RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries

LA MESA-SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
4750 DATE AVENUE
LA MESA, CA 91942
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
CENTRAL STORAGE FOOD AND GROCERIES
RFP #25/26-003
PROPOSALS DUE: May 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
at the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
Education Center
Event Date
Advertising Dates 04/29/2026 and 05/06/2026
Questions due from Proposers 05/11/2026 at 4:00 PM IN WRITING
Addendum and Responses to Proposers, Posted
05/15/2026 by 6:00 PM POSTED ON WEBSITE
on District website
Proposals Due 05/21/2026 by 2:00 PM
Announcement of Recommendation of Contract
05/27/2026 by 4:00 PM
Award
Protest Deadline 06/3/2026 by 4:00 PM
District Board Meeting - Award of RFP 06/16/2026
07/01/2026 - 06/30/2027
Term of Contract
Option to renew for two (2) one-year periods.

La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DOCUMENT SECTION PAGE
Table of Contents 1
Notice to Proposers 2
Information for Proposers 3
Terms and Conditions 6
Specifications/Contract Scope 16
ATTACHMENTS/DOCUMENTS
Non-Collusion Declaration 20
Fingerprinting Certification Form 21
Drug-Free Workplace Certification Form 22
Tobacco-Free Workplace Certification Form 23
Affirmative Action Form 24
Suspension and Debarment Certification 25
Certification Regarding Lobbying Form 27
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form 28
Nutrient Data Submission Form 31
Proposer Profile/References 32
Agreement 33
Proposal Form 35
RFP Submission Checklist 62
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
LA MESA-SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOTICE TO PROPOSERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District of San Diego County,
California, acting by and through its Governing Board, hereinafter referred to as the District, will
receive up to, but not later than 2:00 p.m. on May 21, 2026 sealed proposals for the award of a
contract for
Central Storage Food and Groceries
RFP 25/26-003
Such proposals shall be received in the Business Services, Purchasing Department of the District
at 4750 Date Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942.
Each proposal must conform and be responsive to this invitation, the Information for Proposers,
the Proposal Form, and all other documents comprising the pertinent Contract Documents.
Copies of the Contract Documents are now on file and may be obtained online at
https://www.lmsvschools.org/purchasing-services or at the Purchasing Department at the above
address.
Interested proposers should direct questions to Jessica Murguia, Director of Purchasing & Risk
Management, at Jessica.Murguia@lmsvschools.org. Any addendums and answers to questions
will be posted on the District website on the date specified under the RFP Schedule in the Terms
and Conditions section of the proposal documents.
This is a one (1) year contract beginning July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Upon the mutual
agreement of the District and Contractor this proposal will be renewed annually for two (2)
additional years.
The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to accept or to reject any one or more
items of a proposal, or to waive any irregularities or informalities in the proposals or in the bidding.
No proposer may withdraw his proposal for a period of sixty (60) days after the date set for the
opening of proposals.
Jessica Murguia
Director, Purchasing & Risk Management
La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
District of San Diego County, California
Publication: San Diego Union Tribune
Publication Dates: April 29, 2026 and May 6, 2026
END OF DOCUMENT
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS
1. Securing Documents. RFP documents can be downloaded from the District website at
https://www.lmsvschools.org/purchasing-services.
2. Proposals. Proposals to receive consideration shall be made in accordance with the following
instructions:
a. Proposals shall be made upon the form therefore obtained at the office of the Director of
Purchasing & Risk Management properly executed. Proposals shall be written in ink or by
typewriter before submission. Proposals are to be verified, as they cannot be corrected after
proposals are opened. The signature of all persons signing shall be in longhand. The completed
form shall be without interlineations, alterations, or erasures. Alternative proposals will not be
considered unless requested in the specifications. No verbal, faxed or emailed modifications will
be considered.
b. Before submitting a proposal, proposers shall carefully examine specifications, and the forms of
other documents. They shall fully inform themselves as to all existing conditions and limitations,
and shall insure that unit cost and total costs is reflected in the proposal. No allowance will be
made because of lack of such examination or knowledge.
c. The use of the name of a manufacturer, or any special brand or make, in describing any item in
the Contract Documents does not restrict proposers to that manufacturer or specific article. An
equal of the named product will always be given due consideration.
d. All items on which proposals are submitted must in all cases be equal or better in quality and
utility to those manufacturers or brands specified by the District.
e. The make or brand and grade of the article on which the proposal is submitted should be stated
in the proposal form. When the make or brand and grade of the article are not stated, it will be
understood to be the specific article named by the District.
f. No proposal shall include California sales or use tax, or Federal excise tax.
g. All proposals on items shall be delivered F.O.B. destination, and delivery costs and charges
included in the proposal price. The District will reject shipments sent C.O.D. or freight collect.
h. No charge for packing, draying, postage, express, or for any other purpose will be allowed over
and above the prices quoted.
i. Proposals shall be delivered to La Mesa-Spring Valley School District in the office of the Business
Services, Purchasing Department on or before the day and hour set for the opening of proposals,
which proposals shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope bearing the description of the proposal
call, the name of the proposer to see that the proposal is received in proper time. Any proposals
received after the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals shall be returned to the proposer
unopened.
j. When requested, proposers shall submit samples of each such item, on which proposal is made
to: La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Child Nutrition Department. Each sample submitted
must be marked in such manner that the marking is fixed, so that the identification of the sample
is assured. Such marking shall state (1) name of proposer, (2) number of proposal, (3) item
number. Proposal and samples must not be sent in the same package.
k. Samples of items, when required, must be furnished free of expense to the District and if not
destroyed by tests, will, upon request, be returned at the proposer's expense.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS (Continued)
l. All articles awarded on contract shall be subject to inspection and rejection. All expenses incurred
in connection with furnishing articles for inspection shall be borne by the proposer.
3. Addenda. Any addenda issued by the District during the time of proposing or forming a part of the
documents issued to the proposer for the preparation of the proposal shall be covered in the proposal
and shall be made a part of the Contract. Addenda will be posted on the District website
https://www.lmsvschools.org/purchasing-services.
4. Withdrawal of Proposals. Any proposer may withdraw their proposal, either personally or by a written
request, at any time prior to the scheduled time for opening of proposals, but not after.
5. Withdrawal of Proposals after Opening. No proposer may withdraw their proposal for a period of
sixty (60) days after the date set for the opening thereof.
6. Award or Rejection of Proposals. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to
waive any informality or irregularity in the proposal or in the proposal process. A contract will be
awarded to the responsive and responsible proposer based on the evaluation criteria established in
the documentation. Utilizing the RFP process, the District reserves the right to select the vendor that
best meets the needs of the District.
7. Agreement. The form of agreement, which the successful proposer, as contractor, will be required to
execute, is included in the contract documents and should be carefully examined by the proposer. The
contract consists of the following documents: The Notice to Proposers; the Information for Proposers,
Terms and Conditions, Specifications/Contract Scope, Proposal Forms, and the Agreement, including
all modifications and other documents thereof duly incorporated therein. All of the above documents
are intended to cooperate and be complementary so that any instructions or requirements called for
in one and not mentioned in the other, or vice versa, are to be executed the same as if mentioned in
all said documents. The intention of the documents is to include all labor, materials, equipment,
transportation, and services necessary for the proper delivery and installation of all items called for in
the Contract.
8. Interpretation of Documents. If any person contemplating submitting a proposal for the proposed
contract is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the specifications, or other proposed contract
documents, or finds discrepancies in, or omissions from the specifications, they may contact the in
writing by email the Director of Business Services, La Mesa-Spring Valley School District to request
an interpretation or correction thereof. The person submitting the request will be responsible for its
prompt delivery. Any interpretation or correction of the proposed documents will be made only by
Addendum and/or Responses to proposers duly issued by said Director of Purchasing & Risk
Management and available on the District website at https://www.lmsvschools.org/purchasing-
services. The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District will not be responsible for any other explanation
or interpretation of the proposed documents.
9. Proposers Interested in More than One Proposal. No person, firm, or corporation shall be allowed
to make or file or be interested in more than one proposal for the same items, unless alternate
proposals are called for. A person, firm, or corporation submitting a sub-proposal to a proposer, or
who has proposal prices on materials to a proposer, is not thereby disqualified from submitting a sub-
proposal or quoting prices to other proposers.
10. Assignment of Contract. The successful proposer shall agree not to assign, transfer, convey, sublet,
or otherwise dispose of the items appearing on this proposal form, which he may be awarded, or any
rights accruing thereunder, title or interest therein, funds to be received hereunder, or any power to
execute the same without the consent in writing of the District governing Board. Notice is hereby given
that the District will not honor any assignment made by the Contractor unless the consent in writing,
as indicated above, has been given.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS (Continued)
11. Bid Securities, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds. Not Required.
12. Equal Proposals. When proposals are equal, they shall be awarded by a drawing of lots, and shall
be witnessed by three (3) impartial observers.
13. Tobacco-Free District. The District has been designated as a tobacco-free District. Tobacco use
(smoked or smokeless) is prohibited at all times on all areas of District property.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
LA MESA-SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Applicability: These Terms and Conditions apply, but are not limited to, all bids, proposals,
qualifications and quotations (hereinafter referred to as "Offers" or "Responses") made to the La Mesa-
Spring Valley School District (hereinafter referred to as "District") by all prospective suppliers
(hereinafter referred to as "Proposers") in response, but not limited, to Invitations to Bid, Requests for
Proposals, and Requests for Quotations (hereinafter referred to as "Solicitations").
2. Modifications to Contract: Any modifications, qualifications, exceptions, or changes made to the
District's terms, specifications, and conditions detailed herein shall be grounds for rejection of
proposal. Any remarks, additions, or amendments attached (by the proposer) to the proposal, which
conflict with terms and conditions herein, may cause it to be deemed "non-responsive."
3. Pricing: All prices quoted herein shall remain firm for the first year of this contract. Prices quoted shall
be based on finished product weight received, including all applicable labor, materials, shipping, and
fuel charges.
4. Contract Term and Renewal: The term of this contract shall be for one (1) year, from the anticipated
start date of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The contract shall expire on June 30, 2027 regardless
of start date. By mutual agreement between the District and the successful proposer, this contract may
be renewed for two additional one-year periods (not to exceed a total of three years). Contract
renewals shall be approved in one-year increments under the same terms and conditions as the
original agreement.
5. Price Escalation: The pricing submitted for the initial term of the contract will remain fixed until June
30, 2027. Pricing agreed to for the first and second renewals will remain fixed throughout each contract
period ending June 30, 2028 and June 30, 2029, respectively. The proposer may only petition for an
increase in pricing annually on the anniversary date of each renewal period, as long as price increases
do not exceed the rate of inflation determined by the Consumer Price Index (C.P.I.), published by the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If the proposer requests price increases that exceed the rate of
inflation determined by the CPI, the contract may not be renewed. The District reserves the right to
accept or reject the price increase and may choose to re-bid the contract if it is deemed to be in the
best interest of the District. To petition for price increases or decreases or for
consideration of new products, complete the district provided Proposal Form and email to
Michelle.Valdez@lmsvschools.org by June 1, 2027 or June 1, 2028 respectively.
6. Price Decreases: If prices decrease during the term of this contract, the successful proposer must
notify the District of the lower prices so that all subsequent orders will reflect accurate pricing. The
lower prices shall remain in effect for the balance of the contract period, or for as long as the lower
prices are in effect. Complete the district provided Proposal Form and email to
Michelle.Valdez@lmsvschools.org.
7. Return of Discounts, Rebates, and Credits: During the term of the contract, the Proposer shall
ensure that all discounts, rebates, and credits received by the Proposer from its suppliers are fully
disclosed to the District. The Proposer is required, by law, to provide documentation to the District of
any discount, rebate, and other applicable credits, including but not limited to, price reductions due to
product promotions, volume purchasing, online ordering or other electronic ordering systems, prompt
payment or advance pay, or any activity that results in lowering the product cost paid by the District.
All discounts, rebates, allowances, and incentives must be returned to the La Mesa-Spring Valley
School District within fifteen (15) working days after receipt by the Proposer.
8. Fuel Surcharges: Additional fuel surcharges on invoices will not be accepted, as delivery is F.O.B.
destination with any delivery costs to be included in proposal pricing. Request for a waiver will not be
granted, including during periods of volatility in the petroleum market.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
9. Telephone Charges: If it is necessary that the District place toll or long distance telephone calls in
connection with this contract (for orders, complaints, adjustments, shortages, failure to deliver, etc.),
the successful Proposer shall accept charges for such calls on a reverse charge basis.
10. Errors and Omissions: If a proposer discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or
other error in the solicitation, the proposer shall immediately notify the District of such error in writing
and request clarification or modification of the document. Modifications will be made by addenda.
Addenda will be posted on the District website https://www.lmsvschools.org/purchasing-services.
11. Proposal Form: The Proposal Form defines the requirement of items to be purchased, and must be
completed and submitted with the proposal. Prices must be quoted in units specified on the Proposal
Form. Each item must be considered separately and not in combination with other items unless
otherwise specified on proposal form by the District. Trade discounts must be deducted from price
offers and only the net amount shown on proposal form. In case of error, unit prices will govern and
extensions will be corrected.
12. Integrity of Proposal Documents: Proposers shall use the original RFP Proposal Forms provided in
this solicitation and enter information only in the spaces where a response is requested. Proposers
may use an attachment as an addendum to the Proposal Form if sufficient space is not available on
the original form. Any modifications or alterations to the original RFP documents by the Proposer,
whether intentional or otherwise, will constitute grounds for rejection of a proposal. Any such
modifications or alterations that a Proposer wishes to propose must be clearly stated in the Proposer's
proposal response and presented in the form of an addendum to the original RFP documents.
13. Invoicing and Billing Period: The billing period shall begin on the first day of each month and shall
end on the last day of each month. Invoices will be prepared for items delivered and accepted at
contracted prices so that one priced, extended, and signed copy will be left with the shipment at the
time of delivery. The proposer will retain a second copy to support the monthly statement.
The proposer will be paid in accordance with payment terms herein upon receipt of summary
invoices (statement) for previous month's billing period. Deliveries for the last day of the billing
period must be included on the summary invoice for that billing period. Separate summary invoices
shall be rendered for each school.
All invoices shall include the following information:
Business name, address and phone number.
Invoice number and date.
Designated line for La Mesa Spring Valley School District signature.
Ship to address.
Product description.
Product quantity for each item ordered.
Unit and extended price for each item on order.
Total price of order/invoice.
14. Monthly Statements: Statements shall be mailed within five (5) working days after the last day of the
month to facilitate payment. In addition, the vendor will provide along with the statements, a monthly
recap of purchases by school to include the item description, total units purchased per item and the
total cost per item purchased. Payment will be made on itemized statements with the prices stipulated
herein for items delivered and accepted. Payment terms NET 30. For prompt payment, billing must be
accurate in all details, and invoices must be submitted to:
La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
Child Nutrition Department
Attention: Michelle Valdez, CNS Director
3838 Conrad Drive, Spring Valley, CA 91977
15. Credit Memos: The proposer shall agree to accept, for full credit, the return of any items received which
are found to be defective in quality or defective in packaging so as to render the item unusable for its
intended purpose. All products of unacceptable quality, as determined by the District, will be returned.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
Credits may be provided by separate credit memo or by an adjustment to the original invoice.
16. RFP Negotiations: A RFP response to any specific item of this RFP with terms such as "negotiable,"
"will negotiate," or similar intent, will be considered as non-responsive to that specific item.
17. RFP Warranty: Proposers warrants to the District that all goods and services rendered shall conform
to the contract requirements (including all descriptions, specifications, and attachments made a part
hereof), and will be fit for use as reasonably intended by the parties. In the event of breach, the
Proposer will take all necessary action, at Proposer's expense, to correct such breach within 30 days.
18. Compliance with OSHA: Proposers agrees that all items offered must comply with all applicable
Federal and State Occupational Safety and Health Act, laws, standards and regulations, and that
proposer will indemnify and hold the District harmless for any failure to so conform.
19. Safety Data Sheet: For all products requiring a Safety Data Sheet, as defined under 29 CFR
1910.1200, the District requires that a Safety Data Sheet accompany all orders at the time of delivery.
20. Food Security: Proposers shall ensure that all food and beverage products meet local, State and
Federal health and safety guidelines, and that appropriate precautionary measures are taken to ensure
the purity and integrity of food products throughout the supply chain. Proposers shall take appropriate
measures to safeguard the purity and integrity of their products during production, storage, and
transportation, prior to the product reaching La Mesa-Spring Valley school sites.
21. Vehicle Safety and Security: Proposer's representatives operating vehicles on District property shall
use extreme caution at all times - maximum speed is 5 mph. While onsite, Proposer shall not obstruct
any passageways or other means of egress and shall not leave the site without first securing the work
area and eliminating any hazardous condition resulting from the Proposer's activities.
22. Product Substitution and Shortages: This contract does NOT allow for product substitution without
written authorization from the Director of Child Nutrition. The successful Proposer shall promptly notify
the Child Nutrition Director or designee a minimum of 24 hours in advance if an item cannot be
delivered within the specified delivery time. An equal or better substitute product must be made
available to the District immediately for approval and subsequent distribution to school sites, at no
additional charge to the District for product, freight, or redelivery to District sites. All substitutions in
quality and quantity must receive prior approval from the Child Nutrition Director or designee in order
to qualify for payment. If substitution is unavoidable due to market conditions, Proposer must provide
equivalent item for District approval at no additional cost the District for the product or freight. The
Proposer shall designate one representative to be available by 7:00 a.m. on each delivery day, to have
the authority to make decisions regarding shortages and product substitutions.
23. Estimated Quantities: Quantities specified herein are estimates only, based on prior year usage.
They are submitted as information for the proposer. Actual purchases may vary from item to item and
the District cannot guarantee that items will be purchased exactly as indicated. Purchase order
quantities and issuances will be made on an as-needed basis, depending on customer participation.
There will be no minimum order requirements for any item listed on this RFP.
24. Inspection and Testing: The Proposer agrees to permit access to its facilities at reasonable times for
inspection of the materials covered under this contract, and the Proposer's facilities. The District shall
also have the right to test at its own cost the materials supplied under this contract. The District may
request to review the Proposer's current Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety
system for their facility to insure optimum storage and distribution practices.
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La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
RFP 25/26-003 Central Storage Food and Groceries
25. District Inspection: All items shall be subject to the inspection of the District. Inspection of the items
shall not relieve the Proposer of any obligation to fulfill this contract. If any item shall be found defective
at any time before final acceptance of the complete delivery, the Proposer shall immediately remedy
such defect in a manner satisfactory to the District. Defective items shall be made good by the
proposer, and unsuitable items may be rejected, notwithstanding that such defective work and
materials have been previously overlooked by the District and accepted.
26. Force Majeure Clause: Except for payments of sums due, neither party shall be liable to the other
nor deemed in default under this contract if and to the extent that such party's performance of this
contract is prevented by reason of Force Majeure. The term "Force Majeure" means an occurrence
that is beyond the control of the party affected and occurs without its fault or negligence. Without
limiting the foregoing, Force Majeure includes acts of God; fire; flood; or other similar occurrences
beyond the control of the contractor or the school district.
27. Damage: The successful Proposer shall promptly correct all deficiencies, defects, and/or damages in
equipment or products delivered to the District in accordance with this solicitation. All corrections shall
be made within 10 calendar days after such deficiencies, defects and/or damages are verbally reported
to the Proposer by the Child Nutrition Department. The Proposer shall be responsible for filing,
processing, and collecting all damage claims against the shipper when applicable.
28. Liquidated Damages: The District shall hold the successful Proposer liable and responsible for all
damages which may be sustained because of his/her failure to comply with any conditions herein. If
the successful proposer fails to furnish or deliver any material, supplies, equipment, or services at the
prices quoted, or at the times and places stated, or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of the
documents in their entirety, the District may purchase the items herein specified elsewhere, without
notice to the successful proposer. Costs accrued by the District for a purchase resulting from a failure
to perform, shall be invoiced to the successful proposer or payment may be deducted from future
invoices. Prices paid by the District shall be considered the prevailing market prices at the time such
purchase is made. In addition, a charge of $50.00 will be assessed to cover administrative costs for
processing of third party orders resulting from non-performance.
29. Termination for Default: If the said Contractor fails or neglects to supply or deliver any of said goods,
articles, or service at the prices named and at the times and places above stated, the District may,
without further notice or demand, cancel and rescind this contract or may purchase said goods,
supplies, order services elsewhere, and hold said Contractor responsible and liable for all damages
which may be sustained thereby, or on account of the failure or neglect of said Contractor in performing
any of the terms and conditions of this contract; it being specifically provided and greed that time shall
be the essence of this agreement.
30. Award to Next Best Proposer: In the event of default or non-availability of product, the District
reserves the right to use the next best Proposer and their stated proposal prices as needed.
31. Termination of Contract for No Cause: The District may terminate this Agreement at any time by
giving the Contractor thirty (30) days written notice of such termination. Termination shall have no
effect upon the rights and obligations of the parties arising out of any transaction occurring prior to the
effective date of such termination. Other than payments for goods or services satisfactorily rendered
prior to the effective date of said termination, Contractor shall be entitled to no further compensation
or payment of any type from the District.
32. Compliance with Laws: Seller shall, in the performance of work under District's order, fully comply
with all applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations. In the event of any conflict or
ambiguity between instructions contained in this solicitation and state or federal law or regulations, the
latter shall prevail.
33. Governing Law and Venue: In the event of litigation, the RFP documents, specifications, and related
matters shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
Venue shall be with the appropriate state or federal court located in San Diego County.
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