School Nutrition request for Delivery of Ice Cream Products

The Columbia County School District (CCSD) Food Authority in Georgia is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the delivery of ice cream products to school cafeterias across the district. The procurement seeks to identify one or more vendors to supply 28 ice cream product lines, including stick bars, push-up pops, ice cream sandwiches, cones, juice cups, and ice cream cups in various flavors and formats, with estimated annual quantities ranging from 50 to 2,000 units per item and a total estimated annual demand of approximately 13,600 individual units. All products must comply with USDA Smart Snacks in Schools guidelines and the Buy American Act, requiring domestic product certification at bid submission. Vendors must provide complete nutrition information, ingredient listings, Smart Snack Calculator documentation, and HACCP plans detailing recall procedures with 24/7 staff accessibility and annual mock recall capabilities. Delivery must occur bi-weekly to all 30 CCSD school cafeterias during the school year using well-maintained refrigerated trucks, with the vendor providing and maintaining freezer units at all school locations. The deadline for questions and alternate product authorization submissions is March 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with sealed bids due April 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM to 4781 Hereford Farm Road, Evans, GA 30809. The estimated award date is end of April 2026, with contract performance commencing July 1, 2026, and terminating June 30, 2027, with potential extensions up to three months at the same bid pricing and renewals for up to four additional one-year terms based on vendor performance.

No specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions are indicated in the procurement documents. All bid prices must remain firm for 180 days following contract award, after which price escalation or de-escalation requests may be submitted annually with third-party market documentation; price increases exceeding 15 percent annually may result in the SFA procuring from alternative sources. Vendors must maintain comprehensive liability insurance coverage, comply with E-Verify employment authorization requirements, and carry debarment and suspension certifications, with delivery failures, late deliveries, and sub-par product quality subject to a three-strikes termination policy. The procurement is supported by federal funding through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or specific budget values are listed in the available procurement documents.