WIC Vendor New Authorization or Add a Location

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) Central WIC is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) for the purposes of entering into an agreement and awarding funds to eligible and qualified entities to WIC Vendor New Authorization or Add a Location.

The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is for eligible Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, Grocery Stores with Pharmacies, and Military Commissaries seeking initial authorization, including existing vendors seeking to add a location, to apply to become an authorized MSDH WIC Vendor.

The MSDH WIC Program is responsible for ensuring WIC participants have access to healthy foods by authorizing eligible WIC Vendors, including Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, Grocery Stores with Pharmacies, and Military Commissaries. To be considered for participation as a WIC Vendor, an applicant must meet applicable vendor selection criteria. [...] The authorization process includes submission of a complete application and required documentation, review of vendor selection criteria and cost competitiveness, training, and an on-site preauthorization visit. All requirements must be completed before an applicant may enter into a WIC Vendor Agreement.

Grocery Stores

• EBT-capable
• WIC Vendors must charge competitive prices.
• An average of **$1,000** in eWIC benefit redemptions over a period of 6 months shall be required to participate as a WIC Vendor.
• WIC Vendors must be open for business year-round at least 9 hours per day and 6 days per week.
• WIC Vendors must have a minimum of 9,000 square feet of continuous retail space allocated solely for food products.
• WIC Vendors must have a minimum of three (3) operational cash registers.

Pharmacies

• EBT-capable
• WIC Vendors must charge competitive prices.
• WIC Vendors must be open for business year-round at least 9 hours per day and 6 days per week.
• WIC Vendors must be a business whose primary purpose is to be a retail pharmacy.

The Vendor agrees to adhere to all the requirements set forth in the vendor agreement. There are no required reports to be submitted for this RFA.

The Application can be submitted electronically through MSDH's OpenGov Procurement portal. Applications are due prior to **11:00 pm** on Saturday, September 1, 2029 and late submittals will not be accepted. Applications that do not contain all required information or that are not in a submitted status prior to the deadline for Application submittals will be rejected.

Rolling applications accepted and will be processed upon receipt. Vendor applications are not processed from July 1 to October 1. Applications submitted during this period will be processed after October 2.

The Initial Period of Performance for this RFA begins October 1, 2026. Vendor Agreements may be issued for a period of up to three (3) years, depending on the date of authorization and the remaining duration of the current vendor agreement cycle. All Vendor Agreements issued under this RFA will have a common expiration date of September 30, 2029, regardless of the Applicant's authorization date.

There is no match or in-kind funding requirement under this RFA.

Phase 1 (Application Type) is 50% of Total and Phase 2 (Application Evaluation Criteria) items are scored Pass / Fail.