Project Information

Bid Title

Food Distribution Services

Issuing Agency

State Government of Pennsylvania

Location

Pennsylvania

Published Date

Jun 17, 2026

Closing Date

Jun 30, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

6100066155

Original Source

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Project Description

General Information
Department for this solicitation:	Procurement
Date Prepared:	06/04/26	Types:	IFB
Advertisement Type:	Service Materials Service & Materials PW Construction Agency Construction Real Estate
Solicitation/Project#:	6100066155	Solicitation/Project Title:	food distribution services
Description:	THE BUREAU OF FOOD ASSISTANCE IS ISSUING THIS SOLICITATION TO SELECT A COMMERCIAL FOOD DISTRIBUTOR TO RECEIVE, STORE AND DELIVER TO ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT AGENCIES PROVIDED TO PDA BY USDA. A COMMERCIAL FOOD DISTRIBUTOR IS DEFINED AS AN ENTITY CURRENTLY RECEIVING, STORING, AND DELIVERING FOOD PRODUCT ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED BASIS WITH ADEQUATE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT TO RECEIVE, STORE, AND DELIVER AS REQUIRED BY THE IFB ADDITIONAL VOLUMES OF GROCERIES, FROZEN FOOD, AND CHILLED ITEMS.  THE PA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS SOLE DISCRETION TO DETERMINE IF ENTITIES SUBMITTING BIDS MEET THE DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL FOOD DISTRIBUTOR. THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE AWARDED ON A REGIONAL BASIS AND WILL RESULT IN EIGHT SEPERATE CONTRACT AWARDS. Bids to provide services under this IFB must be submitted electronically through the SRM Vendor Portal.  Attachment E also needs completed and uploaded as an attachment to your bid submission.  The due date for this solicitation will be June 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM.  In lieu of a pre-proposal conference all potential offerors have the opportunity to submit questions via email Sheila Strubhar at sstrubhar@pa.gov.  The deadline to receive questions is close of business June 15, 2026.  Answers to all submitted questions will be posted to emarketplace and SRM no later than close business June 16, 2026.  The Q&A document will become an official part of the IFB document.

Department Information
Department/Agency:	Department of Agriculture	Delivery Location:	Various
County:	Statewide	Duration:	June 30, 2027

Contact Information
First Name:	Sheila	Last Name:	Strubhar
Phone Number: (XXX-XXX-XXXX)	717-787-1467	Email:	sstrubhar@pa.gov

Solicitation Information
Bids must be received by the purchasing agency on the Solicitation Due Date no later than the Solicitation Due Time as set forth in the solicitation. Any conflict between the dates and/or times contained in the solicitation itself or its attachments and this advertisement shall be resolved in favor of the solicitation.
Solicitation Start Date:	06/04/26
Solicitation Due Date:	06/30/26	Solicitation Due Time:	2:00 PM
Solicitation Opening Date:	06/30/26	Solicitation Opening Time:	2:15 PM
Opening Location:	This Is An Electronic Bid In Srm  There Will Be No Public Bid Opening
No. of Addendums:	0
Amended Date:	06/17/26

Related Solicitation Files

Original Files PDA SOW for warehouses 6.4.2026.pdf Attachment E -- 2026 IFB.pdf Solicitation Addendum 6100066155.pdf

Attachment Preview

Invitation For Bid (IFB)

To

Provide Food Distribution Services

For the

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Bureau of Food Assistance

2301 North Cameron Street

Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408

Date of Issue: June 4, 2026

Page 1 of 84

Section I: Performance Requirements

1.01

Purpose

1.02

Regions

1.03

Realignment of ADRs

1.04

Volume

1.05

Estimates

1.06

USDA FOODS Variety

1.07

Recipient Agencies (RAs)

1.08

Recipient Agency (RA) Classification

1.09

USDA FOODS Codes

1.10

Inventory Levels

1.11

Inbound Shipments of USDA Foods

1.12

Receiving Appointments

1.13

Receiving Procedures

1.14

Freight Charges

1.15

USDA FOODS Allocations

1.16

Allocation Acceptance and Refusals

1.17

Minimum Orders and Frequency of Deliveries

1.18

Days and Times of Deliveries

1.19

Holiday Schedules

1.20

USDA FOODS Ordering Procedures for Ras

1.21

Outbound Deliveries

1.22

Delivery Sites

1.23

Delivery Drop Areas

1.24

Special Deliveries

1.25

Product Transfer

1.26

Transition Responsibility

1.27

Distribution FEEs

1.28

Storage FEEs

1.29

Payment of Distribution and Storage FEEs

1.30

Premium Storage FEEs

1.31

Minimum Invoice Amount

1.32

Warehouse and Delivery Equipment Requirements

1.33

Sanitation Requirements

1.34

Liaison with PDA

1.35

Computer Capability

1.36

Inventory Reports

1.37

Activity Reports

1.38

Record Retention, Reviews, and Audits

1.39

Liaison with Recipient Agencies (RAs)

1.40

Receiving Reports

1.41

Accountability

1.42

Insurance

1.43

Shortages and Damages

1.44

Self-Service Agencies

1.45

Instructions for Completing Bid Sheets

Page 2 of 84

1.46

Bid Award Criteria

1.47

Bid Submission

1.48

Financial Requirements

1.49

Performance Bond

1.50

Requirement of Successful Bidders

Section II: General Bid Conditions

2.01

Licenses and Certificates

2.02

Prime Contractor Responsibilities

2.03

Other Requirements

2.04

Correction of Mistakes on Bid Sheets

2.05

Agreement Period

2.06

Agreement Termination

2.07

Incurred Costs

2.08

Addenda to IFB

2.09

Bid Duration

2.10

Additional Conditions

2.12

Single or Multiple Pricing

2.13

Non-use of Bid Sheet

Attachment A

Attachment B

Attachment C

Attachment D

Attachment E

Attachment F

Attachment G

Attachments

Agriculture Distribution Regions (ADR) and ADR Map

Distribution Volume by ADR for two years

Recipient Agencies (RAs) Volume by ADR

USDA FOODS Code Listing

Bid Sheet Template

Contains the Shipping Address for each delivery location in

the region

Listing of the NSLP direct trucks ordered for FY20/21 and the

time frame for delivery to the warehouse

Page 3 of 84

Section I: Performance Requirements

1.01 Purpose

This Invitation For Bid (IFB) is issued by the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania, Department of Agriculture, hereinafter referred to

as PDA, to select a commercial food distributor, hereinafter

referred to as DISTRIBUTOR, to receive, store, and deliver to

eligible recipient agencies, hereinafter referred to as RAs, various

food items, hereinafter referred to as USDA FOODS, provided to

PDA by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A commercial food distributor is defined as an entity currently

receiving, storing, and delivering food products on a regularly

scheduled basis with adequate facilities and equipment to

receive, store, and deliver, as required by the IFB, additional

volumes of groceries, frozen food, and chilled items. The

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture has sole discretion to

determine if entities submitting bids meet the definition of a

commercial food distributor for the requirements of this IFB. Each

successful DISTRIBUTOR will enter into an Agreement with PDA.

1.02 Regions

Geographic areas covered by the IFB are identified as

Agriculture Distribution Regions (ADRs). Bids submitted in

response to the IFB must be submitted by ADR. DISTRIBUTOR

may bid on more than one ADR; however, separate bids must be

submitted for each ADR. Attachment “A” shows counties by ADR.

1.03 Realignment of ADRs

PDA reserves the right to realign ADRs by county, in whole or in

part; by RA; or by type of RA if PDA determines the realignment

to be in its best interests. PDA will seek the advice of the affected

distributor(s).

If any DISTRIBUTOR terminates its Agreement with PDA for this

IFB or is terminated by PDA prior to the scheduled termination

date in Section 2.05 of this IFB, PDA may realign the affected

ADR and add all or part of the affected ADR(s) served by the

DISTRIBUTOR to another DISTRIBUTOR(s) under Agreement

with PDA for this IFB, but only with the consent of the affected

DISTRIBUTOR(s).

When DISTRIBUTOR consents and accepts the additional

responsibility for all or part of an ADR(s) forfeited by another

Page 4 of 84

DISTRIBUTOR, PDA may authorize the DISTRIBUTOR accepting

the new ADR(s) in total or in part, to charge for the new area of

service, FEEs which shall be no more than five percent (5%)

higher than the highest FEEs charged in the accepting

DISTRIBUTOR’s original service area(s) or the current FEEs of

the ADR (or partial ADR thereof) being accepted, whichever is

greater.

1.04 Volume

The volume (number of total cases) of USDA FOODS affected by

the IFB is not guaranteed. However, the volume of USDA

FOODS distributed by ADR for the years ending June 30, 2024,

and June 30, 2025, are provided on Attachment “B” for

information purposes only.

1.05 Estimates

DISTRIBUTOR shall understand that case volume and the

number of agencies served are estimates and are subject to

change. Annual volumes of COMMODITY under the IFB should

approximate volumes listed on Attachment “B”; however, because

USDA controls the total volume of product available to

Pennsylvania, actual volumes are not guaranteed by PDA. An

Agreement executed as a result of the IFB will not obligate PDA

to specific quantities of COMMODITY, nor will PDA be obligated

to a minimum or maximum number of RAs authorized to receive

COMMODITY.

1.06 USDA FOODS Variety

PDA estimates that one-hundred and thirty (130) different USDA

FOODS items will be available annually under the IFB with an

average of seventy (70) items carried in inventory at any one

time.

Note: DISTRIBUTOR is cautioned that inventory turns for

USDA FOODS are highly dependent on the DISTRIBUTOR’s

effectiveness in informing RAs of cases of product allocated,

pulled, and remaining in storage at the DISTRIBUTOR’s

facility.

The mix of USDA FOODS for the National School Lunch

Program (NSLP) for the 2024-2025 year was 66% frozen;

8% refrigerated; and 26% dry.

Page 5 of 84

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 722310Food Service Contractors

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