Grocery Pick Up by DHSP and Other City Departments

The City of Cambridge would like to invite you to submit a bid for Grocery Pick Up by DHSP and Other City Departments. If submitting electronically, Bids are to be submitted through the Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cambridgema. Bids are to be submitted no later than 11:00 am on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Background

DHSP would like to request a process for Groceries to be picked up by DHSP staff on a daily basis. The staff will make purchases to support several different programs within DHSP (childcare, community schools, special needs, elder services and youth programs)

Project Details

• Reference ID: COC-IFB-FY27-31054
• Department: Department of Human Services (DHSP)
• Department Head: Ellen Semonoff (Assistant City Manager)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-09T15:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Scope of Services —

  The City of Cambridge utilizes this contract for all GROCERIES for their childcare, community schools, special needs, elder services and youth programs administered by the Department of Human Services. In addition, other City departments may use this contract for meetings and events that require groceries.

   

  The Department of Human Services purchases groceries to be picked up by DHSP staff on a daily basis.  There are several different programs and locations within the Department of Human Services (childcare, community schools, special needs, elder services, and youth programs). Multiple City staff (shoppers) will be shopping at the grocery store daily for groceries required to support these programs. The store cashier must be able to cash out/check out the shopper represented by the City. Cash will not be paid for the transactions at the register.  The City will consider a system that both ensures the integrity of the purchase and meets the City needs.

  The entire contents of the bidder's grocery store will be available to any of the City Departments.

   

  Billing

  The bidder shall meet the following billing requirements:             

  • The cashier at checkout must provide the shopper with an itemized receipt for every transaction.
  • The discount referenced in the price proposal section shall be applied to all items purchased
  • A monthly statement shall be mailed directly to the Department of Human Services at 51 Inman St, Cambridge, MA; Attn. Accounts Payable. The monthly statement shall include the following information:

   

  • Store Location
  • Date/Time of transactions
  • Transaction code
  • Itemized list of items purchased
  • Total of purchase

  Any/All invoice(s) that do not belong to the City of Cambridge will be returned to the vendor and must be removed from the billing statement.

  Billing statements will be submitted to each Department at the end of each calendar month for purchases made during that month. The Department of Human Services must have itemized receipts included with the monthly statements unless the vendor has provided an alternate solution which has been agreed upon by the Department of Human Services.

   

  City Tax Exemption

  The City is exempt from taxes; therefore, the vendor must ensure taxes are not included in their bid prices/discount %. If taxes are added to any invoice/receipt, the City reserves the right to not pay the taxes and must be removed by the vendor.

   

  Performance Measurements

  Contractors are required to maintain a high level of performance.  Performance Measurements have been developed to maintain customer satisfaction and performance will be monitored in the following areas:

   

  Product Quality

  All products provided shall meet or exceed the minimum requirements of Federal and State regulations. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as dairy products shall be provided with the longest shelf life as possible. 

   

   

Submission Requirements

• BIDDERS INFORMATION
• My business is a: (required) —

  Please select one

• Please insert the requested information: (required) —

  If a corporation, include the State in which you are incorporated in.

  If a partnership, include the names of partners.

  If an individual, include relevant information.

• Bidder's Federal ID#:
• Authorized representative information: (required) —

  Please include the name, title, telephone and email address of the authorized representative

• This bid includes addenda numbered:
• Debarment or Suspension (required) —

  The Vendor/Contractor certifies that it has not been and currently is not debarred or suspended by any federal, state, or municipal governmental agency under G. L. c. 29, § 29F or other applicable law, nor will it contract with a debarred or suspended subcontractor on any public contract.

• Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Registration (required) —

  The Awarded Vendor must comply with the City’s request for a current Certificate of Good Standing or current Certificate of Registration from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office.  Foreign Corporations not registered in the Commonwealth must comply with the City’s request for the Certificate of Good Standing from the state of incorporation.

• QUALITY REQUIREMENTS —

  An unchecked response, a failure to respond, or a failure to meet to any of the following Quality Requirements will result in a rejection of your bid. Please check each of the following Quality Requirements as confirmations. 

• Quality Requirement 1 (required) —

  Bidder agrees to invoice the Department of Human Services and other multiple City locations in the format specified in this bid document.

• Quality Requirement 2 (required) —

  Bidder’s grocery store is within one (1) hour of the City of Cambridge,

  795 Massachusetts Ave.

• Quality Requirement 3 (required) —

  Bidder has been in the grocery business for a minimum of five years.

• REFERENCES —

  Bidders shall submit a list of two references for which the bidder has supplied similar services. References shall include contact information including contact name, addresses and telephone numbers for each to inquire as to their satisfaction with the bidders’ product and service. In addition, the City reserves the right to use itself as a reference, to contact references not listed and to otherwise perform its own due diligence when making a responsibility determination. A bid may be rejected on the basis of one or more references reporting less than excellent past performance.

• Reference 1 (required) —

  Include contact name, address and telephone #

• Reference 2 (required) —

  Include contact name, address and telephone #

• City of Cambridge Standard Compliance Forms
• Please Upload the Signed Standard Compliance Forms (required) —

  Please electronically sign and upload the following documents using this URL: https://cambridgema.na4.adobesign.com/public/esignWidget?wid=CBFCIBAA3AAABLblqZhCD4UnZSN3XyfqZi9ZxGyvlhSnIlYThymiofiiHN4CtIXU4t2tYM27cVaMk7bVx6AI* 

• Non Collusion Statement (required) —

  Bidder certifies that this bid is made without collusion with any other person, firm or corporation making any other bid or who otherwise would make a bid. 

• ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Additional Information on Discounts/Brand items
• Is this contract/solicitation for a commodity or service? (required)
• Enter commodity: (required) —

  Example: Office Supplies

• Enter service(s): (required) —

  Example: Janitorial Services