CENTRAL COLORADO CO-OP REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP # 15-Prime Vendor PRIME VENDOR FOR SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM Bid Due Date: Monday, April 27, 2015 Bid Closing Time: 2:00 p.m. Proposal Must Be Received By Date and Time Specified to Be Considered Submit Sealed Responses To: Mapleton Public Schools Purchasing Department, Attn: FRP#15-Prime Vendor Attn: Janet Gibbons, Purchasing 591 E. 80th Ave. Denver, CO 80229 Important Dates: Solicitation Released: Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting: Wednesday, April 1, 2015 @8:30am 591 E. 80th Ave Denver, CO- Board Room Vendor Question Deadline: Friday, April 17, 2015 @ 2pm Last Day for Addenda: Monday, April 20, 2015 RFP Due: Monday, April 27, 2015 @ 2pm *For Technical Questions Regarding This Solicitation, Please Contact Janet Gibbons, Purchasing Email: [email protected] Issued By: Mapleton Public Schools Purchasing Department on behalf of Central Colorado Co-op RESPONDENT’S CERTIFICATION The undersigned, having carefully examined all of the documents pertaining to the subject project, including the project specifications, agreement, and Terms & Conditions, hereby proposes to furnish all required labor, materials equipment, tools and insurance to complete the work described in their proposal document in strict accordance with the project documents for the price set forth herein. This Respondent’s certification must be signed and returned with your proposal Company Name _____________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________ City ________________________ State _____ Zip___________ Telephone No. ________________________________ Fax No. _____________________________ Contact Name ____________________________________, Title __________________________ By __________________________________________ (Authorized Signature) Email ______________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview of Co-op…………………………………………………………………….…….2 Purpose…………………………………………………………………………..…….…….2 Scope of Work……………………………………………………………………...….…….2 Schedule………………………………………………………..………………….…….….12 General Conditions………………………………………………………………….……...12 Special Conditions……………………………………………………………………….…14 Evaluation Criteria………………………………………………………………………….14 Selection Process………………………………………..………………………….………14 Proposal Submission Format and Requirements………………………………………………………………………….……15 Terms and Conditions………………………………………………………………..……..21 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO.15-PRIME VENDOR PRIME VENDOR FOR CENTRAL COLORADO CO-OP SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM OVERVIEW OF THE CO-OP Central Colorado Co-op is made of 4 different Colorado school districts; Mapleton Public School District, Adams 14 School District, Adams-Arapahoe 28J (Aurora Public Schools) and Harrison Two School District. District statics are as follows: Mapleton School District 12 schools, enrollment of 6,400, employees 50 full & part time staff, site to site delivery required Adams 14 School District 13 schools, enrollment of 7598 employees 72 full & part time staff, warehouse delivery required Aurora 28J School District 54 schools, enrollment of 40,009, employees 350 full & part time staff, warehouse delivery required Harrison Two School District 24 schools, enrollment of 11,441, employees 100 full & part time staff, site to site delivery required Combined, The Co-op prepare approximately over 4 million meals a year. Food and Nutrition Services is a self-supporting department, general fund monies are not utilized to support these operations. The Co-op participates in the USDA School Lunch, Breakfast, After School Care Snack, Summer Feeding, Fruit and Vegetable and commodity food programs as well as CACFP programs, school stores and concessions. PURPOSE Central Colorado Co-op desires to enter into a contract with one food vendor to be a prime vendor to provide and deliver grocery purchases such as frozen food, fresh and frozen meats, fresh produce, snacks, dry goods, canned goods, beverages, and miscellaneous other supplies for the school meal program, as well as the district’s catering operation. It is estimated that approximately 70-80% of food service program requirements will be delivered through this agreement. The Co-op annually purchases approximately $13,500,000 of products for the food service department, including grocery purchases, dairy, bread, paper products, small wares, commodity food, cleaners, chemicals and other miscellaneous items. Dairy, paper products, small wares, cleaners and chemicals will be excluded from the prime vendor contract. The purpose of the RFP is to get best value for the school meal program. The Co-op will accept proposals from distributors or organizations, such as group purchasing organizations that have direct contractual relationships with manufacturers. Vendors may propose a program designed specifically for the Co-op or a cooperative program that is available for the Co-op to participate in, whichever is most advantageous to the Co-op. SCOPE OF WORK The Co-op provide meals at approximately 103 schools, elementary to secondary level. School stores, located at 10 high schools, are operated by Food and Nutrition Services and sell snacks and beverages to students. The Co-op participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Page 2 of 27 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO.15-PRIME VENDOR PRIME VENDOR FOR CENTRAL COLORADO CO-OP SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM program, after school care snack program, summer food service and CACFP programs for reimbursement of meals that meet federal standards and is allocated USDA commodities for use in school meals. For the summer food service program, we average 65 schools and the program runs May through August. Currently food products are delivered by multiple vendors to either a districts Food Service Warehouse or on a Site to Site basis, depending on individual district needs. For 2 of the districts, that have a district warehouse, food service staff distributes the food products to the individual schools. An exception to this is snack foods and beverages, which are used in the secondary schools. We have 7 middle schools and 7 high schools where products need to be delivered directly to these locations once a week. Product Quality All products shall meet or exceed the requirements of the USDA and National School Lunch Program. The Co-op will require nutritional information sheets be provided on all food products to include: product code, full name of product, description, ingredient list, child nutrition specifications, shelf life, pack size, net weight, allergen information and nutritional facts. In accordance with the Federal Buy American Act, the Co-op desires to purchase domestic food products to the maximum extent practicable for school meals. Domestic products are those that are produced in the United States and those that are processed in the United States substantially (at least 51 percent) using agricultural commodities produced in the United States. ALL FOOD PRODUCTS ARE TO BE PRODUCED and PROCESSED IN THE UNITED STATES: In the case where Non-domestic products must be used, Prime Vendor must be in compliance with the Buy American Act. This applies to all sections of this RFP. In the event the Prime Vendor supplies or delivers products contrary to the requirements of this section or applicable laws and regulations, the Co-op may pursue remedies for default. The Prime Vendor shall hold the Co-op harmless from any fines, penalties, costs or expenses imposed upon or incurred by any of them as a result of the Prime Vendor’s non-compliance with such laws and regulations. The Co-op supports the use of local farmers and may require locally produced products to support “locally grown” meals throughout the school year. Estimated quantities represent approximate annual usage. The Co-op neither states nor implies that estimated quantities will represent actual quantities purchased over the term of the agreement. Orders will be placed as the need arises. The Co-op is under NO obligation to purchase the estimated quantities listed. Ordering The Co-op currently uses district specific software to manage food warehouse inventory, cataloging, ordering, receipts and delivery tracking to schools. District software is/may be interface(d) with the individual district’s financial system for item cataloging; ordering, accounts payable and tracking inventory values. While it is not a requirement, the Co-op would be interested in any options available to interface between the respondent’s cataloging and ordering system and individual district operational Page 3 of 27 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO.15-PRIME VENDOR PRIME VENDOR FOR CENTRAL COLORADO CO-OP SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM and financial software systems. We are looking for business to business (B2B) efficiencies that may be available using catalog item imports, punch out for orders, electronic payments or any other efficiencies the respondent may be able to propose. Shortages and Substitutions Pack size changes may be allowed if product meets Co-op specifications and the size change has been approved by Nutrition Services. Pack size differences shall be clearly marked in the proposal response. For any requests for substitutions, the Prime Vendor may be required to provide samples of any products for evaluation. ALL SAMPLES MUST include Nutritional Information sheets. Co-op requests only 8 servings of factory sealed packaged samples. All samples must be accompanied by nutritional information sheet to include: product code, full name of product, description, ingredient list, child nutrition specifications, shelf life,