Stern Produce Company, Inc.

Stern Produce Company, Inc. is a Phoenix, Arizona-based family-owned produce distributor that has been registered in the System for Award Management since August 2003. The company specializes in supplying fresh fruits, vegetables, and related produce items to federal government agencies, with a primary focus on serving Department of Defense and United States Department of Agriculture customers. Operating as a for-profit corporate entity, Stern Produce Company has established itself as a reliable vendor within the federal subsistence supply chain, delivering produce that meets or exceeds USDA Grade 1 quality standards to military installations and civilian government feeding programs across the southwestern region.

Stern Produce Company's federal contract award history demonstrates extensive experience fulfilling delivery orders for a diverse range of fresh produce items through the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Subsistence division. The company's past delivery orders, issued exclusively under its master Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract framework, encompass fruits including apples, oranges, strawberries, bananas, grapes, pineapples, pears, peaches, blueberries, watermelon, and plums; vegetables including carrots, lettuce, broccoli florets, cauliflower, mushrooms, sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and salad mix; and ancillary products such as shell eggs. All delivery orders reviewed were issued by the Defense Logistics Agency without additional set-aside designations, indicating that Stern Produce competed in full and open competition. The company's delivery orders range in value from approximately $22 to over $9,000, with most orders fulfilling firm fixed-price requirements within tight completion timeframes of one to six days. Places of performance include both Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington, reflecting the geographic distribution of Department of Defense and USDA School and Reservation customer locations. The awards demonstrate the company's operational capacity to manage perishable goods logistics and maintain consistent quality across numerous individual procurement actions throughout its contract performance period.

Stern Produce Company holds a single-award Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract (SPE30023DP412) valued at $4.9 million, awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Subsistence division on September 23, 2025, with an ultimate completion date of September 22, 2030. This contract, designated as a Total Small Business set-aside, authorizes the company to provide fresh fruits, vegetables, and related produce items to Department of Defense and USDA School and Reservation customers throughout Arizona under a structured two-group format. Group 1 serves Department of Defense customers while Group 2 serves USDA School and Reservation customers, enabling the company to issue multiple firm fixed-price delivery orders for specific produce requirements as operational needs arise. The underlying contract represents a five-year vehicle that enables DLA to procure USDA Grade 1 or better quality fresh produce on an as-needed basis while maintaining a qualified, established vendor relationship. As of the review date, the IDV has generated numerous delivery orders issued between September 24 and October 1, 2025, covering items such as strawberries, potatoes, avocados, cauliflower, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and various fruits and vegetables. The contract structure provides flexibility for the government to obtain specific produce items at predetermined pricing while allowing Stern Produce Company to demonstrate its capacity as a comprehensive fresh produce supplier to federal subsistence operations across an extended performance period.

PROVIDE FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES