ILARNG Catered Meals - Camp Dodge

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides clarifications and answers to vendor questions regarding the ILARNG Catered Meals - Camp Dodge opportunity.

• Performance Period vs. Menu Cycle: The 29-day menu (Appendix B) is a template to meet standards, not a strict requirement for the July 12-22, 2026 performance period. Vendors are not required to follow the menu cycle or recipe structure strictly, as long as menu standards outlined in paragraphs 16 and 17 of the statement of work are met.
• Menu Substitutions: Contractor-developed recipes or equivalent menu substitutions are permitted if they meet nutritional, portion, sanitation, and dietary requirements. Deviations are outlined in paragraph 17, with definitions in paragraph 18.
• Recipe Cards: Detailed recipe cards/specifications for listed entrees and side items are available to the awarded vendor upon request.

This Q&A document clarifies the flexibility in menu selection and adherence to the provided menu cycle, emphasizing that meeting stated standards is the primary requirement. It does not appear to alter submission deadlines or evaluation criteria.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Field Menu Report for the FY26 ILARNG 29 Day Menu, detailing daily meal offerings for Menu Day 1 through Menu Day 30. It serves as a reference for food service operations.

Each day's menu lists breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, including REC # (Recipe Number), PORT (Portion Size), and RECIPE NAME. It also specifies beverages such as milk, iced tea, orange juice, lemonade, and fruit punch.

While not a solicitation or SOW, this document provides insight into the types and variety of food items that may be procured or prepared under a food service contract. Bidders can use this to understand the scope and complexity of potential food service requirements, including specific menu items, portioning, and daily variety.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To provide prepared meals for Forward Support Company 123rd Engineer Battalion.

• Furnish all personnel supervision, parts, tools, materials, and transportation necessary to provide prepared meals.

• Deliver meals to Camp Dodge Main Gate, 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston IA 50131.

• Provide all paper plates, cups, flatware, napkins, condiments, and other necessary products to complement the meals.

• Period of Performance: 07/12/2026 - 07/22/2026.

• Delivery Address: Camp Dodge Main Gate, 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston IA 50131.

• Total Meals: Tentatively 2415 meals.

• Daily Meal Composition: Each service requires 110 regular meals, 3 vegetarian, and 2 no-pork meals (totaling 115 meals).

• Mealtimes: Breakfast 06:30-07:30; Dinner 17:30-18:30. Meals delivered no later than 30 minutes before the start of the mealtime.

• Food Temperature: Hot foods at 135°F, cold foods at 41°F. Meals transported in clean delivery vans, not trunks.

• Menu Standards: Specific requirements for lunch/dinner (meat entrée, vegetables, salad, bread, fruit/dessert, beverage) and breakfast (eggs, meat, toast/biscuit, fruit, milk, coffee, juice).

• Substitutions: 3 vegetarian options and 2 no-pork options required for all meals. Choice of two vegetables from three or four options preferred. Specific salad components and dressing requirements.

• Deviations: Insignificant deviations in style or type of menu items are allowed, but must be described in the price quotation. No item may remain the same for two meals or two days in a row. Garlic bread cannot be substituted. No pasta or rice in replacement of potatoes, and no fruit or starch in replacement of vegetables.

• Quality Control: All produce, meat, poultry, fish, and seafood must meet Federal, State, and Local industry standards, regulations, and guidelines.

• Food Safety and Sanitation: Food handlers must have a current Food Safety and Sanitation certificate (ANSI-CFP accredited). Vendor must provide the preparation location. Compliance with TB MED 530 is required.

• Sanitation Requirements: Specific rules for personnel, including wearing gloves, hair restraints, hand washing, not performing custodial duties during food prep/service, and restrictions on jewelry and tobacco use.

• Name Tags: Employees must wear identification badges with the contractor's name and employee's last name (managers/supervisors include job title).

• Security: Compliance with Anti-Terrorism (AT) and Operational Security (OPSEC) measures is standard. This includes background checks, identity verification, and potential changes based on Force Protection Conditions (FPCON). AT/OPSEC training is required.

• Access to Buildings: Contractor employees must be accompanied by an authorized ILMD/ILNG employee at all times within buildings. Services may be discontinued during elevated FPCON levels.

• Government Equipment: Caterer may not use government equipment (stoves, refrigerators, water).

• The number of meals is tentative. A final count will be provided three weeks prior to the first meal. The government reserves the right to reduce the headcount. The vendor will only be authorized to charge for the number of meals requested, not to exceed the contracted amount.

Amendment / Modification

This revision, dated 30 July 2018, updates the Tri-Service Food Code (TB MED 530/NAVMED P-5010-1/AFMAN 48-147 IP) by incorporating numerous changes and clarifications. Key updates include:

• Table of Contents: Updated to include a list of provisions and hyperlinks to chapters.
• Applicability and Usage: Clarified applicability in Part 1-4 and guidance on using the publication in paragraph 1-6.c.
• Management and Personnel:
  • Clarified the definition of a "Person in Charge" (PIC) and requirements for supervisory authority.
  • Updated approved resources for Food Protection Manager Certification.
  • Mandated routine monitoring of food temperatures during hot and cold holding.
  • Added nontyphoidal Salmonella as a reportable illness requiring exclusion or restriction.
  • Included new provisions for handwashing after handling currency and clarified allowances for bare hand contact with ready-to-eat (RTE) food.
  • Addressed clean-up of vomiting and diarrheal events.
• Food:
  • Clarified requirements for food labeling, including advanced prepared and leftover food.
  • Updated criteria for parasite destruction through freezing for certain fish.
  • Revised provisions related to reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) methods, including HACCP plan requirements and discard times.
  • Added criteria for thawing frozen fish packaged using ROP.
  • Clarified temperature requirements for hot and cold food holding.
  • Updated date marking and retention criteria for "advanced prepared" food.
• Equipment, Utensils, and Linens:
  • Incorporated ventilation and exhaust rate requirements.
  • Updated requirements for mechanical warewashing, including the use of irreversible registering temperature indicators.
  • Added provisions for cleaning agents and sanitizers.
• Water, Plumbing, and Waste:
  • Clarified requirements for mobile water tanks and mobile food establishment water tanks.
• Physical Facilities:
  • Addressed room ventilation and relocated criteria for exhaust ventilation hoods.
• Poisonous or Toxic Materials:
  • Removed the requirement for storing poisonous or toxic materials in a locked room or cabinet.
  • Clarified requirements regarding chemicals used to wash fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Compliance and Enforcement:
  • Specified minimum required plan contents when constructing or renovating a food establishment.
  • Clarified requirements for submitting plans to operate a temporary food establishment.
  • Updated inspection frequencies and scoring criteria.
  • Clarified the timeframe for correction of violations.
• Field and Deployment Food Operations:
  • Added guidance regarding installation farmers markets.
• Appendices:
  • Updated Appendix B to reflect organizational name changes and contact information.
  • Included instructions for marking food sanitation inspection forms and updated lists for applicable publication sections.
  • Added new defined terms in the Glossary.

This amendment impacts numerous sections of the Tri-Service Food Code, including but not limited to:

• Table of Contents
• Part 1-4, Applicability
• Part 1-6, Guidance for using the publication
• Chapter 2, Management and Personnel (including sections on supervision, knowledge, employee health, personal cleanliness, hair restraints, animals, and training)
• Chapter 3, Food (including sections on condition, sources, specifications, protection from contamination, destruction of organisms, specialized processing methods, and food identity/presentation/labeling)
• Chapter 4, Equipment, Utensils, and Linens (including sections on materials, design, construction, installation, maintenance, operation, cleaning, and sanitization)
• Chapter 5, Water, Plumbing, and Waste (including sections on water, plumbing systems, sewage, refuse, and facilities)
• Chapter 6, Physical Facilities (including sections on materials, design, construction, installation, cleanability, functionality, and maintenance)
• Chapter 7, Poisonous or Toxic Materials (including sections on labeling, operational supplies, storage, presence and use, container prohibitions, chemicals, lubricants, pesticides, medicines, first-aid supplies, other personal care items, and stock/retail sales)
• Chapter 8, Compliance and Enforcement (including sections on applicability, additional requirements, variances, plan submission, inspections, correction of violations, and prevention of foodborne disease transmission by employees)
• Chapter 9, Field and Deployment Food Operations (including sections on general provisions, standards, design, construction, installation, physical facilities, water, plumbing, waste, maintenance, food, personnel, and transporting food)
• Chapter 10, Mobile, Temporary, Seasonal, and Vending Food Operations (including sections on chapter scope, water/plumbing/waste, physical facilities, facility and operating plans, and vending machine operations)
• Appendix A, References
• Appendix B, Technical Support
• Appendix C, Debitable Provisions During Food Establishment Inspections
• Appendix D, Food Facility Risk Assessment
• Appendix E, Instructions for Marking Food Sanitation Inspection Forms
• Appendix F, Forms and Temperature Guides
• Appendix G, Public Health Reasons and Assessment Guidance
• Glossary

This amendment does not directly impact proposal submission deadlines or requirements for this specific opportunity. However, bidders should review the updated Tri-Service Food Code to ensure their proposals and operations align with the latest standards and regulations for food safety and sanitation.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is an "Instruction to Offerors" for FY 26 Prepared Meals for HHD 123rd EN BN. It outlines the process for submitting quotations for a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) delivery order, anticipated to be awarded under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 procedures. This requirement is a small business set-aside under NAICS 722320, Caterers.

• The core requirement is for prepared meals.

• Offerors must provide a technical proposal detailing their approach to the Statement of Work (SOW) and a pricing proposal.

• Technical proposals will be evaluated for the offeror's understanding of the requirement relative to the SOW.

• Pricing proposals must include details for all resources required to accomplish the requirement.

• A Firm Fixed Price (FFP) delivery order is anticipated.

• Offerors' pricing will be valid for 60 days after receipt of quote.

• Quotations are due by 20 May 2026 at 11:00 AM CDT.

• All questions regarding the RFQ are due by 18 May 2026 at 11:00 AM CDT and should be submitted via email.

• The evaluation will be based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process.

• Award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer is most advantageous, considering price and technical acceptability.

• Evaluation Factors: Technical Performance and Price Proposal.

• Technical Performance will be evaluated as acceptable or unacceptable based on whether the vendor can meet all required specifications outlined in the SOW.

• Pricing will only be evaluated for technically acceptable offers and will be assessed for reasonableness, completeness, and balance.

• This requirement is a small business set-aside.

• The government is not obligated to answer questions.

• The government intends to award without discussions; offerors are encouraged to present their best quote initially.

• Offerors must include their contract number in the quote.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation (W91SMC26QA006) is for catering services to provide breakfast and dinner meals for the FSC and HHC 123rd Engineer Battalion during their annual training at Camp Dodge, IA. The training period is from July 11-25, with catering required from July 12-22, 2026. Soldiers are authorized three meals per day; lunches will be provided by the unit. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 722320.

• Breakfast Catering: 1,150 meals, Firm Fixed Price.

• Dinner Catering: 1,265 meals, Firm Fixed Price.

• Meals are to be delivered to 0123 EN BN ENGINEER BATTAL, 5212 78TH AVE, MILAN, IL 61264-3238.

• Vendor will drop off meals no less than 30 minutes before the start of the meal service.

• Contractor is responsible for transportation costs.

• Solicitation Issue Date: Not specified, but offer due date is May 20, 2026.

• Period of Performance: July 12, 2026 to July 22, 2026.

• Contract Type: Not explicitly stated, but pricing arrangements are Firm Fixed Price.

• Offer Due Date: May 20, 2026, 11:00 AM local time.

• Payment: Via Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF) system. Specific routing data and document types are provided.

• This acquisition is set aside for Small Business.

• The solicitation incorporates FAR clauses by reference, including those related to System for Award Management, subcontracting, child labor, and equal opportunity.

• DFARS clauses are also incorporated, including those related to safeguarding covered defense information and prohibitions on certain procurements.

• Several attachments are listed, including a Statement of Work, Tri-Service Food Code, and a 29-Day Menu.