Notice of Request for Proposal #202110155: Reducing Hunger and Promoting Maine Agriculture

December 15, 2021

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry is currently seeking proposals from Maine-based nonprofit organizations to help reduce hunger, promote Maine agriculture by purchasing directly from farmers and food producers, and provide subcontracts to other nonprofits conducting related services.

A copy of the RFP, as well as the Q&A Summary and all amendments related to this RFP, can be obtained on the following website: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/rfps

• Proposals must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via email, to the following email address: Proposals@maine.gov.
• Proposal submissions must be received no later than 11:59 pm, local time, on January 6, 2022.

This RFP results from LD 786, An Act to Reduce Hunger and Promote Maine Agriculture, enacted by the 129th Maine Legislature and approved by Gov. Janet Mills on June 28, 2019. As part of the LD 786, $1M is available for the work in FY 2022-2023, with an option to renew for an additional $1M in FY 2023-2024.

LD 786 directs the Department to select and contract with a Nonprofit Organization to enable that organization to engage in Statewide hunger relief services, including, but not limited to, the purchase of food from Maine Food Producers and processors, to provide grants to Local Hunger Relief Programs, and to pay the operational and Distribution Expenses of the organization. Because of the scope and breadth of these Statewide hunger relief services, the Department supports the nonprofit subcontracting with entities to achieve its programmatic goals.

Everything to know about RFP #202110155, Reducing Hunger and Promoting Maine Agriculture, as well as the RFP process, can be found online at this website: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/rfps