This contract is a cooperative purchasing agreement issued by the School District of Pickens County, SC, to process USDA‑donated commodities (potatoes, peanut butter, and fish) into frozen finished products for school nutrition programs. Three vendors – Basic American Foods, McCain Foods USA, Inc., and High Liner Foods USA, Inc. – were named as awardees. The contract runs from July 1 2022 through June 30 2023, with a submission deadline of May 3 2022 and an award effective date of May 12 2022. The solicitation required detailed vendor certifications, strict packaging and labeling standards, and all‑inclusive cost proposals evaluated on a cost‑plus scoring system.
• Scope: Process USDA‑donated potatoes, peanut‑butter, and fish into frozen products and deliver them to the Pickens County district and participating co‑purchasing districts.
• Procurement Method: Cooperative purchasing under South Carolina school‑district procurement code; full open competition with three awardees.
• Evaluation: 30 % cost, 25 % responsiveness, 20 % services, 15 % past performance, 10 % implementation schedule.
• Requirements: Vendors must be on the SC approved USDA food‑processor list, provide multiple copies and a USB copy, meet packaging dimensions, and submit compliance affidavits.