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SUBJECT* Sources Sought – Bread Products-Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota GENERAL INFORMATION CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE* 52241 SOLICITATION NUMBER* 36C26323Q0421 RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE 03-12-... SUBJECT* Sources Sought – Bread Products-Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota GENERAL INFORMATION CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE* 52241 SOLICITATION NUMBER* 36C26323Q0421 RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE 03-12-2023 2359 CENTRAL TIME, CHICAGO, USA ARCHIVE 15 DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE RECOVERY ACT FUNDS N SET-ASIDE PRODUCT SERVICE CODE* 8920 NAICS CODE* 311812 CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS Department of Veterans Affairs NETWORK 23 CONTRACTING OFFICE 1303 5th St, Suite 300 Coralville IA 52241 POINT OF CONTACT* Becky De Los Santos Contract Specialist Becky.DeLosSantos@va.gov PLACE OF PERFORMANCE ADDRESS Minneapolis VA Health Care System 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417 St. Cloud VA Healthcare System 4801 Veterans Drive , Saint Cloud, MN 56303 POSTAL CODE COUNTRY USA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AGENCY’S URL URL DESCRIPTION AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS Becky De Los Santos EMAIL DESCRIPTION Contracting Specialist DESCRIPTION This announcement constitutes a Sources Sought Notice. This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a Request for Proposal (RFP). This announcement is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the government, implied or otherwise, to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Saint Cloud VA Medical Center (VHASTC), 4801 Veterans Drive, St. Cloud, MN and Minneapolis VA Medical Center (VHAMPL), One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417 has a requirement for a Firm Fixed Price Supply and Service for bread and bakery Products. The purpose of this notice is to determine interest and capability of potentially qualified businesses in particular Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small-Businesses (VOSB) relative to the North American Industry Classification code (NAICS) 311812 Bread and Bakery Products. To make an appropriate acquisition decision for this requirement, the Government will use responses to this sources sought synopsis. The type of solicitation issued, and the manner of advertisement will also depend on the response to this sources sought synopsis. Interested sources shall provide the following information in their response: 1. Company name, address, phone number, primary contact(s), e-mail address. 2. SAM UEI number. 3. NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code that your firm uses for this supply/service. 4. State if your firm is a large business, small business, service-disabled-veteran-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, HUB zone 8(a), women-owned small business or a small disadvantaged business. 5. State if your firm has the required supplies/services on Schedule (FSS, GSA, SEWP, other…). 6. Capabilities Statement. Interested sources shall respond by: No later than 2359 CST Sunday, March 12, 2023 Send responses to: becky.delossantos@va.gov. Description: Period of Performance: 4/01/2023 – 3/31/2024, with (4) 12-month Option Years for the following Department of Veteran Affairs, Medical Centers. VA Minneapolis Health Care System VA St. Cloud Health Care System PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: All products offered within a Bid Group will be available to be ordered for delivery at any location within that Bid Group. Contractor will order quantities of bread and bakery products based on facilities menu needs, with oversight and concurrence from facility. Each location will phone or electronically send in delivery orders for milk products to the Contractor. Minneapolis facility will require deliveries three (3) or four (4) days per week. Order will NOT be required to be placed more than one week prior to delivery day. St. Cloud facility will require deliveries two (2) days per week. Order will NOT be required to be placed more than one week prior to delivery. Bread shall not be more than 24 hours old upon arrival at receiving point. Bread shall be packaged in accordance with the commercial practice. Bread shall not have been frozen prior to arrival. The package shall afford adequate protection against deterioration and physical damage during shipment from the supply source to the medical center. If an item has been ordered and is not available at the time of delivery, it will be the vendor’s responsibility to obtain the necessary product that day. All delivery tickets and invoices referencing the purchase order number must show the total items delivered for each line item. The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. Please indicate the time orders are to be placed by location: Minneapolis, MN 1 working day prior to delivery St. Cloud, MN 2 working days prior to delivery AUTHORIZATION FOR CHANGES. The contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments to issue changes which will affect the price, quantity and quality or delivery of this contract. PACKAGING, PACKING AND LABELING. All packaging and packing shall be in accordance with good commercial practice. Labeling shall be in accordance with commercial labeling complying with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under. All items must be identified with readable dates (open code dates), or coded dates. Contractors who do not use open dating will provide a product code number key listing to each customer facility. The product code number key listing shall explain the actual date of production or processing. Copies of key-codes will be furnished to each destination receiving officer and each destination inspection agency with the first delivery. Offeror is to provide pricing for both each and squat containers, if available. Individual delivery locations will decide which container type to order. All products listed within this contract are to be available to any VA listed in the contract at the same price quoted in the contract. The Government anticipates making a single contract award in the aggregate. Evaluation of offers will be based on capability to meet the Government requirements, past performance, and price. Preference may be given to offers that provide prices for product in containers as specified. However, vendors may offer alternate container (packaging) options and pricing. Award will be made to the offeror that is determined to be the best value for the Government. Alternative methods, (i.e. hormone free bread) are encouraged. If presenting alternative methods, please specify that in your bid. PRODUCT QUALITY AND FRESHNESS. All bread products shall be delivered to the requested destinations as listed in the schedule. All bread products furnished under this contract shall be fresh and of the highest quality. Appearance and color: Each individual fresh bread roll shall have a uniformly brown crust characteristic of the product. Each individual fresh bread roll shall have a typical volume, characteristic grain, and be evenly baked without evidence of scorching or burning. The fresh bread rolls shall be sliced when specified. There shall be no foreign color to the product. The delivered fresh bread rolls shall not be crushed or damaged. Odor and flavor: The fresh or frozen bread rolls shall have a flavor and aroma characteristic of the particular type of bread rolls. The fresh or frozen bread rolls shall be free from foreign odors or flavors such as, but not limited to, burnt, scorched, stale, rancid, or moldy. Texture: The texture of the fresh or frozen bread rolls shall have a characteristic texture for the type of bread roll. The fresh or frozen bread rolls shall be firm, tender, uniformly brown crust characteristic of the product, except Class of roll A, French bread rolls, which shall have a firm, crisp crust. Solids content: Each type of fresh or frozen bread roll shall have total solids content that is in accordance with the Standards of Identity for baked products. Enrichment: Enriched fresh or frozen bread rolls shall have the enrichment ingredients evenly distributed in the final product. Foreign material: All ingredients shall ben clean, sound, wholesome, and free from evidence of rodent or insect infestation. Age requirement: Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the fresh bread rolls shall be delivered within 72 hours after baking. When frozen bread rolls are specified, the fresh product shall be in a freezer within 12 hours after baking and frozen to a maximum temperature of 0F (-17.8C), ±5F (-15C to -20.6C) and shall be at a temperature not higher than 10F (-12.2C) within 12 hours after being placed in the freezer. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the frozen bread rolls shall be manufactured not more than 120 days prior to delivery and shall not have exceeded 15F (-9.4C) at any time during storage and delivery. All products furnished under this contract shall be processed and packed under sanitary conditions in strict accordance with guidelines provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, using the best commercial practices that are standard for the industry. All containers shall be clean, sound and securely covered or sealed to provide adequate protection from dirt, filth or contamination. Unless otherwise specified in the item specification or solicitation, marking shall be in accordance with best commercial practice. Any commercial or additional labeling as specified which complies with the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under, is acceptable. Products manufactured to metric dimensions will be considered on an equal basis with those manufactured using inch-pound units, providing they fall within the tolerances specified using conversion dimensions and those dimensions exceed the tolerances specified in the inch-pound units, a request should be made to the Contracting Officer to determine if the product is acceptable. The COTR, in accordance with the Contracting Officer, will accept or reject the product. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE. The Contracting Officer shall authorize VA Minneapolis, MN & VA St. Cloud, MN personnel to place delivery orders for products listed in the schedule of pricing. Orders shall be placed no less than 1 work day prior to the required delivery date, upon delivery at the receiving location, items ordered shall be less than 24 hours old. Deliveries shall be made between 7:00am and 10:00am, local time, on Monday through Friday, as requested by the COTR or his/her designee, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Deliveries shall be made within the premises at the following locations: VA Minneapolis Health Care System – Minneapolis Dept. 120 – Food Production & Service One Veterans Drive Building 70 Dock Minneapolis, MN 55417 VA St. Cloud Health Care System – St. Cloud Dept. 120 – Food Production & Service 4801 Veterans Drive Building 118 Dock St. Cloud, MN 56303 INSPECTION OF PLANTS: All product furnished under the awarded contract shall be processed at plants that have been inspected by the Federal Government. Approved inspection reports of another VA Facility or other Federal Government agency will be accepted as satisfactory evidence that the facilities/plants meet these requirements, if the inspection was made not more than six (6) months prior to the proposed contract period. The Contracting Officer or his/her designee reserves the right to make pre-award, on-site survey and inspection of the plant, personnel, equipment and processes of the offeror prior to making award and conditions found will be considered in awarding the contract. Inspection(s) may also be made at any time during the life of the contract and, if it is found that the contractor is not complying with specifications, deliveries will be rejected and the products covered by this contract will be procured in the open market. Any excess cost occasioned by this action will be charged against the contractor’s account. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SCHEDULE OF PRICE/COSTS: Contractor shall provide the estimated bread requirements as described in the schedule to the VA Minneapolis Health Care System and VA St. Cloud Health Care System, in accordance with specifications contained herein, for a one year base. The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed-Price Estimated Requirements contract for the period April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024. The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. Any proposed alternate items shall meet the requirements of the Government specifications as cited in the Index of Federal Specifications/Standards (FED) and or commercial Item Description (CID). A-A-20052B and A-A-20053B. The awarded contract shall constitute the entire agreement including all terms and conditions applicable to the contract. . -End.