Catering Solicitation No. 693JK426R500001 for DOT Secretary’s 58th Annual Awards Ceremony

Amendment / Modification

• This amendment deletes a statement from the original solicitation regarding the requirement for the Purchase Order awardee-company to possess a current and valid catering license issued by the District of Columbia.

• It substitutes the deleted statement with revised text specifying that "The Licenses and Certifications needed for all offerors, and also needed for this Solicitation's resulting Purchase-Order-Awardee company, are specified above in this Solicitation's SECTION B OVER-VIEW".

• The original statement under the heading "Certifications, Travel and Training" (approximately page 16) has been deleted.

• A new statement referencing SECTION B OVER-VIEW for license and certification requirements has been substituted.

• This amendment clarifies where to find information on required licenses and certifications, referencing SECTION B OVER-VIEW instead of a specific DC license requirement. Bidders should review SECTION B OVER-VIEW for the definitive requirements.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for catering services for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary's 58th Annual Awards Ceremony. The event includes a Special Awardee Recognition for approximately 50 people and a reception for 800-950 individuals. The purpose is to celebrate distinguished recipients of the Secretary's Annual Awards.

• Provide light refreshments and floral arrangements.

• Prepare and deliver staff, food, utensils, labor, and necessary equipment.

• Maintain a safe, clean, and healthy environment.

• Use fresh ingredients and maintain proper food temperatures.

• Provide dishware, silverware, 31 white linen tablecloths, and napkins.

• No cooking or storage facilities will be provided.

• Food and necessary cooking/refrigeration/heating/warming ovens/storage equipment must be transported to the site.

• The U.S. Department of Transportation will provide indoor space with electricity, a small conference room (no kitchen or running water), and access to restrooms.

• All food served must be wholesome, free from spoilage, adulteration, and misbranding, and safe for human consumption.

• Food must be attractive and correct in temperature, color, taste, and consistency.

• Contractor is responsible for providing carts to transport items within USDOT.

• Access to one loading dock bay for loading/unloading will be provided.

• Staff requirements include providing sufficient staff for service, setup, maintenance, and cleanup. All staff must wear appropriate uniforms.

• A District of Columbia-licensed food service manager must be onsite for the duration of the event.

• Non-managerial food-service-handler-workers must be District of Columbia licensed.

• Contractor must furnish required Personal Protective Equipment and supervise personnel.

• Extra food at the conclusion of the event should be consolidated and left in the East Atrium.

• Floral arrangements include large white floral arrangements with red and blue pot covers for the West Atrium stage, and large centerpieces and one-sided arrangements for the East Atrium.

• Contract Type: Fixed-Price Purchase Order.

• Period of Performance: May 7, 2026 - June 19, 2026.

• Place of Performance: USDOT Headquarters, Washington, DC.

• The ceremony date is tentatively scheduled for June 4, 2026, with an alternate date of June 11, 2026. The final date will be confirmed no later than April 15, 2026.

• Proposal Submission Deadline: 11:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, March 29, 2026. Proposals must be e-mailed to specific DOT addresses.

• Pre-Proposal Site Visit: Encouraged but not required, on March 17, 2026, from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM at DOT Headquarters. Limited to two representatives per company.

• Pre-Registration for Site Visit: Required by March 12, 2026, via email, specifying names of attendees.

• Evaluation Factors: Technical Plan, Past Performance, Experience, and Pricing. Each criterion is weighted equally.

• DOT will use a Best Buy / Best Value approach, with Technical factors being more important than pricing.

• This is a full-and-open-competitive solicitation, but DOT reserves the right to award to a small business.

• NAICS Code: 722320.

• Small Business Size Standard: $9,000,000 annual average gross revenues.

• Offerors must state their average annual gross revenue and whether they qualify as a small business.

• Requirement for a UEI-Number: Must possess a valid UEI number issued by SAM.gov to receive the Purchase Order.

• Licensing/Certification: Offerors must possess a catering license/certification from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, or another jurisdiction. Must have a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) onsite. Must provide a recent Health Department Permit. Non-managerial workers need food-service-handler licenses/certifications.

• Foreign Nationals entering the DOT Building require a specific visit request submission.

• This solicitation supersedes a previous version published in SAM.gov on March 5, 2026.

• DOT will not disclose the budget amount.

• No maximum page length for proposals, but font size must be easily readable.

• DOT will not provide parking or travel for pre-proposal or site visits, or for contractor personnel.

• Government holidays will be observed.

• Government building closures do not entitle the contractor to additional compensation or extensions.