DLA TROOP SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC intends to enter into an Simplified Indefinite-Delivery Contract (SIDC) with a commercial firm to supply a full-line of USDA No.1 or better Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (FF&V) products to Department of Defense (“DoD”) Ships customers on the Island of Oahu, in the State of Hawaii. 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 Schedule of Items may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable. If the item’s description in Attachment 1 Schedule of Items 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.
A successful offeror(s) will be required to source, purchase, store, and deliver a variety of FF&V items 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 of a variety of FF&V 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 FF&V 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 FF&V items. In order to determine whether an offeror meets the technical requirement of being a current and functioning commercial FF&V 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) / certificate 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 FF&V. 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 solicited 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 maximizes efficiency and economy and minimizes burden and administrative costs for both the Government and industry.
* Amendment 00001 added to extend the closing date to August 1, 2023 07:00 HST.
