RFP No. 26/27-05NS Culinary Support Services

RFP No. 26/27-05NS
Culinary Support Services
Proposal Deadline: July 23, 2026 at 11:00am PT
Contact: Veronica Hewitt, Nutrition Services
Irvine Unified School District
3387 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606
Email: veronicahewitt@iusd.org

Required Documents
*Please return this sheet with your proposal documents*
Proposal Documents Due at the Submission of the Due Date
Proposal and Pricing Form
Non-collusion Declaration
Certification of Primary Participation Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and other
Responsibility Matters
Certification of Restriction on Lobbying
W-9
Vendor Questionnaire
Iran Contracting Act of 2010 Compliance Affidavit
Clean Air and Water Certification
Equal Opportunity Employment Certification
Copies of any Other Licenses and/or Required Documents as Listed within the Entire RFP,
including, General Conditions, Special Provisions
Other Forms not required until after award
Agreement
Tobacco Use Policy
Worker's Compensation Certificate
Drug-Free Workplace Certification
Criminal Records Check Certification
Certificate of Liability Insurance, including an Additional Insured Endorsement, this is a separate
document (Irvine must be named as an Additional Insured)
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 2

NOTICE CALLING FOR PROPOSALS ............................................................................................................................ 4
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENTS ............................................................. 5
CALENDAR OF EVENTS.............................................................................................................................................. 6
INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS ..................................................................................................................................... 7
*PROPOSAL AND PRICING FORM .............................................................................................................................. 15
GENERAL CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 23
SPECIAL PROVISIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 27
PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 28
EVALUATION CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................................... 29
*VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................................................................................................................... 30
* IRAN CONTRACTING ACT OF 2010 COMPLIANCE AFFIDAVIT .............................................................................. 32
*CERTIFICATION OF PRIMARY PARTICIPANT REGARDING DEBARMENT SUSPENSION, AND OTHER
RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS ...................................................................................................................................... 33
*CERTIFICATION OF RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING & DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES ............................ 34
*CLEAN AIR AND WATER CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................................. 35
*EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATION .......................................................................................... 37
* NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................... 38
*W-9 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 39
+SAMPLE AGREEMENT ............................................................................................................................................ 40
+TOBACCO USE POLICY .......................................................................................................................................... 47
+WORKERS' COMPENSATION CERTIFICATE ............................................................................................................ 48
+DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................................ 49
NOTICE REGARDING CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK .................................................................................................. 51
+CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK CERTIFICATION ........................................................................................................ 52
DISTRICT INSURANCE REQUIREMENT SAMPLES ...................................................................................................... 53
*IF THE ITEMS ARE NOT RETURNED AT THE TIME OF THE BID OPENING, THE BIDDER
WILL BE DECLARED NONRESPONSIVE.
+ITEMS WHICH SUCCESSFUL BIDDER MUST SUBMIT AFTER THE AWARD.
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 3

NOTICE CALLING FOR PROPOSALS
DISTRICT: IRVINE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: July 23, 2026 at 11:00am PT
PLACE OF RECEIPT: Irvine Unified School District
Nutrition Services Attn: Veronica Hewitt
3387 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, California 92606
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Irvine Unified School District of Orange County, California,
acting by and through its Governing Board, hereinafter referred to as "District," will receive up to, but
not later than, the above-stated proposal deadline, sealed proposals at the place identified above for the
award of a contract for RFP No. 26/27-05NS Culinary Support Services on July 23, 2026 at 11:00am
PT.
Proposal Documents will be made available on July 2, 2026 as a download at
https://iusd.org/about/departments/business-services/purchasing/current-bids-rfps. Bidders will be
responsible for reproducing all documents related to this RFP. All proposals shall be made and
presented on the forms provided in the RFP documents.
Any questions regarding proposal documents must be received via e-mail to the attention of Veronica
Hewitt at veronicahewitt@iusd.org by 11:00am PT on July 10, 2026.
Time is of the essence. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any
irregularities or informalities in any proposals or in the bidding process. The award of the Contract, if
made by the District, will be by action of the Governing Board. No bidder may withdraw any proposal
for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the date set for the opening of the proposals.
Irvine Unified School District Governing Board
By: Veronica Hewitt
Nutrition Services Supervisor - Purchasing and Contracts
Advertise: Irvine World News: July 2, 2026 & July 9, 2026
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 4

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating
on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual
orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the
responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center
at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at
(800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027,
USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-
0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by
writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address,
telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail
to inform the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil
rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 5

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Event Details Date
July 2, 2026
RFP Advertised Irvine World News July 9, 2026
RFP Posted IUSD Website July 2, 2026
Last Day to Submit veronicahewitt@iusd.org July 10, 2026 at 11:00 am
RFIs/Questions
Response to Questions/RFIs IUSD Website On or before July 16, 2026
Posted
Irvine Unified School
Proposal Deadline
District, Nutrition
July 23, 2026 at 11:00 am
Services Attn. Veronica
Hewitt
3387 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, CA 92606
*Board of Education Action Award of Contract August 25, 2026
Contract Start Date Contract Begins September 1, 2026
*Date is subject to change at the discretion of the District.
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 6

INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS
WARNING: READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY.
DO NOT ASSUME THAT IT IS THE SAME AS OTHER SIMILAR DOCUMENTS YOU
MAY HAVE SEEN, EVEN IF FROM THE SAME DISTRICT.
1. Preparation of Proposal Form. Proposals shall be submitted on the prescribed
Proposal and Pricing Form, and completed in full. All proposal items and statements shall be
properly and legibly filled out. Numbers shall be stated both in words and in figures where so
indicated, and where there is a conflict in the words and the figures, the words shall control over the
numbers. Prices, wording and notations must be in ink or typewritten.
2. Form and Delivery of Proposals. The proposal must conform and be responsive to all
proposal documents and shall be made on the Proposal and Pricing Form provided, and the complete
proposal, together with any and all additional materials as required, shall be enclosed in a sealed
envelope, addressed and hand delivered or mailed to Irvine Unified School District, Nutrition
Services, 3387 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606, Attn: Veronica Hewitt, and must be
received on or before the proposal deadline (Public Contract Code section 20112). The envelope
shall be plainly marked in the upper left hand corner with the bidder's name, the proposal number
and the date and time for the opening of proposals. It is the bidder's sole responsibility to ensure
that its proposal is received prior to the proposal deadline. In accordance with Government Code
section 53068, any proposal received after the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals shall
be returned to the bidder unopened.
3. Proposal Pricing. Propose pricing for all services described in this RFP, inclusive of
all labor and costs to perform the work at Irvine Unified School District site locations.
4. Signature. Any signature required on proposal documents must be signed in the name
of the bidder and must bear the signature of the person or persons duly authorized to sign these
documents. Where indicated, if the bidder is a corporation, the legal name of the corporation shall
first be set forth, together with two signatures: one from among the chairman of the board, president
or vice president and one from among the secretary, chief financial officer, or treasurer.
Alternatively, the signature of other authorized officers or agents may be affixed, if duly authorized
by the corporation. Such documents shall include the title of such signatories below the signature
and shall bear the corporate seal. Where indicated, in the event that the bidder is a joint venture or
partnership, there shall be submitted with the proposal certifications signed by authorized officers
of each of the parties to the joint venture or partnership, naming the individual who shall sign all
necessary documents for the joint venture or partnership and, should the joint venture or partnership
be the successful bidder, who shall act in all matters relative to the joint venture or partnership. If
the bidder is an individual, his/her signature shall be placed on such documents.
5. Modifications. Changes in or additions to any of the proposal documents, alternative
proposals, or any other modifications which are not specifically called for in the proposal documents
may result in the rejection of the proposal as being nonresponsive. No oral,
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 7

telephonic, facsimile or electronic modification of any of the proposal documents will be
considered.
6. Erasures, Inconsistent or Illegible Proposals. The proposal submitted must not contain
any erasures, interlineations, or other corrections unless each such correction is authenticated by
affixing the initials of the person(s) signing the proposal in the margin immediately adjacent to the
correction. In the event of inconsistency between words and numbers in the proposal, words shall
control numbers. In the event that any proposal is unintelligible, illegible or ambiguous, the District
may reject such proposal as being nonresponsive.
7. Examination of Proposal Documents. At its own expense and prior to submitting its
proposal, each bidder shall examine all proposal documents; visit the sites and determine the local
conditions which may in any way affect the performance of the work; familiarize itself with all
federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and codes affecting the performance of
the work, including the cost of permits and licenses required for the work; determine the character,
quality, and quantities of the work to be performed and the materials and equipment to be provided;
and correlate its observations, investigations, and determinations with all requirements of the
proposal. The District shall not be liable for any loss sustained by the successful bidder resulting
from any variance between the actual conditions and data given in the proposal documents. Bidder
agrees that the submission of a proposal shall be incontrovertible evidence that the bidder has
complied with all the requirements of this provision of the Information for Bidders.
8. Withdrawal of Proposals. Any proposal may be withdrawn, either personally or by
written request signed by the bidder, at any time prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of
proposals. The proposal security for a proposal withdrawn prior to the scheduled closing time for
receipt of proposals, in accordance with this paragraph, shall be returned. No bidder may withdraw
any proposal for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the date set for the opening of proposals.
9. Interpretation of Proposal Documents. If any bidder is in doubt as to the true meaning
of any part of the proposal documents, or finds discrepancies in, or omissions from the proposal
documents, or has any questions related to the proposal documents, a written request for an
interpretation or correction thereof must be submitted to the District via email to the attention of
Veronica Hewitt at veronicahewitt@iusd.org by July 10th at 11:00 am. No requests shall be
considered after this time. The bidder submitting the written request shall be responsible for its
prompt delivery. Any interpretation or correction of the proposal documents and answers to
questions will be made solely at District discretion and only by written addendum duly issued by the
District, and a copy of such addendum will be uploaded to the District's website and/or hand
delivered, e-mailed or faxed to each bidder known to have received a set of proposal documents. No
person is authorized to make any oral interpretation of any provision in the proposal documents, nor
shall any oral interpretation of proposal documents be binding on the District. If there are
discrepancies of any kind in the proposal documents, the interpretation of the District shall prevail.
SUBMITTAL OF A PROPOSAL WITHOUT A REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATIONS SHALL BE
INCONTROVERTIBLE EVIDENCE THAT THE BIDDER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE
PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE AND SUFFICIENT FOR BIDDING AND
COMPLETING THE WORK; THAT BIDDER IS CAPABLE OF READING, FOLLOWING AND
COMPLETING THE WORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS; AND
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 8

THAT BIDDER AGREES THAT THE WORK CAN AND WILL BE COMPLETED
ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT'S TIMELINES.
10. Bidders 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 work unless
alternate proposals are specifically called for by the District. A person, firm, or corporation that has
submitted a subproposal to a bidder, or that has quoted prices of materials to a bidder, is not thereby
disqualified from submitting a proposal or quoting prices to other bidders or submitting a proposal.
11. Award of Contract. The District intends to award a single contract to the responsive
and responsible Bidder whose proposal receives the highest total score under the Evaluation Criteria
in this RFP, based on the completed Vendor Questionnaire, the Proposal and Pricing Form, and the
other materials required herein. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive
any irregularity or informality in any proposal or in the proposal process, and to cancel this RFP in
whole or in part at any time before award. The District further reserves the right to award without
further discussion or negotiation and is not obligated to award to the lowest-priced Bidder.
If two identically scoring proposals are received from responsive and responsible bidders, the
District will determine which proposal will be accepted pursuant to Public Contract Code section
20117. In the event an award of the contract is made to a bidder, and such bidder fails or refuses to
execute the Agreement and provide the required documents within five (5) calendar days after the
notice of award of the contract to bidder, the District may then award the contract to the next highest-
scoring responsive and responsible Bidder, or it may reject all proposals.
12. Contract Term, Extensions, and Price Adjustments. The initial term of the contract
shall be for ten (10) months, from September 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (or as amended based
on actual award date) with the option for four (4) additional renewals in one (1) year increments.
13. Multi-Year Extensions. Subject to the provision of pricing-terms of contract, and under
Education Code Sections 17596, this proposal may be extended by written mutual consent for four
(4) additional fiscal years not to exceed a total term of five (5) years. The district can exercise its
rights to extend contracts per federal limits. The renewal is contingent upon competitive pricing and
all terms and conditions of the original contract as authorized by 2 CFR 200.318. The extension may
be granted on a year-by-year basis provided that the following conditions are being met:
a. The District has deemed the services of the vendor satisfactory.
b. The Vendor shall submit a list of the price increases for the next fiscal year (July 1-
June 30) by April 15th.
c. Price increases must be approved by the District. The District will use a benchmark
including the regional Consumer Price Index (CPI) as an indicator during the analysis and
consideration of price increases. Quoted prices for each contract year must stay in effect for that
respective ten (10) month period and subsequent 12 month renewal periods after award of proposal.
The District shall grant, upon written request, a price adjustment to compensate for inflation; this
adjustment must be requested prior to April 15th of each year for the upcoming renewal year.
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 9

14. Agreement. The form of agreement which the successful bidder, as Contractor, will
be required to execute, is included in the proposal documents and should be carefully examined by
the bidder. The agreement will be executed in two (2) original counterparts. The complete Agreement
consists of the following but not limited to the Notice Calling for Proposals, Calendar of Events,
Information for Bidders, Proposal Form, Cost Proposal, Noncollusion Declaration, Certification of
Primary Participant Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters,
Certification of Restriction on Lobbying, W-9 Form, Agreement, Tobacco Use Policy, Workers'
Compensation Certificate, Drug-Free Workplace Certification, Criminal Records Check
Certification, General Conditions, Special Provisions, all insurance requirements, specifications, and
all modifications, addenda and amendments, if any, thereof duly incorporated therein. All of the
above documents are intended to 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 performance of all services called for in the
Agreement.
15. Competency of Bidders. In selecting the highest scoring responsive and responsible
bidder, consideration will be given not only to the financial standing but also to the general
competency of the bidder for the performance of the proposal. By submitting a proposal, each bidder
agrees that the District, in determining the successful bidder and its eligibility for the award, may
consider the bidder's experience and facilities, conduct and performance under other contracts,
financial condition, reputation in the industry, and other factors which could affect the bidder's
performance of the contract. The District may also consider the qualifications and experience of
persons and organizations proposed for those portions of the work. Operating costs, maintenance
considerations, performance data and guarantees of materials and equipment may also be considered
by the District. In this regard, the District may conduct such investigations as the District deems
necessary to assist in the evaluation of any proposal and to establish the responsibility, qualifications
and financial ability of the bidder, proposed subcontractors, and other persons and organizations to
do the work to the District's satisfaction within the prescribed time. The District reserves the right
to reject the proposal of any bidder who does not pass any such evaluation to the satisfaction of the
District.
16. Insurance and Workers' Compensation. The successful bidder shall be required to
furnish certificates and endorsements evidencing that the required insurance is in effect as set forth
in the Agreement. District may request that such certificates and endorsements are completed on
District provided forms. In accordance with the provisions of Section 3700 of the Labor Code, the
successful bidder shall secure the payment of compensation to all employees. The successful bidder
who has been awarded the contract shall sign and file with the District prior to performing the work,
the Workers' Compensation Certificate included as a part of the proposal documents. Labor Code
section 1861.
a. Successful bidder shall, at bidder's sole cost and expense, maintain in full
force and effect the following insurance coverages from a California licensed insurer with an A,
VIII, or better rating from A.M. Best or an approved self-insurance program, sufficient to cover any
claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including attorney fees) arising out of or in
connection with bidder's fulfillment of the obligations under this bid:
RFP No. 26/27-05NS, Culinary Support Services 10