Market Ready Grocery Items that include Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (FF&V), Bread and Bakery Goods, and Grocery Items to the Department of Defense (“DoD”) & Non-DoD customers on the Islands of Saipan and Tinian

AMENDMENT CREATED PLEASE SEE NEW SF1449 BEFORE SUBMITTING OFFERS

ALSO QUESTIONS & ANSWERS DOCUMENT BELOW (LAST UPDATED: 11 MAR 2024)

Amendment 0001 to Solicitation SPE302-24-R-0002 / Saipan and Tinian Market Ready Grocery Items

A. The purpose of this amendment is to revise the following terms and conditions of Solicitation SPE302-24-R-00002 issued February 20, 2024:

- Page 7; I. Introduction: Physical Location on Island was removed from statement and statement was revised as follows: "Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the logistical and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor of a variety of grocery items. If an offeror does not have a physical location on island, they will still need to have the capabilities to deliver within the required time frame & provide replacement items to the customer, as quickly as possible."

- Additional Clause: DFARS 252.217-7001 Surge Option

B. All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remain the same.

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DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into a Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract(s) (“SIDC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better-quality FF&V, Fresh & Preserved Bakery and Bread products, and Perishable & Semi-Perishable Grocery items to DoD and Non-DoD Customers on the Islands of Saipan & Tinian. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items (Attachment 1). Failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 does not provide a specific quality grade, the minimum quality trade that is required to meet the terms of any future Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1 or better quality. After solicitating, the Agency intends to make one award.

A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V, Bakery, and Grocery Items (Subsistence) to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC customers on an ongoing basis, while at the same time maintaining acceptable fill rates, levels of customer service, and product quality. Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor for a variety of perishable and non-perishable items. It is neither sufficient nor acceptable for an offeror to be a third-party logistics (“3PL”) company (i.e. a company that does not intend to serve as the supplier but instead intends to subcontract out the majority of aspects required by the contract, including but not limited to ordering, warehousing, distribution, etc.) By offering, an offeror affirms its status as a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. Subsistence items provided to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACFIC customers must follow the Berry Amendment and must be sourced and manufactured from the U.S., from an approved DOD food source.

In order to determine whether and offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to provide its current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”) license. In addition, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to submit a valid Good Agricultural Practices (“GAP”)/Good Handling Practices (“GHP”)/Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”)/Food Defense Audit Inspection Report(s) / certificates as applicable for each place of performance identified in the offeror’s proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received. Please note that a request for the aforementioned information by the Contracting Officer will be used to make a determination of whether or not the offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. This information is not being sought to determine an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the contract as would be the case in a responsibility analysis.

This acquisition is being solicitated under the authority of FAR 13.5, “Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items”. The purpose of this program is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial item acquisitions greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7.5 million may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximized efficiency and economy and minimized burden and administrative costs for both the government and Industry.

Offerors are required to propose on all items in the solicitations Schedule of Items. Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award. Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, each offeror shall submit its Most Competitive Proposal. Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies. 

Submissions: Please see all attachments. If interested, we strongly encourage submitting all completed documents required (i.e. Signed Copy of SF1449 Cover Letter, Attachement 1 Schedule of Items [w/Prices Filled Out], Attachment 8 Vendor Overview [Filled Out], and All Required Certificates, etc.). We appreciate and thank you in advance for your offer. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by 12:00PM HST on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Please respond via email to the following address:

• Bradley Ah Nee, bradley.ahnee@dla.mil
• Kirk Moser, kirk.moser@dla.mil

AMENDMENT CREATED PLEASE SEE NEW SF1449 BEFORE SUBMITTING OFFERS

Amendment 0001 to Solicitation SPE302-24-R-0002 / Saipan and Tinian Market Ready Grocery Items

A. The purpose of this amendment is to revise the following terms and conditions of Solicitation SPE302-24-R-00002 issued February 20, 2024:

- Page 7; I. Introduction: Physical Location on Island was removed from statement and statement was revised as follows: "Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the logistical and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor of a variety of grocery items. If an offeror does not have a physical location on island, they will still need to have the capabilities to deliver within the required time frame & provide replacement items to the customer, as quickly as possible."

- Additional Clause: DFARS 252.217-7001 Surge Option

B. All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remain the same.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into a Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract(s) (“SIDC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better-quality FF&V, Fresh & Preserved Bakery and Bread products, and Perishable & Semi-Perishable Grocery items to DoD and Non-DoD Customers on the Islands of Saipan & Tinian. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items (Attachment 1). Failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 does not provide a specific quality grade, the minimum quality trade that is required to meet the terms of any future Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1 or better quality. After solicitating, the Agency intends to make one award.

A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V, Bakery, and Grocery Items (Subsistence) to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC customers on an ongoing basis, while at the same time maintaining acceptable fill rates, levels of customer service, and product quality. Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor for a variety of perishable and non-perishable items. It is neither sufficient nor acceptable for an offeror to be a third-party logistics (“3PL”) company (i.e. a company that does not intend to serve as the supplier but instead intends to subcontract out the majority of aspects required by the contract, including but not limited to ordering, warehousing, distribution, etc.) By offering, an offeror affirms its status as a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. Subsistence items provided to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACFIC customers must follow the Berry Amendment and must be sourced and manufactured from the U.S., from an approved DOD food source.

In order to determine whether and offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to provide its current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”) license. In addition, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to submit a valid Good Agricultural Practices (“GAP”)/Good Handling Practices (“GHP”)/Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”)/Food Defense Audit Inspection Report(s) / certificates as applicable for each place of performance identified in the offeror’s proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received. Please note that a request for the aforementioned information by the Contracting Officer will be used to make a determination of whether or not the offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. This information is not being sought to determine an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the contract as would be the case in a responsibility analysis.

This acquisition is being solicitated under the authority of FAR 13.5, “Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items”. The purpose of this program is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial item acquisitions greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7.5 million may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximized efficiency and economy and minimized burden and administrative costs for both the government and Industry.

Offerors are required to propose on all items in the solicitations Schedule of Items. Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award. Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, each offeror shall submit its Most Competitive Proposal. Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies. 

Submissions: Please see all attachments. If interested, we strongly encourage submitting all completed documents required (i.e. Signed Copy of SF1449 Cover Letter, Attachement 1 Schedule of Items [w/Prices Filled Out], Attachment 8 Vendor Overview [Filled Out], and All Required Certificates, etc.). We appreciate and thank you in advance for your offer. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by 12:00PM HST on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Please respond via email to the following address:

• Bradley Ah Nee, bradley.ahnee@dla.mil
• Kirk Moser, kirk.moser@dla.mil

AMENDMENT CREATED PLEASE USE NEW SF1449 WHEN SUBMITTING OFFERS

Amendment 0001 to Solicitation SPE302-24-R-0002 / Saipan and Tinian Market Ready Grocery Items

A. The purpose of this amendment is to revise the following terms and conditions of Solicitation SPE302-24-R-00002 issued February 20, 2024:

- Page 7; I. Introduction: Physical Location on Island was removed from statement and statement was revised as follows: "Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the logistical and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor of a variety of grocery items. If an offeror does not have a physical location on island, they will still need to have the capabilities to deliver within the required time frame & provide replacement items to the customer, as quickly as possible."

- Additional Clause: DFARS 252.217-7001 Surge Option

B. All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remain the same.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into a Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract(s) (“SIDC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better-quality FF&V, Fresh & Preserved Bakery and Bread products, and Perishable & Semi-Perishable Grocery items to DoD and Non-DoD Customers on the Islands of Saipan & Tinian. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items (Attachment 1). Failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 does not provide a specific quality grade, the minimum quality trade that is required to meet the terms of any future Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1 or better quality. After solicitating, the Agency intends to make one award.

A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V, Bakery, and Grocery Items (Subsistence) to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC customers on an ongoing basis, while at the same time maintaining acceptable fill rates, levels of customer service, and product quality. Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor for a variety of perishable and non-perishable items. It is neither sufficient nor acceptable for an offeror to be a third-party logistics (“3PL”) company (i.e. a company that does not intend to serve as the supplier but instead intends to subcontract out the majority of aspects required by the contract, including but not limited to ordering, warehousing, distribution, etc.) By offering, an offeror affirms its status as a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. Subsistence items provided to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACFIC customers must follow the Berry Amendment and must be sourced and manufactured from the U.S., from an approved DOD food source.

In order to determine whether and offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to provide its current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”) license. In addition, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to submit a valid Good Agricultural Practices (“GAP”)/Good Handling Practices (“GHP”)/Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”)/Food Defense Audit Inspection Report(s) / certificates as applicable for each place of performance identified in the offeror’s proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received. Please note that a request for the aforementioned information by the Contracting Officer will be used to make a determination of whether or not the offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. This information is not being sought to determine an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the contract as would be the case in a responsibility analysis.

This acquisition is being solicitated under the authority of FAR 13.5, “Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items”. The purpose of this program is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial item acquisitions greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7.5 million may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximized efficiency and economy and minimized burden and administrative costs for both the government and Industry.

Offerors are required to propose on all items in the solicitations Schedule of Items. Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award. Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, each offeror shall submit its Most Competitive Proposal. Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies. 

Submissions: Please see all attachments. If interested, we strongly encourage submitting all completed documents required (i.e. Signed Copy of SF1449 Cover Letter, Attachement 1 Schedule of Items [w/Prices Filled Out], Attachment 8 Vendor Overview [Filled Out], and All Required Certificates, etc.). We appreciate and thank you in advance for your offer. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by 12:00PM HST on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Please respond via email to the following address:

• Bradley Ah Nee, bradley.ahnee@dla.mil
• Kirk Moser, kirk.moser@dla.mil

DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into a Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract(s) (“SIDC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better-quality FF&V, Fresh & Preserved Bakery and Bread products, and Perishable & Semi-Perishable Grocery items to DoD and Non-DoD Customers on the Islands of Saipan & Tinian. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items (Attachment 1). Failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 does not provide a specific quality grade, the minimum quality trade that is required to meet the terms of any future Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1 or better quality. After solicitating, the Agency intends to make one award.

A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V, Bakery, and Grocery Items (Subsistence) to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC customers on an ongoing basis, while at the same time maintaining acceptable fill rates, levels of customer service, and product quality. Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor for a variety of perishable and non-perishable items. It is neither sufficient nor acceptable for an offeror to be a third-party logistics (“3PL”) company (i.e. a company that does not intend to serve as the supplier but instead intends to subcontract out the majority of aspects required by the contract, including but not limited to ordering, warehousing, distribution, etc.) By offering, an offeror affirms its status as a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. Subsistence items provided to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACFIC customers must follow the Berry Amendment and must be sourced and manufactured from the U.S., from an approved DOD food source.

In order to determine whether and offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to provide its current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”) license. In addition, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to submit a valid Good Agricultural Practices (“GAP”)/Good Handling Practices (“GHP”)/Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”)/Food Defense Audit Inspection Report(s) / certificates as applicable for each place of performance identified in the offeror’s proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received. Please note that a request for the aforementioned information by the Contracting Officer will be used to make a determination of whether or not the offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. This information is not being sought to determine an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the contract as would be the case in a responsibility analysis.

This acquisition is being solicitated under the authority of FAR 13.5, “Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items”. The purpose of this program is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial item acquisitions greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7.5 million may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximized efficiency and economy and minimized burden and administrative costs for both the government and Industry.

Offerors are required to propose on all items in the solicitations Schedule of Items. Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award. Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, each offeror shall submit its Most Competitive Proposal. Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies. 

Submissions: Please see all attachments. If interested, we strongly encourage submitting all completed documents required (i.e. Signed Copy of SF1449 Cover Letter, Attachement 1 Schedule of Items [w/Prices Filled Out], Attachment 8 Vendor Overview [Filled Out], and All Required Certificates, etc.). We appreciate and thank you in advance for your offer. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by 12:00PM HST on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Please respond via email to the following address:

• Bradley Ah Nee, bradley.ahnee@dla.mil
• Kirk Moser, kirk.moser@dla.mil

Dear Valued Suppliers,

DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into a Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract(s) (“SIDC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better-quality FF&V, Fresh & Preserved Bakery and Bread products, and Perishable & Semi-Perishable Grocery items to DoD and Non-DoD Customers on the Islands of Saipan & Tinian. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items (Attachment 1). Failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 does not provide a specific quality grade, the minimum quality trade that is required to meet the terms of any future Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1 or better quality. After solicitating, the Agency intends to make one award.

A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V, Bakery, and Grocery Items (Subsistence) to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC customers on an ongoing basis, while at the same time maintaining acceptable fill rates, levels of customer service, and product quality. Therefore, an offeror must currently possess the physical, logistical, and financial resources to serve as a commercial distributor for a variety of perishable and non-perishable items. It is neither sufficient nor acceptable for an offeror to be a third-party logistics (“3PL”) company (i.e. a company that does not intend to serve as the supplier but instead intends to subcontract out the majority of aspects required by the contract, including but not limited to ordering, warehousing, distribution, etc.) By offering, an offeror affirms its status as a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. Subsistence items provided to DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACFIC customers must follow the Berry Amendment and must be sourced and manufactured from the U.S., from an approved DOD food source.

In order to determine whether and offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to provide its current, valid Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”) license. In addition, the Contracting Officer will require an offeror to submit a valid Good Agricultural Practices (“GAP”)/Good Handling Practices (“GHP”)/Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”)/Food Defense Audit Inspection Report(s) / certificates as applicable for each place of performance identified in the offeror’s proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received. Please note that a request for the aforementioned information by the Contracting Officer will be used to make a determination of whether or not the offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial distributor of perishable and non-perishable items. This information is not being sought to determine an offeror’s likelihood of success in performing the contract as would be the case in a responsibility analysis.

This acquisition is being solicitated under the authority of FAR 13.5, “Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items”. The purpose of this program is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial item acquisitions greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7.5 million may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximized efficiency and economy and minimized burden and administrative costs for both the government and Industry.

Offerors are required to propose on all items in the solicitations Schedule of Items. Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award. Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, each offeror shall submit its Most Competitive Proposal. Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies. 

Submissions: Please see all attachments. If interested, we strongly encourage submitting all completed documents required (i.e. Signed Copy of SF1449 Cover Letter, Attachement 1 Schedule of Items [w/Prices Filled Out], Attachment 8 Vendor Overview [Filled Out], and All Required Certificates, etc.). We appreciate and thank you in advance for your offer. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by 12:00PM HST on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Please respond via email to the following address:

• Bradley Ah Nee, bradley.ahnee@dla.mil
• Kirk Moser, kirk.moser@dla.mil