Agricultural Products for use in International Food Assistance Programs

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - Commodity Procurement Program intends to issue a solicitation for procurement of various packaged agricultural products for international food assistance programs. Deliveries are to various locations in the United States with several delivery basis options (FAS vessel, intermodal plant, etc.). The solicitation may include various small business set asides pursuant to the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631, et seq.).

This may include partial or total small business set-asides, service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVO) set-asides, quantities reserved for 8(a) and AbilityOne firms, and price evaluation preferences for qualified HUBZone small businesses.

The solicitation is expected to be available on or after March 22, 2024, and will be available electronically through USDA Web Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system located at https://portal.wbscm.usda.gov/publicprocurement and also through a link to the aforementioned website in the documents attached to the solicitation notice on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities website. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available for the acquisition.

All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM and Contract Opportunities website (https://beta.sam.gov). Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The anticipated date of receipt for offers will be on or near April 2, 2024. The contract type will be firm-fixed price.

Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103, 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. Complete details of the commodity and packaging requirements are available in USDA's commodity requirements documents available through the attached documents. AMS's solicitation (when published) will specify the pack sizes, quantities, and required shipping schedules.

To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements established in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.2. The AMS main contact for vendor qualification requirements is NewVendor@ams.usda.gov. Details of these requirements and contact information are available online at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food