Shortening, Vegetable

The Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) Purchasing/Contracts Division has issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for Vegetable Shortening to be delivered to their Central Distribution Center. The procurement seeks a specific vegetable shortening product with precise oil blend composition requirements, focusing on detailed specifications for packaging, labeling, and delivery. Key procurement dates include a bid issue date of November 12, 2024, a clarification request deadline of November 19, 2024, and a bid closing date of November 26, 2024. ODOC will award one or more contracts based on the lowest responsive bid by responsible bidders, with potential awards possible per line item, group of items, or all items. Bidders are required to submit unit pricing that includes transportation and delivery charges, with the contract start date to be determined. The evaluation criteria emphasize responsiveness, with a notable 5% preference applied for Oregon-made goods and bids from Oregon-headquartered companies.

The ITB appears to have a local economic development component, evidenced by the 5% preference for Oregon-based businesses and goods. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned in the available documentation. The procurement does not outline restrictions on organizational types that can respond, suggesting an open competitive bidding process. While the exact budget range is not specified, the document indicates that ODOC will select vendors based on competitive pricing and compliance with technical specifications. The procurement is specifically for vegetable shortening, suggesting this is a recurring supply contract for the Department of Corrections' institutional food service needs. The contract appears designed to ensure a consistent, high-quality supply of vegetable shortening with potential multi-vendor award structures to maintain procurement flexibility.