Request for Bid (RFB 4074) for Petite Bananas (Singles)

The Madison Metropolitan School District's Purchasing Services and Food & Nutrition department is seeking to procure single petite bananas for the 2020-2021 school year through Request for Bid (RFB 4074). The procurement involves 150-count case packs of 40-pound cases of petite bananas, each 5 inches in length, with ripeness between 3.5 and 4.5 on the Chiquita banana color guide. The district anticipates ordering 59-65 cases per week during school sessions, with weekly usage projections provided one week before each month and a minimum of three monthly orders. Bidders must submit one original and three copies of documentation, with evaluation based on a weighted scoring system: Cost (40%), Service and Support Requirements (20%), Organization Qualifications (15%), Diverse-owned Business Documentation (5%), Past MMSD Experience (10%), and References (10%). The bid submission deadline is April 29, 2020, at 2:00 PM Central Standard Time, with contract delivery commencing August 17, 2020, and concluding June 30, 2021. Deliveries must occur Monday through Friday between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM at the Food Production Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

The district has specific requirements for potential vendors, including maintaining a HACCP plan with required documentation, guaranteeing a 98 percent fill rate for all orders, and ensuring bananas arrive at an internal temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above. While no specific set-aside designations are mentioned, the bid does include points for diverse-owned business documentation, potentially providing an advantage to such firms. The current contract is estimated at $46,000 for the fiscal year, with the award to be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all district criteria and specifications. The Madison Metropolitan School District is exempt from federal excise and Wisconsin state sales tax and qualifies for governmental and educational discounts. Successful vendors must be prepared to provide a comparable substitute within 24 hours at the same price per serving if product temperatures fall below the specified threshold, demonstrating the district's emphasis on quality and consistent service.