Classroom hydroponic growing systems designed to support hands-on agricultural, nutritional,...

Location:	Mississippi
Posted:	Nov 6, 2025
Due:	Dec 8, 2025
Agency:	State Government of Mississippi
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	F - Natural Resources and Conservation Services U - Education and Training Services
Solicitation No:	77-20251106095810 DCS
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

HYDROPONIC FARMS FOR CLASSROOMS

#378-HYDRO-DCS26

5 East South Street

Hernando, Mississippi 38632

PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE:

Public Notice to Newspaper

Newspaper Run Dates

Release of RFP

Deadline for Written Questions/Clarifications

Addendum (if applicable) to be Issued to Bidders

RFP Submission Deadline

Approval by Board-tentative

November 4, 2025

November 6 and November 13, 2025

November 6, 2025

On/Before November 20, 2025, 12:00 pm, CST

On/Before December 3, 2025

On/Before December 8, 12:00 pm, CST

January 8, 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Purpose

II. Background

III. General Terms and Conditions

A. General

B. Clarifications

C. Pricing

D. Bid Preparation and Submission

E. Conflicts of Interest

F. Modifications or Withdrawals of Bid Proposal

G. Evaluation of Bid Proposal

H. Selection Process

I. Award of Contract

J. Termination or Cancellation

IV. Scope of Services

A. Contract Period

B. Objectives

C. Scope

D. Confidentiality

V. Proposal Response

Exhibit A, B, C

V. List of school locations and dock information

Sample Contract

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Pages 4-5

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Pages 5-6

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Pages 6-8

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Page 8-9

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Pages 11-13

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I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit qualified vendors to provide classroom hydroponic

growing systems designed to support hands-on agricultural, nutritional, and environmental education in K-12

schools. The selected system should offer a self-contained, energy-efficient, and food-safe method for growing a

variety of leafy greens and other produce year-round within a classroom or school environment.

The goal of this initiative is to enhance student learning through experiential education, promote healthy eating

habits, and increase awareness of sustainable food production practices. The system should include all

components necessary for successful operation—such as lighting, nutrient delivery, growing media, and

educational support materials—and be scalable and serviceable within a school setting. We expect to purchase

between 35-50 hydroponic growing systems.

This RFP seeks solutions that are turnkey, durable, and classroom-appropriate, aligning with the district’s goals of

expanding farm-to-school programming, supporting nutrition education, and fostering student engagement

through interactive STEM and wellness learning opportunities.

The purpose of the RFP is to solicit complete proposals in accordance with the Proposal Response format listed in

the RFP, from agencies with expertise in classroom hydroponic growing systems and support. This RFP is

designed to provide interested parties with sufficient basic information to submit proposals meeting minimum

requirements but is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential information.

Respondents are at liberty and are encouraged to expand upon the specifications as to provide further evidence

of service capability under any proposed agreement. Proposals will be evaluated, and each requirement will be

scored.

The District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or waive any non-statutory informality. The District

further reserves the right to make the contract award deemed by the DeSoto County School District Board of

Education to be in the best interest of the District regardless of Selection Committee’s evaluation and scoring.

The Board’s decision to accept or reject the contract will be final. Upon completion of the purchase process and

selection, the DeSoto County School District will assume ownership of all materials provided as part of the

proposal.

The Selection Committee is composed of highly qualified district staff. To maintain a fair and independent

evaluation process, all committee members serve on a volunteer, non-stipend basis. Each member will personally

review all materials submitted for approval. The District Administrator and Purchasing Manager will review all

Committee evaluations and submit the final recommendation directly to the DeSoto County School Board of

Education. This multi-level evaluation process, involving numerous people, guarantees to ensure each agency

equity and fairness in the bidding, evaluation, and selection process. Respondents are strongly encouraged to

carefully read the entire request for proposals.

II. BACKGROUND

DeSoto County School District, located in DeSoto County, Mississippi, is the largest school district in the state,

serving students across 41 school sites, an alternative school, and two Career and Technical Education (CTE)

centers. The district is committed to expanding Farm to School initiatives and providing students with hands-on

learning experiences that connect the classroom to the cafeteria.

Through the integration of classroom hydroponic growing systems, students will explore STEM concepts while

cultivating fresh, nutritious produce year-round. This initiative supports district wellness goals by promoting

healthy eating habits, sustainability, and a greater understanding of where food comes from—creating

meaningful connections between education, nutrition, and community.

III. GENERAL TERMS and CONDITIONS

A. General

1. Bidders shall make all investigations necessary to thoroughly inform themselves regarding the delivery of

supplies and services as required by the solicitation. No plea of ignorance by the Bidder of conditions that

exist or that may hereafter exist as a result of failure to fulfill the requirements of the contract documents

will be accepted as the basis for varying from the requirements of the District or the compensation to the

Bidder.

2. The terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal, the resulting contract(s) or activities based upon

this Request for Proposal shall be construed in accordance with the laws of DeSoto County, Mississippi.

3. Bidders are required to state exactly what they intend to furnish to the District via this solicitation and

must indicate any variances to the terms, conditions or required services, of this Bid, no matter how slight.

4. Bidders are advised that the District endorses the participation and utilization of local contractors in its

purchasing efforts. Accordingly, bid proposals of equal price and quality will be awarded to Bidders

residing within the geographic area when available. This policy does not prohibit Bidders who reside

outside the area from participating in the purchasing process as long as these Bidders can offer services at

competitive pricing.

B. Clarifications

1. Where there appears to be variances or conflicts between the General Terms and Conditions and the Scope

of Services outlined in this bid solicitation, the Scope of Services shall prevail.

2. If any Bidder contemplating submitting a Proposal under this solicitation is in doubt as to the true meaning

of the requirements, the Bidder must submit a written request for clarification to the District’s Purchasing

Manager by the date and time designated in the Procurement Schedule via email at

dcs.purchasing@dcsms.org.

3. The Purchasing Manager for the District will work with the authorized agent of the District to respond to

all inquiries and will render an official interpretation of the question in writing. A copy of the clarification

will be given to all vendors that are known to have requested the bid documents. The District shall not be

responsible for verbal interpretations offered by employees of the District.

4. The District shall issue a written addendum if substantial changes, which impact the technical submission

of proposals, are required. A copy of the addenda will be given to all vendors that are known to have

requested bid documents. In the event of a conflict with the original contract documents and the addenda,

the addenda shall govern all other contract documents to the extent specified. Subsequent addenda shall

govern over prior addenda only to the extent specified.

C. Pricing

1. If the Bidder is awarded a contract under this solicitation, the prices proposed by the Bidder shall remain

fixed and firm during the term of the solicitation review and any subsequent contract renewals; provided,

however, that the Bidder may offer discounts from this fixed price to the District at any time during the

contractual term.

2. Bidders will neither include Federal, State, nor applicable local excise or sales taxes in the bid prices, as the

District is exempt from payment of such taxes. Exemption documentation will be provided where

applicable upon request.

3. The Bidder, by affixing its signature to this Proposal, certifies that its Proposal is made without previous

understanding, agreement, or connection either with any persons, forms, or corporations offering a bid

proposal for the same services, or with the District. The Bidder also certifies their Proposal is in all respects

fair, without inside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.

4. Pricing will be based on the equipment specifications outlined in Section IV.

D. Bid Preparation and Submission

1. This document is a Request for Proposal (RFP). It differs from a Request for Quote or Bid in that the District

is seeking a solution as described herein, not a bid meeting firm specifications for the lowest price.

Competitive sealed proposals will be evaluated based upon criteria formulated around the most important

features of the service, of which quality, references, and availability or capability, may be overriding

factors, and price may not be determinative in the issuance of a contract or award. The Proposal evaluation

criteria should be viewed as standards, which measure how well a Bidder’s approach meets the desired

requirements and needs of the District.

2. Proposals will be received by the DeSoto County School Board of Education, 5 East South Street, Hernando,

MS 38632 or electronically at www.centralbidding.com, at the date and time specified in the Procurement

Schedule. All proposals must be received at the Board of Education or electronically at

www.centralbidding.com on or before the date and time specified in the Procurement Schedule. Neither

dating of the proposal , nor placing it in the mail by this date and time will meet legal requirements. The

DeSoto County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals received

and to waive any and all informalities.

3. If Bidder is hand delivering or mailing Proposals, it must be submitted in a sealed 8”x10” or larger envelope.

Please label the outside envelope or shipping box as follows or the bid may be rejected:

Attn: Jenifer Hale

Hydroponic Farms for Classrooms

RFP #378-HYDRO-DCS26

December 8th, 2025, 12:00pm CST

Name of Company submitting proposal

If Bidder will be submitting proposal electronically, please submit to www.centralbidding.com. For any

questions relating to the electronic proposal submission process, please contact Central Bidding at 225-

810-4814.

4. Any proposal received after the opening date or time shall be refused and marked “Late Proposal” and

returned to the bidder unopened. For this purpose, the official time for the proposal opening shall be

based upon the time as indicated by the Purchasing Department. It is solely the responsibility of the Bidder

to ensure Proposals are received prior to the opening date and time.

5. The Proposal must be typed or legibly printed in ink. Use of pencil or erasable ink is not permitted.

6. If the District’s Superintendents Office is closed for any reason, including but not limited to inclement

weather, an emergency situation or any other act of nature, for which closure prevents the opening of

RFPs at the originally advertised date and time, all RFPs received shall be publicly opened and read aloud

on the next business day that the District’s Superintendents Office shall be open for business at the

previously advertised time. The new date and time of bid opening, as determined in accordance with this

paragraph, shall not be advertised.

7. Bid Proposals must contain the signature of an authorized agent of the Bidder. If the Bidder’s authorized

agent fails to sign the proposal, it shall be considered a non-responsive offer and shall not be considered.

8. Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the District may properly evaluate the

Bidder’s capabilities to provide the required products and services.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Smart Number	77-20251106095810 DCS	Advertised Date	11/06/2025 4:30 PM
RFx #	3170034279	Submission Date	12/08/2025 12:00 PM
RFx Status	Open	Major Procurement Category	COMMODITIES
RFx Opening Date	N/A	Sub Procurement Category	SUPPLIES - NON-TECHNOLOGY
RFx Type	MDA - RFx
Agency	MPTAP
RFx Description	The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit qualified vendors to provide classroom hydroponic growing systems designed to support hands-on agricultural, nutritional, and environmental education in K-12 schools. The selected system should

PRODUCT CATEGORY	PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
94454	Serv FarmingMisc

Classroom hydroponic growing systems designed to support hands-on agricultural, nutritional, and environmental education in K-12 schools

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