Sweet Potato Bid for Child Nutrition

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) Child Nutrition Department is seeking bids for processed sweet potatoes through a direct commercial and USDA commodity processing solicitation for the 2025-2026 school year. The Invitation for Bid (IFB) seeks manufacturers to provide pricing for commodity processed sweet potatoes (commodity code 100980) that will be distributed through Gordon Food Service - Kannapolis. Manufacturers must be approved USDA Commodity Food Processors verified by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and must agree to furnish goods to awarded distributors. The bid requires firm pricing for the entire contract period, with costs calculated per serving and based on finished product weight including labor, materials, and shipping charges. Proposals must be submitted by mail to the WS/FCS Purchasing Department by March 4, 2025 at 12:00 P.M., with the contract term running from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and an option to extend for four additional one-year periods upon mutual consent. The district will utilize Net-Off-Invoice (NOI) as the USDA approved accounting method and requests processors to front load commodities to ensure consistent pricing throughout the school year.

The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The current distributor is Gordon Food Service - Kannapolis, with the district reserving the right to add additional distributors as required. While a specific award value is not disclosed, the bid allows for potential negotiation of pricing for additional further processed commodity products that may be required or become available after the initial bid award. The procurement method indicates a low-bid award per specification, with evaluation based on total cost per serving for both commercial and commodity line items. Manufacturers must demonstrate ability to consistently supply processed sweet potatoes throughout the school year and comply with USDA commodity processing requirements. The bid provides flexibility for the school district to modify the contract by adding items after the original award, suggesting potential for expanded procurement needs during the contract period.