Amendment to Request for Information (RFI) for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable support for DoD and Non-DoD customers located in the state of Montana

Amendment to Request for Information (RFI) for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable support for DoD and Non-DoD customers located in the state of Montana.

This amendment hereby effects the following revision to this RFI:

1. Change to Attachment 1 - Schedule of Items Tier Periods.

2. RFI changed to include the possibility of DOD Troop customers.

3. Closing date for this RFI will end on Thursday April 29, 2025 by 3pm EST.

Dear Valued Suppliers:

This is a Request for Information (“RFI”).  DLA Troop Support’s (“Agency”) Subsistence Produce Program is interested in comments and feedback regarding the Agency’s full line produce support for United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA;” Montana Schools and Reservations) customers throughout the Continental United States (“CONUS”).  There is no solicitation available at this time.  The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provided to the Government.  This RFI does not constitute a commitment from the Government and any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for informational purposes only and will not be released.  Any proprietary information submitted will be protected if appropriately marked.  Please note that by responding to the instant Agency request, a potential offeror is not promised any future business with the Government.  The sole purpose of this RFI is to conduct market research to assist the Agency in creating an appropriate solicitation in the future. 

Background: The Agency intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into 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 fresh fruits and vegetables (“FF&V”) and Shell Eggs (if required by the customers) to USDA (“Schools and Reservations”) customers in the Montana zone. Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items Attachment 1 for Non-DoD USDA Schools (Tab 1), and Non-DoD USDA Reservations (Tab 2).  When proposing in response to a solicitation, 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 grade that is required to meet the terms of this Solicitation is USDA Grade Number 1.  

In the solicitation that is contemplated, the aforementioned zone will be comprised of 1 Group in the area described above. Group 1A will consist of USDA Montana School customers and Group 1B will consist of USDA Montana Reservation customers.   After soliciting, the Agency intends to make one award per Group. Offerors are required to propose on all items in the Schedule of Items for each Group on which it offers.  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, when proposing to the solicitation each offeror shall submit its most competitive proposal for each Group it has chosen to propose on.  Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies.

Please see the attachments: Schedule of Items, Delivery Schedule and Market Research questions. If interested, we strongly encourage you to respond. We appreciate and thank you in advance for any feedback. Your responses regarding this solicitation are requested back by the close of business on Wednesday April 29, 2025. Please respond via e-mail to the following addresses: clarissa.caster@dla.mil and jennifer.delange@dla.mil.