Definitive Contract 123J1426C0338

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Mainstay Distributing, LLC a $3.03 million firm-fixed-price contract on December 11, 2025, to supply frozen coarse ground beef in 60-pound containers in support of domestic food assistance programs. This definitive contract, designated as a partial small business set-aside, requires delivery of commodities to Rantoul, Illinois, with an ultimate completion date of February 28, 2026. Mainstay Distributing, a veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small business based in Rantoul, Illinois, was selected through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's competitive solicitation (solicitation number 12-3J14-26-B-0065) posted on December 2, 2025. The underlying solicitation sought 14.4 million pounds of frozen and fresh raw beef products from U.S. producers for delivery between January 16, 2026, and March 31, 2026, to multiple regions nationwide.

As an established supplier of frozen beef products to USDA agencies, Mainstay Distributing brings significant experience in fulfilling nutrition assistance and food donation initiatives. The company has consistently delivered between 200,000 and 8 million pounds of beef products per contract, with contract values historically ranging from approximately $100,000 to over $3.7 million. This award reflects the contractor's demonstrated capability in supplying U.S.-origin agricultural commodities on an FOB destination basis and underscores its role in supporting the USDA's broader mission to provide food assistance to communities in need across the continental United States.