Oct 4, 2019USDA announces new details of $22 million potato-purchase trade mitigation package
On July 25, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details of additional actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would take to support American agricultural producers while continued efforts on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals take place.
As part of those actions, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service announces the food purchase of up to $22 million of potatoes under the authority of Section 5 of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Products to be procured include but are not limited to:
- Phase 1 delivery period: Jan. 16, 2020 to March 31, 2020
- Phase 2 delivery period: April to June 2020
- Phase 3 delivery period: July to September 2020
- Phase 4 delivery period: October to December 2020
Solicitations will be issued in the near future, and will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available.
Public WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on an FOB destination basis.
Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), 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.
Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including the latest:
- AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements (MSCP), Aug. 2, 2019
- Applicable commodity specification(s) identified in the subsequent solicitation(s)
- Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA, March 1, 2017
These documents can be downloaded here.
Offerors are required to obtain and maintain timely GAP and GHP or Trade Mitigation Desk Audits on all growers, packinghouses and shipping points. These audits must be valid at the time of bid open and be maintained throughout performance of the award.
More information can be requested from [email protected].
To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements. The AMS point of contact for new vendors may be reached via email at [email protected]. Details of these requirements are available online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/becoming-approved.
Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using this system. Submission of the above by any means other than WBSCM will be determined nonresponsive.
To receive email notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe online by visiting: “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases.”
In an effort to assist all impacted producers, these acquisitions will not be set-aside for small business. Adjustments to the information in this notice may be subject to change due to growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity. The acquisition schedules are subject to change at the unilateral right of the government. USDA/AMS reserves the right to update products listed in this pre-solicitation and may procure other commercially available items during the acquisition based on market research and industry feedback.
A pre-solicitation call will be held at 1 p.m. CST on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. To attend, dial 888-844-9904 and enter access code 1693356.
