Whole Wheat Tortillas (Frozen) Products for use in Domestic Food Assistance Programs

Solicitation Number: AG-CPSKC-Notice-16-0012

Notice Type: Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice

SUBJECT: Availability of Whole Wheat Tortillas (Frozen)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is interested in increasing the capacity for purchases of Whole Wheat Tortillas (Frozen) packaged in 24/1 lb. consumer-sized packages for USDA/Domestic Nutrition Assistance Programs.

This Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice (Notice) will serve as market research to obtain information for the availability of Whole Wheat Tortillas (Frozen). 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.

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; USDA is particularly interested in obtaining details on 24/1-pound packages;
5) 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));
6) Servings per container;
7) Ingredients composition;
8) Nutritional information;
9) Cost/price;
10) Shelf life, including recommendations for optimal storage conditions;
11) Product bulletin/brochure, commercial label and commercial warranty;
12) Any other relevant information, recommendations, comments, issues and/or concerns that would be beneficial to the Government; and
13) Name, Title, Contact information, and Organization name, as applicable.

All vendors that are considering offering Whole Wheat Tortillas (Frozen) 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 Carol Givens-Verser, Contracting Officer's Representative at Carol.Givens-Verser@ams.usda.gov These responses are requested to be received Not-Later-Than June 20, 2016.

Contracting Office Address: USDA/AMS
Agricultural Marketing Service/Commodity Procurement Staff
PO Box 419205 Mail Stop 8718 Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6205