SY 27 Jones County Schools Grocery Bid

Jones County School District in Georgia is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for grocery and food products to supply the School Nutrition Program for School Year 2027. The procurement encompasses 578 line items of comprehensive food service products, including proteins, produce, dairy, grains, beverages, condiments, seasonings, frozen items, and prepared foods from various manufacturers and suppliers. All products must be delivered to seven school locations throughout Jones County, with pricing that includes packing and transportation costs. Vendors must comply with the Buy American provision for domestic food products containing over 51% domestic agricultural commodities, maintain HACCP plans with recall procedures, and provide nutritional data on all products. Required qualifications include carrying specified insurance coverage with a minimum of $500,000 general liability per occurrence. The contract period runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with options for extension up to three additional months at the same bid pricing and renewal by mutual written agreement for up to four additional one-year terms based on vendor performance. Written questions must be submitted by May 7, 2026 at 12:00 P.M., with sealed bids due May 28, 2026 at 12:00 P.M. at 125 Stewart Avenue, Gray, Georgia 31032, and bid opening scheduled for 2:00 P.M. the same day. Pricing must remain firm for 365 days from the contract award date, after which semi-annual price adjustments may be considered based on verified third-party market data, with payment due within thirty days of invoice receipt.

The School District will consider bids from small businesses, minority-owned enterprises, women-owned businesses, and veteran-owned businesses, though specific set-aside percentages or restrictions are not indicated in the solicitation documents. Vendors demonstrating poor performance within the past three years may be rejected as non-responsible. No incumbent vendor information or current contractor details are provided in the available documentation. The District reserves the right to award the contract to one or multiple vendors and will make the award within approximately sixty days of bid opening to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specifications and requirements. No specific budget range or estimated contract value is listed in the solicitation materials, though the comprehensive nature of the 578-line-item bid and the full-service nutrition program across multiple schools suggests a substantial annual procurement. The evaluation will focus on responsiveness to specifications, vendor responsibility, and lowest price among compliant bids.