RFP Vended Meals Preschool For All

The City of Portland, Oregon (through Portland Parks and Recreation), is requesting proposals for vended meals services to the Preschool for All Program funded by Multnomah County, with proposals due June 4, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time and an optional pre-proposal meeting on May 20 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time via Microsoft Teams. The City intends to award up to three contracts, though a single vendor capable of serving all nine locations is preferred.

The scope covers daily delivery of prepared and pre-packaged meals and snacks to approximately 160 preschoolers (ages 3–5) across nine Portland community center locations, five days per week aligned with the Portland Public Schools calendar (September 1 to June 6 annually). Weekly delivery includes 770 lunches and 1,540 snacks. All meals must comply with USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) nutritional guidelines and accommodate dietary restrictions including gluten-free, dairy-free, lactose-free, nut-free, and vegetarian options. Meals are prepared in a commercial kitchen and delivered daily in insulated bags to maintain temperature; delivery occurs between 6:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with lunch service between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The City accepts every-other-day delivery with staggered hot and shelf-stable meals, with shelf-stable meals permitted the day prior to service. Vendors must comply with state licensing rules; USDA Foods Program registration is not required. Sustainable procurement practices are mandatory, including prohibition of polystyrene foam serviceware, use of GreenScreen-certified disposables, and compliance with vehicle emission standards for delivery vehicles.

The initial contract term is five years from the 2026-2027 school year start, with renewal options. All funding derives from Multnomah County lump-sum payments per child. Pricing is structured as per-meal and per-snack rates; payment is based on requested meals rather than consumed quantities. Annual rate adjustments are permitted through signed amendments to address increases in food, labor, fuel, packaging, and operating costs. Comprehensive general liability insurance of at least $2 million per occurrence and workers' compensation insurance are required.

Proposals are evaluated on functional requirements, proposer capabilities, project team qualifications, project approach, pricing, references (three similar projects within the past five years), and corporate responsibility criteria. The City may conduct Phase 2 interviews or demonstrations. The Notice of Intent to Award is expected July 9, 2026. Questions are due seven calendar days before the proposal deadline to Paris McCall-Johnson, Procurement Specialist, at paris.mccall-johnson@portlandoregon.gov. Proposals are limited to 20 pages.