Food Vendor
Prime Time Family Reading
Accepting Bids for Food Service Vendor for DeSoto Parish, Natchitoches Parish, and Red River Parish
Early Head Start and Head Start Program
Thank you for your interest in providing food services to Prime Time. The link to the Request for Proposals (RFP) is immediately below. The proposal submission deadline is Tuesday, 12/16/25.
The RFP seeks quality and comprehensive food services (preparation and delivery) providing breakfast, lunch, and snack for up to 215 students across 4 sites in DeSoto Parish, Natchitoches Parish, and Red River Parish, LA for the remainder of Prime Time’s 2025-26 school year.
Prime Time is an approved Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsor. Responses to this RFP must clearly indicate both the capacity and commitment to provide quality meal preparation and delivery services in accordance with CACFP standards and regulations. Per meal pricing should also be aligned with current CACFP reimbursement rates as well as the most recent (January) Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Food Away From Home (FAFH) index level. Annual contract renewal will be optional.
Service Plans must cover:
- Provision of quality and comprehensive meal preparation and delivery services
- Provision of breakfast, lunch, and snack for up to 215 students. Students include up to:
- 140 Head Start (HS) students ages 4 to 5 years
- 75 Early Head Start (EHS) students ages 6 weeks to 3 years
- PT will provide formula for enrolled infants. However, vendors are asked to consider the total number of EHS students in bid cost calculations.
- Vendors must have the capacity to provide pureed meals for EHS students who are not ready for solid foods.
- Provision of special diet meals as needed
- Meal delivery to 4 sites in DeSoto Parish, Natchitoches Parish, and Red River Parish, LA
- 81 operational days for Head Start students and 116 operational days for Early Head Start students
In addition to the RFP, vendors are asked to provide:
- Financial reports to communicate financial conditions and stabilityAny available client satisfaction survey outcomes and/or statements
- Complete W-9 form
- State of Louisiana/local agency, Current business license
- Local zoning agency, Certificate of Occupancy for local facilities
- Certificate of Liability Insurance for local facilities
- State of Louisiana, Department of Health, License to Operate for local facilities
- State of Louisiana, Department of Health, current/clean Retail Food inspection report for local facilities
Paper/printed proposals (5 copies) MUST be submitted by mail to:
Prime Time Family Reading
c/o Shantrell Austin
938 Lafayette Street, Suite 300
New Orleans, LA 70113
Please note that electronic submissions are not accepted. All submitted proposals will remain unopened until 1:00 PM CST on Wednesday, 12/17/25. Per State of Louisiana requirements, the proposal opening will be closed to the public. Only review committee members will be present. Questions are welcomed during the question period noted below. While proposal submission will be acknowledged via email, we cannot review, comment/answer questions on content or components of proposals once they have been submitted.
Question Period: Monday, 12/1/25 – Monday, 12/15/25
- Proposal Submission Deadline Date/Time: Tuesday, 12/16/25 @ 4:00 pm
- Proposal Submission Format: Mail ONLY (5 copies) to above address c/o Shantrell Austin
- Proposal Opening Date/Time: Wednesday, 12/17/25 @ 1:00 pm
- Proposal Opening Location: Online Convening (review committee only)
- Award Decision Communication Date: Monday, 12/29/2025
- Partnership Kick-off Meeting: Monday, 1/5/2026
- Contract Start Date: Monday, 1/5/2026
- Contract End/Renewal Date: Wednesday, 9/30/2026
Please contact [email protected] or 504-620-2625 with questions.
Prime Time is an equal opportunity employer.
