissions. The MMSD is exempt from Federal Excise Tax and State Sales Tax. While no specific budget range is detailed, the bid's structure suggests a potentially significant procurement value based on the weekly serving requirement and potential contract extension options.