Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced plans to purchase frozen cooked turkey taco filling for school lunch and other domestic food nutrition assistance programs. Frozen cooked turkey taco filling must be produced from ground turkey (ready-to-cook nonbasted, young turkeys or turkey carcasses and parts, and turkey skin) and spices/seasonings. The commodity must be packaged in 3- or 5-pound (1.36- or 2.27-kg) packages to a net weight of 30 pounds (13.61 kg) in each fiberboard shipping container. A purchase unit will consist of 1,300 shipping containers totaling 39,000 pounds (17,690 kg). Interested offerors must ensure that the Contracting Officer receives their technical proposal, USDA laboratory analysis, and two pre-bid samples no later than 1 p.m., Eastern Time, Wednesday, October 13, for evaluation and approval. The Commodity Specification for Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010 and the Supplement for the Purchase of Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010 provide detailed instructions for submission of proposal materials and the factors used for evaluation. Offerors approved under last year's program (PY-358) remain approved for this year's program and do not need to resubmit their proposals. However, they should carefully review all program requirements as there are changes. Invitation No. 001 will be issued in November. Offers will be invited from approved suppliers only. There are some important changes to this year's program. Under Section III.A.2 of the Supplement for the Purchase of Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010, the economic price adjustment (base price) has been modified. Under the commercial labeling requirements, all shipping containers must bear nutrition facts and ingredients statements. Under the food defense requirements, all non-conformances listed in the audit report must be addressed in writing to the Contracting Officer and Auditor within 14 calendar days of the audit. If the auditor receives an unacceptable corrective action response, the company will have an additional 7 days to respond to the non-conformance. Plans must have been audited on or after March 1, 2010. Although most other provisions of the program are similar to the program operated last year, offerors are urged to carefully read all applicable terms and conditions of the Agricultural Marketing Service Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements dated April 2009; the Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors dated April 2009; the Supplement for the Purchase of Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010; the Commodity Specification for Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010; the Source Selection Plan for Turkey Taco Filling dated September 2010; and Invitation No. 001. Offerors are cautioned to only offer quantities they can reasonably expect to produce and deliver during the contracted delivery period. Inquiries may be made by telephoning (202) 720-7693 or addressing the Contracting Officer; USDA/AMS/Poultry Programs, Commodity Procurement Branch STOP 0260; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, DC 20250. An electronic version of this Food Purchase Report can be obtained through the world-wide-web via the Commodity Procurement Home Page at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/PYProcurement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.