Committee advances multiple child-nutrition procurements, rejects local beef bids; several items move to board

The Terrebonne Parish School Board Building, Food Service and Transportation Committee on the meeting agenda recommended awarding several food-service contracts and moved multiple procurement items to the full board.

The committee recommended accepting the lowest responsive bids for meat and frozen items for the 2025–26 spring session, including Lacassan LLC (Baton Rouge) for $364,216, Gold Star Foods (Ponchatoula) for $428,861.10 and S & W Wholesale Foods (Hammond) for $106,221.45, with funds to be drawn from the Child Nutrition Program Fund. “We just had the lowest responsible vendors,” a staff member said during the meeting.

The committee also recommended accepting multiple lowest bids for canned and dry goods for the same session, listing several vendors and dollar amounts; those purchases likewise would be funded from the Child Nutrition Program Fund.

On local beef procurement, the committee recommended rejecting all bids after staff declared the submissions nonresponsive or incomplete. “The vendors either did not complete the forms as necessary or did not provide the 10‑day documents,” a procurement staffer said, and the committee was told the items will be re‑advertised. Staff defined “local beef” during questions as product raised, slaughtered and processed in Louisiana.

Separately, the panel authorized the Child Nutrition Department to advertise for bids for kitchen equipment, with funds to be derived from the Child Nutrition Program Fund.

The committee also approved a notice to proceed for demolition of canopies, walkways and site prep at South Terrebonne High’s temporary modular buildings and established a budget of $242,854 to support that work; staff said the funds will come from FEMA reimbursement and disaster funds.

Votes at a glance (committee recommendations moved to the full board): • Item 2 — Houma Christian School facility-use waiver: recommended approval (conditions: proof of insurance, nonprofit status, principal approval). • Item 3 — Meat and frozen items procurement: recommended acceptance of lowest responsive vendors (amounts specified above). • Item 4 — Canned and dry goods procurement: recommended acceptance of lowest responsive vendors (amounts specified in agenda). • Item 5 — Local beef procurement: recommended rejection of all bids as nonresponsive; re-advertise. • Item 6 — Kitchen equipment: recommended authorization to advertise for bids. • Item 8 — South Terrebonne High demolition/site prep: recommended notice to proceed; budget established at $242,854; funding noted as FEMA reimbursement and disaster funds.

Several motions were moved and seconded on the committee floor and advanced without recorded objections; the full board will receive the committee’s recommendations for final action.

The committee pulled one item that is under attorney review and will present it to the full board after legal review.