VAAFM USA Food Safety Replacement Project

Agency:	State of Vermont
State:	Vermont
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	236220 - Commercial and Institutional Building Construction 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Nov 26, 2025
Due Date:	Dec 15, 2025
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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Department of Buildings and General Services

Office of Purchasing & Contracting

133 State Street, 5th Floor | Montpelier VT 05633-8000

802-828-2211 phone |802-828-2222 fax

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing

Agency of Administration

SEALED BID

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

VAAFM USA Food Safety Replacement Project

ISSUE DATE

QUESTIONS DUE

RFP RESPONSES DUE BY

November 18, 2025

December 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM ET

December 15, 2025 at 4:30 PM ET

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES, AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED

WITH THIS RFP WILL BE POSTED AT:

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php

THE STATE WILL MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT INTERESTED PARTIES WITH UPDATED

INFORMATION. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BIDDER TO PERIODICALLY CHECK THE

ABOVE WEBPAGE FOR ANY AND ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES AND ADDENDUMS

ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RFP.

STATE CONTACT:

E-MAIL:

USE SUBJECT

Kyle Emerson, State Purchasing Agent II

sov.thepathforward@vermont.gov

VAAFM FOOD SAFETY

1. OVERVIEW:

1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Vermont Agency of Digital

Services on behalf of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets (VAAFM) (hereinafter the

“State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one or more companies that can provide a modernized

solution that enhances the management of dairy-related food safety activities, including inspections,

permits, licensing, enforcement, and compliance.

The objective of this project is to replace the legacy USAFoodSafety application with a modernized

solution that enhances the management of dairy-related food safety activities, including inspections,

permits, licensing, enforcement, and compliance. The current system serves as an enterprise platform

that consolidates dairy food safety information from state and local sources into a comprehensive

statewide repository. It effectively synchronizes and integrates inspection data with processes such as

licensing, certification, laboratory sampling, billing, and accounting.

However, to better support the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) in fulfilling its

regulatory responsibilities, the State aims to implement a new hosted solution that offers a more robust

and user-friendly toolset for inspectors, administrators, and the public. This initiative seeks to improve

operational efficiency, enhance data accuracy, and provide a seamless user experience, ensuring that

our food safety management processes are equipped to meet current and future demands.

Additionally, the USAFoodSafety system is one of three systems slated for replacement. Although these

systems are not in scope in the current implementation scope, the State seeks detailed information from

bidders about USAHerds and USAPlants systems. This information should include details about their

functionality and associated costs, aiding the State in planning for future functionality need and budget

considerations.

USAHerds: This software solution supports the documentation of animal disease traceability, animal

movement, premises identification, incident management, and other records. It is a tool to help ensure

compliance with federal regulations and protect the health and well-being of Vermont's animals, farms,

and consumers.

USAPlants: This software solution facilitates regulatory management of multiple VAAFM programs

including consumer protection, feed, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, retail, nursery, apiaries, dealer repairman,

ginseng, certification pesticide applicators and dealers, weights and measures, and others.

1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Any Contract(s) arising from this RFP will include the period of implementation

services, plus five years of annual operating costs (maintenance and service). The State anticipates the

start date for such contract(s) will be June 2026.

1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed in writing

to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact with any other

individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

1.4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or

wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than

the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point

of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last

day of the question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all

questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State’s web site

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as

possible after the question period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions. All

information provided by vendors during this process will be public and bidders shall not provide

confidential information, except as described in 4.1 below.

1.5. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State through the

issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php .

Modifications from any other source are not to be considered.

2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:

2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business need(s):

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2.1.1.USAFoodSafety is an enterprise system that centralizes dairy food safety information from state

and local sources into a comprehensive statewide repository. It efficiently synchronizes and

integrates inspection data with processes such as licensing, certification, laboratory sampling,

billing, and accounting. Although it currently meets the regulatory requirements of the VAAFM, the

system is based on legacy technology and is hosted by the state. The state is seeking a hosted

solution that provides a more robust and modernized toolset for inspectors, administrators, and

public users.

2.2. The State of Vermont seeks to achieve the following Business Value(s):

2.2.1.Implement a hosted state-of-the-art dairy food safety information management system to support

the Vermont dairy economy effectively.

2.2.2.Increase access to publicly available information and reduce reliance on third-party services with

a search directory for unauthenticated users to query licenses, certifications, and

brands/products.

2.2.3.A vendor-hosted solution will reduce the Agency's administrative overhead costs of maintaining

additional server resources.

2.2.4.Develop and implement advanced reporting capabilities that allow the export of report datasets in

multiple formats tailored to specific use cases, enhancing flexibility and usability for various

reporting needs.

2.2.5.Self-service online licensing/registration workflows that allow individuals to create accounts,

submit applications for new licenses, renew existing licenses, and pay electronically through the

Agency's payment processor.

2.2.6.Develop and implement a robust payment disbursement system that enables internal staff to

apply a single payment to multiple licenses or license types efficiently. This system will streamline

the payment process, allowing for dynamic allocation of funds across various categories.

2.2.7. Improve the Agency’s responsiveness to potential regulatory violations with a public-facing

complaint portal allowing unauthenticated users to submit contact information, statements, facts

and other supporting details for follow-up Agency representatives.

2.2.8.Establish a streamlined and efficient process for license holders who are unable to renew their

licenses online due to the absence of email accounts or other technical limitations.

2.3. Functional and Non-Functional Requirements

2.3.1.The State’s Functional and Non-Functional Requirements are provided in the attached State of

Vermont Bidder Response Form (Exhibit C).

2.3.2. Use of Microsoft Azure DevOps (ADO) for traceability of Requirements, Business Rules, Test

Cases and Bugs: The Contractor shall utilize ADO for full traceability of all project requirements,

test cases and bugs throughout the project lifecycle, from initial development through final

delivery and acceptance. The Contractor shall ensure that all related activities are fully tracked,

documented and managed within ADO to facilitate transparency, effective communication and

efficient project management.

2.3.3.The Non-Functional Requirements include requirements for the following:

• Hosting

• Application Solution

• Security

• Data Compliance: Solutions must adhere to applicable State and Federal standards,

policies, and laws. The Bidder Response Form includes a table of data types and their

applicable State and Federal standards, policies, and laws. The boxes on the table that are

checked are the ones that apply to this procurement.

• Testing:

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• The Contractor shall be required to perform testing on the software prior to

releasing it to the State. This includes the following:

• Generation and execution of test plans which address:

o Unit testing

o API testing

o Integration testing

o System testing

o Includes testing to ensure security controls are functioning as

designed

o Regression testing

• The Contractor will lead all components of the User Acceptance Testing and

support the State’s testing participants throughout the entire phase. This includes:

o The Contractor shall be responsible for writing and providing

comprehensive User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Test Cases for all User

Story requirements as defined in the Project Scope and detailed in the

Requirements Document. These UAT Test Cases shall be developed to

validate that the solution meets the functional, technical, and business

requirements outlined in the User Stories, and that the solution performs

as expected in the Contractor’s operational environment.

o Demonstrate that the functions under the test meet all relevant

requirements.

A product will not be considered ready for release until determined by the State and includes

completion of all test cases by State, which result in no blocking issues, and no high-priority issues

without a reasonable workaround. The State of Vermont will be performing testing in parallel to the

testing performed by the Contractor.

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

3.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and all costs that

Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If applicable, all equipment

pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No request for extra delivery cost will be

honored. All equipment shall be delivered assembled, serviced, and ready for immediate use, unless

otherwise requested by the State.

3.1.1.Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing policy submitted

by Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable and (ii) cover the full spectrum of

materials and/or services required.

3.1.2.Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts through a

competitive bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are welcome to submit the

pricing in response to this solicitation.

3.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses and select the

Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and consistent with the goals and

performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State of Vermont reserves the right to obtain

clarification or additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal. Failure of bidder to

respond to a request for additional information or clarification could result in rejection of that bidder's

proposal. To secure a project that is deemed to be in the best interest of the State, the State reserves the

right to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to waive

technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to make purchases outside of the awarded

contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State.

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3.2.1.Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and prior to the final

selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State may invite Bidder(s) to

provide a BAFO. The state reserves the right to request BAFOs from only those Bidders that

meet the minimum qualification requirements and/or have not been eliminated from consideration

during the evaluation process.

3.2.2.Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be required by the State if

it will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented during

presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be responsible for all costs associated with

providing the presentation.

3.3. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:

3.3.1.Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI): An OCOI arises when a bidder as a business entity

has interests (for example, customers, partners, contracts) that could undermine, or reasonably

be perceived to undermine, its faithful and unbiased performance of a contract with the State that

may result from this solicitation.

3.3.2.Personal Conflict of Interest (PCOI): A PCOI arises when an interest held by an individual,

agent or employee of a bidder could undermine, or reasonably be perceived to undermine, its

faithful and unbiased performance of a contract with the State that may result from this

solicitation.

3.3.3.Requirements: The State does not seek to contract with any individual or business entity having

a conflict of interest which cannot be mitigated to the State’s satisfaction. To ensure the State’s

awareness of actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs and OCOIs, bidders shall:

a) Prior to submitting a proposal, conduct an internal review of its current affiliations and activities and

identify actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs or OCOIs relative to a contract with the

State that may result from this solicitation.

b) Disclose in your proposal any actual or potential PCOI or OCOI or the existence of any facts that

may cause a reasonably prudent person to perceive a PCOI or OCOI with respect to a contract

with the State that may result from this solicitation. Disclose, also, any actions proposed to mitigate

the PCOI or OCOI.

3.3.4.The State shall have sole discretion to determine whether a PCOI or OCOI can be mitigated to

the State’s satisfaction and may discuss the conflict with the bidder if and to the extent the State

deems discussion necessary to its determination. The State reserves the right to (a) reject from

further consideration any proposal having a PCOI or OCIO that cannot be mitigated to the State’s

full satisfaction and (b) terminate a contract upon discovery that a contractor failed to disclose

facts pertaining to a PCOI or OCOI in its proposal, or otherwise misrepresented relevant

information to the State.

3.4. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with Section 32 of The

Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), Bidders must comply with the following

provisions and requirements.

3.4.1.Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete the appropriate

section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of self-reporting information

relating to past violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past

performance relative to coding and classification of workers. The State is requiring information on

any violations that occurred in the previous 12 months.

3.4.2.Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are hereby notified

that upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State shall be provided with a list

of all proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors, together with the identity of

those subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance providers, and additional required or

requested information, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery

and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This requirement does not apply to subcontractors

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This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

TITLE	QUESTIONS DUE	ANSWERS POSTED	DUE DATE	NO POSTING AFTER
VAAFM USA Food Safety Replacement Project Bidder Response Form	12/01/2025 04:30PM		12/15/2025 04:30PM

VAAFM USA Food Safety Replacement Project

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