SustainFloyd, a local non-profit, has released an RFP for someone to do a feasibility study on a local food processing facility in Floyd. The study will be to look at the feasibility of doing vegetable and fruit processing in Floyd of produce grown in the region and what the path is to getting those products into state universities’ dining programs, hospital cafeterias, etc.

1. SustainFloyd
Connecting SW Virginia Growers to Institutional Buyers Through
Local Food Processing and Preservation
Prepared December 17, 2010
Proprietary and confidential
R E Q U E S T F O R P R O P O S A L
You are invited to submit a Proposal that provides the SustainFloyd Steering Committee
(hereinafter referred to as SUSTAINFLOYD) with information necessary to award a contract(s) for
services in accordance with specifications and terms included herein. The submittal consisting of
the original Proposal marked “A Proposal for Connecting SW Virginia Growers to Institutional
Buyers Through Local Food Processing and Preservation ”, must be received no later than 4:00
p.m. January 17, 2011 by:
VIA U.S. POSTAL SERVICE or OTHER GROUND DELIVERY
Mike Burton, Director, SustainFloyd 206 S. Locust Street Floyd VA 24091
VIA EMAIL#
info@SustainFloyd.org or mikeburton745@gmail.com
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2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 3
PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
TASKS TO BE COMPLETED 4
FUNDING LEVEL 4
ADMINISTRATIVE 4
PRIMARY CONTACT
DUE DATES
CONFIDENTIALITY
PAYMENT
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 5
RFP TIMELINE AND ANTICIPATED WORK SCHEDULE
ANTICIPATED COMMENCEMENTAND COMPLETION DATES OF WORK
GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION & SUBMISSION 6
ITEMS TO BE ADDRESSED IN PROPOSAL
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
PERSONAL PRESENTATIONS
EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 7
CRITERIA
OTHER FACTORS
RIGHT TO RE-ISSUE RFP
DELIVERABLES 8
CONTRACT
MEETINGS IN PERSON
PAYMENT
INTERIM REPORT
FINAL REPORT
MEETING PROJECT DEADLINES
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3. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
SustainFloyd is a 501©(3) grassroots organization in Floyd County, Virginia working to develop a
long-term, resilient economy for Floyd Co and the surrounding region. SUSTAINFLOYD is
seeking a way to preserve family farms, the area’s natural resources and their rural way of life by
improving the quality of the regional economy, community, and environment. Efforts are
currently focused in the areas of value-added food production/marketing in support of
sustainable agriculture, energy initiatives, water quality, land-use education and waste reduction.
In the fall of 2010 SUSTAINFLOYD was awarded a USDA Specialty Crop Competitive grant from
the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS) to study the feasibility of a
food processing center in Floyd County, Virginia. The center will aggregate, process, store and
package locally grown fruits and vegetables then market and distribute the products to regional
buyers including institutions, college cafeterias, Farm-to-School programs, grocery stores and
restaurants. The facility will connect southwest Virginia farmers to these large customer groups
actively seeking locally-grown, sustainably-farmed food that meets their unique requirements. By
serving to decentralize Virginia’s food supply, it will also serve to enhance our food security and
provide long-term markets for sustainable specialty-crop producers.
SUSTAINFLOYD has assembled a steering committee to oversee this project. The selected
vendor will report to this committee once work commences. In addition, SUSTAINFLOYD has
secured assistance in the form of technical support and informational input, from the Virginia
Farm Bureau Federation, the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture Innovation & Rural Sustainability
(Virginia FAIRS), the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and Virginia
Cooperative Extension, all of whom have certain levels of expertise in project areas as proposed.
A community advisory board has also been assembled representing a broad cross-section of the
greater community and potential stakeholders to serve as a resource for the vendor(s) and the
project as a whole.
In order for SUSTAINFLOYD to complete this activity, there are multiple steps to be taken.
SUSTAINFLOYD expects that much of the work will occur concurrently although some steps of
the project may require conclusions and information from other steps before beginning. At the
same time, SUSTAINFLOYD believes all tasks are intertwined to some degree and in the case of
more than one vendor being involved, SUSTAINFLOYD fully expects multiple vendors to work
with each other as needed to ensure reliable outcomes and conclusions.
While SUSTAINFLOYD will accept proposals from qualified vendors to do all the work,
SustainFloyd expects that due to the diverse objectives of the project, more than one vendor
may be involved. SustainFloyd requests that for any proposals to do more than one facet of the
work involved, bids should be submitted that address each task of interest individually rather
than as a whole. SUSTAINFLOYD will accept any such proposals from a Vendor to do more than
one of the listed tasks in one proposal document, or in separate documents; that will be up to
the applicant.
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4. TASKS TO BE COMPLETED
SUSTAINFLOYD is interested in compiling information and analysis in the following areas and has
received funding for these activities:
Task 1: Determine the demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables from regional
large scale buyers.
Task 2: Identify high-value specialty crops the region can grow to meet those demands.
Task 3: Develop processing parameters using information on small scale packing,
processing and distribution systems for fruits and vegetables to guide the development of
a local fruit and vegetable industry.
Task 4: Provide an economic analysis and a projection of technical support required for
further development in support of an Action Plan for the region.
A more detailed explanation is attached hereto as Attachment 1 providing a further breakdown of
tasks.
FUNDING LEVEL
For this project, SustainFloyd was awarded a total of $29,850. Approximately $25,000 is
budgeted to cover the tasks outlined in this RFP.
ADMINISTRATIVE
PRIMARY CONTACT
Any questions concerning the project or the RFP must be directed to:
Name Michael Burton, Director, SustainFloyd
Address PO Box 745 Floyd VA 24091
Phone (540) 250-0111
FAX
Email info@SustainFloyd.org
DUE DATES
All proposals are due by 4 pm on January 17th. Any proposal received at the designated location
after the required time and date specified for receipt shall be considered late and non-responsive.
Any late proposals will not be evaluated for award.
CONFIDENTIALITY Any vendor agrees to keep the result and interpretations related to the
project in strict confidence until the final study and action plan are completed and made public by
SustainFloyd.
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5. PAYMENT
Payments to selected vendors will be made based on attaining specific deliverables. Payment
schedules are addressed in deliverables section on page 8.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
RFP TIMELINE & ANTICIPATED WORK SCHEDULE
Event Date
1. RFP Distribution to Vendors December 17, 2010
2. Questions from Vendors about scope or approach due December 31, 2010
4. Responses to Vendors about scope or approach due January 7, 2011
5. Proposal Due Date by 4:00 p.m. January 17, 2011
6. Target Date for Review of Proposals January 20 & 21, 2011
7. Final Vendor Selection Discussion(s)-- January 25 & 26, 2011
8. Anticipated decision and selection of Vendor(s) January 31, 2010
9. Anticipated commencement date of work Detailed below
10. Anticipated completion of entire project October 15, 2011
ANTICIPATED COMMENCEMENT AND COMPLETION DATES OF WORK
Project Activity Who Timeline (month/year)
Identify and assess needs of Technical Consultant and February – April 2011
institutional buyers SustainFloyd Staff
Determine best specialty crops Technical Consultants, May - June 2011
for local production Agricultural Extension Agents,
et. al.
Regional Food Assessment in Technical Consultants, County June - July 2011
light of market demands: ED Director with oversight
identify players and capacity from Steering Committee
Identify competitive regional Technical Consultant July –August 2011
products and optimal scale
and operations for the facility.
Economic Analysis with Technical Consultant August – September 2011
overview of further technical
support required
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6. Final Report and Action Plan Technical Consultant, Project October 2011
Steering Committee and
SustainFloyd
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7. GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION
ITEMS TO BE ADDRESSED IN PROPOSAL
Vendor’s proposal in response to this RFP will be incorporated into the final agreement between
SustainFloyd and the selected Vendor(s). The submitted proposals are suggested to include each
of the following sections:
1. Executive Summary
2. Approach and Methodology
3. Project Deliverables
4. Project Management Approach
5. Detailed and Itemized Pricing
6. References, Project Team Staffing, and Company Overview
In developing a detailed fee estimate, SustainFloyd requests the estimate be created in such a
way that SustainFloyd can determine costs associated with each of the components as outlined in
the Tasks to be Completed
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
All proposals shall be submitted via email or by ground delivery to the pertinent address listed on
the title page of this document no later than 4:00 p.m. on January 5, 2011.
PERSONAL PRESENTATIONS
SustainFloyd may ask to meet with prospective vendors in person. If so, it is hopeful prospective
vendors will make every effort to accommodate such a request, although SustainFloyd
understands such request may be made on short notice. If it is not possible to schedule a face-
to-face meeting, an alternative request may be to meet via tele-conference to further discuss any
proposal(s).
EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD
CRITERIA
Any award to be made pursuant to this RFP will be based upon the proposal with appropriate
consideration given to operational, technical, cost, and management requirements.
The following elements will be important considerations in evaluating all submitted proposals and
in the selection of a vendor or vendors:
1. Completion of all required responses in the correct format.
2. The extent to which vendor’s proposed solution fulfills SUSTAINFLOYD’s stated
requirements as set out in this RFP.
3. An assessment of the vendor’s ability to deliver the indicated service in accordance with
the specifications set out in this RFP.
4. The vendor’s stability, experiences, and record of past performance in delivering such
services.
5. Availability of sufficient high quality vendor personnel with the required skills and
experience for the specific approach proposed.
6. Overall cost of vendor’s proposal.
7. The vendor’s familiarity with and proximity to Virginia and/or the mid-Atlantic region.
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8. 8. Ability of vendor(s) to begin work and complete deliverables in a manner that will allow
stated project deadlines to be met.
9. The vendor’s understanding of work to be performed, including procedures, estimated
hours, visits to be made to area, and other pertinent information
SUSTAINFLOYD may, at their discretion and without explanation to the prospective vendor(s), at
any time choose to discontinue this RFP without obligation to such prospective vendor(s).
OTHER FACTORS
Award of the contract resulting from this RFP will be based upon the most responsive vendor
whose offer will be the most advantageous to SUSTAINFLOYD in terms of cost, functionality, and
other factors as specified elsewhere in this RFP.
SUSTAINFLOYD reserves the right to:
 Reject any or all offers and discontinue this RFP process without obligation or liability to
any potential vendor,
 Accept other than the lowest priced offer,
 Award a contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussions or requests
for best and final offers, and
 Award more than one contract.
In the case where a vendor may submit a proposal to do more than one of the tasks as outlined,
SUSTAINFLOYD reserves the right to accept or reject such proposals as a whole or in part
relative to each specific task. In any such case, SUSTAINFLOYD will notify the vendor in writing,
electronically, by fax or mail of such a desire and the vendor shall have the right, within 72
hours, to accept or refuse any such condition.
Vendor's proposal shall be submitted as set forth below. The vendor will confine its submission to
those matters sufficient to define its proposal and to provide an adequate basis for
SUSTAINFLOYD’s evaluation of the vendor’s proposal.
RIGHT TO RE-ISSUE RFP
By the January 5th deadline, should SUSTAINFLOYD not receive proposals for any or all of the
assigned tasks, or should proposals submitted not meet with the approval of the steering
committee due to either cost or failure to sufficiently meet the criteria outlined above,
SUSTAINFLOYD reserves the right to further identify and pursue potential vendors in a non-
competitive manner and without further public notice.
DELIVERABLES
CONTRACT
Upon selection of any vendor by SUSTAINFLOYD, the two parties shall enter into a contractual
agreement that is mutually acceptable to both parties, before moving forward. Based on the
aggressive nature of the project timeline, SUSTAINFLOYD expects to move forward in a very
timely manner once vendor selection(s) have been made.
MEETINGS IN PERSON
At a minimum, SUSTAINFLOYD would expect to meet face-to-face with vendor(s) to discuss the
project as soon as possible upon execution of a contract, at least once during the study period
and then to review the findings of the final report. Such meetings shall take place in specific
locations to be determined by SUSTAINFLOYD in the Floyd County area, unless SUSTAINFLOYD
agrees otherwise.
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9. PAYMENT
Payments will be made as follows: 25% within 30 days of execution of final contract, 25% upon
completion of Phase 2 (See attachment 1 for description of Project Phases) and delivery of
interim report: 25% upon completion of Phase 3 and delivery of interim report: and remaining
25% within 30 days of delivery of final report and presentations to SUSTAINFLOYD. Payments
will be made provided that an invoice and other proper documentation is received and reviewed
by the SUSTAINFLOYD Steering Committee to determine the work has been satisfactorily
completed.
INTERIM REPORT
The vendor shall provide at least one interim report during each phase of the project. This should
be in the form of an executive summary and should provide findings to date along with evidence
that the project is on track to meet stated deadlines.
FINAL REPORT
At the conclusion of the assessment, SUSTAINFLOYD requires written documentation of the
approach, findings, and recommendations associated with this project. A formal presentation of
the findings and recommendations to the SUSTAINFLOYD steering committee and/or the Board
of Directors of SustainFloyd may also be required. The documentation shall include an executive
summary report to summarize the scope, approach, findings and recommendations of the
vendor. A complete hard copy of the report must be made available plus an electronic copy in its
original format (e.g. Word.)
MEETING PROJECT DEADLINES
It is expected that vendor(s) will meet project deadlines unless vendor can document, to
SUSTAINFLOYD’s satisfaction, good reason for delays or needed extensions.
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10. Attachment 1
First Phase: Determining demand.
SustainFloyd staff will work closely with the consultant to identify and contact institutional, large-
scale buyers in the region. This will entail the following data collection: 1) canvassing the region
for potential institutional and large-scale buyers; 2) gauging their level of interest, willingness to
cooperate and engaging them in the process; and 3) follow-up with correspondence, surveys and
visits to interested institutional buyers to gather purchasing data, thereby determining potential
demands for local food.
This quarterly report will provide hard data and begin to paint a picture of demand and scale. It
will provide a currently missing Master List to work from for the rest of the study. This report
alone will supply invaluable data for local food producers and analysts.
Second Phase: Narrowing of market focus and product.
Working with local agricultural extension agents and other regional information sources, the
consultant will determine which high-value crops from the Master List can best be grown in our
region and on a competitive scale.
Also during this quarter, we would begin to identify arable lands and potential producers via two
different avenues if inquiry.
First, regional agricultural extension offices will be engaged to identify producers likely to be
capable of meeting the demands of the market. Jon Vest, Floyd County Agricultural Agent, will
be instrumental in this process. He is a member of the project Steering Committee.
Second, the project will seek to identify potentially suitable farm lands by integrating information
from the USDA's Floyd County Soil Survey (which was released in 2009), the County's information
on lands in agricultural production from the Land Use Taxation rolls and such other information
either remotely sensed such as GIS data, or developed by advertisement, public meetings,
presentations by SustainFloyd with producer groups and private conversations.
Jeff Walker, CPSS/AOSE, will provide oversight as well as professional consultation in this aspect
of the study.
SustainFloyd will conduct outreach to local farmers and producer groups.
Lydeana Martin, Floyd County Economic Development Director and Steering Committee member,
shall provide assistance in identifying agricultural production land via the county tax rolls and
assist with outreach to neighboring county governments.
Third Phase: Synthesize the data for our locale.
The report will further build on previously gathered supply and demand information by creating a
list of finished value-added products best suited to our region and demand. The consultant will
be primarily responsible for this report with management and insights from the Project Lead and
the Project Steering Committee. The report will outline and provide sufficient detail of the
processing, storage and distribution needs for the products in line with buyer requirements.
Fourth Phase: Final Report summarizing results and Action Plan.
The final report will summarize research results providing critical, hard data to potential
stakeholders. The report will also provide an economic analysis of the facility. This will include
an analysis of whether the facility meets certain base-line economic indicators to warrant further
planning and determine further technical support needed for the project.
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