SN 26-004 Fresh Produce and Eggs

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the GEC Buying Cooperative, a consortium of 40 Georgia school nutrition directors, to procure fresh produce and eggs distribution services for school districts across the state. The procurement is divided into two geographic areas: Area One comprises 18 districts with estimated annual produce spending of $4,408,690 and 159,819 cases yearly, while Area Two comprises 12 districts with estimated annual spending of $1,097,514.23 and 48,873 cases yearly, with respondents permitted to bid on either or both areas. The goods being procured include approximately 70 line items covering various apple varieties, bananas, berries, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, celery, citrus fruits, leafy greens, onions, peppers, potatoes, root vegetables, salad mixes, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini, and two egg products (eggs in single dozen cartons and large eggs in 15-dozen cases), with strict pack size and specification compliance required and no alternative pack sizes accepted. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of five years' experience in similar projects, preferably with public school systems, and submit references from at least three Georgia public school districts served within the past 24 months; required qualifications include Georgia business registration or license, minimum liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation insurance of $500,000, and compliance with Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act OCGA 13-10-91. Pricing shall be submitted on a cost-plus-fixed-fee basis for whole produce based on documented net cost from growers/shippers (not to exceed USDA Atlanta Terminal Wholesale Market Report prices) and for eggs based on Urner Barry Grade A Large Eggs pricing for the Southeast, with fixed fees remaining constant quarterly; cost-plus-percentage proposals are prohibited and will result in rejection. The proposal deadline is Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST, with submissions directed to Danielle Freeman, Executive Director of School Nutrition, Douglas County School District, followed by evaluation from March 9-13, 2026, board recommendation on March 20, 2026, board approval on April 13, 2026, and Notice to Proceed on April 27, 2026, with a contract term beginning July 1, 2026, and concluding June 30, 2027, with automatic renewal for up to five additional one-year terms unless either party provides 60 days' written notice of non-renewal.

The RFP does not identify specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to particular enterprise categories, indicating that any qualified vendor meeting the stated requirements may respond. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are explicitly listed in the available documentation. The GEC reserves the right to award contracts to multiple vendors, by geographic area, or by line item based on responsiveness and responsibility, allowing the cooperative to optimize costs by selecting the lowest responsive bidder for each individual product category rather than awarding the entire contract to a single vendor. Payment terms are Net 30 days from delivery or correct invoice receipt, and all purchases are exempt from sales tax. While specific award values are not explicitly stated in the available documentation, the estimated annual spending provides a market size of approximately $5.5 million across both geographic areas for the contract period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.