Frozen Vegetables

The Department of General Services, Procurement Division is soliciting bids to establish a multi-year Statewide Contract for the procurement and delivery of frozen vegetables and dehydrated vegetarian soup bases for State of California institutions. The contract features a two-year base term with two optional one-year extensions, with an estimated anticipated spend of 10,811,358.52 dollars. This is an all-or-none award mandatory for use by all state departments, covering a wide range of products including green beans, carrots, corn, peas, peppers, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, and mixed vegetables. Deliveries are F.O.B. destination statewide, with the contractor retaining liability until final inspection and acceptance at the ordering agency's receiving point. Strict quality and safety standards are required, including USDA Grade B minimums, compliance with 21 CFR 110, and mandatory USDA Officially Sampled stamps on all containers. Packaging must be polyurethane wrapping for frozen goods, with a maximum case weight of 60 lbs and a minimum remaining shelf life of 120 days upon delivery. Bidders must provide a distribution plan and adhere to specific administrative requirements, such as accepting CAL-Card payments, maintaining a minimum delivery value of 500 dollars, and submitting monthly contract usage and SB/DVBE participation reports. Evaluation factors include the bidder's distribution plan, Secretary of State business number, and GenAI usage. Bids must be submitted via email to CMU@dgs.ca.gov by September 1, 2026, including all required certifications and a pricing worksheet in Excel format.