CMT Catered Meals

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation, quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2026-01 dated 13 Mar 2026. This solicitation number W91ZRS27QA001 is for the Connecticut Army National Guard (CTARNG). The USPFO for Connecticut intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price contract for CMT Catered Meals. This request is due by 03 November 2026 at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). This solicitation is 100% small business set aside. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 311991 – (Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing). The small business standard size for NAICS 311991 is 700 employees.

Instructions to Offerors

1. All questions shall be in writing. Questions may be faxed to Leslie Fedler at 860-386-4070 or emailed at leslie.a.fedler.civ@army.mil. Questions must be submitted No Later Than 30 October 2026.
2. All quotes are due no later than 1:00 p.m. eastern time, 03 November 2026. Quotes may be faxed to Leslie Fedler at 860-386-4070 or emailed to leslie.a.fedler.civ@army.mil.
   1. It is your responsibility to make sure your quote is received. The fact that the contracting office did not receive your quote due to an error on the fax machine or email address does not change the due date or time.

Basis for Award

"The Government will award a Firm-Fixed-Price contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose quote conforms to the solicitation requirements and represents the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) to the Government. Award will be made on an 'all or none' basis to the lowest-priced, technically acceptable offeror. Tradeoffs will not be permitted. Quotes will be evaluated for technical acceptability, past performance acceptability, and price."

Evaluation Process:

"The Government intends to evaluate quotes by first sorting them from lowest price to highest price. The lowest-priced quote will then be evaluated for technical acceptability and past performance. If the lowest-priced quote is determined to be 'Technically Acceptable' and has 'Acceptable Past Performance,' award will be made to that offeror, and no further quotes will be evaluated."

• Factor 1: Technical Acceptability:

"The technical quote will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. To be rated Acceptable, the quote must clearly demonstrate a compliance approach that meets all requirements outlined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS), specifically demonstrating the capability to distribute media across the required channels and networks."

• Factor 2: Past Performance:

"Past Performance will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. To be rated Acceptable, the offeror must submit a minimum of two (2) references within the past three (3) years demonstrating similar scope, complexity, and NAICS 311991 relevance. Offerors with no relevant past performance history will receive a 'Neutral' rating, which will be treated as 'Acceptable' for award purposes."

• Factor 3: Price:

"Price will be evaluated for mathematical completeness and price reasonableness. Award will be made to the lowest total priced, responsible offeror whose technical and past performance quotes are rated Acceptable."

The Contracting Officer will evaluate products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer. The Government is not responsible for developing the comparison from insufficient information provided.

Must be Technical Acceptability" as meeting both the performance capability and statutory compliance with FAR 52.219-30 and 13 CFR 125.6.  

Sam’s Registration: Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database before an award can be made to them. If the offeror is not registered in the SAM, they may do so through the SAM website at http://www.sam.gov.

Payment shall be paid thru the wide area workflow program. All payments are net 30 days. All Offerors must accept this as payment. The wide area workflow website is https://wawf.eb.mil/.

The Government contract supersedes all other terms and agreements from any other vendor. The only award will be from the Government.

SERVICE CONTRACT LABOR STANDARDS (SCLS)

1. This solicitation and resulting contract are subject to the Service Contract Labor Standards statute . Contractors must pay all covered employees performing under this contract no less than the minimum wages and fringe benefits outlined in the attached U.S. Department of Labor Wage Determination No. 2015-4113 REV 37 .
2. The primary labor category utilized under this contract is identified as:
   • SCA Labor Category: Driver
   • SCA Occupational Code:  31043 - Driver Courier
3. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their proposed labor rates comply fully with the wage and health/welfare benefits specified in the attached Wage Determination .

Performance Work Statement

1.0 SCOPE This Statement of Work (SOW) outlines the requirements for a non-personal services contract to provide complete dining facility (DFAC) and meal services for the United States Army. The Contractor shall provide all necessary personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and quality control to perform the full scope of food services as defined herein, with the exception of government-furnished property and services.

2.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The Contractor shall perform complete food services and meet the performance standards set forth in this document. All services will be performed in strict accordance with all applicable local, county, state, and federal regulations, as well as military-specific guidelines, including but not limited to the Tri-Service Food Code (TB MED 530) and Army Regulation (AR) 30-22. Contract can be terminated if it is determined to not meet the needs of the Military unit being serviced.

            2.1 Pricing and Payment Terms: The contractor shall provide a detailed pricing structure based on the following: 

• Cost per meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). 

• Total meal count per day will vairy throughout the course (see Annex A)

• Payment terms (e.g., weekly invoicing, net 30 days).

3.0 COORDINATION AND LOGISTICS

3.1 Adherence to Meal and Strength Schedule: The Government will provide a Meal Service and Strength Schedule (attached as Annex A). This schedule will detail the required mealtimes and the exact personnel count for each meal service (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for the entire period of performance. The Contractor must strictly adhere to the specified times and headcounts listed in this schedule for all meal preparations and deliveries. The final invoice must match the numbers specified in this calendar. Any deviation not pre-approved in writing may result in non-payment for the excess meals provided. Delivery times for meals are referenced in Annex A 169th RTI 1st Quarter Course Meal Plan FY27. The timeline for meals is as follows unless otherwise annotated: Breakfast: 0700-0800, Lunch 1200-1245, Dinner 1700-1745.

 3.2 Meal Order Modifications: All requests for changes to meal quantities or meal types must be submitted by the designated Government Point of Contact (POC) to the contractor via email or text message. No changes will be accepted by the contractor any later than 72 hours prior to the scheduled meal delivery time. This 72-hour deadline is firm and ensures the contractor has adequate time for procurement and preparation. The contractor is not obligated to accommodate requests made after this deadline.

3.3 Singular Drop-off Location: All meals shall be delivered to a single, designated delivery point. The specific location will be the main dining facility at the regional training institute, the address for which will be provided upon contract award. Under no circumstances shall the contractor deliver meals to any other location, including field training sites or administrative offices, unless explicitly directed in writing by the Contracting Officer (CO) or the designated Government Point of Contact (POC). The contractor is responsible for all transportation to the designated location.

3.4 Delivery Timeliness and Notification: Punctuality of meal delivery is critical. The Contractor must ensure all meal deliveries are made within a five-minute window of the agreed-upon delivery time (no earlier than five minutes before and no later than five minutes after the scheduled time). In the event of an unavoidable delay that will result in a late delivery, the Contractor shall immediately notify the designated Government schoolhouse Point of Contact (POC) by telephone. Contact information for this POC will be provided upon contract award.

4.0 HOLIDAY SERVICES

4.1 Meal services may be required on Federal and State holidays. It is the responsibility of the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) to notify the Contractor at least one (1) week in advance of any holidays that require meal services.

4.2 A list of recognized holidays applicable to this contract will be provided by the Government upon award. If a holiday occurs on a Saturday, the Government may observe it on the preceding Friday. If a holiday occurs on a Sunday, the Government may observe it on the following Monday. The Contractor shall provide services on the observed day as directed.

5.0 MEAL SERVICE AND SERVING REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Standard Meal Service: For standard daily meals, the Contractor shall be responsible for the preparation, delivery, and service of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, utilizing using a packaged meal service. The Contractor shall provide all meals individually packaged for single serve/ single use consumption. Each delivery must be clearly labeled with the contents, date of preparation, and any relevant dietary information. All packaging must be suitable for maintaining required food-safe temperatures (hot or cold) and preventing spillage or contamination during transport and distribution.

5.2 Boxed Lunches: Upon request by the Government, the Contractor shall assemble and provide boxed lunches for delivery on an as-needed basis. It is the responsibility of the COR to notify the Contractor in writing at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of when boxed lunch meals are required. The contents of the boxed lunches shall be agreed upon by both parties prior to the first order. Hot or boxed meals will be outlined by date and meal in Annex A 169th RTI 1st Quarter Course Meal Plan FY27

5.3 The Contractor shall provide and maintain two complete sets of all necessary non-disposable delivery equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, insulated food transport containers. One set of equipment will be used for the delivery of a meal service. The Government will make this used set available for collection upon completion of the meal service. The Contractor is responsible for retrieving the used equipment, typically at the time of the next scheduled meal delivery, at which point the second, clean equipment will be dropped off. This rotation ensures one set of equipment is always on-site while the other is with the Contractor for cleaning and preparation.

6.0 MENU AND MEAL PLANNING

6.1 The provided 35 Day Menu FY 2027 (attached as Annex B) shall be utilized as a reference and basis for developing menu cycles. While the exact menu is not mandatory, the variety, quality, and types of items offered must be of a comparable standard. A sample 14-day menu from the Contractor will be provided to the COR or POC prior to awarding the contract.

6.2 At a minimum, each meal service shall include:
- Breakfast: A minimum of one non-pork meat option, eggs, one (1) hot starch (e.g., potatoes), assorted fresh fruits, whole grain bread/pastry options, and assorted beverages (coffee, tea, juice, milk). “Continental breakfast” option only on the last day of the scheduled course.
- Lunch & Dinner: Should include one hot entrée (two if the main entrée is pork, one of which shall be a non-pork option if pork is served), one (1) starch, one (1) cooked vegetable, a prepared salad option, fresh fruit, and assorted beverages.

7.0 DIETARY RESTRICTIONS AND SPECIAL MEALS

7.1 The Contractor must be prepared to accommodate common and specific dietary needs. A vegetarian and/or vegan entrée option shall be available at every breakfast, lunch and dinner service. Meals for students with dietary restrictions will be clearly labeled to prevent confusion.

7.2 The Contractor shall have the capability to make immediate or near-immediate changes to meal preparations to accommodate the dietary restrictions of students or staff upon their arrival. This includes, but is not limited to, food allergies (e.g., nut, dairy, gluten), religious dietary requirements, and other medical necessities. The Government Point of Contact will provide notification of these requirements as they are identified.

8.0 HEALTH, SANITATION, AND QUALITY CONTROL

8.1 The Contractor shall develop and maintain an effective Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure all services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The QCP shall be submitted for Government approval within five (5) business days of contract award.

8.2 Contractor Self-Inspections: The Contractor shall conduct its own on-site quality inspections of delivered food. At a minimum, one meal service shall be inspected upon delivery per week. These inspections will verify food quality, correct temperature, packaging integrity, and adherence to the approved menu. The Contractor must maintain an inspection log detailing the date, time, findings, and any corrective actions taken. This log shall be made available to the COR upon request.

8.3 All food shall be prepared, stored, and transported in a manner that prevents foodborne illness. All food contact surfaces, storage containers, and delivery vehicles must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

8.4 The Government reserves the right to inspect the Contractor's facilities, equipment, and processes at any time to ensure compliance with all health, sanitation, and performance standards.

9. Acceptance Criteria: The contracting organization will evaluate the contractor's performance based on: timely delivery of meals, quality and freshness of meals, and adherence to dietary requirements. 

10. Termination Clause: The contracting organization reserves the right to terminate the contract if the contractor fails to meet the requirements outlined in this SOW. 

Quote Submission Instructions

Provide Quote: Include all costs

Break down quote” individual prices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner also the total cost for the award.

You must include menu. There are four different classes, therefore you can duplicate the same menu for all four classes. They will be different students.

CMT Classes :

29NOV26 – 13DEC26, 03-17JAN27, 31JAN27-14FEB27, 28FEB27-14MAR27

NOTES:

Requirement    Solicitation Specification / Contract Clause

Protein & Carb Ratios "Each lunch and dinner meal must contain a minimum of 35–40 grams of lean protein per portion (e.g., USDA Grade Choice beef, poultry, pork, or fish). Starch and carbohydrate portions (e.g., rice, potatoes, pasta) shall not exceed one cup (8 oz) per serving. Double starching (serving two carbs as separate sides) is strictly prohibited."

Banned / Restricted Foods      "Highly processed, pre-packaged, or 'junk' meats including, but not limited to, hot dogs, corn dogs, bologna, and pre-packaged deli-counter processed meats shall not be served as a main dinner or lunch entree."

Fresh vs. Pre-packaged           "A minimum of 80% of all hot meals must be prepared fresh. The use of pre-packaged, shelf-stable, or microwave-ready individual meals is prohibited unless explicitly authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for field operations. Fresh, whole fruits or vegetables must accompany every lunch and dinner."

Delivery, Logistics, & Temperature Control

1.1 MEAL DELIVERY & TEMPERATURE INTEGRITY

The Contractor shall deliver all meals to the designated site no later than thirty (30) minutes and no earlier than forty-five (45) minutes prior to the scheduled mess hour.

1.2 TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE

Hot meals must arrive and be maintained at an internal temperature of no less than 135°F (57°C) throughout the entire service period. Cold meals must be maintained at or below 41°F (5°C). The Contractor shall provide all necessary insulated food carriers (e.g., Cambros) to guarantee these temperature thresholds.

1.3 UNAUTHORIZED MENU SUBSTITUTION

Under no circumstances shall the Contractor substitute a scheduled hot meal for a cold meal, or alter the approved menu, without prior written approval from the Contracting Officer (KO) or COR at least 48 hours in advance. Failure to obtain written approval for menu swaps will result in a non-conformance penalty.

The following provisions are included in this acquisition: FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting; FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (AUG 2020); FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation;  FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal; FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-3 Alt I, Offerors Representations and Certifications (OCT 2010); FAR 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options; FAR 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment---Certification; FAR 52.222-52, Exception from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Certain Services---Certification; FAR 52.237-1, Site Visit; DFARS 252.203-7005, Representation Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials; DFARS 252.203-7998 (DEV), Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements---Representation (DEVIATION); DFARS 252.204-7008, Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls; DFARS 252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting; DFARS 252.209-7992 (DEV), Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law---Fiscal Year 2015 Appropriations (DEVIATION); DFARS 252.225-7000, Buy American-Balance of Payments Program Certificate; DFARS 252.225-7031, Secondary Arab Boycott of Israel; DFARS 252.225-7035, Buy American---Free Trade Agreements---Balance of Payments Program Certificate; DFARS 252.225-7035 Alt I, Buy American---Free Trade Agreements---Balance of Payments Program Certificate (Alternate I); DFARS 252.225-7035 Alt IV, Buy American---Free Trade Agreements---Balance of Payments Program Certificate (Alternate IV); DFARS 252.225-7049, Prohibition on Acquisition of Commercial Satellite Services From Certain Foreign Entities---Representations : 252.239-7098, Prohibition on Contracting to Maintain or Establish a Computer Network Unless Such Network is Designed to Block Access to Certain Websites—Representation (DEVIATION 2021-O0003) (APRIL 2021),The following clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards; FAR 52.204-18, Commercial Government Entity Code Maintenance; FAR 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment;  FAR 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations; FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Condition Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items (DEVIATION); FAR 52.212-5 Alt II, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders--- Commercial Items  (Deviation 2013-O0019) (APR 2015) Alternate II  (APR 2015);  FAR 52.219-6, Notice of Small Business Set – Aside; FAR 52.219.28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation: FAR 52.222-3, Convict Labor; FAR 52.222-19, Child Labor---Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies; FAR 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; FAR 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; FAR 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities; FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, (wage determination no. 2015-4111, revision no. 35, date of last revision 6/25/2026); FAR 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires; FAR 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons; FAR 52.223-5, Pollution Prevention and Right to Know Information; FAR 52.223-18, Encouraging Policy to Ban Text Messaging While Driving; FAR 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases;  FAR 52.232-18, Availability of Funds; FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Contractor Registration; FAR 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations; FAR 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors; FAR 52.233-3, Protest After Award; FAR 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim; FAR 52.237-2, Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment and Vegetation, FAR 52.252-2; DFARS 252.201-7000, Contracting Officer’s Representative; DFARS;   252.203-7000, Requirements Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials; DFARS 252.203-7002, Requirement to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights; DFARS 252.203-7999 (DEV), Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements (DEVIATION); DFARS 252.204-7009, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Third-Party Contractor Information;   DFARS 252.204-7011, Alternative Line  Item Structure; DFARS 252.204-7012 Safeguarding of unclassified Controlled Technical Information: DFARS 252.204-7015, Disclosure of Information to Litigation Support Contractors; DFARS 252.211-7003, Item Unique Identification and Valuation; DFARS 252.223-7006 Prohibition on Storage and Disposal of Toxic and Hazardous Materials; DFARS 252.223-7008, Prohibition of Hexavalent Chromium; DFARS 252.225-7001, Buy American and Balance of Payments Program; DFARS 252.225-7048, Export-Controlled Items; DFARS 252.232-7003 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests and Receiving Reports; DFARS 252.232-7006, Wide Area Workflow Payment Instructions; DFARS 252.232-7010, Levies on Contract Payments; DFARS 252.237-7010, Prohibition on Interrogation of Detainees by Contractor Personnel; DFARS 252.244-7000, Subcontracts for Commercial Items; DFARS 252.247-7023 ALT III , Transportation of Supplies by Sea;  Provisions and Clauses for this synopsis/solicitation can be found at https://www.acquisition.gov.

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