Prison Commissary Goods

The Statewide Procurement Division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is soliciting bids for prison commissary goods to be resold primarily to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice under solicitation number 304T-26-680A3.3, with a response deadline of April 20, 2026. The contract is governed by Texas state procurement regulations and requires vendors to furnish new, unused, first-class condition goods in compliance with detailed packaging, labeling, and barcoding standards. All items must be marked with weather-resistant labels including brand name, package quantity, lot number, and purchase order number, and must carry barcodes in UPC-A, UPC-E, or Code 39 formats for scanning at receipt. Deliveries are FOB destination to designated TDCJ facilities in Beeville, Huntsville, and Snyder, as well as other state correctional locations, with vendors responsible for all shipping, handling, and associated costs. Each vendor must submit a Mandatory Price Sheet, Manufacturer’s Price List, descriptive literature, and signed attachments including an Execution of Response, Respondent Information, Preferences, Insurance Statement of Intent, and if applicable, Self-Insured Retention Certification. Award will be made on a best value basis, not lowest price alone, as required by Texas Government Code §2155.074, evaluating responsiveness, risk of non-performance, and overall value including pricing, delivery reliability, and compliance. Mandatory requirements include certification of no conflicts of interest, no use of former CPA employees within the prior 12 months, no employment of former state officers involved in the procurement for two years prior, completion of cybersecurity training, and full disclosure of any artificial intelligence systems used in product development. Vendors must also adhere to strict security protocols when accessing TDCJ facilities, including vehicle inspections, escorts in inmate areas, and prohibition of electronic devices. Inspection occurs at delivery points with acceptance presumed after 10 working days unless goods fail to meet technical specifications such as material composition, dimensions, or performance criteria—for example, cooling towels must provide a minimum two-hour cooling effect without refrigeration. Invoices must be submitted to the designated remittance address, and all contract-related records are subject to the Texas Public Information Act. The contract does not specify a total value due to the absence of completed pricing data, and no federal acquisition regulation clauses are applicable—instead, state-specific terms govern all aspects of performance, liability, indemnification, force majeure, intellectual property