The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Kosher fruit and vegetable products for National School Lunch Program. Offers will be solicited in the following forms:
Material Code | Material Description |
|---|---|
110053 | K APPLESAUCE CAN-6/10 |
110054 | K PEACHES CLING CAN-6/10 |
110055 | K PEARS SLICES CAN-6/10 |
110056 | K PEACH FREESTONED DICED FRZ CUP-96/4.4 OZ |
110059 | K CORN WHOLE KERNEL(LIQ) CAN-6/10 |
110063 | K BEANS GREEN FRZ CTN-30 LB |
110064 | K CARROTS FRZ CTN-30 LB |
110066 | K BEANS GREAT NORTHERN DRY BAG-25 LB |
110101 | K TOMATO SAUCE CAN – 6/10 |
110483 | K BEANS GARBANZO CAN – 6/10 |
Solicitations will be issued in the near future for deliveries beginning August 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021. All deliveries will be FOB Destination to various addresses in the state of New York (exact delivery addresses will be identified in the solicitation). Offerors must comply with the applicable dietary (KOSHER) laws as established by the “613 COUNCIL OF KASHRUTH” in the production of these commodity products. Offerors must not bid on these purchase units unless they can be properly certified. Vendors receiving purchase order items identified as KOSHER” must contact the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) at telephone 646-474-5365 prior to manufacturing the commodity product to arrange for certification of compliance with the applicable dietary (kosher) laws.
Offers to sell these products must be received not later than the date specified on the solicitations. Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. A hard copy of solicitations will not be available. Public WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service's website at https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price.
Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities 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. Packaging and container components under this acquisition will be the only portion subject to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements, as addressed by FAR clause 52.225-5.
Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including the latest—
- AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements (MSCP), October 2019;
- AMS Commodity Specification for Canned Fruit, March 2019, Frozen Fruit, September 2019, Canned Vegetables, March, 2020, Frozen Vegetables, March 2020, Dry Beans, Peas & Lentils, June 2014; Amendment October 2015 & Canned Dried Beans, March 2019.
- Applicable commodity specification(s) identified in the subsequent solicitation(s).
- Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA, March 1, 2017.
These documents are available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.
To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements. The AMS point of contact for new vendors is Andrea Lang who can be reached by phone at (202) 720-4237 or by email to Andrea.Lang@ams.usda.gov. Details of these requirements are available online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/becoming-approved. Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using this system. Submission of the above by any means other than WBSCM will be determined nonresponsive.
To receive e-mail notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe online by visiting: “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases” available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.
Inquiries may be directed to the Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Carol Givens-Verser, via email at carol.givens-verser@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender