TUSCALOOSA COUNTY COMMISSION
Sheriff’s Office/Tuscaloosa County Jail
1600 26th Avenue
Tuscaloosa. Alabama 35401
Request for Proposals
Request for Proposal Date: 07/01/2025
Proposal Title: Tuscaloosa County Jail Inmate Food Services
Proposal Opening Date: August 26, 2025 at 0900 CST
Please submit a sealed proposal for the services listed herein. (Faxed proposals will not be accepted.) The submissions will be addressed to Misty Tibbet, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, 714 ½ Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 until the date and time shown above, and publicly opened on date specified above. Clearly mark the envelope as a PROPOSAL FOR JAIL FOOD SERVICE.
The TUSCALOOSA County Commission reserves the right to award this contract on an all-or-none or item by item basis, to refuse all proposals, and to waive technicalities.
Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to Loyd Baker: Lbaker@tcsoal.org
Vendor Name must show on an envelope along with the proposal number and opening date. Each numbered proposal must be in a separate envelope.
All documents submitted to TUSCALOOSA COUNTY will be subject to Alabama's Open Records Laws (Code of Alabama, Title 36-12-40 and 41, as last amended). Due to the provisions of the Open Records Laws and the Competitive Proposal Laws, the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Commission cannot assure any agency that any information submitted with the proposal, even though marked "Proprietary" will not be open to public inspection and copying.
_____________________________________________________________________
I hereby affirm that I have not been in any agreement or collusion among vendors or prospective vendors in restraint of freedom of competition, by agreement to propose at a fixed price or to refrain from proposing, or otherwise.
COMPANY NAME: _____________________________________
SIGNATURE: __________________________________________
PRINT NAME: _________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS: ____________________________________
CITY: _________________STATE:______ ZIP CODE: _________
PHONE #:____________________ FAX #:___________________
EMAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________________
FEDERAL ID#: _________________________________________
TUSCALOOSA County Commission - Awarding Authority
GENERAL CONDITIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
1. Vendor Name must appear on the outside of the proposal envelope.
2. No oral, telephonic, facsimile, e-mailed modifications or alternate proposals will be considered. Proposals from firms, individuals, or the same owners of separate companies submitting more than one proposal will not be considered.
3. Vendors must submit an original, one (1) copy, and one (1) electronic copy of its proposal. Incomplete and/or irregular proposals may be subject to rejection. The following forms must be submitted:
a) Proposal - must be signed by an authorized agent of the company. Proposal forms that are not signed will be disqualified. All submissions must be printed or written in ink.
b) Pricing Form – (if included in Proposal Packet) – must be signed by person completing form
c) Business License – a copy of a current Business License, if required by law, and Vendor shall be current on payment of all city and county sales taxes
PURPOSE
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY is seeking proposals for food service consulting and procurement services at the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL. Vendor will provide a Food Service Director to Manage the program and will continue to operate the food service program utilizing the currently employed TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL Food Services staff with the option of converting to Provider food service workers in the future.
It is the goal of TUSCALOOSA COUNTY to contract with a company to provide professional consulting services for the production of inmate meals at TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL. It is our further goal that these services meet nationally recognized standards, and that oversight be provided by competent, credentialed professionals in a manner that ensures quality and cost-effective results. To this end, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY is seeking proposals from qualified food service companies specializing in large scale correctional food service operations.
SPECIFICATIONS
This proposal shall be for a contract for a period of Three(3) years.
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Commission desires to enter into a contract with a contractor to provide food service for the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL inmates, including special diet meals, seven days a week in accordance with the following specifications and special provisions and the attached pricing form.
If unable to furnish an item as specified vendors shall furnish a substitute and give full description of the item. Final determination as to equal quality of substitution will be made by the Jail Administrator.
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Commission reserves the right to award this proposal on an all or none, item by item basis with or without trade-ins, to refuse all proposals and waive technicalities.
Award of proposal will not be made based solely upon the lowest cost proposal. Factors such as contractor references for performance, litigation history and lost or non-renewed contracts, and quality performance track record of executive management and site management shall also be taken into consideration for award.
No oral, telephonic, telegraph, facsimile proposals, modifications of alternate proposals will be considered. Proposals will not be considered from firms, individuals, or the same owners of separate companies submitting more than one proposal.
Questions regarding this RFP shall be emailed to Loyd Baker at Lbaker@tcsoal.org.
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Commission is a governmental agency and is tax exempt. A tax exemption certificate will be furnished to the successful vendor, if needed.
Interested Vendors shall submit an original plus one (1) paper and one (1) electronic copy of their proposal.
Tentative Timeline:
RPP Release July 1, 2025 _____
RFP Questions Due July 25, 2025_____
Answers Due August 8, 2025
Proposal Due Date August 26, 2025____
Anticipated Contract Award – The day following County Commission’s approval at the next scheduled meeting. The current food service contract will end in December 2025.
Provider Qualifications and References:
1. The Provider shall provide with its Proposal:
a. Outlines of the structure of the organization and number of years in institutional food service.
b. One copy of the latest published annual report for the company or satisfactory written evidence of the financial stability of the organization. If financial statements are provided the Vendor should strive to provide the three (3) most recent years of financial statements and those should have some level of verification as available.
c. A minimum of three (3) current food services contracts with the following information: Client, contact person, address and telephone number, type and size of facility, type of food service operation, date of original contract. Also, include information as to the facility that is most similar to the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL in size and population and the facility that is geographically closest to the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL.
d. A list of any and all contracts lost for service or quality issues within the past five (5) years.
e. A list of any and all civil or criminal litigations against the Provider under its current name or previous names of doing business within the last ten (10) years. This disclosure should include any individuals employed by or associated with the Vendor if the subject of that litigation is related to the Vendor’s services.
2. Scope of Work
The Provider shall furnish all management, food, materials and supplies necessary to provide food service for the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL inmates including special diet meals, seven days a week for a period of three (3) years.
The Sheriff, or his designee, shall act as the agent of the JAIL for the purpose of serving as the JAIL’s contact person for the successful provider, hereinafter referred to as the Provider. The designee shall oversee performance and completion of the contract pursuant to its terms and conditions. The designee shall receive, review and process billings from the Provider, conduct periodic inspections of the food service area and review menus and substitutions prior to implementation.
3. Insurance
The Provider shall carry appropriate insurance on its employees, products and property, including Workers’ Compensation and general liability in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence with an aggregate of $2,000,000.
The Provider shall provide proof of said applicable policies to the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL and the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Purchasing Department prior to the date of commencement of service under the contract with certificates of insurance for the foregoing coverage, which designates the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL as an additional entity with respect to the Provider’s participation in the contract and which includes a provision that the coverage shall not be cancelled, terminated or otherwise modified without a thirty (30) day prior written notice which shall be provided to the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY JAIL and the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Purchasing Department.
Cancellation of insurance shall be cause for immediate cancellation of the contract.
4. Lawsuits
In the event that any lawsuit is filed against TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, its elected officials, employees and/or agents based on or containing any allegations concerning any food related complaint or the performance of its employees, agents, subcontractors or assignees, the Provider shall understand that they may be joined as party’s defendant in any such lawsuit and shall be responsible for their own defense and any judgment rendered against them in a Court of Law. Nothing herein shall prohibit any of the parties to this agreement from joining the remaining parties hereto as defendants in lawsuits filed by their parties.
The Provider shall respond to all inmate complaints or grievances relating to food service.
5. Hold Harmless
The Provider shall agree to indemnify and hold harmless TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, its agents, servants, and employees for any and all claims, actions, lawsuits, damages, judgments or liabilities of any kind whatsoever arising out of the operation and maintenance of the aforesaid program of food services provided by the Provider, with it being the express understanding of the parties hereto that the Provider shall provide the actual food service program. TUSCALOOSA COUNTY shall promptly notify the Provider of any incident, claim or lawsuit of which TUSCALOOSA COUNTY becomes aware and shall fully cooperate in the defense of such claim, but the Provider shall retain sole control of the defense of while their action is pending, to the extent allowed by law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY shall agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Provider, its agent’s, and servant’s employees from any and all injuries, claims, actions, lawsuits, damages, judgments or liability of any kind arising out of the negligence of the JAIL, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY or their employees.
The Provider shall assume full responsibility for and shall indemnify the JAIL for any damage or loss of any Facility property, including building, fixtures furnishings, equipment, supplies, accessories, or parts resulting in whole or part from any negligent acts or omissions of the Provider or any employee, agent, or representative of the Provider, except for negligence by the facility.
6. Security
The Provider and TUSCALOOSA County understand that adequate security services are essential and necessary for the safety of the agents, employees, and subcontractors of the Provider as well as for the security of inmates and JAIL staff. The JAIL will take all reasonable steps to provide sufficient security to enable the Provider to safely and adequately manage the food service program described in this Agreement. It is expressly understood by the JAIL and the Provider that the provision of security and safety for the Provider’s personnel is a continuing precondition of the Provider’s obligation to provide its services in a routine, timely and proper fashion.
7. Termination Notice
This contract may be terminated by either party provided a thirty (30) day written notice is given to the other party. Written notice to the JAIL must be sent to the TUSCALOOSA COUNTY Sheriff’s Office and the TUSCALOOSA County Purchasing Department.
8. Discontinuance of Operation
Should it be necessary for the JAIL to discontinue operation of the institution for any reason, this contract shall become null and void.
9. Emergency Conditions
If the TUSCALOOSA County JAIL kitchen should be damaged by fire, flood, riot, or any event that would render the kitchen inoperable, the JAIL shall determine, after consultation with the Provider, whether and to what extent the kitchen is operable. If the Provider cannot then prepare and serve the required meals, the JAIL, as its option, may continue with the contract or terminate without further obligation.
The provider must include in the Invitation For Proposal a detailed description of the provider’s emergency plan for providing alternate food service in case of an emergency such as mentioned above and other emergency contingency provisions as reasonable.
10. Staffing
The Provider shall provide sufficient staff at all times to ensure the efficient operation of food service.
a. Food Service Manager
The Provider shall provide a trained food service manager with a minimum of twelve (12) months experience in institutional Food Service Management, or similar experience in correctional facilities, who will work with the administration of the JAIL. The Provider shall provide the Sheriff with the prospective manager’s resume and qualifications. Employment of the manager and all other employees of the Provider at the facility will be subject to review and approval by the Sheriff, or his designee, who reserves the right to remove any individual employed by the Provider from the Facility at their discretion. This review may include credit and/or criminal background investigations.
b. Food Service Workers *Option*
The JAIL currently has four (4) full-time food service worker positions to ensure the efficient and uninterrupted operation of food service. The JAIL requests an option to be included in the proposal of future conversion to Provider employees to fill these positions as the JAIL food service workers leave or retire.
11. Background Investigations
The Provider’s employees will be subject to a background investigation and security check as is normally required for personnel of the JAIL. The Sheriff reserves the right to deny any of the Provider’s employee’s access to the facility that do not meet established security clearances or obey the established rules and regulations for the JAIL. Final selection of all Providers’ employees shall be at the discretion of the Sheriff.
12. Drug Screens
As part of the application process, an applicant selected for employment will be required to submit to a pre-employment drug screening at a medical facility.
13. Orientation and Training
The Provider’s employees must attend in-service training as mandated by the JAIL and the State of Alabama. Such training will be provided by the JAIL. However, salaries for the time spent at training will be the responsibility of the Provider. The Provider shall require all employees to be certified food handlers.
14. Conduct of Providers Employees
The Provider shall instruct all employees that the rules and regulations, policies and procedures established by the JAIL shall be adhered to.
In addition:
a. Provider shall prohibit its employees from personal use of the telephone or office equipment provided for official business.
b. No food, supplies, material, or equipment provided, acquired, or utilized in the performance of the contract shall be removed from the JAIL for personal use or used in any manner not provided herein without approval from the Sheriff.
c. All Providers’ personnel shall be required to comply with the JAIL and State of Alabama rules and regulations concerning food service.
d. All Providers’ personnel may be required to wear identification badges issued by the Sheriff’s Office.
e. Provider’s employees shall not fraternize with Inmates.
15. Staffing Requirements
The Provider shall provide with its proposal, individual job descriptions and levels of responsibility that will be assigned to those individuals within the JAIL staff.
16. Contract Supervision
The JAIL shall appoint a person from its staff to oversee the contract. This person shall randomly check for contract compliance. The Provider shall cooperate with this person to obtain all requested information.
17. Inmate Workers
The JAIL will provide at maximum twelve (12) Inmate workers. Incidents involving inmate rule violations will be reported immediately, both verbally and in writing, to the JAIL Administration.
18. Food and Specifications
a. Location of Food Preparation:
All Food shall be provided by the Provider and prepared on-site.
b. Grade of Food Specifications:
The following are the minimum specifications for raw food; higher but not lower grades can be purchased. The Provider will use commodities as much as possible.
i. Beef, Veal and Lamb shall be at least USDA Choice.
ii. Ground Beef-utility or better, not to exceed 25% fat, (a soy-based ground beef blend is acceptable)
iii. Poultry shall be at least USDA Grade A.
iv. Canned fruits and vegetables shall be at least USDA Grade C.
v. Frozen fruits and vegetables shall be at least USDA Grade B.
vi. Fresh produce shall be at least USDA No. 2
vii. Dairy products shall be at least USDA Grade A.
viii. Eggs shall be of at least USDA Grade “A” Medium.
ix. Frozen fish and seafood must be a nationally distributed brand, packed under continuous government inspection, USDA Grade A.
x. Pork products, in whole or in part, shall not be used unless specifically approved by the facility point of contact.
c. Commodities
The Provider agrees to assist the JAIL in securing surplus food items when minimum quality standards are satisfied and when costs of a given surplus item are less than that available to the Provider. If surplus food is used, the provider agrees to fully utilize all appropriate surplus food commodities obtained by the JAIL from the US Department of Agriculture.
Commodities should not be used in calculating meal prices. The difference between the cost of the commodities received each month and current market costs for such commodities shall be applied as a credit and applied to the next invoice to the JAIL. The Provider shall follow all record keeping requirements of the USDA for purchasing surplus food.
d. Meal Standards
The Vendor will provide three hot (3) meals per day, seven (7) days per week, three hundred sixty-five (365) days a year.
All menus and special diets shall meet the standards for adult holding and detention facilities as established by the American Correctional Association. All menus will be approved prior to service by a certified dietitian licensed by the State of Alabama. All meals served shall meet current RDA requirements and will provide an average of 2,600 calories per day in addition to all required nutrients. The JAIL Designee reserves the right to consult with another dietitian for review of menus and nutritional information.
A four-week menu should be included in the proposal and should be the actual menu served. The majority of foods shall be prepared on-site “from scratch”. Lean meats (i.e. ground turkey or ground chicken) shall be the primary choice of meat, soy and mechanically separated products are not desired. No pork or pork products shall be served.
Condiment selections will be limited to salt, pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, jelly (to include a sugar-free jelly option for use on diabetic meals), syrup (to include a sugar-free syrup option for use on diabetic meals), and salad dressings. Margarine, pre-packaged sugar, picante or taco sauces, and other similar items shall not be used simply to push the calorie counts to meet the standards.
The successful provider shall warrant that all meals will be served at appropriate temperatures and in a manner that makes them palatable and visibly pleasing, complete with condiments (dressing, sugar, salt, pepper, ketchup, or mustard where indicated).
The successful provider shall serve a fortified vitamin enhanced beverage mix packet product a minimum of 3 meals per day, 7 days a week.
e. Food Inventory
The Provider shall be responsible for purchasing, receiving, and storing all food necessary for preparation of each meal in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of Inmates during the period of the contract. The Provider shall maintain at a minimum, a 3-day supply of foodstuffs on hand. All inventories shall be rotated regularly, and the Provider shall ensure that the food items are not served when unfit for consumption or after the manufacturer’s expiration date. The Provider shall retain ownership of such inventory.
f. Meal Counts
The JAIL Designee shall order inmate meals, special diet meals and sack meals at times mutually agreeable to the JAIL and the Provider. However, the Provider shall prepare sufficient additional meals in the event of unexpected newly arrived inmates. Meals will be placed on carts according to the number of meals ordered per housing area. Trustees receive double portions and should be accounted for accordingly.
g. Pre-plating
Meals shall be portioned on trays in the kitchen and placed in a cart in the staging area where the carts with trays and beverages will be picked up by the JAIL Staff and delivered to the Inmate housing units.
h. Meal Schedule
The Provider shall provide three full, nutritionally balanced meals each day at regularly scheduled times as follows:
Breakfast: 4:30AM - 5:00 AM
Lunch Start: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Dinner Start: 4:00 PM 4:30 PM
The Contractor further agrees that in the event that the Contractor provides any meal ordered by the JAIL more than thirty (30) minutes after the scheduled time of said meal, the Contractor shall be automatically deemed not to have performed a provision of their contract, which shall result in a penalty of 20% of the meal cost of those late meals; which shall be noted and immediately removed from that week’s billing to the County.
i. Sack Meals
The Provider shall provide sack lunches as needed. Sack lunches can be ordered for inmates that cannot eat during regular mealtimes, are working offsite, or are otherwise on restriction. Sack lunches will consist of, at minimum, two sandwiches with packaged condiments, one piece of fruit, dessert, and a beverage. The Provider shall vary sack meal items to avoid repetition.
j. Menu cycle
The menu cycle included with the proposal will consist of a four (4) week minimum menu cycle and will be submitted for approval to the JAIL Designee at least 30 days in advance. The JAIL Designee reserves the right to specify the order in which the weekly menus are to be arranged. The JAIL Designee also reserves the right to make substitutions with respect to individual menu items and have them replaced with like or similar individual menu items should it be necessary or if commodity is available.
k. Recipes
When combination foods are on the menu, the Provider shall maintain a file containing the recipes a list of ingredients, the quantities, the number of servings and the size of each serving. Recipes for all menus shall be maintained on-site.
l. Substitutions
Any substitution to the established menus shall be verified with a dietitian to determine the appropriateness of those substitutions. Such substitutions shall be submitted for approval to the JAIL Designee prior to implementation, no less than 24 hours before the actual meal is prepared for delivery.
m. Special Diets
The Provider shall provide special medical diets at no additional charge. Snacks are to be included in the price per meal. A dietitian shall review the contents of such meals to ensure their proper nutritional balance. No “food preference” (i.e., vegetarian) diets will be accepted. Medical diets must conform to physician-ordered specifications
n. Holiday/Spirit Lifter Meals
The Provider is expected to provide, at no additional charge, a minimum of four (4) Holiday Meals annually including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Fourth of July. The Contractor shall also provide one (1) monthly Saturday or Sunday spirit lifter dinner meal for each month that does not include a mandatory holiday menu. The cost of these meals shall be the same cost per meal as a regular diet. A copy of the proposed menus shall be included in the proposal.
o. Religious Diets
Provider shall provide meals for inmates in accordance with the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person Act (RLUIPA) and comply with all federal, state, or local laws and court decisions. Compliance with the RLUIPA shall not result in any additional fees or charges to the JAIL. All requests for religious diets shall be approved by the Jail Administrator or designee and forwarded to the Contractor.
19. Records
The Provider shall keep a permanent record of the number of meals served, the food content of each meal and any menu substitutions or modifications, with copies provided to the Jail Administrator. Records of substitutions shall include the items and portion sizes, the reason for the substitution and verification that a dietitian has been consulted when appropriate. The Provider shall maintain and provide such daily, weekly, and monthly records as the JAIL Designee may require and shall maintain records for a minimum of three (3) years after expiration of the contract.
20. Operations
a. Average Daily Population
The average daily population is currently approximately 600 inmates per meal.
b. Equipment
The Provider and its employees must safeguard all property of the JAIL. The Provider shall allow employees to use JAIL equipment only after they have been trained in its proper use. The Provider shall be held responsible for damage resulting from negligence or carelessness on the part of its employees or inmate workers due to inadequate supervision. The Provider shall notify the Jail
Administrator’s designated point of contact immediately of the need for equipment repair and maintenance. The JAIL will maintain all owned equipment. Inventory shall be computed semi-annually for each year of the contract. As part of this inventory an assessment of the condition will be made. The contractor will be liable for the replacement and installation costs for all unaccounted pieces of equipment.
If the Contractor deems necessary, Contractor may purchase additional equipment and small wares to aid in the increased efficiency and delivery of contract services, with the approval of the Jail Administrator. Said equipment will remain the responsibility and ownership of the Contractor at the end of the contract term.
c. Keys
The Provider shall be responsible for control of keys obtained from the JAIL Designee and the security of those areas for which the keys are given. The Provider shall be responsible for immediately reporting all facts relating to any loss of keys or losses incurred as a result of break-ins to those areas. No keys to any part of the JAIL may be duplicated. All keys will be provided by the JAIL Designee and made available at the beginning of the shift and turned in at the end of the shift. No keys shall leave the JAIL.
d. Provider Expenses
The Provider shall be responsible for all labor-related costs, food costs, uniforms for the Provider’s employees, insurance premiums and license fees, long distance expenses, office supplies and postage.
e. Knife Security
The Provider shall be responsible for the control of all knives, scissors, and kitchen utensils. All knives and kitchen utensils shall be counted and locked for safekeeping in accordance with policy and procedures provided by the JAIL Designee. A sharp tool inventory will be maintained daily.
f. Sanitation
The Provider shall perform regular routine cleaning of the kitchen area including all equipment and fixtures therein sufficient to continuously maintain such areas. The equipment and fixtures shall be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition as specified by the Health Department, State of Alabama and other applicable Federal and State laws.
g. Inspections
The Provider shall agree to allow unscheduled visits by the JAIL Designee, Health Department, State of Alabama, Fire Marshal and by any other inspecting agency whose purpose is to ensure that all employees in the food service area are free from disease or open wounds and that the food service area complies with all requirements for sanitation, food storage and the control of vermin.
Any deficiencies found during these inspections that are under the scope of responsibility of the Provider shall be corrected by the Provider within 48 hours. Failure to communicate a plan of action or solution to resolve noted deficiencies may be grounds for termination of this contract. Deficiencies previously outlined under the scope of responsibility of the facility will be addressed accordingly.
21.Emergency/Contingency Plan
The Vendor will maintain an emergency plan to provide food service in case of emergency situations, including but not limited to, equipment failure, disruption of standard food supply shipments, health or safety lockdowns, strikes by the Vendor’s employees, natural disasters, riots, fire, power failure or kitchen shut down. This plan will provide for the uninterrupted provisions of food service during the emergency period. In the event of an emergency, cold meals that meet all nutritional requirements will be served on paper products.
- The awarded Vendor must be prepared to store enough supplies to provide meals for not less than fourteen (14) days of three (3) complete meals per day at regular times, in case of emergency for both inmates and staff in case of natural or manmade disasters for both inmates and staff.
- All meals will continue to meet the health and dietary requirements outlined in this Agreement.
22. Responsibilities of the JAIL
a. Provide, install, maintain, repair, and replace, if necessary, and permit the Provider to use all food service equipment and fixtures.
b. Provide all food trays, plastic cups, beverage coolers, and utility carts.
c. Provide cookware, utensils, kitchen wrap, Styrofoam, and cleaning products.
d. Provide all utilities such as trash removal, pest control, office space, including desk, filing cabinet, telephone service, internet, and inmate uniforms.
e. Provide laundry services for all aprons, towels, dishcloths, etc., used in the food service operations, except for the Provider’s employees’ uniforms. The Provider shall be responsible for ensuring all linens are returned from laundry, the JAIL is not responsible for lost or damaged linens. The Contractor will ensure its staff’s uniforms are clean and in good repair.
f. Provide I.D. badges for all employees.
g. Provide timely orders for meals.
23. Billing
a. Provider Compensation
As full and complete compensation to the Provider for all food, labor and material furnished and all services performed pursuant to these specifications, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY shall pay the Provider upon submission of properly certified invoices prepared in a format required by TUSCALOOSA COUNTY. Compensation shall be based on the applicable daily per meal costs expressed in the awarded Proposal multiplied by the number of meals served each day, less any credit due from previous invoices.
24. Term
This contract will be effective for three (3) years.
25. Pricing
The TUSCALOOSA County Commission Chairperson may at his discretion, increase the price of meals above the CPI.
ALL VENDORS PLEASE NOTE
Addenda: Vendors must periodically check the County’s website for any addenda issued for this procurement. TUSCALOOSA County will not be responsible for a provider’s failure to acquire any addenda issued. The Provider acknowledges receipt of the following addenda, if applicable:
www.tcsoal.org/resources/proposals
Pricing Form shall be submitted with proposal
Inmate Average Daily Population (ADP) price per meal:
500 - 549 $_______
550 - 599 $_______
600 - 649 $_______
650 - 699 $_______
700 - 749 $_______
750 - 799 $_______
800 - 849 $_______
26. Incomplete and Irregular Proposals
As stated previously, Tuscaloosa County shall be the final decision making authority as to the requirements of the RFP and/or the Vendor’s compliance with the same.
A proposal that is not accompanied by data required by the Proposal Documents, or a proposal which is incomplete in any way, may be rejected. Any proposal which contains any uninitiated alterations or erasures, or any proposal which contains any additions, alternate proposals, or conditions not called for, or any other irregularities of any kind, will be subject to rejection. Proposals may also be rejected for any of (but not limited to) the following causes:
A. Failure of required documentation.
B. Lack of signature on all document(s) by authorized representative on the proposal forms.
C. Failure to properly complete the proposal.
D. Evidence of collusion among Vendors.
E. Unauthorized alteration of proposal/proposal form.
F. Failure to submit other forms and documents as required.
(make sure no portion of the proposal documents are cut off)
27. Evaluation Criteria
Providers will be evaluated for selection based on those most qualified to meet the requirements of this RFP. Major criteria to be considered in the evaluation may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to the items referred to above and those set forth below:
A. The vendor's experience in correctional facilities, including the size and volume of the facility, and the experience of their staff
B. Reasonableness/competitiveness of proposed fee and/or benefits to the Office of the Sheriff, although the Office of the Sheriff is not bound to select the Provider who proposes the lowest fees or most benefits for services. The Office of the Sheriff reserves the right to negotiate fees and/or benefits to the Office of the Sheriff with the selected Provider(s).
C. The Provider's responsiveness and compliance with the RFP requirements and conditions.
D. Determination that the selected Provider has no contractual relationships which would result in a conflict of interest with the County’s contract.
E. The quality of the menu and how well it meets the needs of the inmates.
F. The history of quality of services, based on reviews from jails where the provider has contracted.