IDEA Public Schools

#13-RFQ-01-601

IDEAPUBLIC SCHOOLS

REQUEST FOR QUOTES

FOR

FRESH PRODUCE FOR THE

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

June 8, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

IDEA Public Schools (District) invites you to quote on Produce. Quote sheets are to be emailed weekly from the Child Nutrition Program every Friday after 1:00 PM CST. Quotes will be received every Monday morning no later than 10:00 AM CST. Quotes will be awarded after quote study and consideration. The District reserves the right to hold weekly quote prices after quote opening without acting on them. Any emailed Produce Quote received after the time set for opening will be kept on file at the Child Nutrition Program. The District will not be responsible for miss sent or misplaced quotes.

The right is reserved, at the interest of the owner, to reject any or all quotes and to waive any formalities in quotes received and accept the quote most advantages to the District.

Please note the conditions below of the quote. The District requests that all proposals be submitted on the enclosed weekly produce quote (Attachment K).

Thank you,

CNP Director of Finance and Nutrition

PART I –scope and intent

PURPOSE

IDEA Public Schools(herein after referred to as “IDEA” or the “District”) is soliciting Request for Quotes (RFQ) from companies/business (herein after referred to as “vendor” or “respondent”) for the fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) requirements.

Utilizing RFQ method of procurement, the IDEA Child Nutrition Program (CNP) is requesting weeklyquotes from vendors to establish competitive pricing for the purchase and delivery of fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) to each of the cafeterias inthe District. The District may award one vendor per week per geographic area (i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin). Respondent can choose to submit quotes for one area or all areas separately (i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin).A delivery sites by campus list (Attachment J) with addresses is included in this solicitation.

BACKGROUND

IDEA is a growing network of tuition-free K-12 public charter schools serving more than 36,000 students in 60 schools throughout the Rio Grande Valley, Austin and San Antonio.

FUNDING

IDEA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Funding for the District operations and programs are provided through fundraising, philanthropic grants, stateand federal funding.

PAYMENT TERMS

No advance payment will be made to the vendor receiving the quote award. Payment will be made after the merchandise is received and in good order. Payment will be issued upon review and approval of invoice given that there are no discrepancies or disputes withinIDEA Public Schools

30 day net policy.

SERVICE PERIOD

IDEA Public Schools Child Nutrition Program is accepting weekly quotes for the term beginning July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

specifications

RESPONDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Vendors will be required to execute a copy of “vendor acknowledgement forms” of the items and conditions governing the process. By signing the “Vendor Acknowledgement Form”, vendor agrees to have the Terms and Conditions are the sole governing instrument and will be mandatory for participation. This procedure will be effective and remain effective for the period beginning July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

The Buy American provision requirements. Section 104(d) of the William F. Goodling Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-336) added a provision, Section 12(n) to the NSLA (42 USC 1760(n)), requiring school food authorities (SFAs) to purchase, to the maximum extent practicable, domestic commodity or product. Section 12(n) of the NSLA defines “domestic commodity or product” as an agricultural commodity that is produced in the United States and a food product that is processed in the United States using substantial agricultural commodities that are produced in the United States. “Substantial” means that over 51 percent of the final processed product consists of agricultural commodities that were grown domestically. Products from Guam, American Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands are allowed under this provision as territories of the United States. The Buy American provision (7 CFR Part 210.21(d)) is one of the procurement standards SFAs must comply with when purchasing commercial food products served in the school meals programs.

Vendors of record are solicited by public notice through newspaper or electronic advertisement. The District will solicit these vendors by publishing RFQ annually in our website noted below.

An RFQ packet will be available at 10:00 a.m. CST onFriday,June 16, 2017, at the Headquarters Office located at 2115 W. Pike Blvd., Weslaco TX 78596 attention Geena Huerta and in our website at the following link, under the “Get Involved” tab. An RFQ packet will also be available at 10:00 a.m. CST on Friday June 16, 2017, at the San Antonio Headquarters Office located at 12500 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, Texas 78216 attention Yvette Leal. The vendor is responsible for obtaining any updates or amendments to the RFQ from the website.

Respondents must complete “Vendor Acknowledgement Forms”, provided in this solicitation annually and mailed to 2115 W. Pike Blvd., Weslaco TX 78596 attention Maribel Anzaldua.No facsimiles or e-mails will be accepted for the “Vendor Acknowledgement Forms”.IDEA Child Nutrition Program will not accept weekly quotes until Vendor Acknowledgement Forms are received and approved by the District’s Purchasing Department. If you have any questions in regards to this RFQ process, please contact Maribel Anzaldua, Purchasing Supervisor, at 956-373-6825.

Weekly request for quotes are to be emailed from IDEA Child Nutrition Program on Friday after 1:00 PM CST weekly. The quotes shall be emailed to IDEA Child Nutrition Program no later than 10:00 AM CST every Monday.

General terms and conditions

1

IDEA Public Schools

#13-RFQ-01-601

Desired services

The selected respondent(s) will follow practices, processes, and protocols established by local, state, and federal agencies with respect to their field of service and goods. The following describes the general service and performance requirements that the awarded vendor(s)/respondents(s) will be required to perform.

  1. The specifications cover the fresh produce items which includes fruits and vegetables for the Child Nutrition Program. The District is accepting weekly quotes for the term beginning July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.
  1. Vendor acknowledges compliance with the “Buy American” provision and understands the explicit language contained in such provision, its responsibilities and as such is in compliance with the statutory provision.
  1. Must have a recognized place of business.
  1. Weekly produce prices are due every Monday, except when the District is closed. On Monday, prices may be emailed to by 10:00 AM CST. Pricing must be market price plus fixed fee. Each copy must show the Supplier’s Company name, date and phone number. Pricing must be the same for all locations in a specified area (i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin).
  1. Proposal is a fixed fee per case, or bag (pounds identified for each unit in spreadsheet) plus the current “Shippers Quote, Broker Quote, or Area Market Report”. This report must be made available to IDEA Public Schools Child Nutrition Program upon request.
  1. Quotations will be compiled and compared to the week’s fresh produce requirements for the Child Nutrition Program. District may award one vendor per week per geographic area (i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin). District has the right to accept or reject any and all quotes and to waive any informalities in quoted received and accept the quote most advantageous to the District. Respondent can choose to submit quotes for one area or all areas separately (i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin).A delivery site list by campus (Attachment J) with addresses is included in this solicitation.
  1. Awarded vendor shall have the ability to receive weekly orders by email or using an on-line ordering system with a designated “shopping list” from IDEA Public Schools (preferably web-based).
  1. The District reserves the right to cancelproduce orders within a 5 day notice.
  1. In compliance with the State of Texas Education Code, section 44.042. “A school district that purchases agricultural products shall give preference to those produced, processed, or grown in this state if the cost to the school district is equal and quality is equal.” “If the agricultural products produced, processed, or grown in the state are not equal in cost and quality to other products, the school district shall give preference to agricultural products produced, processed, or grown in other states of the United States over foreign products if the cost to the school district is equal and quality is equal.” It is the intent of the Child Nutrition Program to buy Texas grown or locally grown products when in season.
  1. Fresh produce will be packed and delivered in individual boxes or packages. Cleaned & trimmed, shredded, diced or mini cuts of produce will be delivered in vacuum sealed bags. Produce must be delivered in clean, well-maintained, refrigerated trucks. IDEA Public Schools Child Nutrition Program has the right to reject a vendor because of unsatisfactory service, product, quality, or unsanitary conditions. No decayed product will be tolerated. With weekly deliveries, all produce shall have a shelf life expectancy of at least 5 days. The vendor will be notified if any portion of specified shipment does not meet specifications of quality and/or wholesomeness. Wholesomeness means that products shall have no evidence of off-conditions, including, but not restricted to, off-flavor, off-odor, sour, sticky, rancid, or grassy characteristics. It will then be the responsibility of the vendor to pick up the entire shipment. If shipment is not picked up within a 10 day maximum, it will be destroyed by the District.
  1. The District reserves the right to purchase fresh produce elsewhere, if the product does not meet specification.
  1. Each produce item must have a grade as specified on the weekly produce quote (Attachment K) of this solicitation. of items with pack size and grade specifications. No sulfites shall be used on any products.No substitutions may be made available without the approval from the Child Nutrition Program. It is expected that substituted products shall be of the same or higher quality and the price shall be equal to the price for the specified items.
  1. Samples may be requested on food products as needed.
  1. Untimely deliveries may be cause for canceling the weekly quotation. After the quote is awarded and vendor(s) default(s) in meeting the general instructions to vendors and/or comply with contract agreement, IDEA Public Schools reserves the right to seek services from the next low vendor. In such event, the District shall charge the successful vendor the difference for any additional costs of such quote item.
  1. All respondents will submit a food summary and/or nutritional information for each produce item that includes: description, calories, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, sterols.
  1. All respondents must conform to all state and federal guidelines for quality control and or food handling.
  1. The awarded vendor(s)/respondent(s) must have access to a lab or facility that test for, but not limited to: E. coli, Listeria Monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus Aureus, Shigella.
  1. The awarded vendor(s)/respondent(s) must have either a B.S. level Microbiologist on staff or retain as a consultant to perform various testing to assure their products are safe for human consumption.
  1. The awarded vendor(s)/respondent(s) must haveUSDA approved facilities and a HACCP plan in place for their facility, delivery vehicles, and the recall of produce items.
  1. Respondent must have pest-free storage areas, delivery vehicles, and have a pest elimination service in place for their locations of business.
  1. Furnish copies to the Child Nutrition Program of at least two (2) health department inspection reports done within the last year. You may include any United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections.
  1. Respondent’s employees (those with direct contact with produce) must have a food handler’s permit or a comparable food certification.
  1. Adequate insurance coverage must be presented in the form of a certificate of insurance. Name IDEA Public Schools as an extra insured on the awarded vendor(s)/respondents(s) policy and give IDEA Public Schools 30 day notice of cancelation. The following list outlines the required insurance coverage for the proposal:

Type of Coverage / Amount of Coverage
General Liability Insurance / $1,000,000
Workers Compensation & Employee Liability Insurance / $500,000

Note: No substitution of coverage will be accepted. If the required proof of insurance is not submitted with the proposal, it will be determined to be non-responsive and will not be evaluated.

Deliveries

  1. Daily deliveries of the fresh produce requirement will be made by refrigerated truck before 9:30 AM CST to all locations in specified area(i.e. Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Austin) as stated in Attachment J. Respondent can choose to submit a quote for one area or all areas (separately).
  1. Produce will be inspected by IDEA Public Schools Child Nutrition Program upon delivery and will be refused if not of acceptable quality or specifications. The District reserves the right to make further inspection of the product after delivery and have product which does not meet specifications picked up and replaced or credited. Delivery of any replacement produce will be the responsibility of the vendor.
  1. All fresh produce must be delivered in adequate container, with correct labeling, weight and/or count of product, and proper temperatures. Variations in packing size and weight is not acceptable without proper written notification of proposed changes.
  1. Delivery Personnel must be appropriately uniformed, and readily identifiable with a name ID. Delivery Personnel must also have undergone a criminal record check and these criminal record checks should be periodically administered by awarded vendor.
  1. All deliveries will be accompanied with an invoice that will be left with the customer (Child Nutrition Program personnel). This document will be used to match the statement the vendor will submit each month to Child Nutrition Program Accounts Payable Clerk.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RESPOND

Respondents who are able to meet the technical specifications for quality and other terms of this proposal solicitation, and who are not debarred and/or suspended from conducting business with district, federal and state funded agencies are invited to respond. A prospective respondent must affirmatively demonstrate respondent’s responsibility. A prospective respondent, by submitting a quote, represents to IDEA Public Schools that it meets the following requirements:

Possess or is able to obtain adequate financial resources as required to perform under this RFQ.

Is able to comply with the required or proposed RFQ.

Have a satisfactory record of integrity and ethics.

Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award.

Be in good standing with the applicable national or state associations

PROCUREMENT CONDITIONS/GENERAL TERMS

Procurement of these items shall be in accordance with the IDEA Public Schools procurement policies and general terms as follows:

IDEA Public Schools reserves the right to accept, or reject any or all quotes received or to cancel or extend in part or its entirety, this Request for Quotes, or make multiple or partial awards. Award of purchase agreement or contract shall be made only to a responsible respondent(s), i.e., a respondent who has demonstrated competence to deliver the specified goods/services, a proven record of business integrity and ethics, and the ability to meet the requirements of this RFQ.

When submitting a quote, it is required that the respondent have the necessary professional experience, prior training, and applicable professional judgment to perform the activities or deliver the goods stated in this RFQ.Quotes received will become a part of the IDEA Public Schools’ official files without further obligation to the respondents.

The contents of a successful proposal may become a contractual obligation if selected for funding. Failure of the Respondent to accept these obligations can result in cancellation of an award or purchase agreement. IDEA Public Schools reserves the right to withdraw or reduce the amount of an award or to cancel any contract resulting from this procurement if there is misrepresentation or errors in the specifications, pricing, terms, or Respondent’s ability to meet the terms and conditions of this RFQ or if adequate funding is not received.

A response does not commit IDEA Public Schools to award a purchase agreement or a contract. IDEA does not commit to a reimbursement of any costs incurred in the preparation of a response nor commit to pay for any costs incurred prior to the execution of a formal purchase agreement or contract unless such costs are specifically authorized in writing by IDEA Public Schools.

IDEA Public Schools reserves the right to contact any individual, agency, or employers listed in the RFQ, to contact others who may have experience and/or knowledge of the respondent’s goods/supplies, relevant performance, qualifications, etc., and to request additional information from any and all respondents.

Respondents shall not, under penalty of law, offer any gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value to any officer or employee of IDEA Public Schools, or to any consultant, employee, or member of IDEA Public Schoolsfor the purpose of or having the effect of influencing favorable disposition toward their own proposal or any other bid submitted hereunder.

No employee, officer or member of IDEA Public Schools shall participate in the selection, development of a response to this RFQ, award or administration of a contract supported by the RFQ if a conflict of interest, real or apparent, would be involved.

Respondents shall not engage in any activity that will restrict or eliminate competition. This does not preclude joint ventures or subcontracts. Violation of this provision may cause a respondent’s response to be rejected.

No purchase agreement or contract may be awarded until the respondent has complied with Executive Order 12549, 29 CFR, Part 98 by submitting a signed Certification of Debarment, which states that neither the respondent, nor any of its principles, are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in a procurement by any Federal department or agency.