Summer Lunch Program

Agency:	City of Berkeley
State:	California
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	84 - Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia
Posted:	Jan 26, 2024
Due:	Feb 22, 2024
Solicitation No:	24-11637-C
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Finance Department

General Services Division

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Specification No. 24-11637-C

FOR

SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM

PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE OPENED AND READ PUBLICLY

Dear Proposer:

The City of Berkeley is soliciting written proposals from qualified firms or individuals to prepare and deliver

lunches and snacks for the Summer Food Program. As a Request for Proposal (RFP) this is not an invitation

to bid and although price is very important, other factors will be taken into consideration.

The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in the RFP (attached).

Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 pm, on Tuesday, February 22, 2024. Proposals are to be sent via

email with the “Specification No. 24-11637-C and SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM clearly indicated in the

subject line of the email. Please submit one (1) PDF of the technical Proposal with the filename saved as,

“Proposal Vendor Name - 24-11637-C SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM.” Corresponding pricing proposal shall

be submitted as a separate document with the filename saved as, “Pricing Vendor Name - 24-11637-C SUMMER

LUNCH PROGRAM”

Email Proposals to:

City of Berkeley

Finance Department/General Services Division

purchasing@berkeleyca.gov

Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not

conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFP does not obligate the City

to award a contract, nor is the City liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of

proposals for the subject work. The City retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to

not select any bidders, and/or to re-solicit proposals. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the

proposer has read the RFP and understands all the requirements and conditions.

For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact Ginsi Bryant, Recreation

Program Supervisor, via email at Gbryant@berkeleyca.gov no later than Wednesday February 9, 2024.

Answers to questions will not be provided by telephone or email. Answers to all questions or any addenda will be

posted on the City of Berkeley’s site at Bid & Proposal Opportunities | City of Berkeley (berkeleyca.gov). It is the

vendor’s responsibility to check this site. For general questions concerning the submittal process, contact

purchasing at 510-981-7320.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing your proposal.

Sincerely,

Darryl Sweet

General Services Manager

City of Berkeley

Summer Lunch Program

Specification No. 24-11637-C

Page 2 of 36

Release Date 1/25/2024

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of Berkeley (the “City”) Summer Food Program provides lunch with milk and

snacks at various sites throughout the City in accordance with the United States Department

of Agriculture (USDA) meal requirements for youth ages 18 years and younger. The total

number of meals served varies daily, but averages approximately 400 lunches and 400

snacks per day. The program runs Monday through Friday for eight to ten (8) - (10) weeks

each summer. Each year, Summer Camps begin mid-June and run through the end of August

(exact dates depend upon the Berkeley Unified School District calendar).

For more information about the USDA Summer Food Program visit:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program

Funding for the program is provided through a reimbursement program from the California

Department of Education (CDE), Nutrition Services Division (NSD), based upon

established annual rates and City of Berkeley general funds. The City of Berkeley seeks a

vendor that will provide quality meals based on the standards that meet SFSP (Summer

Food Service Program) and City requirements; specifications which are stated within this

RFP. Healthy menus, meal variety, recyclable packaging, organic food options, and timely

delivery of meals are required for the summer lunch program. The City will enter into a

contract with a vendor that is an established Food Service Vendor, a School Food Authority

(SFA) or a Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) vendor that meets all CDE requirements

as well as the City of Berkeley’s Food and Nutrition policy (Exhibit A). For information

about USDA meal patterns visit the following website:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/meal-patterns

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The vendor will prepare and deliver unitized lunch, milk and snacks to approximately six

(6) sites throughout the City of Berkeley for the Summer Food Program. Locations are listed

in Exhibit B on page 34. Meals must be individually proportioned, packaged and delivered

as a unit to each site. Milk and juice may be packaged separately. Food containers must be

made of clear, compartmentalized recyclable materials, preferably made from compostable

materials. Perishables will be cooled/refrigerated during preparation and transport in a

manner consistent with USDA standards, and all laws ensuring safe food handling

procedures.

At a minimum, the vendor must provide meals that meet the USDA lunch program

standards, and must conform to the cycle menus, quality standards and food specifications

approved by the CDE http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/. This includes appropriate component

contents as well as portion size. The City will not be obligated to pay for meals that are

found (during delivery inspection or during meal service) to be of unacceptable quality

(moldy bread, rotten fruits or vegetables, overcooked or burned food, spoiled milk, etc.) or

meals that do not meet the USDA guidelines.

Meals cannot be sub-contracted out for a part of the whole meal (i.e. with or without milk

or for the assembly of the meals). Vendors are required by the National School Lunch

Program to use food service funds, to the maximum extent practicable, to buy domestic

commodities or products for meals served under these programs. A “domestic commodity

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 24-11637-C

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Summer Lunch Program

Release Date 1/25/2024

or product” is defined as one that is either produced in the United States or is processed in

the United States substantially using agricultural commodities that are produced in the

United States. The term “substantially” means that over 51 percent (51%) of the final

product consists of agricultural commodities that are grown domestically. The City seeks a

menu that has variety and food appeal to ensure that the meals are well received and

consumed by the children. Prior to award, a mandatory taste test may be conducted.

Optimally, the vendor will provide lunches and snacks consistent with the City of Berkeley

Food and Nutrition Policy. The goals of this policy are to ensure that food served by City

programs shall be, within the fiscal resources available, culturally appropriate and nutritious

(for example, contain minimal trans-fat and high-fructose corn syrup), regionally grown or

processed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free and organic meeting USDA standards. For further

information, please see the City of Berkeley Food and Nutrition Policy (Exhibit A pages

30-33).

A. Contract Term

The contract awarded from this Request for Proposal has an estimated contract date of May

15, 2024 and estimated start date of June 2024 through August 30, 2024 with the option to

amend/extend the contract for four (4) additional one (1) year terms assuming the vendor

has successfully provided foods per the specifications of this bid and is in compliance with

all contracting requirements.

B. Meal Ordering

The City will order meals on Friday of the week preceding the week of delivery; orders will

be placed for the total number of days in the succeeding week and will include breakdown

totals for each delivery site and each type of meal. The City reserves the right to increase

or decrease the number of meals ordered within 24-hour notice (or another mutually agreed

upon timeframe between the parties to this contract) of scheduled delivery. Errors in meal

orders made by the City shall be the responsibility of the City.

C. Meal Substitutions

Once a menu cycle has been approved, changes to this cycle may be made only when agreed

upon by both parties. In such instances the City will be contacted by phone or by email by

the vendor so that substitutions can be agreed upon. Both the City and the vendor will

document changes. The City reserves the right to request menu changes within the cost

parameters periodically throughout the contract period if meals are not being well received

(consumed) by the children.

D. Delivery Requirements

The contractor shall deliver meals to each center listed on Exhibit B in accordance with the

delivery order from the City. Meals will be delivered, and unloaded in the designated center

daily (no later than 1 hour prior to lunch service) by the contractor's personnel at each of the

locations and times listed in Exhibit B. The contractor will be responsible for delivery of all

meals and dairy products at the specified time. Adequate refrigeration or heating will be

provided during transportation and delivery of all food to insure the wholesomeness of food

at delivery in accordance with state or local health codes. The City reserves the right to add

or delete feeding sites. This will be done by an amendment of Exhibit B. The City will

notify the vendor of such amendments not less than one week prior to the required date of

service. Any change in transportation cost that occurs as a result of adding or deleting

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 24-11637-C

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Summer Lunch Program

Release Date 1/25/2024

centers will be negotiated and noted in the modification. The contractor's invoice will show

the cost as a separate item for those sites.

E. Inspections & Record Keeping

The vendor will retain all required records for a period of three (3) years after the end of the

term of the contract. Records must document.

i. The menus that were provided to the City during the term of the contract including

a list of all components of each meal, and an itemization of the quantities of each

component used to prepare said meals

ii. Food preparation records showing evidence that meals met the SFSP Meal Pattern

iii. Cost records such as invoices, receipts and/or other evidence that document the

purchase of the meal components and quantities itemized in the meal preparation

records

iv. Maintain a daily accurate count of the number of meals, by meal type, prepared and

delivered to the City (this includes the number of meals ordered by the City)

v. Provide the City with a copy of current health certifications for the food service

facility in which it prepares meals for the SFSP. Vendor shall ensure that all health

and sanitation requirements of State and local laws are met, and maintained at all

times

vi. Vendor will supply the City with copies of the food preparation records at the end of

each month, unless requests are made more frequently

The City, CDE, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reserve the right to inspect the

contractor's preparation facilities prior to award and without notice at any time during the

contract period, including the right to be present during preparation and delivery of meals.

The contractor's facilities will be subject to periodic inspections by U.S. Department of

Agriculture, state and local health departments or any other agency designated to inspect

meal quality for the state. This will be accomplished in accordance with U.S. Department

of Agriculture regulations. The contractor will obtain for meals, which it prepares, periodic

inspections by the local health department or an independent agency to determine bacteria

levels in the meals and conformance with standards set by local health authorities.

The Contractor will promptly submit results of any inspections to the City and the SFSP

representative. The books and records of the contractor, pertaining to this contract, will be

available for a period of (3) three years from the date the agency submits to CDE the final

claim for reimbursement for meals provided under this contract, or until the final resolution

of any audits for investigation and audit by representatives of CDE, representatives of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency and the Controller General of the United States

at any reasonable time and place.

F. Nutritional Improvements

USDA nutritional guidelines ensure that children are receiving healthy meals with the

proper amounts of grains, produce, dairy and meat or meat alternatives. While this provides

a good foundation for quality meals, nutritional improvements can be made. Examples

include exchanging a white flour bun for two slices of whole wheat bread, offering fresh

fruits and vegetables instead of juice, offering nonfat/low-fat options. Milk and cheeses can

be low in fat. Whole grain breads, rolls, buns and pastas can be used whenever

economically feasible, and low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies can be offered in place of full fat

chocolate chip cookies. Foods can be baked or stir-fried instead of deep fat fried.

City of Berkeley

Summer Lunch Program

Specification No. 24-11637-C

Page 5 of 36

Release Date 1/25/2024

G. Logistics and Good Meal Quality

Temperature, delivery, and preparation of food are critical and add to nutritional quality.

Meals shall not be prepared earlier than 24 hours in advance of children’s eating to maximize

the freshness of the food. Proper refrigeration shall be maintained during the preparation

and delivery of all food to ensure the wholesomeness of food at the time of delivery and in

accordance with State and local health codes. Food is to be maintained at 41 degrees

Fahrenheit. Bidder shall provide extra ice for each ice cooler to maintain food at safe levels

at sites where no refrigeration is available. This is critical during extreme hot weather days.

Food must be delivered at an appropriate temperature; frozen sandwiches will not be

accepted. Foods that are delivered without appropriate temperature regulation (in an un-

refrigerated truck or come frozen) will not be accepted. Meals must be delivered no later than

one (1) hour prior to the start of the scheduled mealtime at each site. With prior approval

from the City deliveries may be made at a time agreed to by both parties. All drivers may be

asked to wait until the site supervisor counts all items including meals, juices, and milk.

Should the number of meals differ from what was to be delivered, both the driver and the

supervisor shall initial all delivery tickets. The vendor shall have back up drivers and

vehicles on hand to assure prompt delivery of meals. The City reserves the right to add or

delete food service sites by amendment of the initial list of approved sites in this RFP and

make changes in the approved level for the maximum number of meals which may be served

under the program at each site.

H. Non-Compliance

The City shall reserve the right to hold the vendor accountable for failure to comply with a

contract that is awarded based on this RFP. The City reserves the right to inspect and

determine the quality of food delivered. All meals must be wholesome at the time of delivery

and meet the SFSP meal requirements. Any meals, which do not comply with the

requirements and specifications herein, will be rejected, and vendor agrees to forfeit

payment for rejected meals. Violations that shall cause disallowances in the vendor’s

payment shall include but not be limited to the following:

i. Delivering meals that are not unitized;

ii. Delivering meals that are wholly or partially spoiled;

iii. Delivering meals that are outside the designated delivery times;

iv. Delivering meals that are improperly packaged, i.e. containers that are broken, torn or open;

v. Delivering meals with components that are less than the required size, weight, or temperature;

vi. Delivering meals that are missing components;

vii. Delivering meals in excess of the order, regardless of whether they are accepted at the site;

viii. Changing meals or substituting components without the City’s prior approval.

In case of non-performance or non-compliance on the part of the vendor, the vendor shall

pay the City for any excess costs the City incurs by obtaining meals from an outside source.

I. Termination for Cause

Either party may terminate any contract resulting from this RFP for cause. A 30-day notice

must be given to the project manager for either party in writing with a detailed explanation

of why the contract will be terminated.

This is the opportunity summary page. You are currently viewing an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation. For more information, please visit the Publication URL Web page.

Summer Lunch Program

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