RFP COVERSHEET

Defense Commissary Agency

NOTICE TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS

February 7, 2011 Request for Proposals (RFP) HDEC02-11-R-0001 is hereby issued. Your firm is invited to submit an offer in response to this solicitation as a potential supplier to furnish fresh fruit and vegetables (FF&V) for resale to various commissary stores located in Area 5 and supported by the Defense Commissary Agency’s East Region.

Solicitation # HDEC02-11-R-0001 is posted on the World Wide Web at http://www.fbo.gov (click on Go next to Advanced Search to Find Business Opportunities and search by solicitation number) and should be accessed through this website. No hard copy will be mailed to your firm. It is very important that you download and print the solicitation and the attachments (Attachments D-H).

It is imperative that you read the solicitation to understand what information is required and how and when your proposal is required for submission. Compliance with the instructions is key to competing successfully. If your firm is interested in submitting an offer in response to this solicitation, see Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions of Offerors – Commercial Items. NOTE: See important instructions about submitting prices under Volume I, Section 4. Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items describes how the government will make the source selection decision for contract award(s).

Upon receipt of this solicitation, provide this office with a list of six (6) business references for your company and a list of six (6) business references for each teaming partner that is proposed, if applicable. The content for submission of your references is contained within the Instructions to Offerors (Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, paragraph 3(a) through (h), page 36-37). Send your list of business references by facsimile to (804) 734-8009, pause, pause 78892, ATTN: TRISTA ROBINSON, by email to trista.robinson@deca.mil or by Mail to Defense Commissary Agency, Resale Produce Support Branch (PSCP), ATTN: TRISTA ROBINSON, 1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800 by 5:00 p.m., Local Time/Fort Lee, EST, Monday, February 28, 2011. Offerors must send the transmittal letter and performance survey (see Attachment D) to the business references for their direct response to contracting office. The completed surveys must be submitted by 5:00 p.m., Local Time/Fort Lee, EST, Thursday, March 10, 2011.

You must submit your proposal package in 2 Volumes (2 Volumes – Business Proposal & Technical Proposal) as instructed. Provide an original for each volume, and six (6) additional copies of Volume II only. A separate technical proposal (an original plus five (5) additional copies) must be provided for each group proposed by your company. A paper copy of the pricing spreadsheet along with a CD-RW (rewrittable compact disc preferred) or 3.5” floppy disk with your completed spreadsheet should be included in Volume I. The completed proposal must be submitted to the address in Block 9 (Attention: PSCP, Trista Robinson) of the SF 1449 (front page of solicitation) so it arrives not later than 5:00 p.m., Local Time/Fort Lee, EST, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Instructions for the oral presentation can be found in Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions To Offerors – Commercial Items, paragraph 5 (General Instructions), section (g).

Your firm must register and submit Annual Representatives and Certifications via the Online Representatives and Certifications Application (ORCA) at http://orca.bpn.gov and submit with your proposal a hardcopy of paragraph (b) through (i) of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items. In addition, your firm must be registered in the Government’s Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system prior to an award. If you are not registered in CCR, you may register on-line at http://www.ccr.gov. See Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions of Offerors – Commercial Items, paragraph 6, Volume I, Section 1(d), for submission requirements. DO NOT DELAY! Non-registration in ORCA and CCR may result in your firm being ineligible for contract award.

If you have any questions regarding this solicitation, please contact Trista Robinson, Contract Specialist at (804) 734-8000 ext. 48892.