Oct 3, 2022
USDA to seek bids for fresh apple purchases

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to purchase fresh apples for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.

Typically, that includes school meal programs, the in-school Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, commodity supplemental food programs and Farmers Market Nutrition Program, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

Courtesy Michigan State University

Solicitations will be issued in the near future, but the AMS did not set a date or the amount of the anticipated purchase. Similar bids recently approved for apples, which will be shipping through mid-December, totaled nearly $1 million.

Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available. WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about the acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the U.S. on an f.o.b. destination basis.

Commodities acquired under the contract must be grown in the U.S.

Grower-shippers wanting to participate are urged to review all documents pertaining to the program, including:

  • The AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements;
  • All applicable commodity specification documents and;
  • Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA.

These documents are available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.

To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements. The AMS contact for new vendors can be reached at (202) 720-4237 or [email protected]. Details of the requirements are available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/becoming-approved.

Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using the system.

To receive e-mail notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe at “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases” on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.


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