Call for Innovation: Elderly Nutrition Program Services

The County of Orange, California, through OC Community Resources/OC Community Services-Office on Aging, seeks innovative partners to provide a resilient nutritional program for Orange County residents aged 60 and older in accordance with Title III-C of the Older Americans Act. The goal of this Call for Innovation (CFI) is to better understand the ecosystem of qualified partners, their capabilities, their service geography, and increase participation in the forthcoming bidding and selection process.

Data provided in response to this CFI will inform a forthcoming RFP — resulting in the selection of a partner(s) to prepare high-quality dietician-certified meals across the County through several delivery models, including congregate and home-delivery. The qualified mix of reliable logistics and high standards of nutritional care will support the long-term health and independence of Orange County's older population.

Project Details

• Department: Orange County, CA
• Department Head: Nathaniel Al-Najjar (Procurement)

Evaluation Criteria

• Introduction —

  Title: Call for Innovation: Elderly Nutrition Program Services

  The County of Orange (“County”), established in 1889, is a premier metropolitan region and the third-most populous county in California, serving more than 3.2 million residents. To support its diverse communities and robust economy, the County maintains a workforce of approximately 18,000 dedicated employees across 22 departments. As a critical hub for innovation and tourism, the County continues to manage sustainable growth with a projected population approaching 3.4 million by 2045. Per the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 evaluation, there are 756,362 adults aged 60+ in Orange County.

  The County has partnered with Marketplace.city to support complex procurements. For selected topic areas, Marketplace.city provides market data , comparable implementations, contracts and pricing options, and various procurement options. Based on the County's preference for a specific project, Marketplace.city facilitates a full procurement process, including drafting relevant solicitations, vendor outreach, comparative submission analyses, project summaries and maintaining a project timeline.

  The following is an opportunity overview and associated vendor response form for interested vendors to read and complete to be included in the reporting and selection process. Thank you in advance for your participation in the process.

  The County’s solicitation processes are fully electronic. Prospective applicants must register with the County’s eProcurement solution (OpenGov) to receive email notification for the County’s Bid/RFP opportunities. Only electronic proposals will be accepted. Facsimile and e-mail proposals will NOT be allowed. Additional information may be requested at the time of the award. An overview of the process and information can be found on the County’s website: Doing Business with OC.

  Please see here for vendor registration information for the County of Orange.

  An example of a standard County of Orange contract can be Found Here.

  Subrecipient acknowledges that funding or portions of funding for this Contract may be contingent upon state budget approval; receipt of funds from, and/or obligation of funds by, the state of California to County; and inclusion of sufficient funding for the services hereunder in the budget approved by County’s Board of Supervisors for each fiscal year covered by this Contract.  If such approval, funding or appropriations are not forthcoming, or are otherwise limited, County may immediately terminate or modify this Contract without penalty.

  Responses are not to be marked as confidential or proprietary. The County may refuse to consider any response so marked. All responses and supporting documents will be subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act (California Code Government Code 7920.000 et seq.) (PRA) and will be disclosed or withheld in accordance therewith.  The County shall not be liable in any way for disclosure of any such records. Additionally, all responses shall become the property of the County.

  Respondents should not request that certain information be treated as exempt, and statements in the responses should not be marked as confidential or proprietary. In the event that any information is marked as confidential or proprietary, as it may be absolutely necessary, Respondents have the sole responsibility of obtaining any applicable injunctive reliefs to prevent the disclosure of such confidential proprietary information in connection with any request made to County pursuant to PRA or a subpoena for disclosure of such information.

  For any questions about the content or the process, please email hello@marketplace.city.

• Goal —

  The County of Orange, California, through OC Community Resources/OC Community Services-Office on Aging, seeks innovative partners to provide a resilient nutritional program for Orange County residents aged 60 and older in accordance with Title III-C of the Older Americans Act. The goal of this Call for Innovation (CFI) is to better understand the ecosystem of qualified partners, their capabilities, their service geography, and increase participation in the forthcoming bidding and selection process.

  Data provided in response to this CFI will inform a forthcoming RFP — resulting in the selection of a partner(s) to prepare high-quality dietician-certified meals across the County through several delivery models, including congregate and home-delivery. The qualified mix of reliable logistics and high standards of nutritional care will support the long-term health and independence of Orange County's older population.

• Partner Overview —

  This initiative is led by OC Community Services’ Office on Aging, within the OC Community Resources Department of the County of Orange government.

• Background —

  The County of Orange, through its Office on Aging, is dedicated to ensuring nutrition security and social connection for its older adult population (ages 60+). Under the mandate of Title III-C of the Older Americans Act, the County provides essential meal services that serve as a lifeline for older residents who may be homebound or at risk of isolation. Beyond simple caloric intake, the Office on Aging and County prioritize a "holistic nutrition" approach that includes specialized dietary options, social engagement opportunities, and a highly reliable delivery network that serves as a wellness check for our most vulnerable older adults.

  This CFI seeks experienced partners to manage and execute the Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) through the following service models:

  • Title IIIC Congregate Meals Services (C-1): A meal, nutrition education, and nutrition risk screening program provided to eligible individuals in a congregate group setting.
  • Title IIIC Home-Delivered Meals (C-2): A meal, nutrition education, and nutrition risk screening provided to eligible individuals that are frail, homebound due to illness or disability, or socially isolated.

  Services provided must meet all requirements of the Older Americans Act and State/Local laws.

• Opportunity Overview —

  This Call for Innovation (CFI) serves as a collaborative discovery phase designed to map the current provider landscape and identify systemic barriers to service delivery in Orange County. By engaging potential partners early, the County can gather technical insights and geographic data that will directly inform the requirements of a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP).

  Eventually selected partner(s) will be responsible for the end-to-end management of meal production and distribution across designated Service Areas in Orange County. This includes:

  • Meal Production: Preparing fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable meals that meet California state nutritional standards for older adults.
  • Distribution Logistics: Managing a fleet of delivery vehicles and staff/volunteers to ensure timely delivery of C-2 meals to individual homes.
  • Congregate Site Management: Coordinating C-1 meal service at designated senior centers or community hubs.
  • Restaurant Option Services: Providing a meal option to Older Individuals to use a voucher for meals at licensed foodservice establishments such as restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and grocery stores with hot and/or cold meals.
  • To-Go Meal Services: Providing meals that are picked up by clients (or client's agent) or delivered to clients who are not comfortable dining in a congregate meal setting.
  • Eligibility & Reporting: Tracking participant data and ensuring compliance with federal and state reporting requirements for Title III-C funding.

  Core requirements include:

  • Nutritional Compliance: All menus must be certified by a Registered Dietitian. Each meal shall provide one-third (1/3) of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and comply with the most current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
  • Logistical Reliability: Providers must demonstrate a "zero-fail" delivery model with redundant routing to account for traffic, vehicle issues, or emergency weather events.
  • Specialized Diets: Ability to provide therapeutic menus (e.g., low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, or renal-friendly) and culturally appropriate meal options.
  • Data Integrity: Use of a secure, cloud-based system to track meal counts, client intake, and service units for monthly reimbursement.
  • Food Safety: Strict adherence to California Retail Food Code and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) standards during preparation and transit.

  Participation in this CFI is not a prerequisite for bidding on the subsequent RFP, nor does it guarantee an award; however, insights gained will be instrumental in shaping the technical requirements of the formal solicitation.

• Approach & Timeline —

  This Call for Innovation was released on Monday, April 27, 2026.

  We will be accepting responses through Friday, May 29, 2026 at 7:00 pm.

  Following the submission deadline, County leaders will be available for 45-minute conversations with any respondents who have questions — whether you indicated intent to participate in the program or noted that you're abstaining. These calls are optional.

  Participation in this CFI is not a prerequisite for bidding on the subsequent RFP, nor does it guarantee an award; however, insights gained will be instrumental in shaping the technical requirements of the formal solicitation.

• Partnership with Marketplace.city —

  The County has partnered with Marketplace.city to support complex procurements. For selected topic areas, Marketplace.city provides market data, comparable implementations, contracts and pricing options, and various procurement options. Based on the County's preference for a specific project, Marketplace.city facilitates a full procurement process, including drafting relevant solicitations, vendor outreach, comparative submission analyses, project summaries and maintaining a project timeline.

  Any information submitted through this solicitation will be received both by the County of Orange and Marketplace.city.

Submission Requirements

• Solution —

  The County is releasing this Call for Innovation to solicit responses from a broad universe of qualified vendors, service providers, and community organizations capable of delivering elderly nutrition programs within the County of Orange's jurisdiction. We want to identify both respondent capabilities AND assess systemic inhibitors to program delivery - which will inform future procurement strategy.

• Please select "Yes" if you wish to complete the full Call for Innovation and describe your solution for Orange County. Please select "No" if you would only like to respond to a short survey about why you are not submitting a full response. (required) —

  If you select "Yes" you will receive approximately 20 followup questions asking for further detail on your service solution. 

• Were you aware of the County's prior Elderly Nutrition Service solicitations? (required)
• Please select any options that describe inhibiting factors to previous solicitations in this space. (required)
• Please describe any factors inhibiting your ability to support the County with this program. (required) —

  We want to ensure we are assessing any key roadblocks for interested organizations. 

• Which Title III-C service models does your organization currently have the capacity to operate? (required)
• Can you confirm that all proposed menus are certified by a Registered Dietitian to meet 1/3 of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) and comply with the most current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)? (required)
• Does your production facility have the capability to provide the following therapeutic menus: (required)
• Please select the availability of various Culturally Appropriate Menu choices within your program: (required)
• Describe your methodology for developing and sourcing "culturally appropriate" meal options that reflect the diverse demographic landscape of Orange County. (required) —

  Additionally, please list any available menu types not covered in the above list. 

• How does your "zero-fail" delivery model maintain service during a primary vehicle failure or sudden traffic interruption? (required)
• Please provide additional detail on how your program will ensure food delivery regardless of disruption. (required)
• Does your organization maintain a written Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan specifically covering the transit phase of meal delivery? (required)
• Describe how your delivery staff monitors and logs temperature controls during transit to remain compliant with the California Retail Food Code. (required)
• In the event of an emergency weather event that prevents safe vehicle operation, what is your protocol for ensuring that homebound (C-2) residents do not experience a gap in nutritional security? (required)
• Does your organization take reasonable steps to ensure service access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons? (required)
• Describe your use of bilingual staff or “alternative communication services” during meal delivery or congregate site intake. (required)
• Please describe how your organization tracks meal counts, client intake, and service units for federal and state reimbursement reporting. (required) —

  How will OCCS program managers receive updates?

• Please describe how you will produce monthly reimbursement reports, alongside preventing over-billing and duplicative services. (required)
• Please provide at least 3 references for prior nutrition program services you have provided. (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Sample Scenario: A delivery driver arrives at a C-2 (Home-Delivered) residence. The resident does not answer the door, which is unusual for their routine. (required) —

  Walk us through your staff's "wellness check" protocol, communication to program management, and how this incident is logged in your data system.

• Please see the below metrics regarding program scale. Do you believe your organization can provide complete coverage, or will you need to focus on a subset of selected service areas? (required) —

  For the C-1 Congregate Meal Program, Service Unit Goals include 360,000 meals per year with ~7,000 unduplicated persons served in that timeframe. 

  For the C-2 Home-Delivered Meal Program, Service Unit Goals include 1,000,000 meals per year with ~3,000 unduplicated persons served in that timeframe. 

• Please provide any additional perspectives on your organizations ability to support the scale of this nutrition program. (required) —

  Can your organization support the entire program?

  If not, what portion of that scale can you provide? 

  Will you be able to support both C-1 & C-2 Meal Types, or only one?

  How will County geography affect your service coverage, are there specific areas you will be unable to support?

• Please describe the fundamental structure of your pricing for this program: (required)
• Please review the metrics above to assess the scale of the County of Orange's desired program. Describe how your pricing model applies to that scale, and provide rough estimate of an annual program cost. (required) —

  Project leaders understand this is a rough estimate and does not comprise a quote or guarantee. 

  If you are proposing partial program coverage, please scale your estimate to the amount of anticipated meals provided. 

• The County requires a transition plan that ensures no service gap for current program participants. Please estimate your duration (in months) from contract signature to "Go-Live" across all designated Service Areas you have indicated your organization can support. (required)
• Are you registered for solicitation notifications for the County of Orange? (required) —

  https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov

• By submitting, I confirm that all information provided will be received by both the County of Orange and Marketplace.city to inform the technical requirements of the formal RFP. (required)
• Name of Municipality (required) —

  Please enter the City Name below

• Name of State (required) —

  List the State the government is in