PURCHASE ANNOUNCEMENT United States Department of Agriculture Commodity Procurement Staff DATE: September 4, 2013 USDA ANNOUNCES PURCHASE PROGRAM FOR BLUEBERRY PRODUCTS: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced plans to purchase frozen blueberries for surplus removal. Offers will be invited pursuant to the AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements dated April 2013 for the following form: Blueberry Cultivated Frz - 12/2.5 lb (100263). The first Solicitation will be issued in the near future for deliveries from November 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. Offers to sell these products must be received not later than the date specified on the Solicitation. All offers must be submitted through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) website at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=WBSCM. Offers submitted by any means other than WBSCM will be considered nonresponsive. To receive electronic (e-mail) notification of the issuance of the solicitation, subscribe to http://info.ams.usda.gov/CPD/subscribe.html or update at http://info.ams.usda.gov/CPD/login.php on the AMS Commodity Procurement website. Offerors are urged to carefully read all applicable terms and conditions of the AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements dated April 2013, the Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA dated September 2012, and the entire Solicitation. Inquiries may be made by telephoning (202) 720-4517 or addressing the Contracting Officer; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Contracting Branch, 1400 Independence Ave SW, STOP 0256, Washington, DC 20250-0239. An electronic version of this Purchase Announcement can be obtained through the AMS Commodity Procurement website at: www.ams.usda.gov/commoditypurchasing. - more - - 2 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office,or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at
[email protected]. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). - - - - -