Pre- Solicitation Call for Section 32 purchase of Fresh Apples

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), plans to conduct a Pre-Solicitation Call for Fresh Apples under the Authority of Section 32.

Offers will be solicited with the intent to issue a Direct Delivery Contract for the following materials:

The initial solicitation will be issued in the near future for fresh apple deliveries. Prior to the solicitation, Offerors will be able to submit questions for a meeting discussing the details of the solicitation.

The resulting award will be a firm-fixed price, direct delivery contract. Multiple offerors may be awarded. Orders delivery period and location will be issued at time of award. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on an FOB destination basis.

Offers must be received not later than the date specified on the solicitations. Solicitations will be available electronically the AMS Commodity Procurement website. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through GovDelivery and on the Agricultural Marketing Service's website. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition.

Fresh Apples acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States and shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States.

To be eligible to submit offers, potential contracts must be registered on SAM.gov and be a qualified USDA bidder for Fresh Apples.

All fresh apples vendors or subcontractors who are supplying fresh fruit crops to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must ensure that each of their suppliers/subcontractors who grow, harvest, pack, hold, and handle product have approved and current food safety verification audits PRIOR to the bid opening date of this solicitation. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) scopes which are necessary to meet the minimum requirement to be deemed responsive are as follows:

GAP - Farm Review AND Field Harvesting & Field Packing Activities
GHP - House Packing Facility AND Storage & Transportation

A pre-solicitation Call is scheduled for Friday, August 9, 2024 at 1 p.m. Central time.

Teams link to the meeting

Or

Dial in by phone:
+1 314-530-5560, 904507856# (Phone conference ID: 904 507 856#)

Written questions may be submitted in advance of the call; not later than 3 p.m. CST on Thursday, August 8, 2024 by 0900 EST .

Inquiries may be directed to:
The Contracting Officer, Samantha Klagenberg at 816-648-9663; samantha.klagenberg@usda.gov and Contracting Specialist, Mr. Nick Wiber at 202-720-9771; Nick.Wiber@usda.gov.

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