The Saint Louis Zoo is seeking proposals from local and regional farmers, agricultural cooperatives, or food hubs to supply regionally grown produce on an as-needed basis. The goal is to establish a pool of vendors of record. Proposals are due by 1:00 p. m. CST on July 9, 2026. Tentative site visits for shortlisted farms are scheduled for July **** and July ****, 2026. The procurement uses a best-value methodology, with evaluation criteria including produce quality, food safety, availability, seasonality, delivery service, local/regional practices, and pricing. Contracts will be for a term of September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028, with potential for two 2-year renewals.
The zoo prefers Tuesdays and Fridays between 6:00 a. m. - 9:00 a. m. CST for deliveries to the Animal Nutrition Center. The zoo prefers the following delivery schedules however, vendors may propose alternative delivery schedules that maintain product freshness and meet operational requirements.
Proposals will be evaluated based on produce quality/food safety (25%), product availability/seasonality (25%), delivery service approach (20%), local/regional agricultural practices (15%), and pricing/value (15%). Award shall be made to the responsible proposer whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous to the zoo, considering price and all other evaluation factors set forth herein.
Qualified local and regional farmers, agricultural cooperatives, or food hubs are invited to submit proposals. The Saint Louis Zoo animal nutrition invites qualified local and regional farmers to submit proposals. . .
Tentative site visits for shortlisted farms are scheduled for July ****, 2026, and July ****, 2026. Tentative site visits for shortlisted farms July ****, 2026 and july 29 30, 2026
A protest concerning the terms, conditions, or specifications must be filed within five business days after the basis of the protest is known or should have been known. A protest concerning the terms, conditions, or specifications of this solicitation must be filed within five 5 business days after the basis of the protest is known or should have been known.
Unauthorized contact with Saint Louis Zoo employees regarding the solicitation may result in disqualification. Unauthorized contact may result in disqualification.
