NCJ Number
196421
Journal
Corrections Forum Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2002 Pages: 49-51
Date Published
July 2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the steps in writing the request for bid (RFB) or request for proposal (RFP) in contracting a correctional food service operation.
Abstract
Prior to issuing a RFB or a RFP, the correctional agency will have conducted an audit of the current food operation and identified needs. The oversight committee will have reached a consensus on all required specifications after a cost-benefit analysis. Representatives of the facility, the executive and legislative branches of the governing body, and the purchasing department will have agreed on the desired specifications. There are benefits in issuing a RFP instead of a RFB. A RFB implies a predetermined operating plan; whereas, a RFP implies the facility is receptive to alternatives. In describing a model RFB/RFP, the components addressed include the title page, the table of contents, the advertisement for bids/proposals, the request for bids/proposals, instructions to bidders, general conditions, pre-bid survey procedures, bid/proposal evaluation and contractor selection, and specific requirements and contractor responsibilities. Separate sections of this article provide greater detail on general requirements, contractor qualifications, operating requirements, and how to evaluate bidders.