RFP 026-41 Commercial & USDA Foods

The City of Meriden Purchasing Department, on behalf of Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut, is procuring the supply and distribution of commercial groceries, beverages, produce, and further processed USDA Foods to serve 8,200 students across 13 school sites. The procurement encompasses a comprehensive range of food products including beef, poultry, cheese, dairy, fresh produce, frozen items, grains, snacks, beverages, and condiments, with deliveries scheduled to 14 locations primarily on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 6:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and twice-weekly deliveries for seasonal programs at select sites. The vendor must comply with USDA Buy American requirements, maintain HACCP-based food safety programs, provide nutritional information for all products, and accept emergency orders as needed. Pricing is structured in three groups: Group A with fixed unit prices for commercial groceries and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program snack packs; Group B with value pass-through pricing for further processed USDA Foods; and Group C with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing for seasonal products subject to market fluctuations. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: qualifications and experience (15%), service delivery approach (25%), cost proposal (45%), and responsive and responsible bidder status (15%). The RFP was released January 28, 2026, with questions due by February 6, 2026, responses provided by February 10, 2026, and proposals due February 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST via the City eProcurement Portal, with an anticipated contract award date of April 24, 2026.

The RFP is open to all qualified vendors with no explicit set-aside designations or restrictions limiting organizational types, though proposers must demonstrate qualifications including years in business, experience in the K-12 segment, relevant staffing certifications, and provide at least three school district references from similar work completed within the past five years. The procurement requires vendors to demonstrate capacity across service delivery elements including electronic ordering capabilities, nutritional information and inventory systems, order placement methods, shortage and substitution notification processes, logistics and delivery scheduling, and prompt payment discount opportunities. The contract will commence July 1, 2026, and conclude June 30, 2027, with an option for mutual renewal for up to five years total, with each renewal period not to exceed one year and requiring written agreement 90 days prior to expiration. The anticipated contract value for the 2026-2027 school year is approximately $3,100,000, with all prices including complete inside delivery costs and excluding federal, state, and local excise taxes. The district reserves the right to award to a single prime vendor or to make multiple awards based on delivery capability, volume requirements, and service quality, with invoices paid within 30 days and records maintained for at least three years following final payment.