Consumer and Retail Food Markets Program

The Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service awarded this Master IDIQ on June 20, 2012, with ordering authority through June 27, 2017—the vehicle is no longer active for new task orders. The IDIQ procures data and analytical support for the Consumers and Retail Food Markets Program to understand food purchase and consumption patterns across demographic and household transitions.

Ordering closed nine years ago. The vehicle executed 15 task orders over its active period, with peak activity in 2015 (five orders). The combined potential value across all orders was $16.1 million; $13.9 million (87%) has been obligated. Recent orders were small to mid-sized, ranging from approximately $29,000 to $3.1 million, with firm fixed-price structures.

The competitive field concentrated heavily among two prime contractors. Westat, Inc. held six orders worth $6.9 million combined potential value, while Circana, LLC (three orders, $6.4 million combined potential value) was the second-largest awardee. Nielsen Government and Public Sector, LLC and The Nielsen Company (US), LLC together held four orders worth $2.5 million. These four firms captured 13 of 15 total orders and represent 99% of combined potential value. Circana Group, L.P. and Empower IT, Inc. each held a single order. All 15 orders were unrestricted (no set-aside applied).

A single customer agency—the Economic Research Service itself—funded all work under the vehicle, indicating this was a dedicated procurement for internal agency research support rather than a governmentwide supply line. Task-order scope centered on food consumption and retail market datasets: FOODAPS (food acquisition and purchase data), household panel data, nutritional and retail purchase data, store characteristics and location data, and alternative data collection methods. Orders were predominantly firm fixed-price with performance timelines typically one to three years.

Because the ordering period expired in 2017, this vehicle is closed to new work. Analysts should review successor vehicles if ERS has established new Master IDIQs for similar consumer and retail food markets research.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Capital Region Business Center (NCRB) has awarded a Master IDIQ for the provision data that will assist in the understanding of food purchases and consumption patterns of consumers and how these changes as people age, households change, new products are introduced, and new information is acquired to identify and develop consistent strategies for consumers in support of the Economic Research Service (ERS) Consumers and Retail Food Market Program.