Availability of, and Specifications for, Individually-Portioned / Single Serving Peanut Butter Packages

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is interested in understanding the current availability of individually-portioned / single serving peanut butter packages to consider as an option for Domestic Food Distribution Programs.

This Sources Sought Notice (Notice) will serve as market research to obtain information to inform USDA's decision-making process and the possible development of a product specification. All information gathered in response to this Notice will be used solely for planning purposes. This is not a formal solicitation, but a request for interested parties to provide information. No solicitation for this product currently exists.

Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States, and shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States.

USDA is seeking specific information from interested suppliers regarding this product. Please provide the following information:

1) Product brand name;

2) Your interest in this procurement;

3) Capacity capabilities;

4) Pack size(s), and commercial prevalence of each pack size;

5) Unit packaging type (e.g. cup, packet)

6) Shipment configuration (packages per case; cases per pallet; pallets per truckload; cases per truckload; net product weight per case (in pounds); gross case weight (in pounds); net product weight per truckload (in pounds); gross truckload weight (in pounds));

7) Servings per container;

8) Ingredients composition;

9) Nutritional information;

10) Cost/price;

11) Shelf life, including recommendations for optimal storage conditions;

12) Product bulletin/brochure, commercial label and commercial warranty;

13) Any other relevant information, recommendations, comments, issues and/or concerns that would be beneficial to the Government; and

14) Name, Title, Contact information, and Organization name, as applicable.

All vendors that are considering offering peanut butter products to USDA must comply with all applicable Federal and State mandatory requirements and regulations relating to the preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, and distribution of the product within the commercial marketplace. All offered products must have a history of acceptance in the commercial marketplace. The delivered product shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, and regulations promulgated there under. All vendor facilities must be in compliance with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act inspection requirements.

Responses and questions shall be emailed to the attention of Cheryl Davis, Contracting Officer's Representative at Cheryl.Davis@kcc.usda.gov. These responses are requested to be received Not-Later-Than June 1, 2015.