Solicitation Notice: Fresh Fruit & Vegetable support for DoD and Non-DoD customers located in the state of Montana

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for an indefinite quantity contract (IQC) for a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grade Number 1 or better quality fresh fruits and vegetables (FF&V) and shell eggs (if required) products. The products will be supplied to Department of Defense (DoD) and USDA (School) customers in the Montana Zone. The government is seeking offers from current and functioning commercial distributors. This is a 100% Small Business set-aside acquisition.

• Supply a variety of FF&V items and shell eggs.

• Maintain acceptable fill rates, customer service levels, and product quality.

• Offerors must possess physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor.

• Must possess a current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) license.

• Must submit a valid USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Plus + Standard audit, including addenda for warehouse and food defense, or an independent third-party certifying company audit report/certificate for each place of performance.

• Awardee must have a computer system capable of accepting delivery orders and processing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions.

• Maintain electronic catalogs (STORES for Troop contracts, FFAVORS for School contracts).

• Contract Type: Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC), fixed-price.

• Period of Performance: 5 years, divided into one 24-month tier and two 18-month tiers.

• Estimated Dollar Value: Approximately $6.57 million over 5 years, with a guaranteed minimum of $131,496.06 and a maximum of $19,724,408.70.

• Submission Deadline: April 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM Local Time.

• Submission Methods: DIBBS electronic upload or email to specified points of contact.

• Evaluation Method: Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) Source Selection Process.

• Evaluation Factors: Technical Acceptability (including PACA license and USDA GAP Plus + Standard audit) and Pricing.

• Pricing: Offerors must submit proposed prices for all items in the Schedule of Items, broken down into Delivered Price and Distribution Price components.

• 100% Small Business set-aside.

• NAICS Code: 311991.

• Size Standard: 700 employees.

• Offerors are advised that the solicitation document contains clauses that have been rendered obsolete due to the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO).

• The content and structure of this solicitation are new; offerors are advised to read carefully.

• A checklist is provided for offeror convenience, but is not all-inclusive.

• Specific requirements for packaging, labeling, delivery, inspection, invoicing, and product quality are detailed throughout the document.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 5," details the "Quality Systems Management Visits & Produce Quality Audits" for the contract SPE300-26-R-0022. It outlines the procedures and requirements for both Unannounced Quality Systems Management Visits (QSMVs) and Produce Quality Audits that DLA Troop Support personnel may conduct.

Unannounced Quality Systems Management Visits (QSMVs):

• Purpose: To review contractor compliance with contract terms, triggered by unsatisfactory ratings, customer complaints, or other government needs.
• Scope: May include visits to subcontractors, growers, and suppliers.
• Review Areas: Contractor's Quality Program, storage facilities, product shelf-life management, inventory, product substitutions, control of destroyed/condemned products, recall notifications, and customer issue responses.
• Contractor Responsibilities: Provide current Produce Catalog and inventory lists upon arrival.
• Proposal Incorporation: Contractor's proposal may be used as a standard for QSMVs; the contract governs in case of conflict.
• Corrective Actions: Failure to address QSMV concerns may lead to contract termination.

Produce Quality Audits:

• Objective: To ensure produce items meet contractual requirements, US Grade Number 1 quality or better, are uniform, and not misrepresented.
• Audit Team: Composed of USDA AMS Fresh Products Branch personnel and DLA Troop Support Quality Auditors.
• Audit Process: Typically a two-day process involving sample selection, USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) & Good Handling Practices (GHP) audits, and the Produce Quality Audit.
• Audit Ratings: Products are rated ACCEPTABLE (GREEN), MINOR NONCONFORMANCE (YELLOW), MAJOR NONCONFORMANCE (BLUE), or CRITICAL NONCONFORMANCE (RED) based on deviations.
• Consequences of Failure: Audit failures or failure to take corrective action can be grounds for contract termination.
• Follow-Up Audits: May be conducted within a year of the initial audit.

Markings & Traceability:

• Code Dates: Products must have readable open code dates (Use by Date, Date of Pack, Expiration Date, etc.).
• Traceability: Fresh fruits and vegetables must be traceable back to the grower/supplier. Contractors must maintain documentation for re-packaged/re-labeled items to verify origin, approved source, and for recall purposes.

This attachment is critical for bidders to understand the government's quality assurance processes, audit procedures, and the standards expected for produce quality. It details the potential for unannounced visits, the criteria for audits, the consequences of non-compliance (including contract termination), and specific requirements for product labeling and traceability. Bidders must be prepared to comply with these quality management and audit requirements if awarded the contract.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet containing a schedule of items for Solicitation SPE300-26-R-0022, "Montana Schools" and "Montana Reservations." It serves as a pricing sheet for vendors to submit their bids.

• Sheet 1A Schools: Lists 58 items, primarily fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, with columns for Government Item #, Stock Number, Description, Estimated Quantity, Unit of Issue, and various pricing fields (Delivered Pricing Including Freight, Tier 1 Distribution Price, Unit Price, Total Delivered Price, Total (DIP) Price, Total Evaluated Price, Tier 2 Distribution DIP Price, and Tier 3 Distribution DIP Price).
• Sheet 1B Reservations: Lists 20 items, also primarily fresh produce and eggs, with similar columns for item details and pricing.
• Vendors are instructed to fill in only the white fields, bid on all items, and save the completed sheet to a CD.
• Specific instructions are provided for filling out distribution prices and labeling invoices with the Government Item #.

This document is critical for bidders as it details the specific items, estimated quantities, and units of issue for the contract. Bidders must use this spreadsheet to input their pricing for each item, which will be used for evaluation and award. The format and instructions provided must be followed precisely for a compliant bid submission.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 2 Delivery Schedule.xlsx", appears to be an Excel spreadsheet containing a list of schools in Montana, categorized by sheet name. The primary sheet, "1A Montana Schools", lists various school districts and individual schools with their addresses, cities, states, and ZIP codes. A second sheet, "1B Montana Reservations", lists addresses for specific tribal entities or reservations.

• Sheet "1A Montana Schools": Contains columns for SORT FLD, NAME, ADDRESS1, CITY, STATE, and ZIP, detailing numerous educational institutions across Montana.
• Sheet "1B Montana Reservations": Lists tribal entities such as Ft. Peck, No. Cheyenne, Crow Mt./Hardin, Ft. Belknap, Rocky Boy/Box Elder, Flathead Nation, and Blackfeet Nation, along with associated addresses and cities.

This attachment likely provides a geographical or demographic breakdown of potential service locations or target populations for the opportunity. Bidders should review this list to understand the geographic scope and identify specific locations relevant to their proposed service delivery or operational plan. It may be crucial for understanding logistical requirements, travel considerations, or the distribution of services if the opportunity involves educational institutions or tribal communities within Montana.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 3 - REQUEST FOR NEW PRODUCE ITEMS," is a form used to request new produce items for procurement. It is intended for vendors to provide detailed information about new produce items they wish to offer.

• Required Fields (marked with asterisk): Requested by (Activity Name), Contract #, CONUS/OCONUS Request, Troop Support (STORES) or School Lunch/Tribe (USDA FFAVORS)?, Complete Item Description, Form (whole, chopped, sliced, diced, etc.), Refrigeration requirement, USDA Grade, Vendor's Unit of Measure, DLA Unit of Issue, Package Size, Case Weight, and Estimated Monthly Usage.
• Optional Fields: DLA Stock # LSN, Vendor Part/Item #, Manufacture/Brand Name.
• Cost Information: Includes fields for Cost Per Case, Dist. Fee, Total Cost, and Per Package.
• Item Characteristics: Details on form, refrigeration, grade, packaging (Bulk/Individually Wrapped), and item type (Fresh/Chilled/Processed).

Vendors must use this form to submit requests for new produce items. Accurate and complete information, particularly regarding the vendor's unit of measure and item specifications, is crucial for the government to evaluate and potentially add the item to their catalog. The form guides bidders on the specific details required for new item proposals.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Implementation Guidelines for the Subsistence Total Ordering and Receipt Electronic System (STORES). It details the requirements and procedures for vendors to transmit catalogs (832), purchase orders (850), and invoices (810) to DLA Troop Support.

• EDI Transaction Sets: Outlines the structure and requirements for 832 (Catalog), 850 (Purchase Order), and 810 (Invoice) file transmissions.
• Testing Process: Describes the mandatory testing process for each EDI transaction before a contract can move to production.
• Production Procedures: Details transmission schedules and problem recovery procedures.
• Contact Information: Provides points of contact for EDI testing for various transaction sets.
• Guidelines for Specific Transactions: Includes detailed segment and element definitions for 832 (Catalog) transactions, covering item details, pricing, and other relevant data.

This document is crucial for vendors who will be interacting with the STORES system via EDI. It provides the technical specifications and procedural guidance necessary to successfully exchange data, including catalogs, purchase orders, and invoices, with DLA Troop Support. Understanding these guidelines is essential for accurate and timely data transmission, which directly impacts order fulfillment and payment processes.