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SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

This is a Sources Sought NOTICE (SSN) ONLY. The U.S. Government is conducting market research only to determine the availability of qualified sources capable of providing Fresh Dairy Products for the Department of Veterans Affairs Sothern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics, located in White City, Oregon. Potential Contractors are invited to provide a response via e-mail to Contract Specialist at tracy.heath@va.gov by April 28, 2023, 2:00 PM (PT). Responses will be used to determine the appropriate strategy for a potential acquisition. Please clearly identify any information your company considers sensitive or proprietary. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited quotes in response to this sources sought synopsis. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued.

BACKGROUND: The contractor shall provide fresh dairy products to VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC), White City, Oregon.

NAICS: 311511, Fluid Milk Manufacturing

Interested potential Contractors please provide the following.

1) Company Name, address, point of contact, phone number, email address, and DUNS, SAM UEI.

Please indicate business size:
Small Disadvantage Business (SDB)____
8(a)____
Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)____
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)____
Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)_____
Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB)_____
Women-Owned Small Business concerns (WOSB)_____
Small Business_____
Large Business_____

Please state if you possess a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS)______. Please state if your FSS Schedule is under Group 66 III Cat 605-2A________

2) Please submit a brief capability statement (maximum three pages) with enough information to demonstrate to the Veterans Affairs that you have enough resources, personnel, and experience to provide fresh dairy products as required in the attached Draft Statement of Work.

**Draft Statement of Work

STATEMENT OF WORK
VA southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics
8495 Crater Lake Highway
White City, OR 97503-3011

The contractor shall provide fresh dairy products to VA SORCC, White City, Oregon. The quantities listed are estimated requirements.

FRESHNESS REQUIREMENT:
Dairy products shall conform to the following freshness requirements:
Dairy products shall conform to USDA Standards for U.S. No.1 Grade that are fresh, free from decay and free from damage caused by breakage, dirt, disease, insects, or other means.

Compliance with the provisions from the USDA Standards shall not excuse failure to comply with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or with applicable State laws, regulations, or VA regulations.

All shipping transportation shall be in accordance with good commercial practice for Fresh Dairy in a controlled environment between 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit.

All risk shall be minimized of the contamination of dairy products by microbial pathogens and good industry practices shall be followed according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

RECALL NOTICES
Notification to Nutrition and Food Service shall be given immediately upon receiving Recall Notices from the Food and Drug Administration Enforcement Report publications.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
Substitutions shall be allowed on the condition that the substituted item is similar in appearance and composition, except for the 2.5-gallon bulk milk, this is specifically designed so that staff are less prone to injury from lifting the product. Substituted items shall be billed at no higher cost than the contracted items it is substituted for.

PRESERVATION, PACKAGING AND PACKING:
Unless otherwise specified, preservation, packaging, and packing shall be to a degree of protection to preclude damage to containers and/or contents thereof under normal shipping conditions, handling, etc., and shall conform to normal commercial practices and applicable carrier rules and regulations involving shipment from the contractor to the receiving activity for storage. Shipping containers shall follow the national Motor Freight classification and uniform Freight Classification in effect at the time of shipment.

All packaging and packing shall be in accordance with good commercial practice. Labeling shall be in accordance with commercial labeling, complying with Federal Food and Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulation promulgated there under.

All items shall be identified with readable dates (open code dates) or coded dates. Contractors who do not use open dating shall provide a product code number key listing. The product code number key listing shall explain the actual date of production or processing. Copies of key-code listing shall be furnished to each destination receiving officer and each destination inspection agency with the first delivery.

GOVERNMENT HOLIDAYS:
Listed below are legal Government Holidays:

New Year s January 1
Martin Luther King s Birthday Third Monday in January
Presidents Day Third Monday in February
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Independence Day July 4
Juneteenth June 19
Labor Day First Monday in September
Columbus Day Second Monday in October
Veterans Day November 11
Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day December 25
When one of the holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a legal holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a legal holiday by the U.S. Government agencies. Administration staff will not be available on these following days or dates; however, delivery may still be excepted by NFS supervisors or Ingredient Control.

CUSTOMER INQUIRY:
Upon receipt of any inquiry, the contractor shall provide a response no later than by the close of the next business day. Responses to order status shall include the current stage of completion and estimated delivery date. The preferred method of communication is electronic mail (email).

REQUIRED DELIVERY SCHEDULE:

Facility Time of Delivery Frequency/Limitations
VA SORCC 6:00-10:00 A.M PST Tuesdays/Fridays
8495, Crater Lake Hwy (Preferred)
White City, OR.
97502

If the offeror is unable to meet the desired delivery schedule, it may, without prejudicing evaluation of its offer, propose a delivery schedule below. However, the offeror s proposed delivery schedule shall not extend the delivery period beyond the time for delivery in the government s required delivery schedule:

Note: attach additional sheets as needed for proposed delivery schedule.
PREVAILING TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
All orders placed are subject to the terms and conditions of all the clauses and provisions in full text or incorporated by reference herein:

DESCRIPTION OF AGREEMENT:
Under this contract, the holder shall provide Fresh dairy products as listed on the schedule provided in Fresh Dairy Products List. The above-described supplies and/or services shall be provided when ordered by authorized personnel or a Contracting Officer during the specified period stated. This is for support to VA Center in White City, Oregon (including geographical separated units and operating locations) only.

SUPPLIES AVAILABLE:
Schedule details all supplies, with accompanying prices and descriptions, which may be ordered.

TERMS
This will be a five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a period of performance ending on 09-30-2028 or such earlier ending date as determined by mutual agreement between contracting parties or by extension not to exceed 5 years from date of award.

OBLIGATION OF FUNDS
This does not obligate any funds. The Government is obligated only to the extent of authorized
orders issued by the Contracting Officer.
AUTHORIZED USERS
Government Contracting Officers or Government Contracting Officer Representative (COR) representing VA SORCC, White City, Oregon, are the only users authorized to place orders. Any authorized user shall only be allowed to issue an order if funds are certified, and the awarding office s Task Order number is assigned. Holders shall not accept or perform any purported order that does not contain a Task Order number.

Individuals Authorized to Place Orders:
Wesley Smoker
Anthony Corosu
Renee Duquette-Coleman
Lance Zimmerman
Shari Salamone

INVOICES
Inspection and acceptance shall be accomplished for all services furnished under resulting contract by the designated COR in the program office as the point of final inspection and acceptance. The contract holder will submit each invoice, including all back-up data, to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for review and signature. When the COR receives an accurate and complete invoice, he/she will return a signed copy to the holder within five (5) working days. If the invoice is incomplete or inaccurate, the COR will return the unsigned invoice to the holder for correction. The Contracting Officer Representative will then forward the signed invoice to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for payment. Final payment for each order will be accomplished by final invoice accompanied by a receiving report

An itemized invoice shall be submitted to the COR at least monthly or upon expiration, whichever occurs first, for all deliveries made during a billing period and for which payment has not been received. Copies of delivery tickets shall support these invoices. Approved-for-Payment invoices will be submitted to the payment address specified on each individual order issued.

PRICING:
The prices included on the list (or applicable discounted rates submitted in a proposal response to an RFQ resulting in award) that are in effect on the effective date of an order shall govern those orders basic performance period.

The holder can voluntarily reduce offered prices at any time by giving a 24-hour advance notice (by facsimile or electronic-mail) to the VA SORCC, White City, Oregon/COR Contracting Officer Representative. This also allows for additional discounts if a large order is placed at one time. An advanced notice is not required for discounts offered for only an individual order. Whether an order is large enough to warrant such a discount is subject to the discretion of the holder.

The vendor may submit price adjustments per the Economic Price Adjustment policy. Economic Price Adjustments may occur once per month and prices shall reflect adjustments per the USDA-Federal Milk Market Order released on the 21st of each month, for the following months adjustments. Any subsequent request for a price increase, once approved by the Contracting Officer, shall remain firm for at least 30 days after the approval date. Any requested price increase shall not take effect until after approval by the Contracting Officer. The request for price increase must be provided by U.S. mail, facsimile, or electronic mail to the Contracting Officer. Any order already issued shall not be affected by any change pricing. The prices offered will undergo periodic review by the NCO 20 Contracting Officer.

Economic price adjustment modifications will be prepared at the end of every month, so that new prices will be available by the first of each month. USDA Federal Milk Market Order announces price adjustments on the Wednesday prior to the 21st of the month unless a holiday falls during that week then it will be announced on Thursday. The new and adjusted prices will be released to the Nutrition and Food Service Dept. no later than the 27th of the month, to facilitate processing of the modification.

See below required product list.
**DRAFT** Fresh Dairy Products List:
MILK, LOW FAT 1% 2.5 GAL
MILK, LOW FAT 1% ½ PINT
BUTTERMILK, ½ GAL
SOUR CREAM, 5 LB
COTTAGE CHEESE, LOW FAT 5 LB
DRINK, TROPICAL/CITRUS ORANGE 1 GAL
DRINK, CITRUS PUNCH 1 GAL
DRINK, FRUIT 1 GAL
MILK, SOY ORIGINAL ½ GAL
MILK, SOY VANILLA ½ GAL
MILK, CHOCOLATE ½ GAL
ICE CREAM, REG, CHOCOLATE 3 OZ CUPS
ICE CREAM, REG, VANILLA 3 OZ CUPS
SHERBET, ORANGE 3 OZ CUPS
ICE CREAM, REG, STRAWBERRY 3 OZ CUPS
YOGURT GREEK, PLAIN 1 QT CONTAINER
MOZZARELLA, SHREDDED 4/5 LB BAGS
PARMESEAN, GRATED 4/5 LB TUBS
PARMESEAN, SHREDDED 4/5 LB BAGS
RICOTTA 2/5 LB TUBS

Attachments/Links