The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced plans to purchase grapefruit juice products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.
Solicitations will be issued in the near future, and will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. 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 WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) website at 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. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on a free-on-board destination basis.
Commodities acquired under this contract must be products of the United States, and shall be considered to be such products if grown, processed and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States.
Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including:
- AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements (MSCP), August 13, 2020 (pdf)
- The Commodity Specification for Bottled Juices, April 2020
- 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 can be reached by phone at (202) 720-4237 or by email to NewVendor@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.
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 contracting specialist, LaShawne Brown, via email at LaShawne.Brown@usda.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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