12-3J14-26-B-0011.pdf

Information Description: 12-3J14-26-B-0011 Bid invitation number: 2000011030 Purchasing Group: AMS-Fruit and Veg

United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service Commodity Procurement Program

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, S-0239

Washington, DC 20250-0239

SOLICITATION

Domestic Commodity Invitation

Bid invitation Overview Bid Timezone: Central Time Start Date: 11/21/2025 10:30:00 Offer Due Date : 12/02/2025 13:00:00

Opening date: 12/02/2025 13:00:00

Invitation Type : Definite Delivery

Additional requested information:

Tendering text - Header :

Fresh Citrus, SOLICITATION NO: 2000011030

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) invites offers to sell fresh oranges pursuant to the AMS Master Solicitation for use in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs. Acceptances will be announced by midnight, December 9, 2025. Deliveries are to be made between January 5, 2026 thru March 11, 2026.

The Contract Specialist handling this purchase will be Nick Wiber at nick.wiber@usda.gov. The Contact Officer handling this purchase will be Samantha Klagenberg (Samantha.Klagenberg@usda.gov) Please contact the specialist first.

Note: This is a combined pre-solicitation notice and solicitation in accordance with RFO Part 5.101(d).

2025 and 2026 crop year only

Small Business Set Asides for NAICS code 311991 with a size standard of 700 employees or less are as follows:

ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB - 100% Small Business Set-aside

This purchase must meet all relevant requirements such as packing, packaging, labeling, inspection and shipping temperatures of the Commodity Specification for Fresh Citrus August 2019.

Every bidder must include a letter of support with their bid from all current and approved supplier(s).

The templates for the letter of support are attached to the solicitation with the required elements. Each letter of support is only good for one solicitation. A new letter of support will be required for every solicitation, from every supplier. The supplier must include the quantity in cases they are committing to the bidder. USDA will not award a quantity that exceeds the sum of all supplier#s committed quantities to a particular bidder.

For a new-to-USDA contractor and existing contractors who are bidding on new products, a probationary period may be implemented in which awards are limited to 10 truckloads per product.

Contractor must demonstrate successful delivery of at least five (5) truckloads of product in order to be removed from probationary status on future solicitations. For the purposes of this rule, successful delivery is defined as product delivered on-time and in acceptable condition according to the terms and conditions of the contract. Any delivery problems directly attributable to the Government will not be held against the contractor.

Bid invitation number: 2000011030

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Vendors or subcontractors who are supplying fresh fruit crops to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must ensure that each of their suppliers/subcontractors who grow, harvest, pack, hold, and handle product have approved and current food safety verification audits PRIOR to the bid opening date of this solicitation. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) scopes which are necessary to meet the minimum requirement to be deemed responsive are as follows:

GAP - Farm Review AND Field Harvesting & Field Packing Activities GHP - House Packing Facility AND Storage & Transportation

All these requirements shall be met PRIOR to the bid opening date.

Brokers are exempt from the USDA GAP/GHP requirements themselves, HOWEVER suppliers/subcontractors performing under the contract shall have the applicable USDA GAP/GHP certification(s).

Verification audits shall be performed by the USDA, AMS, SCP-SCID representatives only.

In order to be found responsive the contractor and/or its subcontractors/suppliers must be in compliance with USDA GAP/GHP certification. Offerors must include in their bid the GAP and GHP Audit Verification attachment, which is found in the attachments section of this solicitation. Offerors who do not complete this form in its entirety, do not include the form as an attachment to their bid, or are missing the required USDA GAP/GHP scopes listed above shall be deemed nonresponsive.

All audits are valid for one year after the date the audit was conducted. More information on USDA GAP/GHP audits can be found here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/gap-ghp or by reaching out to scaudits@usda.gov.

Awardees may ship and supply from any location found here:

https://apps.ams.usda.gov/GAPGHP/reportG01.aspx

If USDA/AMS finds that suppliers used by the contractor are not in compliance with AMS GAP/GHP certification requirements after the product is delivered, the following courses of action will apply:

1. A cure notice shall be issued informing the contractor of their failure to comply with the required elements of this solicitation. The USDA will then deduct a 50% discount from the invoice for all noncompliant deliveries shipped or invoiced prior to the date listed on the cure notice.

2. If the contractor ships noncompliant product after the date of the cure notice:

a. USDA/AMS will deduct a 50% discount from the invoice for all noncompliant deliveries;

b. The contract will be terminated for cause; and

c. The contractor will be suspended from participating in all future USDA/AMS fresh fruit and vegetable solicitations for a period of one year from the date of contract termination.

This solicitation may show multiple stops on some line items; however, the number of stops will be limited to a maximum of three. To determine the number of destinations, review the "Tendering Text" for the lot, which will indicate the City and State for each stop. Bidders may submit different prices for each stop. However, a price is required on all line items within the lot.

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For offshore destinations (Puerto Rico, Hawaii, etc.), offerors have the option to choose to enter their bids direct to the offshore destination or to the port. Purchases will be made on an f.o.b. destination basis to cities on this solicitation. Destination quantities listed are estimates and subject to adjustment based on offerings, changes in recipient needs, market conditions, and program operations.

All prime vendors are reminded that they are prohibited from subcontracting with companies or individuals that have been suspended or debarred.

Offers must be submitted electronically via the Web-Based Supply Chain Management System (WBSCM). Offers submitted by any means other than WBSCM will be deemed nonresponsive. Offerors must be active in WBSCM and have the required bidder roles in order to submit offers under this solicitation. Once connected, follow the online procedures. A "HELP" button provides detailed instructions or call (202) 720-4517 for assistance.

Offerors are cautioned to bid only quantities they can reasonably expect to produce and deliver.

#System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations. Examples include 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance, and paragraph (d) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Contracting officers will not consider these representations when making award decisions or enforce requirements.

Entities are not required to, nor are they SAM.#

Inquiries about the Master Solicitation dated November 19, 2025; The Commodity Specification for Fresh Citrus; or this solicitation should be directed to the Contracting Officer; USDA, AMS, Room 3522-South; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Room 2968-S, STOP 0239 Washington, D.C.

20250-0239. Telephone: (202) 720-4517. FAX: (202) 720-2782.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a le er addressed to USDA and provide in the le er all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or le er to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 2968-S, STOP 0239 Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

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(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov." USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

See attached documents:

1 . USDA GAP and GHP Audit Verification Document

2 . Templates for Supplier Agreement Letter

3 . MSCP-D_11-19-25

4 . Commodity Specification for Fresh Citrus August 2019

Attributes :

OFFEROR CERTIFIES THAT THE OFFER IS MADE SUBJECT TO THE MASTER SOLICITATION;

COMMODITY SUPPLEMENT AND/OR SPECIFICATION(S); THIS SOLICITATION; THE AGRICULTURE

ACQUISITION REGULATIONS (AGAR) AND THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS (FAR).

Timely performance: Offeror and any subcontractor have completed required performance of any USDA contract prior to this bid opening.

Permitted values: - Have been delivered

- Have not been delivered

- Have not been delivered, but the Offeror has notified the Contracting Officer

- There are no existing contracts/purchase orders

OFFEROR REQUESTS HUBZONE SMALL BUSINESS PRICE EVALUATION PREFERENCE. APPLIES

ONLY TO FIRMS CERTIFIED IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION#S HUBZONE PROGRAM

(FAR SUBPART 19.13).MUST BE THE MANUFACTURER/PRODUCER OF THE PRODUCT TO RECEIVE

A PRICE PREFERENCE

Furnish name, title, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of person submitting this bid (must be an officer of the company or a person authorized to execute contracts/purchase orders on behalf of the bidder).

IS THE OFFEROR AN ENTITY THAT HAS FILED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION IN ONE OF THE

FIFTY STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, OR THE VARIOUS TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED

STATES? YOU MUST ANSWER THE NEXT 3 QUESTIONS IF THE ANSWER FOR THIS QUESTION IS

YES.

HAS THE OFFEROR BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY CRIMINAL VIOLATION UNDER FEDERAL OR

STATE LAW IN THE 24 MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE OF OFFER?

HAS THE OFFEROR HAD ANY OFFICER OR AGENT OF OFFEROR CONVICTED OF A FELONY

CRIMINAL VIOLATION FOR ACTIONS TAKEN ON BEHALF OF OFFEROR UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE

LAW IN THE 24 MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE OF OFFER?

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DOES THE OFFEROR HAVE ANY UNPAID FEDERAL TAX LIABILITY ASSESSED, WHICH ALL

JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED/LAPSED, THAT IS NOT

BEING PAID IN A TIMELY MANNER PURSUANT TO AGREEMENT WITH THE AUTHORITY

RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING IT?

Offeror attached the required Supplier Agreement Letter for every supplier they intend to subcontract

Bid invitation Item details Item Material Description Required by ZipCode Quantity

10 FRUIT, FRESH

20 ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB

60 LOT: 664105020 GRAND ISLAND NE

70 100283 ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB 01/05/2026-01/07/2026 68803

23.000

CS

80 100283 ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB 01/05/2026-01/07/2026 68803

1,003.000

CS

90 HOUSTON TX

100 100283 ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB 02/02/2026-02/04/2026 77029

1,026.000

CS

110 100283 ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB 03/09/2026-03/11/2026 77029

1,026.000

CS

Total Quantity for ORANGES CTN-34-39 LB 3,078.000

CS

Total Quantity for Invitation 3,078.000

CS