The University of Iowa, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa State University, and The University of Northern Iowa, herein referred to as “The Institutions” or “The Regents Institutions”, desire to obtain written proposals from qualified Vendors for the provision of food products and related items to the Regents Institutions. Qualified Vendors are expected to furnish assorted groceries (food and non-food), frozen foods, dry goods, beverages, meat, produce and other items to all the Regents Institutions. This is an aggregate RFP and award will be made on an overall basis as is deemed to be the best value to the Institutions.

The Regents Institutions desire to partner with the Awarded Vendor to achieve the following goals:

A. Reduce costs by maximizing savings through high volume purchasing, consolidating the needs of the Institutions, participating in the distribution of opportunity purchases and implementing other cost saving measures for product sourcing or related procedures

B. Maintain and/or increase quality and product offerings

C. Meet the defined delivery requirements for each of the Institutions

D. Meet all local, state and federal regulations

E. Maximize operational efficiencies in ordering, delivery and receiving

F. Maximize fill rate and minimize substitutions

While the primary objective is to award to a single qualified Prime Food Vendor, The Regents Institutions reserve the right to award to more than one Vendor if it is deemed in the best interests of the Institutions as a whole.