RFP-2601AM Purchase of School Nutrition Program Food Items and Distribution Services

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Board of Education issued RFP-2601AM, a competitive sealed proposal solicitation for the purchase of school nutrition program food items and distribution services to support public agency nutrition programs. The procurement seeks qualified service providers to supply market basket items and commodities for the school nutrition program, with deliverables including food procurement and comprehensive distribution logistics. Key objectives include maintaining adequate food supply inventory, implementing efficient ordering procedures, providing delivery capabilities, and offering value-added technology solutions and accounting procedures to support the nutrition program's operations. Evaluation criteria encompassed technical factors valued at 900 points (including implementation processes, inventory management, rebates and reporting, delivery capabilities, technology solutions, and references) and cost evaluation scenarios valued at 200 points, with optional interview components valued at an additional 100 points. The contract period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The solicitation posting date was December 19, 2025, with a proposal due date of January 23, 2026. To participate, vendors must register within the Gwinnett County procurement portal at Gwinnett.Bonfirehub.com to download solicitation documentation and submit responses.

The solicitation notification reached 314 vendors, with specific outreach to 41 Black or African American-owned businesses, 4 Hispanic or Latino-owned businesses, 7 Asian-owned businesses, 1 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander-owned business, and 1 American Indian or Alaska Native-owned business, reflecting the district's commitment to diverse supplier engagement. Four suppliers submitted proposals, including Gold Star Foods, which was awarded as the selected vendor; Sysco Atlanta and US Foods, which were not selected; and Young Food Entertainment LLC, a minority-owned supplier deemed non-responsive for offering only a single product. The awarded contract value is $52,806,393.14, comprising $39,801,029.96 for market basket items and $13,005,363.18 for total commodities, representing an increase from the previous budget authorization of $48,000,000.00 to the proposed spending level of $53,000,000.00. Gold Star Foods achieved the highest technical score of 857.05 points and a cost evaluation score of 184.55 points, substantially outperforming competitors Sysco Atlanta and US Foods. The procurement coordinator for this initiative is Ann Marie Serafin.