RFP for Food Service Management Company

The Academy for Innovation in Medicine (AIM), a School Food Authority located in Atlanta, Georgia, is issuing a Request for Proposal to procure a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) to operate comprehensive school meal programs for students in grades 6-12, beginning July 1, 2027. The FSMC will be responsible for managing the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and After-School Care Program snack services for approximately 260 students during the 2026-2027 school year. Key deliverables include providing all staffing and personnel management, developing and implementing a service capability plan, establishing accounting and reporting systems compliant with federal and state requirements, obtaining required certifications, and ensuring full compliance with USDA food utilization requirements, Buy American provisions, and HACCP protocols. The FSMC must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 in general liability and workers' compensation insurance, provide proof of non-debarment status, and supply all operational labor. Proposals will be evaluated using a weighted criteria system totaling 100 points: cost and financial proposal (25 points), service capability plan (15 points), experience and references (10 points), accounting and reporting systems (10 points), personnel management (10 points), business practices and financial stability (5 points), and innovation (5 points). Critical deadlines include a pre-proposal meeting on April 15, 2026, at 12:30 PM; written question deadline of April 27, 2026, at 4:00 PM; proposal due date of May 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM; and proposal opening on May 6, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The initial contract period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with four optional one-year renewals and potential extension of up to three months under specified circumstances.

The RFP does not explicitly identify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting proposals to specific types of organizations or disadvantaged enterprises based on the information provided. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified, as this represents AIM's first year of operation with no prior food service management history or reimbursement claims. The school will conduct all purchasing for the School Nutrition Program; however, the FSMC is responsible for purchasing initial inventory for fixed-price contracts. AIM has not yet determined whether to solicit cost-reimbursable or fixed meal price proposals, and the food service budget remains to be developed pending the school's operational history. The award is contingent upon approval by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), with the award date pending this approval process. No specific budget range or award value is listed in the available documentation.