The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Shelf stable chicken for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Invitations for bid 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. 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 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 Government anticipates two solicitations activities associated with this acquisition. The first solicitations (issued quarterly) will result in fixed price contracts for exclusively a 12.5 oz. canned product. The requirement for canned product is driven by product utilization and recipient need. A second solicitation, resulting in a one-year IDIQ, fixed price contract, will allow the contractor to provide either a 12.5 oz canned or 10 oz pouch product. The offeror will be required to specify, at the time of bid opening, the type of product to be provided to the Government (i.e. canned or pouch). The solicitation that allows for canned or pouch product will be awarded on a state by state basis and the successful offeror will fulfill all of the requirements associated with that awarded state. 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), April 12, 2017; • Applicable commodity specification(s) identified in the subsequent solicitation(s); and • 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
[email protected]. 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 Contracting Officer, Hilary Cole, via email at
[email protected]