The Kansas City Commodity Office (KCCO), International Procurement Division, 6501 Beacon Drive, Stop 8738, Kansas City, Missouri 64133, is seeking information about potential qualified suppliers of the above products. This notice will serve as the market research to obtain information for this procurement. All information gathered in response to this Sources Sought Notice will be used solely for planning purposes. This is not a formal solicitation but a request for interested parties to provide information. No current solicitation exists and requests for a solicitation will be ignored. Specifications for these products can be obtained online by accessing the Commodity Requirements Document, "EFP1: Emergency Food Product "at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/efp1.pdf and the Commercial Item Description A-A-20358 at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=stelprdc5071020. All components of food products procured by the USDA for use in international food assistance programs will be subject to a 100 percent domestic origin requirement, unless waived by the terms of the solicitation. The applicable NAICS code for this procurement is 311340 with a small business standard of 500 employees. The Government intends to issue a solicitation for this product. The solicitation will provide the specifications, the office to which offers are to be submitted, the closing time for receipt of offers, and all other applicable provisions. Specific information from interested parties is requested in order to initiate this procurement. Please provide the following information: 1. Technical equipment, facilities, and production capability to manufacture Ready-To-Eat (Meal Replacement): Paste (A-20), Rice Bar (A-28), Wheat Bar (A-29) 2. The availability of product and components that are 100 percent domestic origin 3. The amount of time needed to be in a position to commence production 4. What quantities could be produced over what period of time. 5. Shelf life and storage recommendations 6. Pricing information 7. Recommendations concerning pack sizes and packaging materials 8. Small Business Administration size status of your firm. 9. Information/documentation establishing which specification components of domestic origin (if any) may not be available from domestic sources at fair and reasonable market prices. 10. Any other information beneficial to the Government. Written responses shall be mailed to the attention of Debbie Martinek at KCCO-IPD, Stop 8738, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205, and Telephone: 816-926-6088. Ms. Martinek may also be contacted via email at
[email protected]. These responses must be received no later than 30 days after publication of this notice.