Definitive Contract 123J1425C2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $268,676.80 firm fixed-price definitive contract to Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. for the procurement of fresh packaged apples (12-count, 3-pound packages) to support domestic food assistance programs. The contract, awarded on September 17, 2025, with an ultimate completion date of January 28, 2026, is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside. Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., located in Sparta, Michigan, was selected through a competitive solicitation that required proposals to be submitted within two days of the posting date on September 2, 2025. The apples will be sourced and distributed from the contractor's Sparta facility to support the USDA's Commodity Procurement Program, which provides food assistance to eligible recipients nationwide on an FOB destination basis.

This award represents a continuation of the established relationship between the USDA and Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., a key supplier of agricultural commodities that represents approximately half of Michigan's fresh apple crop. The contractor has demonstrated substantial capacity through multiple indefinite delivery contracts valued in excess of $11 million and consistently delivers apples meeting U.S.-origin requirements for various USDA nutrition and food assistance initiatives, including the National School Lunch Program. The small business set-aside designation ensures opportunities for small business participation in federal food procurement while maintaining the government's commitment to domestic agricultural sourcing for food assistance programs.