PURCHASE ANNOUNCEMENT United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service DATE: April 16, 2013 USDA DRY, EDIBLE BEANS, PEAS, AND LENTILS PURCHASE PROGRAM ANNOUNCED: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) along with the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration are in the process of writing a new specification for Dry Edible Beans. This concept was derived from the desire of school systems across the country wanting to supply further processors with this "very clean" bean. We need vendors capable of supplying this very clean bean, and we need capable vendors that can help supply. We believe successful contracts for this new bean will lead to more opportunities for your company to provide this product in coming years. We hope to receive orders and schedule deliveries within the next few months. To participate in our program, you must be an approved USDA vendor. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Dianna Price at (202) 720-4237 or via e-mail at
[email protected] to help assist you. All offers must be submitted electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) website at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=WBSCM. Offers submitted by any means other than WBSCM will be considered nonresponsive. Vendors are strongly encouraged to login to the WBSCM system as early as possible to begin their bidding process. Offerors are urged to carefully read all applicable terms and conditions of the Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA; Commodity Specifications for Canned Fruits and Frozen Fruits; and the applicable Solicitation. Inquiries may be made by telephoning (202) 720-4517 or addressing the Contracting Officer; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Contracting Branch, 1400 Independence Ave SW, STOP 0239, Washington, DC 20250-0239. An electronic version of this Product Commodity Award can be obtained through the World Wide Web via the Commodity Procurement Home Page at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/commoditypurchasing. 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.