Form No. DPP-RFP-PS-68-75 Approved 5/7/75 Revised 3/18/08 GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES Request for Proposal - Negotiation PROFESSIONAL SERVICES To: Date June 22, 2015 RFP-016-2015 (Professional) Pursuant to 31 V. I. C. § 239 (a) (4) and the Rules and Regulations thereunder issued, the Government of the Virgin Islands, Property and Procurement, will receive proposals for the work described below. Proposals will be received until Thursday, July 23, 2015 @ 4:00 P.M. DESCRIPTION OF WORK The Government of the Virgin Islands, Department of Property and Procurement is requesting proposals from qualified contractors for the following services: RFP-015-2015 (P) Meals Preparation for the Elderly Nutrition on the Western End of St. Croix. SCOPE OF SERVICES: SEE ATTACHED Form No. DPP-RFP-PS-68-75 Approved 5/7/75 Revised 3/18/08 NEGOTIATED PROCEDURES: The Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement will appoint a Selection Committee to assist in the evaluation and selection of the Contractor. Accordingly, current data on qualifications and performance should be submitted with proposals. After reviewing the qualifications and proposals, the Committee will select for discussions from the firm/s or person/s considered not less than three (3), in order of preference, deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide the services herein required. Discussions will be conducted successively and severally with the firms or persons so selected regarding the anticipated concepts and the relative utility of alternative methods of approach for furnishing the services hereunder. FACTORS FOR DISCUSSIONS: Selection criteria will include (i.) Professional qualifications, registration and general reputation of the principals of the firm; (ii) the extent to which the firm or person specialized in or has designed project of a type and scope similar to that hereunder; (iii) familiarity with the area in which the project is to be located; (iv) capability of meeting design schedules; and (v) quality of performances on other projects. NEGOTIATION: The Selection Committee shall recommend to the Commissioner the highest qualified firm or persons with whom a contract shall be negotiated. The Commissioner, with the assistance of the Selection Committee shall negotiate a contract with such firm or person. Should the Commissioner be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be the most qualified, at a price he determines to be fair and reasonable to the Government, negotiations with that firm will be formally terminated? Negotiations will then be commenced with the second most qualified, the third most qualified or additional firms, in order of preference and their competence and qualification, and shall continue until an agreement is reached. Randolph N. Bennett Commissioner Designee of Property and Procurement INSTRUCTION TO PROPOSERS A. NOTICE This project is for, the following services: RFP-016-2015 (P) Meals Preparation for the Elderly Nutrition Program on the Western End of St. Croix. Information provided in the scope of work is to be used only for purposes of preparing a proposal. It is further expected that each bidder will read the scope of work with care, for failure to meet certain specified conditions may invalidate the proposal. The Government of the Virgin Islands, hereinafter referred to as GVI, reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or any portion thereof and to accept the proposal deemed most advantageous to GVI. Price shall not be the sole criterion of awarding this project. Scope and quality of work proposed and the ability of the bidder to complete this type of project shall be considered. Applicants are requested to submit proposals based on the scope of work. Alternative proposals recommending new features and technology other than that requested in the scope of work will receive consideration providing such new features and/or technology is clearly explained. Any exceptions to the requirements requested herein must be clearly noted in writing and be included as part of the proposal. The information contained herein is believed to be accurate, but is not to be considered in any way as a warranty. Request for additional information clarifying the Scope of Work should be directed in writing to Chief of Procurement & Contracts, Lloyd T. Bough Jr. at lloyd.bough@dpp.vi.gov. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE This project has been addressed to assist the Government of the Virgin Islands in meeting The need for the following services: RFP-016-2015 (P) Meals Preparation for the Elderly Nutrition Program on the Western End of St. Croix. PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK SEE ATTACHED SCOPE OF WORK TIMETABLE. 1. Proposals will be accepted at the Department of Property and Procurement, no later than Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 4:00 PM 2. Last Day for Questions: Friday, July 17, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. 3. Pre—- Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL All interested parties shall submit seven (7) sets of proposals, which are to be delivered to the Department of Property and Procurement during normal business hours, no later than Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 4:00 P.M They shall be addressed to: Honorable Randolph N. Bennett Commissioner Designee Department of Property and Procurement #3274 Estate Richmond, Christiansted St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820-4200 The sealed envelope containing the proposal must have the following information written on the outside of the envelope: SEALED PROPOSALS - DO NOT OPEN RFP-016-2015 (P) (Name of Offeror) (Mailing Address of Offeror) (Telephone Number of Offeror) (Fax Number of Offeror) Where proposals are sent by mail, the bidder shall be responsible for their delivery to the Department of Property and Procurement before the date and time set for the closing of acceptance of proposals. WITHDRAWALS OF PROPOSAL A proposal may be withdrawn at any time prior to the time specified as the closing time for acceptance of proposals. However, no proposal shall be withdrawn or canceled for a period of thirty (30) days after said closing time for acceptance of proposals nor shall the successful provider withdraw or cancel or modify his proposal, except at the request of GVI after having been notified that said proposal has been accepted by GVI. INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFICATIONS If any person contemplating submitting a proposal requires clarification of any part of the scope of work, he/she may submit to the GVI a written request for an interpretation thereof to the Chief of Procurement and Contracts, Lloyd T. Bough Jr. GVI will not respond to questions received after the above-established date. The person submitting the request will be responsible for its prompt delivery. Any interpretation of the scope of work will be made in writing to all prospective providers. Oral explanations will not be binding. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSAL The Commissioner of Property and Procurement shall represent and act for GVI in all matters pertaining to the scope of work and contract in conjunction therewith. This RFP does not commit GVI to the award of a contract, nor pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals in anticipation of a contract. GVI reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to disregard any informality and/or irregularity in the proposal when, in its opinion, the best interest of GVI will be served by such action. Proposals failing to provide some of the items in the scope of work shall not be rejected per se, but any deviations from the scope must be clearly noted. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSALS GVI will notify in writing acceptance of one of the proposals. Failure to provide any supplementary documentation to comply with the vendor’s proposal may be grounds for disqualification. CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL The following is a list of information to be included in the written proposal. Failure to comply with all the requirements as outlined may disqualify the applicant. 1. 7. Introductory letter about the applicant: a. Firm Name, address, fax and telephone b. Type of service for which Firm is qualified. Organization: Names of Principals of Firm Names of key personnel with experience of each and length of time in organization. Number of staff available for assignment. (Local & Off-Territory) Copy of Article of Incorporation Copy of Certificate of Resolution Copy of Valid Business License Copy of Certificate of Good Standing oP mmoae Outside consultants that will be retained for this project and percentage of work to be sub-contracted. Project experience: a. List of completed projects of similar type and estimated cost of each. b. Current projects underway; scope; percentage completed to date and estimated cost of each. Project References: (including a notarized written consent from the authorized representative which must include: name; telephone number; email address and facsimile number). Project Approach: a. Describe how you will approach this project and availability to perform the services requested. Cost: The Cost Proposal must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope. CONFLICT OF INTEREST A bidder filing a proposal hereby certifies that no officer, agent or employee of GVI has a pecuniary interest in this proposal or has participated in contract negotiations on behalf of GVI; that the proposal is made in good faith without fraud, collusion, or connection of any kind with any other Bidder for the same request for proposals; the Bidder is competing solely in its own behalf without connection, with, or obligation to, any undisclosed person or firm. LICENSE REQUIREMENT An award will not be made to any firm or individual doing business in the Virgin Islands to perform work with the Government of the Virgin Islands until evidence is submitted that the said firm or individual has a valid V. I. Business License to do similar business in the Virgin Islands. Bidders must submit hard copy of a valid V. I. Business license within ten (10) working days after award. All Bidders bidding as Joint Ventures that do business in the Virgin Islands must be licensed as a Joint Venture in the Virgin Islands. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ky PUBLIC LIABILITY: The successful bidder will be required to obtain and have in place public liability insurance and other insurance necessary as requested in this proposal package. Insurance policy(ies) shall name the Government of the Virgin Islands as “Additional insured.” The public liability insurance shall have a minimum limit of not less than one hundred thousand ($100,000.00) dollars for any one occurrence for death or personal injury and one hundred thousand ($100,000.00) dollars for any one occurrence for property damage. Offeror must provide public liability insurance with ten (10) working days after award. pA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Within ten (10) working days after award of project the successful offeror must submit a copy of their certificate providing that his firm and his agents are covered by Workers Compensation Employee’s Liability. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE CERTIFICATES WITHIN THE STATED TIME PERIOD MAY RESULT IN THE PROPOSAL DEEMED AS NON-RESPONSIVE AND MAY BE IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED WITH NO FURTHER CONSIDERATION GIVEN FOR POTENTIAL AWARDING OF THE CONTRACT. N. REQUIREMENTS FOR CORPORATIONS: fs ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION 2. CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE RESOLUTION 3. CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING THESE WILL BE REQUIRED PRIOR TO AWARD OF CONTRACT. SCOPE OF WORK~ Meals on Wheel Program — ST. CROIX Location : WEST Note: All information listed below is for the provision of meal services to the WEST section of the island which provides approximately 130 meals per day and 39,000 meals per year. Please bid according to this projected figure. Please note that on rare occasion (e.g. inclimate weather), you may be asked to provide double meals. This usually occurs around Hurricane Season, but may also occur during other times of the year. There are three times during the year, Human Services traditionally requests a special menu: Thanksgiving, Christmas meals, and the May Month Senior Banquet. Please make note that your food cost may be higher for those menus due to higher priced items being purchased. Requirements All bidders must have all of the foliowing in order to be eligible to bid: © Meal preparation facility that meets the sanitation requirements of local and Federal rules and regulations as well as having a health permit and all other required licenses. e A Registered Dietitian who is able to assist with preparation and review of menus and who will administer their signature of approval to the submitted menus. ¢ Capability to prepare the number of meals specified at the designated time. e Building facilities that promote the easy transfer of meal carriers from the food preparation site to the Department of Human Services vehicle. If building facilities are not sufficient, then the bidder must demonstrate the availability of adequate equipment (e.g. sturdy dollies, lifts, etc), that will allow such transfer to occur. e Food handlers cards for all those who will be involved in handling/preparing food items, no matter how minimal the task. ¢ Health Inspection Certificate dated within one month of proposal submission ° 2 complete sample meals must be provided for a panel comprised of Meals on Wheels staff and Meals on Wheel participants for contract award decision-making purposes. The meals must be consistent with the requirements detailed in this Scope of Work Sanitation and Food Handling Requirements The successful bidder shall comply with all Federal and Local laws and regulations governing the preparation, plating, handling and transporting of food. Food must be prepared, plated and handled with the least possible manual contact. Surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized to prevent cross- contamination. Dishes and utensils will be washed using water that is 171 degrees (77 degrees C) or above, or using an approved chemical sanitizing solution. All food preparation facilities, food storage and food associated areas, and equipment shall be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis. All equipment (i.e. the food carriers) used to transport the meals shall be provided by the Department of Human Services. It is the responsibility of the successful bidder to clean and sanitize the carriers on a 1 Revised 10/14/14 AVH daily basis or more often if needed. The carriers will be open to inspection by the Department of Human Services and shall be kept in good repair. The successful bidder shall maintain a written documented formal sanitation program that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of local and Federal agencies authorized who are authorized to do inspections. The successful bidder agrees to have all involved in a food handling capacity, no matter how small, participate in scheduled Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Systems (HACCP) training by staff of the Department of Human Services. The one day training will take place between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm, Monday through Fridays and will take place at the facility of the successful bidder, unless otherwise noted. The successful bidder shall maintain all food preparation areas over which it has control in clean and sanitary conditions. All food preparation facilities and food storage and food associated areas, including equipment utensils, ventilation equipment (including filters), door cabinets, counters, garbage receptacles, etc. Shall be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis. The Department of Human Services or any other authorized local or federal employee may conduct inspection to determine compliance with any required rules or regulations. Further, facilities must be available for inspections by authorized employees of the Department of Human Service, Department of Health and the federal government at least two weeks prior to the evaluation of the proposal. The successful bidder will maintain one food sample of each meal for 72 hours (3 days) in order to expedite a food analysis in the case of a suspected food-borne illness. Nutrition Standards: Menu Policies and Food Preparation Guidelines Purpose Menu standards are developed to sustain and improve client health through the provision of safe and nutritious meals using specific guidelines. These guidelines are incorporated in this request for proposal. Submit the following menus on the forms or in the format provided (See Table F). All menus must contain 6 week cycles. © Regular Menu e Low Sodium Menu e Diabetic Menu e Puree Menu NOTE: Bidders who are current vendors will NOT be allowed to submit the same menus for a new bidding cycle. NEW MENUS MUST BE PROVIDED. Revised 10/14/14 AVH All of the above menus must be low in fat. The content should not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total calories for each meal. All menus must be reviewed and signed by a Registered Dietitian with contact phone number provided. (See Appendix 1 “Menu Approval Sheet”) Menu Policies Meals served must contain the following: e Calorie level of between 670-750 calories per meal e A fat content of no more than 30% of calories per meal e A sodium content of less than 1200 mg per meal e 60 grams of Vitamin C per meal e An average of 8 grams of fiber per meal over the course of the week e An average of 300 RE of Vitamin A per meal over the course of the week Good sources of Vitamin A and C are required to be served daily. A good source of a nutrient must contain 25% or more of the RDA. Good vegetable/fruit sources of Vitamin A and C are listed in Table A. Religious, ethnic, or cultural preferences of a significant portion of the elderly population within the program should be reflected in the meals served. Where feasible and appropriate, individual dietary needs must also be met. Therapeutic diets prescribed by a physician should be planned to provide as close to the 1/3 of the RDA as possible. All bidders shall contract a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Licensed Dietitian (LD) who shall review menus to ensure that all standards for menus have been met and maintained throughout the terms of the contract. The dietitian is to be retained throughout the length of this contract and consulted as needed. It is the responsibility of the provider to ensure nutritional adequacy. The dietitian must have their current registration credentials with the Commission on Dietetic Registration. |The DHS Departmental Nutritionist or other designated employee must approve the successful bidder’s dietitian. The DHS Departmental Nutritionist or other designated employee is responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and approving the menus used in the Nutrition Program for the Elderly. Revised 10/14/14 AVH Menu Submission Protocol: 1. Menu Cycles: Menus must be planned for a minimum of six weeks. No complete meal shall be repeated within a 4 week time period. No exact entree can be duplicated within 2 weeks. 2. Menu Submission: Menus shall be submitted four weeks prior to service to the DHS Departmental Nutritionist or other designated employee. The NPE menu form shall be completed by the provider and submitted. 3. Substitutions: Substitutions may be made from menus submitted to the DHS due to shortages or problems with food delivery to the kitchen or meal site. The substitutions should be as similar to the originally planned food(s) as feasible and kept to a minimum. The DHS must be notified immediately to evaluate and approve the substitution. The menus must also make allowance and contain substitutes for persons who may be vegetarian, or who may not eat red meat, pork, or fish. All substitutions must be recorded on the Substitution List and comply with the NPE specifications. 4. Alcohol: No alcoholic beverages can be served or used in any part of the preparation process of meals. 5. Advance Meal Preparation: Meat, vegetable, and bread alternate components shall not be prepared earlier than 24 hours preceding their delivery. The frozen Home Delivered Meals may be prepared earlier than one day to ensure that the meals are solidly frozen. In all instances of advance meal preparation, proper preparation and storage techniques such as outlined in the DHS food safety training shall be employed. 6. Low Sodium Guidelines: All meals, including the “Regular” meals, are to be prepared according to Low Sodium guidelines. Guidelines are as follows: e Limit the use of highly processed foods which may include commercially prepared frozen entrees and condiments that are high in sodium e Low sodium bases/stocks should be used when preparing gravies e Only fresh or frozen vegetables are allowed for vegetable option of meal. e Do not add salt when cooking rice or pasta. e Each meal must not be prepared with more than % teaspoon of added salt. Revised 10/14/14 AVH MEAL PATTERNS 1. Regular Food Groups Amount to Serve 1. Meat/Meat Altemative 4 oz. lean, cooked 2. Starch (bread alternative) “4 cup 3. Vegetable “ cup or | cup* (1-2 servings) 4. Fruit “ cup or | cup* (1-2 servings) 5. Dessert ‘4 cup or | serving 6. Bread/Grain 1 serving 7. Butter/Margarine 1 tsp. 8. Low Fat Milk l cup * Vegetable and Fruit Servings should constitute three total servings per meal, excluding dessert. e.g. If ‘cup vegetable is served then | cup of fruit must be served for the fruit serving and vice versa. NOTE: A food that is served within a meal may be counted within only one food group. For example, juice served as a fruit cannot be counted as a fruit and dessert. 2. Diabetic The same food groups are used as for “Regular.” The only difference is that the dessert should consist of unsweetened or low sugar products. If canned fruits are used then they should be packed in their own juice. Baked desserts should be made with a decreased amount of sugar or a sugar substitute. One low sugar baked item for dessert is required to be served at least once per week. The recipe and sample of the product must be provided to designated DHS staff for review and approval prior to service. 3. Low Sodium The same food groups are used as for “Regular.” 4. Special Changes Changes in “Regular” meals may be offered where feasible and appropriate to meet the medical needs of the client. These changes do not require a physician’s approval: e The client asks for a reasonable change in entree due to religious or personal preferences. Requests will be honored when possible, if the contractor is able and it is within nutritional guidelines. e The client/client’s representative requests an omission from the meal being served. DHS will not force any client to receive food that is not desired. e Changes in meal consistency. e The provision of fresh or water packed fruit or unsweetened desserts. Revised 10/14/14 AVH Meal Pattern Food Group Specifications 1. Meat/Meat Alternative The meal shall contain four (4) ounces cooked edible portion of meat, fish, poultry, or meat alternate and must provide at least a minimum of 20 grams of protein. The following meal alternates may replace one ounce of meat (poultry, beef, veal, and fish): e 1 ounce of cheese (made with skim or partially skimmed milk) e 1 ounce of tofu e ‘cup dried peas of beans, cooked to volume; or 2 cup cooked peas or beans. Please note that NO PORK is allowed to be served due to food preferences expressed by a majority of the clients. Please note that CHICKEN WINGS or the SKIN OF CHICKEN is NOT ALLOWED to be served due to the high fat content. Lower fat entrees are recommended, such as poultry, fish products and lean meats. Only ground round shall be used. Lean ground chicken or turkey may be used. No regular ground beef or hamburger will be served. Ground meat of any kind can be used no more than twice per week as a main entree. Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) may be incorporated in some recipes with a maximum ratio of 30% TVP to 70% meat. When meat alternatives are planned for the entree, a source of an iron and Vitamin C rich food must be included. If a base is used for gravy preparation, the base must be low fat and low sodium. 2. Vegetables One to two servings of one-half cup drained weight must be served. Fresh or frozen vegetables are to be used. The only canned vegetables that will be accepted are beets, lima beans, corn, and wax beans. Mashed Potatoes, if used, must be enriched with Vitamin C. A good source of Vitamin A and C are to be served daily. Lettuce alone may not count towards a vegetable serving. Lettuce and tomato may be served as one vegetable serving. Revised 10/14/14 AVH Salads shall be packaged in closed containers and maintained at a cool temperature. Individual packaged salad dressing will be provided with all salad. Vegetable Sauces, such as tomato sauce, cannot count toward meeting the vegetable requirement. 3. Fruit The following is considered one serving of fruit: e ‘cup drained canned fruit © 1 cup 100% fruit juice e Fresh fruit serving size — see Table B Canned fruit must be packed in fruit juice, water or lite syrup. Fruits canned in heavy syrup will not be accepted. Canned fruit must be maintained at a cool temperature. Canned fruit is allowed to be served no more than three times per week 4. Grains/Starches: See Table C for serving sizes. Please note that a variety of at least three different types of breads must be served during each week cycle. 5. Milk Eight (8) ounces of reduced-fat milk fortified with Vitamins A and D must be served with each meal. Milk will not be accepted at temperatures above 40 degrees. If milk is not available, the following may be used as a substitute: e 1 cup yogurt e 1% ounces reduced fat cheddar or American cheese e Calcium-Fortified Soy or Almond Milk Calcium-fortified soy or almond milk may also be requested for clients with milk intolerance. An estimate of this type of substitution should be calculated at 10 meals per day. If milk is knowingly going to be substituted for a period of over 3 days, the Program Supervisor must be notified. 6. Fat One teaspoon of butter or margarine spread in individual serving packages must be served. Revised 10/14/14 AVH 7. Desserts One serving must be served. Desserts shall be packaged in closed containers. Perishable desserts shall be received by nutrition workers at temperatures not more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. See Table C for serving sizes. Fruit must be served as a dessert two times per week with fresh fruit served at least two times per week subject to seasonal quality. When fruits are used as a dessert, another serving of a different type of fruit must also be served to fulfill the fruit group obligation. The remaining desserts must include a baked product twice per week for regular, low sodium and low potassium diets and once for diabetics (See Table C) . Gelatin is not allowed to be served as it does not travel well. Note: Providers are encouraged to provide similar desserts for the regular and diabetic menus. For example, if pudding is on the regular diet menu, it is suggested that a no-sugar pudding be served as a substitute. Note: When the dessert contains the equivalent of % cup milk per serving, it may be counted as 4 a serving. Food Purchasing Specifications e Beef, Lamb, Veal — USDA Select. If ground beef is used, the percentage of meat must be 93% or higher. e Poultry — US Grade A e Pork —USDA Grade: Acceptable e Vegetables (Frozen) — US Fancy or US Grade A e Vegetables (Fresh) — US Fancy e Fruit (canned and frozen) - US Grade B; light syrup or juice e Juice — 100% fruit juice; unsweetened e Milk —Homogenized Grade A, in individual containers e Fish— Fresh: Received from vendor between 32-40 degree F packed in crushed or flaked self-draining ice. Bright red, moist gills and eyes are bulging and clear. No noticeable strong fish odor. Frozen: No indication that the fish has been allowed to thaw. Frozen fish must be received frozen. Revised 10/14/14 AVH Food Production/Distribution 1. Number of Meals -- Separate cost proposals will be considered for the provision of individually packaged meals which meet specifications. The estimated number of meals is as follows: 150 meals per day or 45,000 meals per year. Of the total number of meals estimated above, the Nutrition Program for the Elderly will only pay for those ordered, prepared, accepted, and delivered in edible condition and meeting the standards found within the scope of work. 2. Weekly Provision of Meals When ordered, Congregate meals will be provided two days per week, except holidays Home delivered meals will be provided up to seven days per week. For weekends and holidays, frozen meals will be provided on the days before the weekend or holidays. However, hot meals shall be provided on weekends and holidays for participants who cannot manage frozen meals. 3. Frozen Meals Frozen meals must be frozen in the serving trays and delivered in a completely frozen state when accepted by Department of Human Services. If the bidder lacks the capacity to provide the number of frozen meals required for pre-holiday delivery, then the bidder must have the capacity to prepare and deliver double hot meals for pre-holiday delivery. Frozen meals cannot be duplicates of meals served during the week. 4. Labelling of Meals ALL meals must have a computer generated label on each tray cover. The labels will be color-coded as follows: BLUE MARKER — Regular “AD CCAIAAADY LOD MmIADT REEN MARKER — D BE | “SOFT ,” “PUREE,” and other diet restrictions shall be indicated as needed. A sample label appears as follows: Baked Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Broccoli SOFT Revised 10/14/14 AVH 5. Leftover Food The procedure for disposing of leftover un-served food is as follows: e Cold foods that are not out of the expiration date such as fruits, bread, milk, juice, baked goods and salads, can be re-served the next day given that they are packaged and stored according to guidelines. e No hot food shall be re-used UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. 6. Special Events The successful bidder must be open to negotiations for Human Services-related special events such as picnics, conferences, and special holiday dinners. The price per meal will remain the same, although the successful bidder may be asked to provide items not normally served on to the program participants (e.g. sandwiches, ham, johnny cakes, etc.) 7. Meal Orders and Cancellations The Department of Human Services reserves the right to order or cancel meals up to 5:00 pm the day before the meals are to be provided. Limited changes in the number of meals (up to 10) may be requested up to 8:30 am on the day of the order. 8. Delivery Times The number of meals ordered by the Department of Human Services must be ready for delivery no later than 9:30 am. The Department of Human Services reserves the right to alter the delivery time with 24 hours’ notice given to the vendor. 9. Accuracy of Meal Delivery and Payment e The successful bidder will be held accountable for the accuracy of all meal provided. e The successful bidder will provide exactly the number of meals ordered. e Damaged, spoiled, inedible, or incomplete meals will not be included when the number of meals provided for payment is determined. e A meal of which ANY portion of the meal is spoiled, damaged, burnt, missing, or otherwise inedible is considered unacceptable and will not be included for payment. The Department of Human Services reserves the right to refuse payment on any meal not supplied within 30 minutes of the specified delivery time. The department reserves the right to obtain meals from other sources with the caterer responsible for any additional cost. 10 Revised 10/14/14 AVH 10. Emergency Procedures Emergency circumstances preventing the delivery of meals on the required day(s) are the responsibility of the successful bidder. In the event of unforeseen emergency circumstances, the successful bidder shall be required to immediately notify the Department of Human Services by telephone, or messenger. Emergency situations affecting the successful bidder’s ability to deliver meals will result in non- payment by the Department of Human Services for undelivered meals. Food Production Facility 1. Facility Inspection The Department of Human Services, the Virgin Islands Department of Health, and any other designated entity reserve the right to inspect the successful bidder’s food preparation facilities at any time without notice. The successful bidder must meet at least quarterly with designated Human Service staff and a panel of clients for review and evaluation of services. The Department of Human Services reserves the right to require the presence of the bidder or his representative at meetings when the Department of Human Services requests to resolve emergencies associated with the bidder’s service to the program. 2. Facility Supervisor The successful bidder shall provide management supervision at all times at the food preparation facility during meal preparation associated with this contract. The supervisor will be responsible for assuring that all pre-requisite HACCP standards are met. 3. Equipment The successful bidder agrees to surrender all equipment purchased by federal and local funds at the termination of the contract. The successful bidder may not use this equipment for any purpose other than the delivery of meals to participate in the Nutrition Program for the Elderly. 11 Revised 10/14/14 AVH Meal Service Packaging Specifications In addition to the guidelines listed previously, below are added specifications as to how various food items should be packaged. 1. SERVING TRAYS Meals are to be prepared and packaged in the covered 8.5” x 6.5” trays pictured below: The starch, vegetable and meat/meat alternative portion of the meal is to be served in the tray. 2. REDUCED FAT (2%) MILK 2% Milk is to be purchased in single-serve, sealed cartons. Milk in single-serve plastic pouches is also acceptable if the appropriate straw is served (see picture of Capri Sun package in the next page). A cooler will be provided by the Department of Human Services in which the milk will be packed by vendors prior to pick-up. Individual serving packets of powdered milk are required to be kept on hand in the event that liquid milk is unavailable to be served. ae ae ie - # 12 Revised 10/14/14 AVH 3. 100% FRUIT JUICE An 8 ounce serving of 100% juice is to be served in containers as seen below (NOTE: The pictures below are examples of suitable containers. The brand names do not have to be the same. Also, pouch or boxed juices must contain the suitable drinking straws as seen in the Capri Sun picture. Cocktail stirrers are not acceptable). As with the milk, coolers will be provided by the Department of Human Services. 4, CHEESE Unless it is part of the entrée, cheese as individual servings (e.g American slices, cubes, etc.) is not to be served 5. BREAD All bread is to be individually wrapped in either Saran wrap-type plastic or Ziplock-type plastic bags. As with the cheese, all bread is to be placed in a plastic grocery bag(s). 6. PLASTIC UTENSILS Plastic utensils/napkins are not required to be provided by vendors, 13 Revised 10/14/14 AVH TABLE A Vitamin A A good source of Vitamin A must be served daily. A % cup serving of the following fruits and vegetables are good sources: Apricot Avocado Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cantaloupe Carrots Collard Greens, Kale and other dark leafy greens Mango Mixed Vegetables Okra Peaches Green Peas Pumpkin Spinach Sweet Potato Tomato Vitamin C e For each meal, one good source of a Vitamin C rich food must be served. e 100% Juices that are fortified with Vitamin C are allowed. Fruit drinks, even when fortified, are not allowed. The following foods are good sources of Vitamin C per % cup serving: Asparagus Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Bean Sprouts Bell Pepper Cantaloupe Broccoli Fortified 100% Fruit Juice Honeydew Melon Okra Mandarin Orange Kiwi Orange Papaya Mango Pineapple Potato Strawberries Spinach Sweet Potato Tangerine Tomato/Sauce/Juice Turnip Greens Revised 10/14/14 AVH 14 Table B Fruit Serving Sizes Canned, or diced fresh fruit —% cup e.g.: Applesauce, fruit cocktail, sliced peaches, mandarin orange, diced fruits (e.g. pineapple) Canned, Other: e.g. 2 peach halves, 2 pear halves, 3 pineapple slices, 4 apricot halves, 3 prunes, 3 plums Fresh Fruit (1 whole fruit): Apple, Banana, Orange Fresh Fruit (2 whole fruits): Plums, kiwi Dried: 3 heaping T. raisins (or 1 individual serving box) 5 halves apricots or similar fruit 3 whole prunes Table C Dessert Serving Sizes e Maximum of 2 times per week Pies/Tarts (Not allowed for Diabetic Meals) One serving = 1/16 of 8” pie Cakes: One serving = one 2” square piece (Note: Chocolate, coconut and carrot cake not allowed) Cookies: One serving = 2 small 2” diameter cookies (Note: Diabetics get one cookie) 15 Revised 10/14/14 AVH Table D Pureed Diet Food Group Preparation Avoid Meat Meat, fish, pork (without All others bones), poultry (without skin or bone). Starch/Bread Alternative Mashed root vegetable. All others Cornmeal, cooked to a soft consistency. Rice or pasta. Vegetable Cooked vegetables without All others seeds. Fruit Peeled and seedless fresh All others fruit. Mashed canned fruit. Bread Bread only allowed if Any with seeds or nuts indicated by Human Services. Dessert Baked custard, puddings, Any with seeds or nuts applesauce, plain or sponge cake allowed if indicated by Human Services TABLE E Mechanical Soft Diet Food Group Preparation Avoid Meat Ground or finely chopped All others meat, including pork. Poultry or fish without bones. Tofu Starch or Bread Alternative Mashed or creamed potatoes, All others soft fungi, macaroni and other pasta/noodles, rice, mashed provisions. Vegetable Cooked soft vegetables All others without seeds. Fruit Canned or cooked chopped All others fruit without seeds and skin. Bread Soft breads, muffins and plain Any with seeds or nuts crackers. Dessert Custards, puddings, cake, soft Any with seeds or nuts cookies without nuts or seeds. Revised 10/14/14 AVH 16 Low Potassium Diet Guidelines 1) Drain all juice from canned fruits 2) Only 1 TABLESPOON of any type of gravy or sauce is allowed per meal 3) None of these foods are allowed: Potatoes and all other provisions (e.g. green banana) Red Beans Cantaloupe Honeydew Carambola (star fruit) Broccoli Bananas (ripe or green banana) Oranges Tomato (including sauces) Prunes Spinach (or any other dark, leafy green vegetable) Apricots NO SALT SUBSTITUTES When potatoes are on the menu, substitute with rice or pasta. e When fruits on the not allowed list are on the menu, substitute with any other type of canned or fresh fruit or applesauce. 17 Revised 10/14/14 AVH 8T SIMON 3daq yIssy SHG :Agq paaoiddy HAV VT/PT/OT pasinay UBC S.19PIAotd :Ag pasedaig NOLLALILSANS TIA Luassad ‘ds) | FNRVOUVA avadd ~ dno | -% “OSA/LINGA dno [-% aTEVLADSA dna vz “LTV GVaug /HOUVLS ‘ZOp HAILVNYALTV LVAW 10 LVAW AVONNS AVGUNLVS AVG AVGSUNAL AVCSHNGaM AVCSANL AVGONOW aplAold ue] q Nusy\j UNIpOs MOT pure iepnday ATYAO TH FHL YOA WVUOOUd NOLLRILAN A qe #OIGM 14 AT: APPENDIX I Menu Approval Sheet MEAL PATTERN FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM FOOD GROUP MINIMUM PER MEAL Approved (Dietitian’s Initial Meat, Eggs, Legumes 4 oz. or equivalent Legumes twice per week Ground lean meat only two times per wa Fruit/Vegetable 3 Servings Grains/Starches 2 Servings Whole grains at least 3 times per week Milk | Serving Vitamin A I rich serving per meal Vitamin C | rich source or two fair servings per me Energy (Calories) No less than 750 calories per meal Follow Dietary Guidelines Sodium < 1200 mg per meal Fat < 30% of meal calories Protein 20 grams Calcium 400 mg I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, that each meal in the attached menus provides the above mentioned requirements as detailed by the National Academy of Sciences and conforms to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Dietitian Signature: CDR (RD) # Expiration Date PLEASE ATTACH COPY OF REGISTRATION CARD Revised 10/14/14 AVH i9 Date: