RFI

Location:	Iowa
Posted:	Apr 2, 2026
Due:	Apr 16, 2026
Agency:	State Government of Iowa
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	70 - General Purpose Information Technology Equipment (including software).
Solicitation No:	IND-26-100
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Attachment Preview

******THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL******

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

DIVISION OF State-Operated Specialty Care

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (NON- IT SERVICES)

for

Canteen Operations

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******THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL******

Table of Contents

Section 1: PURPOSE, BACKGROUND, AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

1.1 Purpose and Background Information for the Project

1.2 Relevant Dates

1.3 Submission of Response

1.4 Agency Contact Information

1.5 Administrative Matters

1.6 Review and Rejection of RFI Responses

1.7 Public Records and Requests for Confidentiality

1.8 Copyrights

1.9 Restrictions on Gifts and Activities

1.10 Cost to Interested Party

1.11 Responses / Property of Agency

1.12 Source of Information Used in Addition to the Responses

1.13 No Obligation to Issue Request For Proposal

1.14 Interested Party Responses Identifying Information

1.15 Interested Party References

Section 2: INFORMATION SOUGHT

Section 3: OTHER FEATURES

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SECTION 1: PURPOSE, BACKGROUND, AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

1.1 Purpose and Background.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to allow all interested parties to

provide the Agency with information to assist the Agency in preparation of a Request for

Grant Application (RFGA) or a Request for Bid (RFB).

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, hereafter known as the Agency,

is seeking information regarding Canteen Operations Fair Market Value.

This section describes the current canteen operations on the Iowa Health and Human

Services Independence Mental Health Institute (IMHI) campus. Through this RFI

process, the Agency seeks to obtain information on canteen services going forward.

The information provided in this background section is for historical purposes and not a

guarantee of future service levels and/or IMHI population.

Background Information for the Project.

IMHI provides inpatient psychiatric care to adults, adolescents, and children from the

eastern half of Iowa. The current operating capacity is fifty-six beds. IMHI population is

made up of approximately thirty-six children and adolescents and twenty adults residing

in three separate living units. Patients’ age range from seven to ninety-nine years old

and are independent in their activities of daily living with a small number of exceptions.

Patient census and/or population served are subject to change by the Iowa Department

of Health and Human Services Director, Governor or Iowa legislature. In addition,

FourOaks rents space from IMHI with a population around 16 (subject to change)

adolescent patients plus staff. MHI staff roughly consists of just under 200 employees

and contractors. The public is welcome to visit the canteen.

IMHI has had a canteen operation for well over 100 years which was originally run by a

patient and later taken over by the hospital. Since July 1, 1988, the hospital has

contracted out the canteen operations in cooperation with the Iowa Department of the

Blind and their respective Blind Managers

Patient population census and employee numbers are subject to change upwards or

downwards at the discretion of the state. IMHI is accredited by Joint Commission.

1.2 Relevant Dates

Event

Agency Issues RFI

RFI Responses Due from interested parties

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Date

4/3/26

4/17/2026

******THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL******

Issue RFGA/RFB (Tentative date)

RFGA/RFB Decision to Award Contract (Tentative date)

Contractor Begins Implementation (Tentative date)

1.3 Submission of Response

This request requires any interested party wishing to submit information to respond to

this Request for Information (RFI) by 11:59 PM on the date listed in the table above.

The interested party’s response should be e-mailed to the Agency at the email provided

in section 1.4. Responses will not be accepted over the telephone. However, the

Agency reserves the right to make telephone contacts or follow up on information

submitted in any manner deemed appropriate by the Agency.

1.4 Contact Information

The contact at the Agency for technical questions and submission of responses will be:

Name of HHS Contact:

Jessica Dawes

Email Address:

Jessica.dawes@HHS.Iowa.Gov

1.5 Administrative Matters

1.5.1 This RFI is designed to provide interested parties with the information

necessary for the preparation of an appropriate response. It is not intended to be

comprehensive, and each interest party is responsible for determining all factors

necessary for submission of a comprehensive response.

1.5.2 The Agency reserves the right to modify this RFI at any time.

1.5.3 Responses should be based on the material contained in this RFI or any

other relevant information the interested party thinks is appropriate.

1.5.4 By submitting a response each interested party agrees that it will not bring

any claim or have any cause of action against the Agency, the State of Iowa, or

any employee of the Agency or the State, based on any misunderstanding

concerning the information provided or concerning the Agency’s failure, negligent

or otherwise, to provide the interested party with pertinent information as

intended by this RFI.

1.6 Review and Rejection of RFI Responses

1.6.1 The Agency reserves the right to reject any and all responses, in whole

and in part, received in response to this RFI at any time.

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1.6.2 An RFI response may be rejected outright and not reviewed for failure of the

interested party to deliver the response by the due date. Therefore, interested

parties are asked to make every effort to meet the RFI timelines and to include the

requested information.

1.6.3 An RFI response will not be subject to a RFP type of evaluation but only a

review of information in the RFI.

1.7 Public Records and Requests for Confidentiality

1.7.1 The release of information by the Agency to the public is subject to Iowa

Code Chapter 22 and other applicable provisions of law relating to the release of

records in the possession of a State agency. Interested parties are encouraged

to familiarize themselves with these provisions prior to submitting a RFI

response. All information submitted by an interested party may be treated as

public information by the Agency unless the interested party properly requests

that information be treated as confidential at the time of submitting the response.

1.7.2 Any requests for confidential treatment of information must be included in

a cover letter with the interested party’s RFI response and must enumerate the

specific grounds in Iowa Code Chapter 22 or other legal reasons which support

treatment of the material as confidential and must indicate why disclosure is not

in the best interests of the public. The request must also include the name,

address and telephone number of the person authorized by the interested party

to respond to any inquiries by the Agency concerning the confidential status of

the materials.

1.7.3 Any documents submitted which contain confidential information must be

marked on the outside as containing confidential information, and each page upon

which confidential information appears must be marked as containing confidential

information. The confidential information must be clearly identifiable to the reader

wherever it appears. All copies of the proposal submitted, as well as the original

proposal, must be marked in this manner.

1.7.4 In addition to marking the material as confidential material where it

appears, the interested party must submit one copy of the RFI response from

which the confidential information has been excised. The confidential material

must be excised in such a way as to allow the public to determine the general

nature of the material removed and to retain as much of the document as

possible. These pages must be submitted with the cover letter and will be made

available for public inspection.

1.7.5 The interested party’s failure to request in the RFI response confidential

treatment of material pursuant to this Section and the relevant laws and

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