RFP School Nutrition Paper & Miscellaneous Items

Paulding County School Nutrition Program
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Paper Products & Miscellaneous Items
Request for Proposal Timeline
April 3, 2026
Proposal Issue/Posting Date
April 14, 2026
Final Date for Written Questions
April 30, 2026 at 3:00 pm EST
Proposal Due Date and Time
Paulding County School Nutrition
Proposal Due Location (deliver or mail to address)
140 Bethel Church Rd., Hiram, GA 30141
April 30, 2026 at 3:15 (not public)
Proposal Opening Date and Time
Paulding County School Nutrition
Proposal Opening Location
140 Bethel Church Rd., Hiram, GA 30141
7/1/26 - 6/30/27 initial term, with 4 annual renewal options
Contract Start Date and End Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Vendor Name:
Awarded to (completed after awarded contract)
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DEFINITIONS
Addendum: A change, addition, alteration, correction or revision to a contract document.
CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
CN: Child Nutrition
Contract Documents: Consist of the Agreement between the School Nutrition Program and the Vendor, terms and
conditions, schedule, specifications, drawings, any and all addenda, errata, and bulletins issued prior to execution of
the contract, other documents listed in the Agreement, and modifications issued after execution of the contract.
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
FNS: Food and Nutrition Services
F.O.B.: Freight on Board
HACCP: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
NSLP: National School Lunch Program
O.C.G.A.: Official Code of Georgia Annotated
OMB: Office of Management and Budget
SBP: School Breakfast Program
SFA: School Food Authority
SNP: School Nutrition Program
Solicitation: A document used by the School Nutrition Program to acquire goods and /or services. Solicitations must
incorporate a clear and accurate description of the technical requirements for the material, product, or service to be
procured. Solicitations must also identify all the requirements which the Offerors or Vendors must fulfill, and all other
factors to be used in evaluating the proposals.
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
U.S.C.: United States Code
Vendor: The provider of the goods and/or services under the Awarded Contract.
SECTION 1
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PURPOSE AND PROCEDURES
The Paulding County School Food Authority hereafter referred to as SFA, issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP)
for the School Nutrition Program (SNP) and is requesting proposals for Paper Products & Miscellaneous Items.
Proposals are due by the date, time and location shown on the chart on the first page of the Request for Proposal
(RFP). Proposals will be opened at the date, time and location shown on the chart on the first page of the RFP.
Sealed Proposals shall be mailed or delivered to:
Cindy Schultz, School Nutrition Procurement Manager
Paulding County School Nutrition
140 Bethel Church Rd
Hiram, GA 30141
INTENT
a) It shall be the intent and purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) to cover the terms and conditions
under which a successful Vendor shall be responsible to supply and deliver products to the SFA, through
sealed proposals.
b) School food authorities shall comply with the requirements of 7CFR 210.21 and 2 CFR part 200, subpart
D and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR part 400 and part 415, as applicable, which implement the
applicable requirements, concerning the procurement of all goods and services with nonprofit school food
service account funds. All procurement transactions must be conducted in a manner providing full and
open competition consistent with the standards of this section. In order to ensure objective vendor
performance and eliminate unfair competitive advantage, suppliers that develop or draft specifications,
requirements, statement of work, or Request for Proposals, must be excluded from competing for such
procurements. (2 CFR 200.319)
c) Any changes to the terms or conditions of this Contract, which are required by Federal or State law or
rule, or changes to Federal or State laws, rules, or citations are automatically incorporated herein,
effective as of the date specified in such law, rule and/or USDA Memo.
d) The SFA is seeking to identify and select one (1) or more vendors to provide the items as listed in the
attached list in Attachment B. The selected vendor(s) shall provide products in accordance with the
Standard Terms and Conditions, Special Terms and Conditions, the RFP and any applicable Addenda.
e) The SFA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, or to accept any part of a proposal
without accepting the whole thereof, or to accept such proposal as they deem to be in the best interest of
the SFA without restricting competition
I. CONTRACT TIME PERIOD
a) Initial Term: The initial term of this contract, which results from the award of this RFP, shall commence
and terminate on the dates shown on the Request for Proposal Timeline.
The start date may not occur prior to the date on which the contract is signed, dated and awarded.
b) Extension Option: The contract may be extended up to three (3) months at the same pricing,
provided mutual agreement by both parties in written form.
c) Renewal Option: This contract may be renewed by mutual agreement of both parties in written form.
(Usually 1-year term with the option to renew 4 additional 1-year terms based on vendor performance.)
II. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
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The SFA is not liable for any costs incurred by Vendors prior to the issuance of or entering into a contract.
Costs associated with developing the proposal, preparing for oral presentations (if applicable), and any
other expenses incurred by the Vendor in responding to this RFP are entirely the responsibility of the
Vendor and shall not be reimbursed in any manner by the School Nutrition Program. If the Vendor is in
doubt or has questions regarding the language, its meaning, or intent, it is the responsibility of the Vendor
to seek clarification prior to submission of the proposal.
VENDOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Vendor Company
Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Contact Person Name
& Email address
Telephone Number
QUESTIONS CONCERNING PROPOSAL:
Questions regarding this Request for Proposal shall be directed to:
School Nutrition Procurement Manager: Cindy Schultz
E-mail address: cwschultz@paulding.k12.ga.us
Responses to inquiries that affect the content of this RFP will be provided in writing to all recipients of the
RFP. It is the responsibility of each Vendor to inquire about any aspect of the RFP that is not fully
understood or is believed to be susceptible to more than one interpretation. The SFA will accept only
written inquiries regarding this RFP until the date shown on the Request for Proposal Timeline, in order for
a reply to reach all Vendors before the RFP closes and to give Vendors ample time to respond to any
Addenda. Any information given to a prospective Vendor concerning an RFP through written inquiries, will
be furnished to all prospective Vendors as an Addendum to the RFP if such information is necessary or if
the lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed Vendors.
PROPOSAL PROCESS:
Proposals must be enclosed in a sealed envelope. Emailed proposals are acceptable. This option may be
subject to change during unprecedented circumstances. Sealed proposals must be received by the SFA no
later than the date and time shown on the Request for Proposal Timeline. Proposals will be time and date
stamped to confirm receipt of the proposal and documented.
* The outside of the envelope shall be clearly marked as shown on the timeline of this document and
titled "RFP for Paper Products & Miscellaneous Items for SCHOOL NUTRITION". The return
address on the envelope should include the vendor's complete mailing address.
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* Emailed submission is allowed. Must indicate in the subject line "RFP for Paper Products &
Miscellaneous Items for SCHOOL NUTRITION". Email address submission:
cwschultz@paulding.k12.ga.us
* Sealed Proposals shall be mailed or delivered to:
Paulding County School Nutrition
Attn. Cindy Schultz
140 Bethel Church Rd.
Hiram, GA 30141
* An Excel electronic copy and paper copy of the proposal Quote Sheet, along with any
samples of alternate items or required information must be included inside the sealed
proposal package.
* Late proposals shall not be accepted. The SFA shall not be responsible for late receipt of
proposals. Late proposals will be returned unopened to the address provided.
* If the Vendor submits documents with informalities, errors, or omissions such as, but not limited to,
non-conforming proposal security, non-conforming non-collusion affidavit or fails to properly
execute and seal the said documents the Vendor, in the SFA's sole discretion, may be given 72
hours from the time of the proposal opening in which to provide such information to the SFA. The
SFA has the right to waive any and all informalities.
III. PROPOSAL OPENING DATE/TIME/PLACE
Proposals will be opened at the date, time and location shown on the Request for Proposal Timeline.
IV. AWARD DETERMINATION STATEMENT
a) This RFP is intended to be awarded to a single or to multiple vendors and result in a firm fixed price
contract. All proposal prices shall remain firm for the contract period and in accordance with terms listed
within the Escalation/De-escalation Clause, if applicable, located under Section 3: Method of Payment
and Pricing Information.
b) The award of this RFP is contingent upon available budget funds and approval of the SFA Board of
Education.
c) The SFA will award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible Vendor(s) meeting all terms,
conditions, and specifications of the RFP, within approximately sixty (60) days of the opening of the
proposals. Submitted proposal pricing shall remain valid during this sixty-day period. The SFA reserves
the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject any and all proposals or parts thereof.
d) An official letter/email of acceptance will be forwarded by the SFA to the successful Vendor after
proposal selection and prior to contract award.
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e) Upon acceptance and award of a vendor's proposal, the contract between the Vendor and the SFA shall
be drafted from (a) the RFP and addenda, (b) the selected proposal response to the RFP by the Vendor
and any attachments thereto, and (c) all written communications between the SFA and the Vendor.
f) The contract shall constitute the entire and only agreement and shall supersede all prior negotiations,
commitments, understandings, or agreements, whether oral or written
V. ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS
a) Proposal modifications: Proposals cannot be modified after receipt of proposals. Care should be
taken to ensure that the information provided is accurate, complete, and consistent. Omission of any of
the required information may subject the Vendor to disqualification. The SFA reserves the right to
request information or respond to inquiries for clarification purposes only.
b) Proposal withdrawal: Vendors may withdraw proposals at any time up to the scheduled time for
receipt of proposals. Vendors desiring to withdraw their proposal must submit the purpose for
withdrawal in writing to the School Nutrition SFA before the proposal opening deadline (proposal close
date). Vendors may resubmit proposals provided it is prior to the scheduled time for receipt of
proposals.
c) Proposal examination:
i) Vendors shall carefully examine all documents in the solicitation to obtain knowledge of
existing conditions, limitations, and requirements. Failure to examine the documents will not
relieve the Vendor of responsibility for same nor will extra payment or change order requests
be considered for conditions which could have been determined by examining the solicitation.
ii) Proposals will be considered as conclusive evidence of complete examination and
understanding of the terms and conditions of the proposal documents including the
specifications and all requirements thereof of the RFP.
It is understood that submission of a proposal indicates full acceptance of the same by the parties
submitting the proposal. Furthermore, by submitting a proposal the Vendor waives the right to claims for
additional time or monetary compensation for all work without limit required to complete the contract which
could have been obtained by the Vendor through examination of all documents or raising a question
regarding requirements prior to submitting a proposal.
d) Rejection or Disqualification of proposals
i) A proposal that is incomplete, obscure, conditioned or contains additions not called for or
irregularities of any kind, (including alterations or erasures), which are not initialed and dated,
may be rejected as non-conforming.
ii) The SFA reserves the right to waive a proposal's minor irregularities if rectified by Vendor within
three business days of the School Nutrition Program's issuance of a written notice of such
irregularities.
iii) The SFA reserves the right to disqualify proposals upon evidence of collusion with intent to
defraud or other illegal practices upon the part of the Vendor.
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iv) Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the SFA to award a contract. The
SFA reserves the right to accept or reject, in whole or part, all proposals submitted and/or to
cancel this solicitation if it is determined to be in the best interest of the SFA.
v) Any Vendor who has demonstrated and documented poor performance during a current or
previous agreement, within the with the School Nutrition Program may be considered a non-
responsible Vendor and their proposal may be rejected. The SFA reserves the right to exercise this
option as is deemed proper and/or necessary. Vendors must complete Attachment J - Reference
Form.
e) Evidence of Financial Capabilities (not required: best practice): After the proposal opening,
Vendors must be prepared to present suitable evidence of their financial standing within three (3)
business days after written request by the SFA. This evidence would include an income statement,
balance sheet and statement of cash flow accompanied by an auditor's report attesting to the accuracy
of the financial statements.
SECTION 2
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The signed and dated contract between the SFA and the Vendor shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Georgia and all applicable Federal regulations.
I. LOBBYING CERTIFICATE (for proposals over $100k) 2 CFR Appendix II to Part 200 (I)
* A Lobbying Certification and Disclosure must be completed for all proposals $100,000 and over. Byrd Anti-
Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352): Vendors that apply or proposal for an award exceeding $100,000
must file the required certification. Each tier certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used
Federal appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to influence an
officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a member of Congress in connection with obtaining any Federal contract, grant or any other
award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each tier must also disclose any lobbying with non-Federal funds that
takes place in connection with obtaining any Federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to
tier up to the non-Federal award. 2 CFR Appendix II to Part 200 (I) See and complete Attachment D.
II. DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION VERIFICATION (for proposals over $25k) 2 CFR Appendix II to Part
200 (H)
Institutions shall solicit offers from, award contracts to, and consent to subcontracts with responsible
vendors and/or principals only. The serious nature of debarment and suspension requires that sanctions
be imposed
only in the public interest for the Government's protection and not for purposes of punishment. Institutions
shall impose debarment or suspension to protect the Government's interest and only for the causes and in
accordance with the procedures set forth in 2 CFR 200.213.
The Vendor certifies that the Vendor and/or any of its sub vendors or principals have not been debarred,
suspended, or declared ineligible by any agency of the State of Georgia or any agency of the Federal
government or as defined in the 2 CFR 200.213 which states "Non-federal entities are subject to the non-
procurement debarment and suspension regulations implementing Executive Orders 12549 and 12689, 2
CFR part 180.
These regulations restrict awards, subawards, and contracts with certain parties that are debarred,
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suspended,
or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities." The
Vendor will immediately notify the School Food Authority if Vendor is debarred or placed on the
Consolidated List of Debarred, Suspended, and Ineligible Vendors by a federal entity.
By signing this agreement, the Vendor is testifying that they are not debarred, suspended, or has any
ineligible
or voluntary exclusions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any other Federal or State Agency.
All responses will be verified. Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689): A
contract
award (see 2 CFR 180.220) must not be made to parties listed on the governmentwide exclusions in the
System for Award Management (SAM), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that
implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR part 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR part 1989 Comp.,
p. 235), "Debarment and Suspension." SAM Exclusions contains the names of parties debarred,
suspended, or otherwise excluded by agencies, as well as parties declared ineligible under statutory or
regulatory authority other than Executive Order 12549. See Attachment E
III. BUY AMERICAN STATEMENT (Food only) (7 CFR Part 210.21(d))
Vendor must comply with the William F. Goodling Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 (Buy
American
Act:7 CFR 210.21(d)) which requires schools and institutions participating in the National School Lunch
Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) in the contiguous United States to purchase, to the
maximum extent practicable, domestic commodities or products for use in meals served under the NSLP
and SBP.
Buy American:
Definition of domestic commodity or product. The term 'domestic commodity or product' means:
(i) An agricultural commodity that is produced in the United States; and
(ii) A food product that is processed in the United States substantially using agricultural
commodities that are produced in the United States. Substantial means over 51% of the
final processed product consists of agricultural commodities that were grown domestically.
Products from Guam, American Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands
are allowed under this provision as territories of the United States.
The Buy American provision (7 CFR Part 210.21(d)) is one of the procurement standards SFAs must
comply with when purchasing commercial food products served in the school meals programs and when
considering limited exceptions to the Buy American provision-USDA Memo SP 38-2017; SP 23-2024.
Exceptions to the Buy American provision are very limited; however, an alternative or exception may be
approved by the SFA upon request. To be considered for an alternative or exception, the request must be
submitted in writing to the SFA, a minimum of 7 days in advance of delivery. The request must include:
(1) Alternative substitute(s) that are domestic and meet the required specifications:
(a) Price of the domestic food alternative substitute(s); and
(b) Availability of the domestic alternative substitute(s) in relation to the quantity ordered.
(2) Reason for exception: limited/lack of availability or price (include price):
(a) Price of the domestic food product; and
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(b) Price of the non-domestic product that meets the required specification of the domestic
product.
(c) The product is listed on the Federal Acquisitions Regulations Nonavailable
articles list found at 48 CFR 25.104 and/or is not produced or manufactured in the
U.S. in sufficient and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality.
Notification of non-domestic food purchases provided by the vendor is necessary to assist the SFA with
ensuring that the annual cost of non-domestic food purchases acquired with School Nutrition Program funds
does not exceed the caps established as applicable to the contract and optional renewals.
By signing this document, the vendor certifies that all domestically identified products listed within the
response to the attached specifications were processed in the U.S. and contain over 51% of their
agricultural food components, by weight or volume, from the U.S. Any response listing a non-domestic
product will include a valid resource to verify that the non-domestic good is not produced or manufactured in
sufficient and reasonable available quantities of a satisfactory quality within the U.S.
DOMESTIC PREFERENCE FOR GOODS AND MATERIALS (Applicable to non-food only) 2 CFR
200.322, 2 CFR Appendix II to Part 200 (L)
As appropriate and to the extent consistent with law, the recipient and/or subrecipient should, to the greatest
extent practicable under a Federal award, provide a preference for the purchase, acquisition, or use of
goods, products, or materials produced in the United States (including but not limited to iron, aluminum,
steel, cement, and other manufactured products). The requirements of this section must be included in all
subawards including all contracts and purchase orders for work or products under this award.
For purposes of this section:
(1) "Produced in the United States" means, for iron and steel products, that all manufacturing processes,
from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the United States.
(2) "Manufactured products" means items and construction materials composed in whole or in part of non-
ferrous metals such as aluminum; plastics and polymer-based products such as polyvinyl chloride pipe;
aggregates such as concrete; glass, including optical fiber; and lumber.
Federal agencies providing Federal financial assistance for infrastructure projects must implement the Buy
American preferences set forth in 2 CFR part 184.
IV. REMEDY FOR NON-PERFORMANCE/ TERMINATION OF CONTRACT [2 CFR Appendix II to Part 200
(B)]
All contracts in excess of $10,000 must address termination for cause and for convenience by the recipient
and/or subrecipient including the manner by which it will be affected and the basis for settlement:
(a) Termination for Cause. The SFA may terminate this contract, or any part hereof, for cause in the event of
any default by the Contractor, or if the Contractor fails to comply with any contract terms and conditions, or
fails to provide the SFA, upon request, with adequate assurances of future performance. The SFA shall
provide the Contractor with a written notice thirty (30) days prior to the contract termination date, outlining
the reasons for the termination and specifying the remedies the SFA intends to pursue. In the event of
termination for cause, the SFA shall not be liable to the Contractor for any amount for supplies or services
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not accepted, and the Contractor shall be liable to the SFA for any and all rights and remedies provided by
law. The Contractor may also terminate this contract under the same set of aforementioned conditions.
The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute cause for the SFA to declare the
Vendor in default of its obligation under the Contract:
(i) The Vendor fails to deliver or has delivered nonconforming goods or services or fails to perform,
to the SFA's satisfaction, any material requirement of the Contract or is in violation of a material
provision of Contract, including, but without limitation, the express warranties made;
(ii) The SFA determines that satisfactory performance of the Contract is substantially endangered
or that a default is likely to occur;
(iii) The Vendor fails to make substantial and timely progress toward performance of the Contract;
(iv) The Vendor becomes subject to any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding under federal or state
law to the extent allowed by applicable federal or state law including bankruptcy laws; the Vendor
terminates or suspends its business; or the SFA reasonably believes that the Vendor has become
insolvent or unable to pay its obligations as they accrue consistent with applicable federal or state
law;
(v) The Vendor has failed to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, ordinances,
regulations and orders when performing within the scope of the Contract;
(vi) The Vendor has engaged in conduct that has or may expose the SFA or the State to liability,
as determined in the SFA's sole discretion; or
(vii) The Vendor has infringed any patent, trademark, copyright, trade dress or any other intellectual
property rights of the SFA, the state, or a third party.
(viii) Immediate Termination. This contract will terminate immediately and absolutely if the SFA
determines that adequate funds are not appropriated or granted or funds are de-appropriated such that the SFA
cannot fulfill its obligations under the Contract, which determination is at the SFA's sole discretion and shall be
conclusive. Following thirty (30) days' written notice, the SFA may terminate the Contract in whole or in part without
the payment of any penalty or incurring any further obligation to the Vendor. Following termination upon notice, the
Vendor shall be entitled to compensation, upon submission of invoices and proper proof of claim, for goods and
services provided under the Contract to the SFA up to and including date of termination. Further, the SFA may
terminate the Contract for any one or more of the following reasons effective immediately without advance notice:
1. In the event the Vendor is required to be certified or licensed as a condition precedent to
providing goods and services, the revocation or loss of such license or certification may
result in immediate termination of the Contract effective as of the date on which the
license or certification is no longer in effect;
2. The SFA determines that the actions, or failure to act, of the Vendor, its agents,
employees or sub vendors have caused, or reasonably could cause, life, health or safety
to be jeopardized;
3. The Vendor fails to comply with confidentiality laws or provisions;
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