PROJECT STATEMENT and SPECIFICATIONS

FOR

BREAD PRODUCTS

FOR

THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

I. Objectives.

A. General. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is seeking to award a contract for the supply and delivery of bread and bread products in accordance with this Project Statement.

B. Specific. DMVA requires bread and bread products for resident consumption at its State Veterans Homes (SVH). DMVA is contracting for the supply and delivery of bread and bread products specifically to Pennsylvania Soldiers & Sailors Home (PSSH), PSSH is located at 560 East Third Street, Erie, PA 16507.

C. DMVA Contracting Officer. The DMVA Contracting Officer responsible for the solicitation and contract award is:

Kayla Brill, Purchasing Agent Supervisor

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Division of Procurement & Contracting

Bldg. 0-47, Edward Martin Hall, Fort Indiantown Gap

Annville, PA 17003-5002

Phone: 717-861-6400 Fax: 717-861-2932

Email: kbrill@pa.gov

D. Method of Award and Term of Contract: DMVA reserves the right to award the contract either to the vendor that proposed the lowest cost or to the vendor that is able to supply all products needed, if the two are different, whichever is most advantageous to the Commonwealth. In order to be deemed responsive, the bidder must perform the required services as outlined in the project statement ad in accordance with the terms & conditions.

The term of the contract shall commence on the executed effective date and shall end on the expiration date identified on the contract. Services shall begin as specified in the project statement or notice to proceed letter, whichever is the later. DMVA reserves the right, upon written notice to the awarded contractor, to extend the term of the contract or any part of the contract for up to 90 days under the same terms and conditions.

II. Minimum Qualifications.

A. Fresh Product. Potential bidders shall be required to provide fresh not frozen bread products in order to be deemed responsive to this solicitation.

B. No Subcontractor. Potential bidders shall not subcontract.

C. Product. Potential bidders shall specify brand and brand code for each item. Failure to supply this information may cause your bid to be considered non-responsive and rejected from consideration for award.

D. Pricing. Potential bidders should provide pricing for all items they are able to supply in accordance with the specifications on Appendix A.

The potential bidder shall provide pricing for the initial contract quarter. The awarded contractor shall provide the DMVA Contracting Officer with pricing for all subsequent quarters by the 10th day of the last month in the quarter or upon request. The pricing shall align with the Consumer Pricing Index as indicated in the Terms and Conditions.

III. Project Statement.

A. Product Availability. The awarded contractor shall ensure that all items included on Appendix A are in stock and readily available for delivery throughout the duration of the contract. The awarded contractor shall ensure that all items are of fresh quality and delivered no less than four (4) days from the date of expiration. If the specified brand and brand code is not available for delivery, the awarded contractor shall notify DMVA immediately for approval of another brand.

B. Packaging. The awarded contractor shall furnish all bread as conventional loaf, sliced, wrapped and as delivered as a standard product to grocers. The awarded contractor shall package all products so that protection from dirt, filth, or other contamination is ensured.

Product acceptability shall be at the sole discretion of SEVC. Any product delivered which does not meet specifications or is otherwise found to be defective, shall be rejected and returned at the awarded contractor’s expense for replacement or credit.

C. Age requirement. Unless otherwise specified, the awarded contractor shall deliver fresh bread within 48 hours after baking. Bread must have a visible use by date marked on the packaging.

D. Labeling. All ingredients must be declared by their common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight (21 CFR §101.4(a)) unless exempted by 21 CFR §101.100. Labeling must comply with 21 CFR § 101.9 Nutrition Labeling of Food.

E. Finished product. The awarded contractor’s sliced bread loaves shall contain slices of one ounce weight. Stated ounce per loaf shall yield same number of slices per loaf exclusive of end pieces. Example: 22 ounce loaf shall yield 21 slices exclusive of end pieces.

1. Appearance and color. The bread must have a uniformly brown crust characteristic of the product. The bread must have a typical volume, characteristic grain, and be evenly baked without any evidence of scorching, burning, or foreign color. When specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the bread must be sliced. The delivered bread must not be crushed or damaged.

2. Flavor and aroma. The bread must have a flavor and aroma characteristic of the type of bread specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. There must not be any foreign odors or flavors such as but not limited to burnt, scorched, stale, rancid, or moldy.

3. Texture. The texture of the bread must have a characteristic texture for the type of bread specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. The bread must be firm, tender, uniformly brown crust characteristic of the product, except Type VII, French bread which must have a firm, crisp crust. The baked bread must not contain specks of flour on the bottom.

4. Enrichment. The bread must have the enrichment ingredients evenly distributed in the finished product.

5. Foreign material. All ingredients must be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign material, such as, but not limited to, extraneous plant material, dirt, plastic, insects, insect pieces or rodent or insect infestation

F. Ordering. PSSH has a limited amount of space available to store product. The awarded contractor shall provide the product in accordance with what PSSH has ordered. PSSH shall not accept any product beyond what was ordered. PSSH shall have the right to reject any extra product that has been delivered without prior approval.

G. Deliveries. The awarded contractor shall ensure that all deliveries are made on the scheduled days and times to PSSH. Deliveries are required Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 8:00AM – 3:30PM.

H. Additional products or SVHs. DMVA reserves the right to request the delivery of similar products or for the delivery to additional PSSH under the resulting contract. The awarded contractor shall provide all products to PSSH in accordance with this Project Statement and Terms and Conditions.

I. Like Services/Increase and Decrease Quantities. The DMVA Reserves the right to add like services or supplies to the contract not listed in the original solicitation or contract if a need arises. The awarded contractor will be notified in writing when services or supplies have been added. DMVA reserves the right to increase and decrease quantities resulting from variations between any estimated quantities in the Contract and actual quantities. 

J. Qualification/Scope of Work Changes.  The DMVA reserves the right to change qualifications and/or scope of work items to enhance the success of the service.

K. Compliance. All services and supplies provided must be compliant with the most current applicable Federal, State, and Local, Standards, Laws, Guidelines, Licensure Requirements, and Regulations (Requirements).  In any event where the awarded vendor creates a scenario where the contracting agency is found to be out of compliance with any Requirements the awarded vendor will be liable and responsible for any damages suffered by DMVA.  All non-compliance issues must be addressed and resolved by the awarded vendor within (48) forty-eight hours of notification to the awarded vendor.  It is the awarded vendor’s responsibility to ensure they are complying with all Requirements, including any updates throughout the duration of the contract, regardless of being provided them specifically by DMVA. 

L. Contractor Representatives. The awarded contractor shall provide a list of representatives that PSSH can reach out to during business hours. The list shall include, but not limited to, representatives to discuss account inquiries, bread products that are in or out of stock and any billing inquiries.

M. Final Inspection. DMVA reserves the right to conduct a final inspection and acceptance of all products acquired under this contract.

N. Invoicing and Payment. The awarded contractor shall invoice PSSH for services provided under the contract in accordance with the pricing for the date the products were delivered.

The awarded contractor shall submit a monthly invoice for bread and bread products. The invoice will contain an itemization as defined in the Terms & Conditions. The invoice shall be paid via a Commonwealth Purchasing Card.

O. Point of Contact (POC). The awarded contractor shall provide all required documentation throughout the term of the executed PO to the PSSH POCs:

PSSH Dietary Main Point of Contact

Pearlene Cooley, Dietary Supervisor

Phone: 814 878 4903

Email: pecooley@pa.gov

PSSH Dietary Secondary Point of Contact

Brian Zimmerman, Dietary Director

Phone: 814 878 4925

Email: bjzimmerma@pa.gov