Invitation For Bids Grocery Products

Head Start of Greater Dallas, Inc. is soliciting bids for the supply and delivery of grocery products including bread, frozen foods, meat items, produce, and dry goods to multiple Head Start centers across Dallas County, Texas. The contract is structured as a requirements agreement with a one-year base period and four one-year option periods, allowing for a potential total contract duration of five years. Bids must be submitted in sealed physical form by June 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. to the agency’s Purchasing Department, with no electronic or faxed submissions permitted. Suppliers are required to maintain adequate staffing and vehicle capacity to conduct multiple inside deliveries per week on a consistent schedule, with all deliveries occurring at specified agency locations under FOB destination terms. Products must meet stringent temperature controls—frozen items must be stored and delivered at 0°F or below with a minimum 45-day shelf life, refrigerated items at 34–40°F, and dry goods at room temperature with at least a 10-day shelf life. All food items must bear clear labeling compliant with FALCPA, including full ingredient lists, allergen declarations for major allergens, nutrition facts panels, CN labeling where applicable, and expiration or sell-by dates. Packaging must be commercially sealed, clean, and undamaged, and rejected shipments for noncompliance are non-negotiable. The evaluation of bids is based on a best value trade-off approach, prioritizing unit price at 50% weight, followed by product quality at 40%, delivery and service performance at 30%, compliance with specifications at 20%, and small business, minority, or woman-owned status at 10%. A minimum 95% monthly fill rate is required, with full accountability for substitutions, new product approvals, and recall notifications. Suppliers must provide a local customer service representative for quarterly coordination with agency leadership and maintain a robust pest management program and sanitation protocol adhering to HACCP guidelines. Insurance coverage of $1 million general liability and $500,000 workers’ compensation is mandatory, with proof required within ten days of award. Invoicing must be processed through the Wide Area Workflow system, accompanied by valid proof of delivery, and payment is due under net 30 terms as required by the Texas Prompt Payment Act. Contractors must comply with federal regulations including 31 U.S.C. 1352, the Davis-Bacon Act if labor thresholds