Sole Source IVHM Dietary Services

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) is seeking to procure transitional dietary services for the Manteno Veterans Home through a sole source contract with Arena Foods. The contract will be for an 18-month period from June 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, with no renewal options. During this time, Arena Foods will continue to provide comprehensive dietary services, including food, equipment, and staffing, to support IDVA's transition to an in-house dietary department at the Manteno Home. IDVA has determined that Arena Foods is the only vendor capable of providing the required services and that an abrupt change in vendors would disrupt services to the veteran residents. IDVA conducted market research and found no other vendors in the area able to meet the Manteno Home's dietary needs. The pricing for the sole source contract is considered fair and reasonable compared to IDVA's current dietary expenditures, and the contract will be funded with state funds.

This sole source procurement is necessary to prevent disruption of services to the Manteno Home's veteran residents during IDVA's transition to an in-house dietary department. IDVA plans to utilize state master contracts to obtain kitchen equipment and food items as they build out their own dietary department, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2023. Arena Foods has been the incumbent vendor providing dietary services at the Manteno Home for over a decade. The estimated value of this sole source contract is $6,000,000. IDVA will be hosting a sole source hearing on April 27, 2022 unless an interested party submits written comments or requests a public hearing by April 22, 2022.