SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE - FRESH PRODUCE (NAICS 424480) This is not a solicitation announcement. This is a sources sought notice for the identification of potential vendors to provide Fresh Fruits and Vegetables; i.e. such as but not limited to: Fruit: whole (melons, apples, bananas, oranges, lemons, peaches, pears, grapes, etc) and processed fruit (cut & diced fruit in juice, sliced apples in individual packets, etc); Vegetables: Baking potatoes, ready to use lettuce, lettuce mixes, spinach, leaf lettuce, shredded lettuce and cabbage, tomatoes, raw onions, celery, carrots, etc.; processed (peeled, sliced, diced, quartered, sticks); in season fresh green beans, asparagus, plums, nectarines, etc with 3 days per week delivery schedules to local VA facilities. A list of Veterans facilities can be found at http://www.va.gov/landing2_locations.htm. The VA National Acquisition Center will not be issuing a solicitation as a result of this sources sought notice but will be compiling a list of interested and capable respondents for local VA facilities to utilize. The purpose of this notice is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their business size classification (hubzone, 8(a), small, small disadvantaged, small veteran owned or service disabled veteran owned small business) relative to NAICS 424480 (size standard of 100 employees or less). Consistent with VA's Veterans First Contracting Program, VA is particularly interested in identifying Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses with the capability to perform. Interested and capable respondents are requested to provide the information below. All responses to this notice shall include: company name, address, point of contact, phone number, DUNS number (www.dnb.com), list of available products, the geographical location the respondent is able to service, and a list of the respondent's establishment's certifications from private, State and/or local agencies documenting the safety and sanitary conditions and procedures. (1) Business size (small or large business concern), and number of employees (2) Type of small business a. Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business b. Veteran Owned Small Business c. Small Disadvantaged d. HubZone e. Woman Owned f. Small Business Responses to this notice should be emailed or faxed to the attention of Christine Szrom, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Acquisition Center, P.O. Box 76 Bldg. 37 (001AL-A2-3B), Hines IL 60141. E-mail Address:
[email protected]. Fax Number: (708) 786-5221. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received in writing no later than 4:00PM Central Time, March 16, 2011. This notice is to assist the VA in determining sources only. All contractors interested in doing business with the Government must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. The website for registration is www.ccr.gov. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses should also indicate whether the company is verified by the VA in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) Database at www.vetbiz.gov.