27NUTRL2 | Expanding Farm to School in Massachusetts | RFR

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is soliciting proposals to expand farm-to-school and early education nutrition programs across the state, with the goal of strengthening Child Nutrition Program operations and increasing food literacy. The contract, identified as BD-26-1026-DOE02-DOE01-130038, is a fee-for-service acquisition with an estimated value between $225,000 and $675,000, covering an initial one-year period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with two optional one-year renewal periods extending through June 30, 2029. Work is to be performed at DESE’s office located at 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149, and deliverables include custom software, data, scripts, technical documentation, HTML code, training materials, and images—all of which are subject to full assignment of intellectual property rights to DESE upon acceptance. The procurement is conducted exclusively through the COMMBUYS portal, which also serves as the designated platform for invoicing and all communications, requiring contractors to maintain an active COMMBUYS catalog and submit all documents electronically. A central and mandatory requirement of this contract is the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP), which demands that the contractor commit to spending at least 1% of the contract value annually with certified diverse business enterprises or non-profits, including Minority-Owned, Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Disability-Owned, and LGBTQ+-Owned businesses, as well as non-profit organizations with specific ownership credentials. Bidders must submit a completed SDP Plan Form in Excel format, detailing proposed partners and the allocation of contract funds, and are prohibited from using their own company or its affiliates as SDP partners. The SDP commitment is a major evaluation factor, accounting for at least 25% of the total score, with point tiers awarded for higher spending levels up to 25 points for commitments of 5% or more. Non-compliance with SDP requirements disqualifies proposals. Additional obligations include compliance with HIPAA regulations for handling health information, Executive Order 509 nutrition standards, Massachusetts public records law, and a requirement to participate in Electronic Funds Transfer for payments. Proposals must be submitted by 12:00 PM Eastern Time on July 14, 2026