Active SLED Opportunity · FLORIDA · PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
AI Summary
Pinellas County School District seeks bids for ice cream products compliant with USDA Smart Snack standards for delivery to 117 schools. Contract runs Aug 2026 to Jul 2028 with firm pricing. Nutritional info and samples required. Bids due May 27, 2026 via e-Procurement portal.
The Pinellas County School District (District) is soliciting sealed electronic bids in response to Ice Cream Products. Bids are due before 3:00 pm on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Bids may be received up to but not later than, the date and time listed above, via the District e-Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/PCSB. The District e-Procurement Portal Clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times. Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The Pinellas County School District Purchasing Department strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.
Pinellas County Schools has partnered with OpenGov Procurement which provides government agencies and their suppliers with a comprehensive and easy to use web-based eProcurement system. Registered suppliers receive automatic notification and transmittal of bid solicitations, and there is no charge to register and subscribe to receive PCS solicitation notifications. Please visit https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pcsb to register and subscribe.
Once you have downloaded bid documents from an OpenGov notification you will automatically receive an e-mail notifying you when any addenda are issued or questions posted have been answered. If you obtain our solicitation documents from any other source, we cannot guarantee that you will automatically receive subsequent notifications of addendums. To assure that you are automatically notified, you must visit the above website and download the bid document. The District will not be responsible if you fail to receive any and all addendums if you obtain the original bid document from another source.
The district will give consideration to prices established by the State of Florida Department of Management Services, Division of Purchasing through its contracts and negotiated agreement price schedules.
The procurement contact for this solicitation is Jena Grage and can be reached at gragej@pcsb.org.
Submit Electronic Responses via the District e-Procurement Portal:
https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/PCSB
Update information in this section to include bid specification. Upload any attachments needed.
Please review the attached Bid Pricing Proposal Forms.
The purpose and intent of this invitation to bid is to select one supplier to provide and deliver various Ice Cream Products that are compliant with the USDA Smart Snack requirements to approximately 117 district facilities districtwide and to secure firm, net pricing for the contract period as specified herein. (See Delivery Site listing posted as a separate attachment).
The Pinellas County School District (District) “General Terms and Conditions” School Board Adopted 12/08/09 Revised 12/02/2025 can be found at the following link: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1767644581/pcsborg/pty67uqfdi5g2pkphbrc/GeneralTermsandConditionsFINAL1222025.pdf
By submitting a proposal, Proposer agrees to abide by all District Terms and Conditions.
All quantities shown are based upon prior year’s history and are to be considered estimates only for bidding purposes. No guarantee is given or implied as to the amount that will be purchased. Quantities may increase or decrease as conditions necessitate, such as enrollment changes, participation changes, menu changes, etc. All quantities, whether increased or decreased, shall be furnished at the bid prices. Estimated quantities may be affected by amounts of USDA commodities received by Pinellas County Schools. The school district reserves the right to cancel order amounts upon two (2) weeks’ notice to the vendor when USDA commodities are anticipated.
The Contract Period shall commence on August 1, 2026, and end July 31, 2028. Prices and discounts shall remain firm for this period and shall include ALL freight and handling charges.
F.O.B Destination Point:
School Cafeterias Districtwide
Any unit price that involves decimals shall be treated as follows:
Any questions regarding the bid should be posted in the Questions & Answers section in OpenGov.
The procurement contact for this bid is Jena Grage and can be reached at gragej@pcsb.org,
The District reserves the right to ascertain, subsequent to the bid opening, whether or not a vendor meets the requirements to be considered a responsible bidder. Bidders may be requested to provide a written narrative which supports their ability to comply with all aspects of the bid terms and conditions prior to contract award. That narrative may be required to include documentation supporting their financial stability, a list of delivery vehicles currently in service, a description of warehouse facilities, a list of current large volume accounts and proposed method of accommodating an account of this magnitude. The criteria used to determine responsibility shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Delivery Ability: Bidders must have a record or must otherwise demonstrate to School District officials the ability to promptly and efficiently deliver all the approved items as specified on the bid list.
2. Capacity: Bidders may be required to participate in an on-site facility review by a School District Review Committee to show that they have the physical capacity to procure and store the merchandise covered by the contract in the volume necessary to efficiently administer the provisions of the contract.
3. Reliability: A distributor may be considered irresponsible if for any reason other than an Act of God, they have violated any of the requirements listed herein or have caused the cancellation of a contract of this type in this district or have failed to properly communicate with School District Officials on matters essential to a contract of this type.
4. Accounting Procedures: To be considered for award, a bidder must clearly demonstrate to School District officials, the capability to provide accurate, reliable and timely invoices, statements, usage reports, and credits. Furthermore, they must demonstrate the ability and capability to provide any and all data necessary to accomplish accurate and timely cost audits on items being purchased.
5. Facilities and Equipment: Bidders must possess the warehouse facilities required to safely and securely store the products required by these specifications, including at least a two-week inventory of product. The School District reserves the right to qualify any or all bidders and to reject any bidder not meeting any of these facility and equipment requirements associated with, and necessary for, the safe and sanitary storage and delivery of the items requested in these specifications. The successful bidder’s facilities and operating practices must be in compliance with the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as well as any State and local statute, regulation or ordinance at all times.
6. Delivery Equipment: Bidders must show evidence of ownership or written evidence of a long term lease, to obtain vehicular equipment necessary to effect efficient day to day delivery schedules from start-up. The School District does not presume to dictate the type of vehicles necessary to maintain an efficient day-to-day delivery schedule, however; bidders should know that all delivery sites do not provide state-of-the-art unloading and food handling facilities. Some sites, in fact, may fall short of normal standards. School sites do not accommodate trailer rigs at dockside.
7. Driver Preference: Preference will be given to companies that have drivers that are company employees.
The Director of School Food & Nutrition (or designee) reserves the right to inspect vendor facilities at any time without advance notice.
There is no renewal option for this contract.
The product descriptions listed herein are specifications only to the extent that they specify the item to be bid. Descriptions are limited to requirements which can be verified on delivery or information essential for communication between the vendor and the School District. Item descriptions serve only as guides for soliciting product specification sheets and samples from packers for testing. Samples submitted to meet product descriptions will be evaluated for acceptability; once approved the submitted product will be considered the Approved Brand for the length of the contract for the corresponding item number in the contract.
Note: Only one manufacturer’s brand and code number may be bid for each item. Alternates are not acceptable. Each packing carton must be labeled with the supplier’s brand and code number at the time of delivery. Only one unit price may be bid for each item.
The District, through its Director of Purchasing, has the option and reserves the right to unilaterally extend the original contract term or any renewal term for up to three (3) additional thirty (30) day periods, at the same terms and conditions. Notice of the District’s intent to renew shall be provided by the District in writing to the Contractor Supplier prior to the expiration of the contract, or the renewal period if the contract has been previously renewed.
The District will allow a price escalation/de-escalation provision within this award. The original bid prices shall remain firm for the first term of the agreement. A price escalation/de-escalation will be allowed at each renewal period, provided the Awardee notifies the District, in writing, of the pending price escalation/de-escalation a minimum of 60 days prior to the final day of the current term. The price escalation percentage change shall not exceed the previous 1-year’s percentage change of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. If bidding discounts from list price, discounts offered may not change. Failure to comply with these instructions shall be grounds for disallowance of a price escalation as allowed herein.
If, at the point of exercising the price escalation provision, market media indicators show that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) has decreased, and that the Awardee has not passed the decrease on to the District, the District reserves the right to place the Awardee in default, cancel the award, and remove the Awardee from the District’s Bidders List for a period of time deemed suitable by the District. In the event of this occurrence, the District further reserves the right to utilize any and/or all options as stated herein.
A supplier may not change from one approved product to another without approval from the School District Food & Nutrition Department during the course of the bid period. If a product is discontinued, a written explanation from the manufacturer stating that the product is no longer being manufactured must be sent to the Director of School Food & Nutrition. Letters from brokers or distributors are not acceptable in lieu of a manufacturer’s letter.
The District may, in its sole discretion, make an equitable adjustment in the contract terms and/or pricing if pricing or availability of supply are affected by extreme and unforeseen volatility in the marketplace, that is, by circumstances that satisfy all of the following criteria:
The determination as to whether a situation represents “extreme” volatility of the marketplace and/or whether the effect on pricing or availability is “substantial” shall be solely at the discretion of the District. Requests for adjustments will not be considered more than once in a one-year period. Adjustments and renewal escalation may not be exercised in the same term.
A contract distributor must not substitute brands without prior approval by the School District, Food & Nutrition Department. Distributors shall make no substitutions, which have not been requested or approved. The School District reserves the right to deny payment on substituted items when made without prior approval. If the district pre-approves a substitution, the out of stock item must be labeled as “out of stock” on the invoice and the item approved for substitution must be labeled “substitute” on the invoice.
Manufacturers may offer promotional items to the School District from time to time (pieces of equipment, rebates, bid allowances). All promotional items offered become the property of the School District Food & Nutrition Department. The use of these items will be “non-exclusive” and will be determined solely by the School District. All promotions shall accrue directly to the School District and may not accrue or benefit other organizations or associations. Specific rebates from suppliers, which accrue to the benefit of those other than the school district, will not be allowed and will constitute cause for immediate contract termination.
A pre-bid conference will be held at NO VALUE on NO VALUE starting at NO VALUE. Attendance at this pre-bid conference is MANDATORY in order for all potential Bidders to receive the benefit of answers to theirs and other’s technical questions first hand. If you are not the prime Bidders but are attending on behalf of someone else, please make note of this when signing the attendance roster where indicated. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but it is imperative that all information be disseminated in a public forum with all potential Bidders present to minimize confusion or misunderstandings. Additions or changes to the original bid documents resulting from this conference of a material nature, will be documented in the form of written addenda and distributed via the District's OpenGov Procurement portal at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pcsb. Please note that if you are late to this mandatory pre-bid conference you will not be eligible to sign the attendance roster and therefore may not submit a bid. You may still, however, attend the conference if you wish.
A pre-bid conference will be held at NO VALUE on NO VALUE starting at NO VALUE. Attendance at this pre-bid conference is NON-MANDATORY/OPTIONAL. If you are not the prime Bidders but are attending on behalf of someone else, please make note of this when signing the attendance roster where indicated. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but it is imperative that all information be disseminated in a public forum with all potential Bidders present to minimize confusion or misunderstandings. Additions or changes to the original bid documents resulting from this conference of a material nature, will be documented in the form of written addenda and distributed via the District's OpenGov Procurement portal at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pcsb.
It may be necessary to add new products to this contract after the successful vendor is awarded the contract. The awarded vendor shall submit pricing and product specifications to the purchasing department for final approval before delivery of any such items.
School District personnel, or their appointed representatives, shall have the right to audit the manufacturer’s records relative to any transaction conducted under the provision of the contract established.
A. Audits may be made of a manufacturer’s cost record as follows:
1) Prior to contract award on items supported by 3rd party invoice or manufacturer’s price quotes.
2) At any time that reviews indicate that a problem might exist.
B. The Distributor shall provide acceptable documentation as follows:
1) Manufacturers Price Quotes
2) Packer’s Invoice
3) Freight Bills
4) Inventory Records
In addition to auditing manufacturer’s prices quotes, invoice prices and extensions against current price lists, the district may also audit, third party market bulletins for price petitions. Cost figures may be audited on a full or sample basis, at contract startup, quarterly, or without notice to the distributor. Audits may be made by mail or by personal visits to the distributor’s facility. The district reserves the right to audit original documents.
For the purposes of calculating the amount of a protest bond, this contract is valued at approximately $500,000 for the initial two-year periods, including all renewal options. This is only an estimate and the actual amount could vary up or down. The District will not be held responsible if actual purchases are less than this amount.
Nutritional Information shall be submitted on or before the scheduled bid opening date and time for EACH product bid or your bid may be declared non-responsive. A copy of the nutrition facts label (1 label/ 8” X 10” sheet) and the ingredient list must be submitted for each product.
Bid and Performance Security are required with this bid. See Bid Security Instructions in Bid Proposal section of this Invitation to Bid.
The Federal ‘Buy American’ Policy (NSLA, section 12(n)(1)) mandates that School Districts participating in the National School Lunch Program purchase, whenever possible, only food products that are produced in the United States. For items such as but not limited to coffee, coconut, mandarin oranges, olives and pineapple normally not produced in the U.S. Commercially, the Distributor shall not purchase imported products without pre-approval from the School District. In compliance with Florida Statutes 585.89 and 585.92; “All American” and “Genuine Florida” meats or meat products shall be granted preference as allowed by Section 287.082, and only beef or pork inspected and passed by either the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the United States Department of Agriculture will be accepted. Additionally, bidders must be able to provide documentation verifying domestic origin of products if requested and;
Each bid proposal shall include all information and submittals required or requested in this bid.
Incomplete bid proposals may be declared non-responsive.
Order forms will be provided to the successful bidder as a guide for the schools to know what products are available. This is for information only. Forms shall list all products and sizes available for individual location to order and may not contain all items on bid for all locations.
Section 787.06(13), Florida Statutes requires all nongovernmental entities executing, renewing, or extending a contract with a governmental entity to provide an affidavit signed by an officer or representative of the nongovernmental entity under penalty of perjury that the nongovernmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in that statute. The Pinellas County School Board is a governmental entity for purposes of this statute. An affidavit is attached hereto. The affidavit shall be filled out, fully executed and returned as part of your bid/proposal response or the response shall be deemed non-responsive.
Orders from school sites must be electronic using the back of the house computer software, as determined by the Food & Nutrition central office. Each cafeteria manager will place orders for an individual site. Orders will be placed at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to delivery time. Electronic ordering is required with a system that is compatible with the Back-of-the-House software currently being utilized for menu planning and ordering of food and supplies.
This bid will be awarded "ALL OR NONE" to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. After bids are opened and tabulated, the district reserves the right to delete one or more items and recommend award of the balance of the items contained within the bid.
Criteria used for selection, includes, but is not limited to; compliance with specifications, price, lead-time, taste acceptability, packaging, product freshness, product quality and nutritional information. All products are subject to student acceptance testing before the selection for award will be made.
A current listing of schools that will receive deliveries is included under the Attachments section of this bid. The district reserves the right to add schools at any time within the district who are not currently participating in this program and decide to do so or to delete schools currently in the program at either the school administrator’s or Food & Nutrition’s request during the term of this contract. The successful bidder will be provided with a map showing site locations and addresses. The School Board of Pinellas County and the Food & Nutrition Department may add or delete delivery locations as needed.
At the time of each school delivery, the driver shall leave two (2) pre-numbered invoices. He shall never leave, nor pick up product without having an invoice signed by an authorized person at the school. Delivery tickets must be printed and legible with only bid items listed and the unit price and extensions accurately computed.
Product shall be delivered in a clean condition, free of dirt, sand, grease or other foreign material in clean cases and at proper temperature for that product. Damaged, open, stale, or inferior product shall be replaced without charge. The conditions causing the product to be replaced must not be extensive nor a consistently recurring problem.
As required by The Jessica Lunsford Act [s.21 of Ch.2005-28, L.O.F.], if anyone representing a Supplier under contract with the school District will have access to school grounds when students are present, have direct contact with students or have access to or control of school funds, such personnel are required to be screened at Level 2, to include fingerprinting, statewide criminal and juvenile justice records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. [s. 1012.465, Florida Statutes]
The requirements of this law must be met in order for the School Board to contract with your company. To make an appointment to be screened by Pinellas County Schools, go to: http://fieldprintflorida.com/
For a full submission (fingerprinting and a badge) use the code FPPCSNETVendorsJLA. For a badge only (FSSR requests, lost or broken badges) use the code FPPCSBadge.
If Contractor/Supplier is awarded all or a portion of this bid, Contractor/Supplier hereby acknowledges and agrees to abide by the Florida Jessica Lunsford Act (1012.465, F.S.) and obtain, at its own cost, Level 2 clearance of all employees, agents, and subcontractors who (1) have access to school grounds when students are present, (2) have direct contact with students, on or off school grounds, or (3) have access to or control of school funds.
Insurance is required of all Suppliers who perform work on School Board premises. If this bid requires that you work on our premises, an attachment titled: Insurance Specifications for Contractor/Suppliers will be included giving details.
This bid does NOT establish an exclusive arrangement between the District and Supplier. The District reserves, but is not limited to, the following rights:
Any items suspected of not meeting specifications may be pulled and sent to a USDA laboratory for analysis. If the test analysis reveals that the product is not “as specified”, the supplier will be billed for the cost of the testing. Furthermore, samples will be analyzed monthly thereafter with all costs of testing to be borne by the supplier.
All equipment purchased from this bid shall carry the manufacturers’ standard warranty, unless otherwise specified.
The awarded vendor shall provide Chest Freezers / Ice Cream Freezers to designated locations at no charge as requested by the Food & Nutrition Director or Designee. The awarded vendor retains the responsibility to ensure that all freezers are in correct operational condition at all times during the life of the contract.
Chest Freezers / Ice Cream Freezers shall not be installed or removed from Pinellas County Schools’ property without prior approval from the Food & Nutrition Central Office. Quantities of Chest Freezers / Ice Cream Freezers needed at school locations may be up to the 150 over the course of the contract with some delivery locations requiring multiple units. The number needed at implementation of the contract will not exceed 50% of locations.
At the end of the contract, the awarded vendor agrees that the schedule for removal of the freezers from PCSB property will be determined by the Food & Nutrition Department.
In the event of strikes, fires or other emergency type situations, deliveries will be adjusted accordingly. The vendor shall be responsible for any additional special deliveries required in case of emergency. The successful bidder shall be prepared to deliver emergency supplies upon twenty-four hours’ notice in disaster situations.
Samples are required for all alternate items bid. Samples must be furnished by no later than the closing of the bid as indicated on the Bid Sample Label. Such submittals shall include all requested accessories and complete technical specifications for the item.
Samples are required ONLY if bidding an alternate brand and product number. Samples must be furnished by no later than the closing of the bid as indicated on the Bid Sample Label.
All sample containers are to be clearly identified as bid samples using the enclosed Bid Sample Label found under the Attachment section of this bid. Samples should be sent PREPAID to:
Food & Nutrition Department
Pinellas County Schools
Attn: Julie Kalach, Food & Nutrition Dist. Specialist
Walter Pownall Service Center
11111 South Belcher Road
Largo, FL 33773-5210
Samples are accepted between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. (Monday thru Friday)
Samples must be furnished to the District at no expense to the District. Samples may be either destroyed or consumed through the evaluation process to determine compliance with specifications. Samples will become district property.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND SAMPLES TO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT |
Criteria used for selection, includes, but is not limited to; compliance with specifications, price, lead-time, taste acceptability, packaging, product freshness, product quality and nutritional information.
Samples are required for all alternate items bid. Samples must be furnished by no later than the closing of the bid as indicated on the Bid Sample Label included under the Attachment section of this bid. Such submittals shall include all requested accessories and complete technical specifications for the item.
Samples are required ONLY if bidding an alternate brand and product number. Samples must be furnished by no later than the closing of the bid as indicated on the Bid Sample Label included under the Attachment section of this bid.
All sample containers are to be clearly identified as bid samples using the Samples Label found as an attachment to this document. Samples should be sent PREPAID to:
Food & Nutrition Department
Pinellas County Schools
Attn: Julie Kalach, Food & Nutrition Dist. Specialist
Walter Pownall Service Center
11111 South Belcher Road
Largo, FL 33773-5210
Samples are accepted between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. (Monday thru Friday)
Samples must be furnished to the district at no expense to the District. Samples may be either destroyed or consumed through the evaluation process to determine compliance with specifications. Samples will become district property.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND SAMPLES TO THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT |
Criteria used for selection, includes, but is not limited to; compliance with specifications, price, lead-time, taste acceptability, packaging, product freshness, product quality and nutritional information.
The successful bidder must provide a monthly summary by item and year-to-date usage figures on the bid to the Food & Nutrition Distribution Specialist, Food & Nutrition Department, Walter Pownall Service Center, 11111 South Belcher Road, Largo, Florida 33773-5210. Failure to supply this report may result in removal from the bidders’ list for a period of one year.
These reports are due in the office of School Food & Nutrition on the 10th of the month following the reporting calendar month and shall give a detailed listing by product descriptions, brand and selling price of the products delivered. Emergency or non-bid items delivered are to be set out from bid award items and identified as such.
Estimated quantities may be affected by amounts of USDA commodities received by Pinellas County Schools. The School District reserves the right to cancel order amounts upon two (2) weeks’ notice to the vendor when USDA commodities are anticipated.
The contract distributor shall order approved specified supplies from sources in economical quantities and maintain inventories at an ample level to prevent out-of-stock situations, while avoiding excessive inventories, which might compromise product integrity. Product substitutions due to out-of-stock situations should be held to an absolute minimum. Substitutions cannot be made without prior Central Office approval. Substituted products must be of the same or higher quality as the approved bid brands and must be delivered at the same or lower prices as the approved brand. Out-of-stocks and substitutions must be so indicated on delivery invoices.
If not bidding the exact product specified by brand and product number, Bidders should always be prepared to furnish an exact sample of any alternate product offering upon request. Such submittals shall include all requested accessories and complete technical specifications for the item.
Samples are requested. Bidders will have TBD days to furnish samples after request has been made in writing. Failure to furnish samples within the requested time will cause your bid to be rejected for those items.
All sample containers are to be clearly identified as bid samples using the Samples Label found as an attachment to this document. Samples should be sent PREPAID to:
Samples must be furnished to the District at no expense to the District. Samples may be either destroyed or consumed through the evaluation process to determine compliance with specifications. We cannot guarantee return of samples. Samples which are not destroyed or consumed may be picked up by the Bidder at the Bidder’s expense. Any samples remaining longer than thirty (30) days after the bid award date will become District property.
As is described in paragraph 51 of the General Terms and Conditions:
The distributor’s contract may be terminated for cause if one or more of the following conditions exist:
The concerns shall be documented and forwarded to the distributor for corrective action. If no action is taken or unsatisfactory results occur, the Director of Food Service may request a review by the Purchasing Department to determine if contract termination is a justified course of action.
If not bidding the exact product specified by brand and product number, Bidders should always be prepared to furnish an exact sample of any alternate product offering upon request. Such submittals shall include all requested accessories and complete technical specifications for the item.
Samples are requested. Bidders will have TBD days to furnish samples after request has been made in writing. Failure to furnish samples within the requested time may cause your bid to be rejected for those items.
All sample containers are to be clearly identified as bid samples using the Samples Label found as an attachment to this document. Samples should be sent PREPAID to:
Samples must be furnished to the District at no expense to the District. Samples may be either destroyed or consumed through the evaluation process to determine compliance with specifications. We cannot guarantee return of samples. Samples which are not destroyed or consumed may be picked up by the Bidder at the Bidder’s expense. Any samples remaining longer than thirty (30) days after the bid award date will become District property.
Payment will be made after the item(s)/service(s) awarded have been:
Successful bidder(s) shall be paid weekly upon completion of an order. Invoices shall be in triplicate, giving invoice date, number, cost per unit, extension and total. Two copies of the invoice shall accompany the order to the school. The monthly statement shall be listed by school, indicating invoice date, number and total amount.
Bidders must disclose any special invoicing requirements within their bid response, which deviate from the General Bid Terms linked in this document.
Regular School Year
Days of operation are Monday thru Friday (excluding holidays)
Summer
From approximately the 2nd week of June thru the 2nd week of August all schools are closed, with the exception of those that may be in summer session. Beginning the 4rth week of August, schools are once again in session. For more specific information call (727) 588-6143 to confirm if a school can accept deliveries.
Days of operation are Monday thru Thursday as follows:
A signed debarment form is required of all vendors who are awarded a contract from this bid. The awarded bidder will be required to submit after contract award if not included in their bid proposal. Please review the form located in the Bid Proposal section under Forms for this bid.
A signed lobbying form is required of all vendors who are awarded a contract from this bid. The awarded bidder will be required to submit after contract award if not included in their bid proposal. Please review the form located in the Bid Proposal section under Forms for this bid.
Each year, schools and administrative offices are closed for Thanksgiving, winter and spring break periods. Shipments cannot be accepted during these periods. These dates as outlined on the Pinellas County Schools website will vary each year depending upon our negotiated personnel calendar and when the holidays actually fall. Be sure to check the site for specific dates here: https://www.pcsb.org/staffcalendar.
| Bid Posted on District's OpenGov Procurement Portal and Initial Notifications Sent: | April 30, 2026 |
| Deadline to Additional Information or Clarifications: | May 13, 2026, 3:00pm |
| Bids Due: | May 27, 2026, 3:00pm |
| Evaluate Bids and Make Selection of Contractor(s): | 5/27/2026 thru 6/2/2026 |
| Recommendation for Award Submitted to Purchasing by (specify school or department name): | Food & Nutrition Department |
| Notice of Intent to Award Posted on District's OpenGov Procurement Portal: | 6/16/2026 |
| Submit Recommendation for Award to School Board for Approval (estimated date of School Board approval): | June 23, 2026 |
*If the time allotted to evaluate bids and make the selection of contractors as stated above proves to be insufficient, the posting of the Notice of Intent To Award and the Board approval date could both slip two weeks or more. Continue to monitor our website or contact the purchasing department for more specific information as to when the notice will be posted.
During any solicitation period, including any protest and/or appeal, no contact with District officials or employees, other than with the individuals specifically identified in the solicitation, the Director of Purchasing or the Legal Department is permitted from any Bidder. Such communication may result in an automatic disqualification for selection in the pending solicitation and any subsequent District solicitations for a period of six (6) months, no matter the outcome of the solicitation or any protest and/or appeal.
Additional questions or clarifications regarding this solicitation shall be directed through the project page on the District's OpenGov Procurement portal before 3:00 pm on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
All goods, services or monies received as the result of any equipment or USDA Foods rebate shall be credited to the School Food Authority’s nonprofit food service account.
The names of all firms who have submitted a timely bid, shall be made public immediately following the bid due date and time expiring. Interested parties can view this information at OpenGov.com under the advertised bid title. Any recordings and/or bid proposals shall be exempt from public records requests until such time as the notice of an intended decision is published or until 30 days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies, whichever occurs earlier.
If the District rejects all bids, proposals, or replies and concurrently provides notice of its intent to reissue a competitive solicitation, any recordings, bid proposals or records submitted, remain exempt from public records requests until such time as the District provides notice of an intended decision concerning the reissued competitive solicitation, until the District withdraws the reissued competitive solicitation, or 12 months after the publication of the initial notice rejecting all bids, proposals, or replies. Section 119.071(1)(b), F.S.; and Section 286.0113, F.S.
Please be aware that any meeting at which (1) there is negotiation with a Supplier, (2) a Supplier makes an oral presentation, or (3) a Supplier answers questions, pursuant to a competitive solicitation, are closed to competitors and other members of the public. Team meetings at which negotiation strategies are discussed are likewise closed. Such meetings shall be recorded.
PLEASE NOTE: Documents and Bid Amounts initially publicized are based upon what has been provided by each bidder and serve to formalize that a public opening of bids or proposals occurred on the date identified. The information publicized is subject to change once the Purchasing Department and District division have reviewed the bids for accuracy. Publicized documents do not convey a notice of intended action. All bids or proposals received are subject to comprehensive review to determine responsiveness and responsibility.
The awarded vendor shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; USDA regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Age Discrimination Act of l975; 7 C.F.R. Parts 15, 15a, and 15b; and FNS Instruction 113-1, Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement—Nutrition Programs and Activities, and any additions or amendments.
As stated in paragraph 12 of the General Terms and Conditions, PUBLIC ENTITY CRIME & CONVICTED VENDOR LIST, please complete, sign and notarize the “SWORN STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 287.133(3)(A),FLORIDA STATUTES, PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES” form provided in the Bid Proposal of this Invitation to Bid. This form MUST be included in your response in order for your bid/proposal to be responsive.
Public Records: Section 119.0701, Florida Statutes, requires that the Contractor comply with Florida’s public records laws with respect to services performed on behalf of the School Board. Specifically, the statute requires that the Contractor:
Bidders shall use the original Bid Proposal Forms provided in this Invitation to Bid and enter information only in the spaces where a response is requested. Bidders may use an attachment as an addendum to any of the forms in the Bid Proposal if sufficient space is not available on the original form for the Bidders to enter a complete response. Any modifications or alterations to the original bid documents by the Bidders, whether intentional or otherwise, will constitute grounds for rejection of a bid. Any such modifications or alterations that a Bidders wishes to propose must be clearly stated in the Bidder’s proposal response and presented in the form of an addendum to the original bid documents.
Bidders taking any exceptions to the General Terms and Conditions, linked herein, will be reviewed by staff prior to evaluation of bids. Exceptions to the General Terms and Conditions may be cause for rejection of your bid.
For your convenience, the forms which are required to be completed and submitted along with your bid will be provided along with this Invitation to Bid on the District's OpenGov Procurement portal. If sufficient room has not been provided on a given form to enable you to enter a complete response, please include a supplemental attachment or replicate pages in the form as necessary. All required sections of the Bid Proposal must be completed or the portal will not allow submittal of a given bid response.
Pinellas County Schools reserves the right, within statutory limits, to extend the terms and conditions of this solicitation to any and all other agencies within the state of Florida as well as any other federal, state, municipal, county, or local governmental agency under the jurisdiction of the United States and its territories. This shall include but not limited to private schools, parochial schools, non-public schools such as charter schools, special districts, intermediate units, non-profit agencies providing services on behalf of government, and/or state, community and/or private colleges/universities that require these goods, commodities and/or services. This is conditioned upon mutual agreement of all parties pursuant to special requirements, which may be appended thereto. The supplier/contractor agrees to notify the issuing body of those entities that wish to use any contract resulting from this bid and will also provide usage information, which may be requested. A copy of the contract pricing and the bid requirements incorporated in this contract will be supplied to requesting agencies.
Each participating jurisdiction or agency shall enter into its own contract with the awarded Contractor and this contract shall be binding only upon the principals signing such an agreement. Invoices shall be submitted in duplicate "directly" to the ordering jurisdiction for each unit purchased. Disputes over the execution of any contract shall be the responsibility of the participating jurisdiction or agency that entered into that contract. Disputes must be resolved solely between the participating agency and the Contractor.
When deemed to be in the best interest of the District, the District may cancel any award resulting from this specification by the following means:
The District reserves the following rights to:
In compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.318-.326 and applicable program regulations, additional parties will be considered only to the extent that their contracts avoid creating a material change in the value of this bid. Pinellas County School Board reserves the right to review all requests to contract with the awarded vendor. Prior approval to extend the awarded contract to additional parties is required by Pinellas County School Board Administrator, Food and Nutrition Department.
Bidders are required to register for an account via the District e-Procurement Portal hosted by OpenGov. Once the bidder has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project. Ultimately, it is the sole responsibility of each bidder to periodically check the site for any addenda at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/PCSB. Interpretations of the bid, clarification of bid specifications and requirements or changes to the bid which have a material effect will be documented and communicated to bidders only by written addenda. Verbal responses to bidders’ questions do not constitute an official response unless documented in the form of written addenda and shall be considered inadmissible in bid protest proceedings. Failure to acknowledge addenda containing material changes may constitute cause for rejection of your bid proposal. Telegraph, facsimile or e-mail acknowledgements of addenda will not be accepted.
Contractor must provide to School Board evidence of compliance with Florida law regarding E-Verify. Evidence may consist of, but is not limited to, providing notice of Contractor’s E-Verify number coupled with an affidavit that all of Contractor’s Subcontractors similarly comply with the law.
Pursuant to Section 448.095, F.S., the Contractor is required to be registered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system prior to entering into a contract with the Pinellas County School Board. The Contractor shall use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the Contractor during the contract term. The Contractor shall include an express provision in all of its subcontracts requiring subcontractors, who perform work or provide services pursuant to the contract, to use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the subcontractor during the contract term. For more information on this process, please refer to United States Citizenship and Immigration Service site at:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
Only those employees determined eligible to work within the United States shall be employed under this contract.
By submission of a bid in response to this solicitation, the Contractor affirms that all employees in the above categories shall undergo e-verification before placement on this contract. Evidence may consist of, but is not limited to, providing notice of Contractor’s E-Verify number coupled with an affidavit that all of Contractor’s Subcontractors similarly comply with the law.
A public employer, contractor, or subcontractor who has a good faith belief that a person or entity with which it is contracting has knowingly violated Section 448.09(1), Florida Statutes is obligated to terminate the contract with the person or entity pursuant to Section 448.095(2)(c)1, Florida Statutes. If the Pinellas County School Board terminates the contract for the foregoing reason, the contractor may not be awarded a public contract for at least one (1) year after the date on which the contract was terminated, and the contractor will be liable for any additional costs incurred by the Pinellas County School Board as a result of the termination of the contract.
Have you sent in your samples for them to be received by the District prior to the due date and time of bids?
Please upload confirmation of your submittal of samples using the label specified by the District. If you have confirmation of delivery already available you are encouraged to upload that here along with your sample label.
Is your bid based on an alternative product or model? And if so, have you sent in samples of the alternative product you are bidding with for them to be received by the District prior to the due date and time of bids?
If you are not bidding based on an alternative product or model then simply select "No" for this question.
Please upload confirmation of your submittal of samples using the label specified by the District. If you have confirmation of delivery already available you are encouraged to upload that here along with your sample label.
Samples have been requested as part of this Bid. Please upload confirmation of your submittal of samples using the label specified by the District. If you have confirmation of delivery already available you are encouraged to upload that here along with your sample label.
Please review forms.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents.
Submit proof of your bid security here. This may be a scan of a completed bid bond and associated pages, or proof of delivery of an alternative form of bid security to the proper district location. If not applicable to your bid, simply upload the instructions provided here and note why requirements do not apply to your submittal.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Nutritional Information shall be submitted on or before the scheduled bid opening date and time for EACH product bid or your bid may be declared non-responsive. A copy of the nutrition facts label (1 label/ 8” X 10” sheet) and the ingredient list must be submitted for each product.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
A signed debarment form is required of all vendors who are awarded a contract from this bid. The awarded bidder will be required to submit after contract award if not included in their bid proposal. Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
A signed lobbying form is required of all vendors who are awarded a contract from this bid. Please download the below document, complete, and upload.
Please upload your proof of insurance here, including evidence of workers compensation coverage.
For any additional information requested or required by any of your previously provided answers please upload that additional documentation here.
The Bidders, by submitting a bid here, certifies that its bid is made without previous understanding, agreement, or connection with any person, firm or corporation making a bid for the same item(s), and is in all respects fair, without outside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.
Bidder hereby certifies that all information provided within this submittal is accurate to the best of their knowledge and acknowledges that they have provided proof of their authority to submit a bid on behalf of the stated Company name committing them to the information contained within said submittal.
A bid submitted here obligates the Bidders to all terms, conditions and specifications stated in this bid document, unless exceptions are taken and clearly stated in the Bidder’s bid documents.
Bids somehow received after the stated submittal deadline will not be accepted.
Will this bid have a contract period?
Enter the contract start date.
Enter the contract end date.
Is there a renewal option for the contract resulting from this solicitation once the initial term has expired?
What is the duration or period of time that the renewal will be valid for?
NOTE: State the term using written and (numeric) values as well as the unit of duration (months, years, etc.)
EXAMPLE
two (2) years
Will there be a pre-bid conference for this solicitation?
Will the pre-bid conference for this particular solicitation be mandatory or will it be non-mandatory/optional?
What is the estimated or approximate value of the contract likely to result from this solicitation? If there is a yearly amount, be sure to state "/year" after the amount.
EXAMPLE 1 (contract total):
$50,000
EXAMPLE 2 (contract total per year):
$50,000/year
Select the option which applies to this particular solicitation regarding product samples.
How many days will bidders have to furnish samples after a request has been made in writing?
NOTE: Be sure to state both written and numeric value
EXAMPLE:
five (5)
Will this bid result in work being performed by the contractor on District property?
NOTE: A "Yes" answer here includes the insurance specifications for contractors attachment.
Will this procurement require any form of bid security or guaranty?
Example: Bid Bond, Cashier's Check, etc.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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