Single Source Procurement: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman Infants and Children (WIC) and Vendor Management Agency

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible. The Division of Nutrition (DON) intends to issue a single source waiver from competitive bidding requirements to amend and extend the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Vendor Management Agency (VMA) contracts currently in place. These contracts will end on September 30, 2014 and a one year extension to September 30, 2015 is being requested. Currently, DON has contracts with 93 WIC agencies and 5 VMA contractors, with an aggregate contract value of approximately $126 million ($123.1 million WIC, $2.9 million VMA).

The intent of this request is to ensure the continuation of WIC and VMA contracts while a new competitive procurement makes its way through the procurement process and new executed contracts for the next five year period can be established.

The WIC Program currently provides over $580 million per year in food benefits to approximately 500,000 participants per month, through 93 WIC local agencies via a network of 500 service sites and approximately 1,500 local agency staff. The WIC program distributes more than two million food checks per month, which are redeemed at approximately 4,000 retail food vendors and pharmacies statewide. Each of the 4,000 vendors is under contract with one of the five designated WIC VMAs; the combined value of the five VMA contracts is $2.9 million.

Contractors were awarded contract(s) as a result of the competitive procurement process. This is a 12 month extension of the contract(s) under the same terms, conditions, and pricing authorized under the existing contract(s). The single source extension period will allow for the continuation of critical services pending outcome of a new competitive procurement to obtain these services.

Procurement / Program Name Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman Infants and Children (WIC) and Vendor Management Agency (VMA)
Contractor Name(s) Multiple Vendors - See attached.
Contract Period 10/1/2014 - 09/30/2015
Contract Number(s) Multiple Contracts - See attached.