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Board upholds evaluation committee; awards jail food contract to Summit Correctional Services after appeal
Summary
The Board of Supervisors denied Trinity Services Group's protest and approved selecting Summit Correctional Services LLC to provide inmate food and kitchen services; the decision followed presentations from the sheriff's office, both bidders and legal counsel and a 3‑2 final vote.
Kern County supervisors on June 17 approved selection of Summit Correctional Services LLC to provide inmate food and kitchen services for the county’s detention facilities and denied an appeal from the incumbent contractor, Trinity Services Group.
The sheriff’s office solicited proposals in September 2024 to supply daily meals and kitchen services for an average inmate population of about 1,800 across two adult facilities. Lieutenant Jacob Pearson described a best‑value scoring process conducted by an evaluation committee; of the two proposals received Summit had the higher weighted score after an initial review and after a formal “best and final” request the committee again concluded Summit’s proposal offered the best value.
Trinity Services Group, the incumbent, disputed the process and contended Trinity’s final offer would save the county roughly $435,695 over five years and provide more staff (about 12 additional employees). Trinity’s counsel argued Summit’s original proposal incorrectly submitted separate prices for religious and regular meals (the RFP required a single consolidated per‑meal price) and that the evaluation committee applied scoring inconsistently. Trinity asked the board to overturn the evaluation committee and award the contract to Trinity.
KCSO response and evaluation rationale: Speakers from the sheriff’s office and the procurement team told supervisors the committee evaluated seven weighted criteria, conducted debriefs and asked for best‑and‑final pricing following Trinity’s protest. The sheriff’s office said Summit demonstrated an acceptable transition plan, implementation schedule, relevant correctional experience, and pricing that met the RFP requirements. The department said the award followed the committee’s scoring and review of best‑and‑final offers.
Board vote and outcome: After hearing presentations from both vendors and county staff, the board voted 3–2 to approve the award to Summit and to deny Trinity’s appeal. Chair Leticia Perez and Supervisor Jeff Flores recorded the two “no” votes.
Why it matters: The contract covers preparation and delivery of approximately 2.8 million inmate meals per year, daily special‑diet needs, and related kitchen operations. County staff highlighted legal and operational risks of switching vendors and the importance of an orderly transition; Trinity emphasized continuity, lower net cost and preserving local jobs. The county’s procurement and sheriff’s staff concluded Summit’s proposal best met the county’s needs under the RFP criteria and recommended award.
Next steps: County counsel and the sheriff’s office will finalize contract negotiations with Summit. The board’s vote authorizes the sheriff to enter contract negotiations and complete the procurement steps required by county policy.
Ending: Both vendors acknowledged the complexity of operating large jail food programs. The sheriff’s office said it is satisfied both companies would be able to provide services but recommended selecting the vendor that best matched the committee’s evaluation of cost, experience and implementation.
