The Black Hills Health Care System requires Milk and Dairy Products with the Salient Characteristics listed below. This is a sources sought looking for businesses to provide the supplies listed below for market research purposes. No awards of a contract will be made from this announcement. If you are a vendor that can provide the requested information above and required supplies described below with competitive pricing, send your information (to include your organization's Unique Entity Identifier number) with a description of proof of capability to: Joey Bloomer,
[email protected], by February 13th at 5pm CST. Only emailed responses will be considered. Additionally, please provide answers as appropriate to the following questions in the table below with your response to this sources sought. Failure to respond to the following questions may affect the acquisition strategy. 1. Identify your organization's socio-economic category. 2. Identify if your organization is the manufacturer of the requested supplies. If you are not the manufacturer, identify the manufacturer of the supplies that you will provide, their socio-economic category and a letter showing that your organization is an authorized distributor for the requested supplies. 3. Fill out the certificate under FAR Provision 52.225-2(b), identifying the item and its country of origin. ( https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_225_2__d3401e52). If the product is a US domestic end product, write in USA for the item's country of origin. 4. State whether any of the requested supplies may be ordered against a government contract awarded to your organization (e.g Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), General Services Administration (GSA), etc.). 5. Address whether your organization meets the requirements of 13 CFR 121.406 (b)(1)(i), (b)(1)(ii) and (b)(1)(iii) (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR0fca5207262de47/section-121.406#p-121.406(b)). 6. Provide estimated shipping and delivery information for the requested supplies (e.g. Expected lead time on delivery).  *If applicable, VAAR 852.219-76 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Supplies and Products, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Veteran Owned Small-Businesses.*  *If applicable, VAAR 852.212-71 Gray Market Items, will apply to the potential solicitation.* *If applicable, FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Small-Businesses. * STATEMENT OF WORK Provide Milk Products listed in the Schedule utilizing a 5-year IDIQ with 5 one-year ordering periods to run from April 1, 2025, through March 31st, 2030, for the following Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical Centers: VA Black Hills (Hot Springs and Fort Meade campuses) PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: All products offered within a Bid Group will be available to be ordered for delivery at any location within that Bid Group. Each location will phone or electronically send in delivery orders for milk products to the Contractor. Fort Meade facility will require deliveries two (2) days per week. Order will NOT be required to be placed more than one week prior to delivery day. Hot Springs facility will require deliveries two (2) days per week. Order will NOT be required to be placed more than one week prior to delivery. If an item has been ordered and is not available at the time of delivery, it will be the vendor s responsibility to obtain the necessary product that day. All delivery tickets and invoices referencing the purchase order number must show the total items delivered for each line item. The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. Please indicate the time orders are to be placed by location: Fort Meade, SD 3 working day prior to delivery Hot Springs, SD 3 working days prior to delivery AUTHORIZATION FOR CHANGES. The contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments to issue changes which will affect the price, quantity and quality or delivery of this contract. PACKAGING, PACKING AND LABELING. All packaging and packing shall be in accordance with good commercial practice. Labeling shall be in accordance with commercial labeling complying with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under. All items must be identified with readable dates (open code dates), or coded dates. Contractors who do not use open dating will provide a product code number key listing to each customer facility. The product code number key listing shall explain the actual date of production or processing. Copies of key-codes will be furnished to each destination receiving officer and each destination inspection agency with the first delivery. Offeror is to provide pricing for both each and squat containers, if available. Individual delivery locations will decide which container type to order. All products listed within this contract are to be available to any VA listed in the contract at the same price quoted in the contract. The Government anticipates making a single contract award in the aggregate. Evaluation of offers will be based on capability to meet the Government requirements, past performance, and price. Preference may be given to offers that provide prices for product in containers as specified. However, vendors may offer alternate container (packaging) options and pricing. Award will be made to the offeror that is determined to be the best value for the Government. Alternative methods, (i.e. hormone free milk) are encouraged. If presenting alternative methods, please specify that in your bid. PRODUCT QUALITY AND FRESHNESS. All milk and dairy products shall be delivered to the requested destinations as listed in the schedule. All milk and dairy products furnished under this contract shall be fresh and of the highest quality. All products furnished under this contract shall be processed and packed under sanitary conditions in strict accordance with guidelines provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, using the best commercial practices that are standard for the industry. All containers shall be clean, sound and securely covered or sealed to provide adequate protection from dirt, filth, or contamination. Unless otherwise specified in the item specification or solicitation, marking shall be in accordance with best commercial practice. Any commercial or additional labeling as specified which complies with the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under, is acceptable. Products manufactured to metric dimensions will be considered on an equal basis with those manufactured using inch-pound units, providing they fall within the tolerances specified using conversion dimensions and those dimensions exceed the tolerances specified in the inch-pound units, a request should be made to the Contracting Officer to determine if the product is acceptable. The COTR, in accordance with the Contracting Officer, will accept or reject the product. FRESHNESS REQUIREMENTS FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS. Fluid dairy and other products shall have a minimum of ten (10) days shelf life remaining at the time of delivery commensurate with good commercial practice and at a minimum, maintain grade A standards. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE. The Contracting Officer shall authorize VA Fort Meade, SD & VA Hot Springs, SD personnel to place delivery orders (DO) for products listed in the schedule of pricing. Orders shall be placed no less than 1 workday prior to the required delivery date, upon delivery at the receiving location, items ordered shall be less than 24 hours old. Deliveries shall be made between 5:30am and 3:30PM, local time, on Monday through Friday, as requested by the COTR or his/her designee, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Deliveries shall be made within the premises at the following locations: VA Health Care System Dietetics Service Building 146 (Hospital) Fort Meade, SD 57741 VA Health Care System Dietetics Service, Building 53 Hospital Kitchen 500 North 5th Street Hot Springs, SD 57747 INSPECTION OF PLANTS: All product furnished under the awarded contract shall be processed at plants that have been inspected by the Federal Government. Approved inspection reports of another VA Facility or other Federal Government agency will be accepted as satisfactory evidence that the facilities/plants meet these requirements, provided that the inspection was made not more than six (6) months prior to the proposed contract period. The Contracting Officer or his/her designee reserves the right to make pre-award, on-site survey and inspection of the plant, personnel, equipment, and processes of the offeror prior to making award and conditions found will be considered in awarding the contract. Inspection(s) may also be made at any time during the life of the contract and, if it is found that the contractor is not complying with specifications, deliveries will be rejected, and the products covered by this contract will be procured in the open market. Any excess cost occasioned by this action will be charged against the contractor s account. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SCHEDULE OF PRICE/COSTS: Contractor shall provide the estimated milk and dairy requirements as described in the schedule to the VA Black Hills Care System, in accordance with specifications contained herein, for 5 one-year ordering periods. The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed-Price Estimated Requirements contract for the period April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2030. The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. Any proposed alternate items shall meet the requirements of the Government specifications as cited in the Index of Federal Specifications/Standards (FED) and or commercial Item Description (CID). A-A-20052B and A-A-20053B. The awarded contract shall constitute the entire agreement including all terms and conditions applicable to the contract. The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. SUPPLIES/SERVICES MILK PRODUCTS Annual Estimation (12 months) EST QTY UNIT Milk, 2%, 0.5 pint, 50/case 72800 ½ pint Milk, 1%, 0.5 pint, 50/case 17000 ½ pint Milk, Whole, 0.5 pint, 50 case 20800 ½ pint Milk, Skim (nonfat), 0.5 pint, 50/case 10400 ½ pint Milk, Chocolate, 1%, 0.5 pint, 50/case 11600 ½ pint Milk, 1%, Gallon 50 Gallon Milk, 2%, Gallon 300 Gallon Milk, Whole, Gallon 50 Gallon Milk, Skim (nonfat), Gallon 25 Gallon Sour Cream, 5 lbs., tray of 2 80 5 lbs./2 tray Sour Cream, 1 oz. 100/case 100 100 oz/case Cottage Cheese, (low-fat), 5 lbs., tray of 2 300 5 lbs./2 tray Cottage Cheese, (small curd), 5 lbs., tray of 2 300 5 lbs./2 tray Butter, salted, 1 lb. quarters 100 1 lb. quarters Buttermilk, 1%, quart 301 quart Cream Cheese, 8 oz., brick 30 8 oz. brick Whipped Cream, Aero, 14 oz. 300 14 oz. Yogurt, Vanilla, 24 oz. 300 24 oz. Yogurt, Plain, 24 oz. 50 24 oz