Food Services Government Bids & RFPs
525 open food services procurement opportunities from federal, state, and local agencies nationwide.
How many food services government bids are open right now? 525 as of August 29, 2026, with 4 closing within the next 7 days. The most-active agencies are EU Tenders Electronic Daily, Louisiana LaPAC, North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal, Pennsylvania eMarketplace, Iowa Department of Administrative Services. Browse the full list below.
Top agencies posting food services bids nationally: EU Tenders Electronic Daily,Louisiana LaPAC,North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal,Pennsylvania eMarketplace,Iowa Department of Administrative Services.
Latest Food Services Opportunities
Food Items for CDC Warehouse
The State of Iowa will be conducting a solicitation for Food items for the CDC Warehouse in Woodward Iowa. The solicitation may be viewed at the IMPACS Electronic Procurement System website link below...
1197406C: Provide Bottled Drinking Water and Water Cooler Rentals
Department: DEPARTMENT OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES; Type: Commodities; Compliance Goals: NA; Protected Markets: NA
SPO-SPO 41-35D2
The State of North Carolina is seeking proposals for the operation and management of a 6,764-square-foot Modernized and renovated restaurant facility located at the North Carolina Department of Agricu...
On-Campus Catering Services for USF
The University of South Florida is seeking responses from qualified suppliers to provide catering services for on-campus events, activities, meetings, and programs.
Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distribution Center
THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR A BID OR PROPOSAL This notice is provided in accordance with statutory requirements for a 15-business-day advertisement of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer ...
Psp Headquarters Food Service Provider
Psp Is Seeking A Food Service Prov ...
Food Items for CDC Warehouse
The State of Iowa will be conducting a solicitation for Food items for the CDC Warehouse in Woodward Iowa. The solicitation may be viewed at the IMPACS Electronic Procurement System website link below...
ER234R7008 - Side Dishes II for Canteen Resale - Warehouses
This is a MO Dept of Corrections Canteen Resale Contract for Central and Eastern Region Commodity Warehouses
ER234R7007 - Instant Coffee for Canteen Resale - Warehouses
This is a canteen resale contract for MO Dept of Corrections Central and Eastern Region Commodity Warehouses
76-20260518
The South Piedmont Community College Services Corporation is seeking to establish a list of preferred catering vendors to provide all requested services for the Ascend704 Event Center.
WRC Food Service Elevator Replacement
The Iowa Department of Administrative Services will be receiving bids for removing and replacing existing food service elevator at the Woodward Resource Center,1251 334th Street, Woodward, Iowa 50276....
Canned Soup for CDC Warehouse
The State of Iowa will be conducting a solicitation for Canned Soup for the CDC Warehouse in Woodward Iowa. The solicitation may be viewed at the IMPACS Electronic Procurement System website link belo...
206-906-52-2027-001
School Nutrition Department of Lexington City Schools (hereafter called the “District”) invites qualified persons or firms interested in dining room tables and seating of the Lexington Senior High Sch...
Omhsas Nsh Kitchen Equipment Pm Repair
The Department Of Human Services ...
Notice to Bidders - Kitchen Equipment for the Cairo Senior Center Project
Agency: Greene County. Division: Planning & Economic Development
WIC Food Pamphletes
The purpose of this Invitation to Bid (ITB) is for the State of Florida, Department of Health (Department) to obtain competitive prices for printing and delivery of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) ...
CEH - NYC Summer Food Service Program
Agency: Health, NYS Dept. of. Division: Center for Environmental Health
Browse Food Services Bids by State
About food services government procurement
Government food-services procurement covers school lunch programs, jail and prison meals, hospital dietary services, senior nutrition programs, military dining facilities, university residence-hall meals, and cafeteria operations at government buildings. School districts are the largest issuer — the National School Lunch Program alone serves 29 million students daily, and every district writes food-services contracts on 1-5 year cycles.
Solicitations in this category range from small "milk and dairy" RFQs under $50,000 to multi-year prime vendor contracts worth tens of millions. Awards frequently split by category: fresh produce, frozen protein, bakery, dairy, dry goods, beverages, and disposables. Federal school lunch dollars flow through USDA and impose Buy American and nutrition standards that affect what counts as a responsive bid.
Winning vendors need SAM.gov registration for federal work (military dining, VA hospital food services, federal prison meals), plus state-level vendor registration for the state education agency and health department. Most large school districts require submission through Bonfire, PlanetBids, or state-specific portals. Cooperative purchasing agreements — Sourcewell, OMNIA Partners, US Communities — offer piggyback contracts that let districts skip the RFP process for pre-vetted vendors.
Set-asides matter here. USDA prioritizes small and disadvantaged farmers for school procurement, HUBZone certification helps in rural districts, and women-owned small businesses (WOSB) certification is a common tie-breaker in tie-priced bids. Prime vendor competition is dominated by Sysco, US Foods, and Performance Food Group; small businesses typically win niche categories (local produce, ethnic-specialty foods, specialty diets).
Common NAICS codes for food services contracts
- 311422 Specialty Canning
- 311612 Meat Processed from Carcasses
- 311811 Retail Bakeries
- 424410 General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers
- 424420 Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers
- 424460 Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers
- 424470 Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers
- 424490 Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers
- 424480 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers
- 722310 Food Service Contractors
- 722320 Caterers
Set-asides in food services
USDA gives explicit preference to farmers and small businesses in school food procurement (Farm-to-School program). At the federal level, 8(a) certification opens sole-source awards up to $7M for food-services contracts. Local school-district set-aside preferences vary by state — Massachusetts and California have the strongest local-farmer preferences; Texas and Florida enforce vendor-diversity goals across all district contracts.
When food services bids are posted
Peak issuance is March–May for the following school year (July start), with a smaller wave in October–November for calendar-year contracts. Multi-year contracts typically run 1-year base with 2–4 renewal options.
Food Services Procurement — Frequently Asked Questions
Who buys food services from the government?
The largest buyers are K-12 school districts (via the National School Lunch Program), state departments of corrections, VA and public hospitals, universities, senior-services agencies, and federal military dining facilities. County jails and juvenile detention centers also issue food-services contracts, typically 1-3 year cycles.
What NAICS codes should I use for food-services government contracts?
Prime vendors typically use NAICS 722310 (Food Service Contractors) and 424490 (Other Grocery Wholesalers). Specialty vendors pick from 424410 (Canning), 424460 (Fish), 424470 (Meat), 424480 (Produce), or 311xxx for manufacturers. School caterers commonly use 722320.
How do I bid on school district food contracts?
Register with the state education agency vendor portal AND on the platform each district uses (Bonfire, PlanetBids, ESM, TIPS, Sourcewell). Look for RFPs 60-90 days before the contract start date; response windows are typically 3-5 weeks. USDA compliance certification and food-safety accreditation are usually required.
What is the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)?
NSLP is the USDA program that reimburses school districts for meals meeting federal nutrition standards. Vendors supplying NSLP-participating districts must meet Buy American rules, Child Nutrition Labeling, and specific commodity standards. Compliance documentation is often part of the bid response.
Are food-services contracts open to small businesses?
Yes. USDA prioritizes small farmers and disadvantaged businesses through Farm-to-School. Many districts split awards by category so that small local vendors can win the produce, dairy, or bakery portions even when a large prime vendor wins the total protein or dry-goods category. 8(a), WOSB, HUBZone, and SDVOSB certifications are meaningful tie-breakers.
What is a prime vendor contract in school food service?
A prime vendor contract designates one supplier for the majority of the district's food purchases (typically 80–95%). The prime vendor delivers weekly against pre-agreed pricing tied to a market index (usually the USDA Market News monthly report). Smaller specialty vendors serve as secondary suppliers.
How much do government food-services contracts typically pay?
Small district contracts (under 1,000 students) run $250K–$1M annually. Mid-size districts (5,000–20,000 students) run $2M–$10M. Large-district and university prime vendor contracts run $10M–$50M+ annually. Correctional food services average $2.50–$4.00 per meal at the state level, higher at the federal level.