Student Success and Wellness/National School Lunch Program Food Service Provider

The New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure food service provider(s) to deliver compliant meal services for the Intermediate Preparatory Academy (IPA) serving grades 6-8. The procurement encompasses daily reimbursable breakfast and lunch services meeting USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) requirements, as well as New Mexico Public Education Department Student Success and Wellness Program (SSWP) standards. Key deliverables include meal preparation compliant with USDA meal pattern requirements, delivery logistics to IPA on all school days, temperature control maintenance, timely service, comprehensive operational planning, sample menus with nutritional documentation, and detailed reporting and documentation systems for meal counting and reimbursement support. Qualified contractors must demonstrate capability in federal regulatory compliance (7 CFR Parts 210 and 220, 2 CFR Part 200), operational logistics, and nutrition management. The RFP evaluation is structured across six weighted factors totaling 100 points: Company Experience & Past Performance (15 points), Regulatory Compliance and Audit Readiness (30 points), Operational Plan and Logistics (10 points), Menu Quality and Nutrition (10 points), Reporting Documentation Systems (10 points), and Cost and Value (25 points). Critical deadlines include a written question submission deadline of May 21, 2026, with responses provided May 27, 2026; proposal submission deadline of June 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM Mountain Standard Time via the eProcurement portal at https://nmmi.bonfirehub.com; estimated proposal evaluation completion by June 14, 2026; and notice of award by June 15, 2026, followed by a 15-day protest period. The contract term runs one year from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with NMMI retaining the option to renew for three additional one-year periods subject to fund availability and satisfactory contractor performance.

Offerors may submit proposals under either a Vendor Model with NMMI retaining program control or as a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) complying with 7 CFR 210.16. Optional preference points of 8-10% of total available points are available for certified Resident Business, Native American Resident Business, Resident Veterans, and Native American Resident Veterans businesses. All proposals must include complete and transparent cost proposals with per-meal pricing, all applicable fees, and additional costs covering all required services. Contractors must comply with the Buy American Provision and applicable civil rights requirements, and are responsible for maintaining detailed production records, nutrition documentation, and delivery logs to support federal reimbursement claims and audit readiness. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the available documentation. Specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the RFP materials provided.