Request for Information (RFI) for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables support for DLA’s (Department of War)DoW and Non-DoW customers located in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

This is a Request for Information ("RFI"). DLA Troop Support Agency’s Subsistence Produce Program is interested in comments and feedback regarding the Agency's full line produce support to Department of War (“DoW”) military aka (“Troops”) and Non-DoD, United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") Schools customers throughout the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts,  Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, and Tribes in Maine.  There is no solicitation available at this time. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. This RFI does not constitute a commitment from the Government and any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for informational purposes only and will not be released.  Any proprietary information submitted will be protected if appropriately marked.  Please note that by responding to the Agency’s request, a potential offeror is not promised for any future business with the Government. The sole purpose of this RFI is to conduct market research to assist the Agency in crafting an appropriate solicitation in the future. 

Background: The Agency intends to issue a solicitation and ultimately enter into indefinite quantity contract(s) (“IQC”) with a commercial firm(s) to supply a full-line of United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Grade Number 1 or better quality fresh fruits and vegetables (“FF&V”) and Shell Eggs (if required by the customers) to Department of War (“DoW”, or “Troop”) and USDA (“Schools”) and (“Tribes”-ME only) customers in the New England zone.  Specific quality requirements per item are included in the Schedule of Items Attachment 1. When proposing in response to a solicitation, failure to propose the specified quality requirement per item as identified in Attachment 1 may render an offeror’s proposal technically unacceptable.  If the item’s description in Attachment 1 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. 

In the solicitation that is contemplated, the aforementioned zone will be comprised of five (5) Groups in the area described above, including Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4, and Group 5 [includes Group 5a and Group 5b]. Group 1 will consist of DoW Troops in the New England Zone (CT, RI, MA, VT, ME, and NH). Group 2 will consist of USDA Schools in CT. Group 3 will consist of USDA Schools in MA and RI. Group 4 will consist of USDA Schools in VT. Group 5[will consist of Group 5a- USDA Schools in ME and NH, and Group 5b-Tribes customers in ME]. Attachment 2 identifies all customers in each group. After soliciting, the Agency intends to make one award per Group.  The offeror must support all of the customers in the Group for which they make an offer. Offerors may submit a proposal for any single group or multiple groups. Offerors are required to propose on all items in the Schedule of Items for each Group on which it offers.  Failure to do so may result in a proposal being deemed technically unacceptable and therefore excluded from further consideration for award.  Because the Contracting Officer is not obligated to initiate negotiations, when proposing to the solicitation each offeror shall submit its most competitive proposal for each Group it has chosen to propose on.  Said proposal shall be responsive to all of the Solicitation’s requirements and free from any deficiencies.

There are three enclosed attachments:

1) Market Survey Questionnaire.

2) Attachment 1 - Schedule of Items (SOI) for Group 1-Troops, Group 2-CT Schools, Group 3-MA & RI Schools, Group 4-VT Schools, Group 5 [Group 5a-ME & NH Schools, and Group 5b-ME & NH Tribes]

3) Attachment 2 - Delivery Schedule for Group 1-Troops, Group 2-CT Schools, Group 3-MA & RI Schools, Group 4-VT Schools, Group 5[Group 5a-ME & NH Schools, and Group 5b-ME & NH Tribes]

PLEASE NOTE: You are only required to send back the Market Research Survey PDF file.