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                            AGAR
                            PART 470 - COMMODITY ACQUISITIONS
        
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AGARPart Number: 470
        
                  

                                
                  
        Agriculture Acquisition Regulation
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PART 470 - COMMODITY ACQUISITIONS       Authority:                            5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1691 through 1726b; 1731 through 1736g-3; 1736o; 1736o-1; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 46 U.S.C. 53305, 55314 and 55316.          Source:                            74 FR 13079, Mar. 26, 2009, unless otherwise noted.                                       470.000 Scope of part.                                          470.101 Definitions.                                          470.102 Policy.                                          470.103 United States origin of agricultural products.                                          470.200 [Reserved]                                          470.201 Acquisition of commodities and freight shipment for Foreign Agricultural Service programs.                                          470.202 Acquisition of commodities for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs.                                          470.203 Cargo preference.    **Parent topic:**  SUBCHAPTER I - FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS470.000 Scope of part.       This part sets forth the policies, procedures and requirements governing the procurement of agricultural commodities by the Department of Agriculture for use:          (a) Under any domestic feeding and assistance program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service; and          (b) Under Title II of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 *et seq.*); the Food for Progress Act of 1985; the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program; and any other international food assistance program.470.101 Definitions.       The following definitions are applicable to this part:          *Commingled product* means grains, oilseeds, rice, pulses, other similar commodities and the products of such commodities, when such commodity or product is normally stored on a commingled basis in such a manner that the commodity or product produced in the United States cannot be readily distinguished from a commodity or product not produced in the United States.          *Department* means the Department of Agriculture.          *Food and Nutrition Service* means such agency located within the Department of Agriculture.          *Foreign Agriculture Service* means such agency located within the Department of Agriculture.          *Free alongside ship (f.a.s.) ( * * named port of shipment)* means a term of sale which means the seller fulfills its obligation to deliver when the goods have been placed alongside the vessel on the quay or in lighters at the named port of shipment. The buyer bears all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods from that moment.          *Free carrier (FCA) ( * * named place)* means a term of sale which means the seller fulfills its obligation when the seller has handed over the goods, cleared for export, into the charge of the carrier named by the buyer at the named place or point. If no precise point is indicated by the buyer, the seller may choose, within the place or range stipulated, where the carrier should take the goods into their charge.          *Grantee organization* means an organization which will receive commodities from the United States Agency for International Development under Title II of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 *et seq.*) or from the Foreign Agricultural Service under the Food for Progress Act of 1985; the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program; and any other international food assistance program.          *Ingredient* means spices, vitamins, micronutrients, desiccants, and preservatives when added to an agricultural commodity product.          *Last contract lay day* means the last day specified in an ocean freight contract by which the carriage of goods must start for contract performance.          *Lowest landed cost* means, as authorized by 46 U.S.C. 55314(c), with respect to an agricultural product acquired under this part the lowest aggregate cost for the acquisition of such product and the shipment of such product to a foreign destination.          *Multi-port voyage charter* means the charter of an ocean carrier in which the carrier will stop at two or more ports to discharge cargo.470.102 Policy.       (a) *Policy.* It is the policy of the Department to follow the policies and procedures set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) as supplemented by the Agriculture Acquisition Regulation, including this part, in the procurement of agricultural commodities and products of agricultural commodities that are used in domestic feeding and international feeding and development programs.          (b) *Electronic submission.* To the maximum extent possible, the use of electronic submission of solicitation-related documents shall be used with respect to the acquisition of agricultural commodities and related freight; however, to the extent that a solicitation allows for the submission of written information in addition to information in an electronic format and there is a discrepancy in such submissions, the information submitted in a written format shall prevail unless the electronic submission states that a specific existing written term is superseded by the electronic submission.          (c) *Freight.* With respect to the acquisition of freight for the shipment of agricultural commodities and products of agricultural commodities, the provisions of the FAR, including part 47, shall be utilized and various types of services to be obtained may include multi-trip voyage charters.470.103 United States origin of agricultural products.       (a) *Products of United States origin.* As provided by 7 U.S.C. 1732(2) and 1736o-1(a) commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired for use in international feeding and development programs shall be products of United States origin. A product shall not be considered to be a product of the United States if it contains any ingredient that is not produced in the United States if that ingredient is:          (1) Produced in the United States; and          (2) Commercially available in the United States at fair and reasonable prices from domestic sources.          (b) *Use by the Food and Nutrition Service.* Commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired for use by the Food and Nutrition Service shall be a product of the United States, except as may otherwise be required by law, and shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States except with respect to ingredients. Ingredients from non-domestic sources will be allowed to be utilized as a United States product if such ingredients are not otherwise:          (1) Produced in the United States; and          (2) Commercially available in the United States at fair and reasonable prices from domestic sources.          (c) *Commingled product.*          (1)  			Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a commingled product shall be considered to be a product of the United States if the offeror can establish that the offeror has in inventory at the time the contract for the commodity or product is awarded to the offeror, or obtains during the contract performance period specified in the solicitation, or a combination thereof, a sufficient quantity of the commodity or product that was produced in the United States to fulfill the contract being awarded, and all unfulfilled contracts that the offeror entered into to provide such commingled product to the United States.          (2) To the extent the Department has determined a commodity is one that is generally commingled, but is also one which can be readily stored on an identity preserved basis with respect to its country of origin, the Department may require that the commodity procured by the Department shall be of 100 percent United States origin.          (d) *Product derived from animals.* With respect to the procurement of products derived from animals, the solicitation will set forth any specific requirement that is applicable to the country in which the animal was bred, raised, slaughtered or further processed.470.200 [Reserved]470.201 Acquisition of commodities and freight shipment for Foreign Agricultural Service programs.       (a) *Lowest landed cost and delivery considerations.*          (1)  			Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this section, in contracts for the Foreign Agricultural Service for commodities and related freight shipment for delivery to foreign destinations, the contracting officer shall consider the lowest landed cost of delivering the commodity to the intended destination. This lowest landed cost determination will be calculated on the basis of rates and service for that portion of the commodities being purchased that is determined is necessary and practicable to meet 46 U.S.C. 55314(c)(3) and cargo preference requirements and on an overall (foreign and U.S. flag) basis for the remaining portion of the commodities being procured and the additional factors set forth in this section. Accordingly, the solicitations issued with respect to a commodity procurement or a related freight procurement will specify that in the event an offer submitted by a party is the lowest offered price, the contracting officer reserves the right to reject such offer if the acceptance of another offer for the commodity or related freight, when combined with other offers for commodities or related freight, results in a lower landed cost to the Department.          (2) The Department may contact any port prior to award to determine the port's cargo handling capabilities, including the adequacy of the port to receive, accumulate, handle, store, and protect the cargo. Factors considered in this determination may include, but not be limited to, the adequacy of building structures, proper ventilation, freedom from insects and rodents, cleanliness, and overall good housekeeping and warehousing practices. The Department may consider the use of another coastal range or port if a situation exists at a port that may adversely affect the ability of the Department to have the commodity delivered in a safe and timely manner. Such situations include:          (i) A port is congested;          (ii) Port facilities are overloaded;          (iii) A vessel would not be able to dock and load cargo without delay;          (iv) Labor disputes or lack of labor may prohibit the loading of the cargo onboard a vessel in a timely manner; or          (v) Other similar situation that may adversely affect the ability of the Department to have the commodity delivered in a timely manner.          (3) *Use of other than lowest landed cost.* In order to ensure that commodities are delivered in a timely fashion to foreign destinations and without damage, the contracting officer may award an acquisition without regard to the lowest land cost process set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section if:          (i) The solicitation specifies that the lowest land cost process will not be followed in the completion of the contract; or          (ii) After issuance of the solicitation, it is determined that:          (A) Internal strife at the foreign destination or urgent humanitarian conditions threatens the lives of persons at the foreign destination;          (B) A specific port's cargo handling capabilities (including the adequacy of the port to receive, accumulate, handle, store, and protect commodities) and other similar factors may adversely affect the delivery of such commodities through damage or untimely delivery. Such similar factors include, but are not limited to: port congestion; overloaded facilities at the port; vessels not being able to dock and load cargo without delay due to conditions at the port; labor disputes or lack of labor may prohibit the loading of the cargo onboard a vessel in a timely manner; and the existence of inadequate or unsanitary warehouse and other supporting facilities;          (C) The total transit time of a carrier, as it relates to a final delivery date at the foreign destination may impair the timely delivery of the commodity;          (D) Other similar situations arise that materially affect the administration of the program for which the commodity or freight is being procured; or          (E) The contracting officer determines that extenuating circumstances preclude awards on the basis of lowest-landed cost, or that efficiency and cost-savings justify use of types of ocean service that would not involve an analysis of freight. However, in all such cases, commodities would be transported in compliance with cargo preference requirements. Examples of extenuating circumstances are events such as internal strife at the foreign destination or urgent humanitarian conditions threatening the lives of persons at the foreign destination. Other types of services may include, but are not limited to, multi-trip voyage charters, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ), delivery cost and freight (C & F), delivery cost insurance and freight (CIF), and indexed ocean freight costs.          (4) If a contracting officer determines that action may be appropriate under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, prior to the acceptance of any applicable offer, the contracting officer will provide to the Head of Contracting Activity Designee a written request to obtain commodities and freight in a manner other than on a lowest landed cost basis consistent with Title 48 Code of Federal Regulations. This request shall include a statement of the reasons for not using lowest landed cost basis. The Head of the Contracting Activity Designee, or the designee one level above the contracting officer, may either accept or reject this request and shall document this determination.          (b) *Multiple offers or delivery points.* If more than one offer for the sale of commodities is received or more than one delivery point has been designated in such offers, in order to achieve a combination of a freight rate and commodity award that produces the lowest landed cost for the delivery of the commodity to the foreign destination, the contracting officer shall evaluate offers submitted on a delivery point by delivery point basis; however, consideration shall be given to prioritized ocean transport service in determining lowest landed cost.          (c) *Freight shipping and rates.*          (1)  			In determining the lowest-landed cost, the Department shall use the freight rates offered in response to solicitations issued by the Department or, if applicable, the grantee organization.          (2) Freight rates offered must be submitted as specified in the solicitation issued by the Department or, if applicable, the grantee organization. Any such solicitation issued by a grantee organization must contain the following elements:          (i) If directed by the Department, include a closing time for the receipt of written freight offers and state that late written freight offers will not be considered;          (ii) Provide that freight offers are required to have a canceling date no later than the last contract lay day specified in the solicitation;          (iii) Provide the same deadline for receipt of written freight offers from both U.S. flag vessel and non-U.S. flag vessels; and          (iv) Be received and opened prior to any related offer for acquisition of commodities to be shipped.          (3) The Department may require organizations that will receive commodities from the Department to submit information relating to the capacity of a U.S. port, or, if applicable, a terminal, prior to the acquisition of such commodities or freight.          (d) *Freight rate notification.* If the Department is not the party procuring freight with respect to a shipment of an agricultural commodity for delivery to a foreign destination, the organization that will receive commodities from the Department, or its shipping agent, shall be notified by the Department of the vessel freight rate used in determining the commodity contract award and the organization will be responsible for finalizing the charter or booking contract with the vessel representing the freight rate.470.202 Acquisition of commodities for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs.       (a) *Lowest landed cost and delivery considerations.*          (1)  			Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(3) and (e)(2) of this section, with respect to the acquisition of agricultural commodities for delivery to foreign destinations and related freight to transport such commodities under Title II of Public Law 480, contracts will be entered into in a manner that will result in the lowest landed cost of such commodity delivery to the intended destination. This lowest landed cost determination shall be calculated on the basis of rates and service for that portion of the commodities being purchased that is determined is necessary and practicable to meet 46 U.S.C. 55314(c)(3) and cargo preference requirements and on an overall (foreign and U.S. flag) basis for the remaining portion of the commodities being procured and the additional factors set forth in this section. Accordingly, the solicitations issued with respect to a commodity procurement or a freight procurement will specify that in the event an offer submitted by a party is the lowest offered price, the contracting officer reserves the right to reject such offer if the acceptance of another offer for the commodity or freight, when combined with other offers for commodities or freight, results in a lower landed cost to USAID.          (2) The Department may contact any port prior to award to determine the port's cargo handling capabilities, including the adequacy of the port to receive, accumulate, handle, store, and protect the cargo. Factors which will be considered in this determination will include, but not be limited to, the adequacy of building structures, proper ventilation, freedom from insects and rodents, cleanliness, and overall good housekeeping and warehousing practices. The Department may consider the use of another coastal range or port if a situation exists at a port that may adversely affect the ability of the Department to have the commodity delivered in a safe and/or timely manner. Such situations include:          (i) A port is congested;          (ii) Port facilities are overloaded;          (iii) A vessel would not be able to dock and load cargo without delay;          (iv) Labor disputes or lack of labor may prohibit the loading of the cargo onboard a vessel in a timely manner; or          (v) Other similar situation that may adversely affect the ability of the Department to have the commodity delivered in a timely manner.          (3) *Use of other than lowest landed cost.* In order to ensure that commodities are delivered in a timely fashion to foreign destinations and without damage, the Department may complete an acquisition without regard to the lowest land cost process set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, if:          (i) The solicitation specifies that the lowest land cost process will not be followed in the completion of the contract; or          (ii) After issuance of the solicitation, it is determined that:          (A) Internal strife at the foreign destination or urgent humanitarian conditions threatens the lives of persons at the foreign destination;          (B) A specific port's cargo handling capabilities (including the adequacy of the port to receive, accumulate, handle, store, and protect commodities) and other similar factors will adversely affect the delivery of such commodities without damage or in a timely manner. Such similar factors include, but are not limited to: port congestion; overloaded facilities at the port; vessels would not be able to dock and load cargo without delay; labor disputes or lack of labor may prohibit the loading of the cargo onboard a vessel in a timely manner; and the existence of inadequate or unsanitary warehouse and other supporting facilities;          (C) The total transit time of a carrier, as it relates to a final delivery date at the foreign destination may impair the ability of the Department to achieve timely delivery of the commodity; or          (D) Other similar situations arise that materially affect the administration of the program for which the commodity or freight is being procured.          (4) If the contracting officer determines that action may be appropriate under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, prior to the acceptance of any applicable offer, the contracting officer shall provide to the head of contracting activity designee and to USAID, a written request to obtain commodities and freight in a manner other than on a lowest landed cost basis. This request shall include a statement of the reasons for not using lowest landed cost basis. The head of contracting authority designee, or one level above the contracting officer, with the concurrence of USAID, shall, on an expedited basis, either accept or reject this request and shall document this determination in writing and provide a copy to USAID.          (b) *Freight shipping and rates.*          (1)  			In determining lowest-landed cost as specified in paragraph (a) of this section, the Department shall use vessel rates offered in response to solicitations issued by USAID or grantee organizations receiving commodities under 7 U.S.C. 1731 *et seq.*          (2) USAID may require, or direct a grantee organization to require, an ocean carrier to submit offers electronically through a Web-based system maintained by the Department. If electronic submissions are required, the Department may, at its discretion, accept corrections to such submissions that are submitted in a written form other than by use of such Web-based system.          (c) *Delivery date.* The contracting officer shall consider total transit time, as it relates to a final delivery date, in order to satisfy Public Law 480 Title II program requirements.          (d) *Delivery points.*          (1)  			Commodities offered for delivery free alongside ship Great Lakes port range or intermodal bridge-point Great Lakes port range that represent the overall (foreign and U.S. flag) lowest landed cost will be awarded on a lowest landed cost basis. Tonnage allocated on this basis will not be reevaluated on a lowest landed cost U.S.-flag basis unless the contracting officer determines that 25 percent of the total annual tonnage of bagged, processed, or fortified commodities furnished under 7 U.S.C. 1731 *et seq.* has been, or will be, transported from the Great Lakes port range during that fiscal year.          (2) The contracting officer shall consider commodity offers as offers for delivery “intermodal bridge-point Great Lakes port range” only if:          (i) The offer specifies delivery at a marine cargo-handling facility that is capable of loading ocean going vessels at a Great Lakes port, as well as loading ocean going conveyances such as barges and container vans, and          (ii) The commodities will be moved from one transportation conveyance to another at such a facility.          (e) *Multiple awards or delivery points.*          (1)  			If more than one offer for the sale of commodities is received or more than one delivery point has been designated in such offers, in order to achieve a combination of a freight rate and commodity award that produces the lowest landed cost for the delivery of the commodity to the foreign destination, the contracting officer shall evaluate offers submitted on a delivery point by delivery point basis; however, consideration shall be given to prioritized ocean transport service in determining lowest landed cost.          (2) The contracting officer may determine that extenuating circumstances preclude awards on the basis of lowest landed cost. However, in all such cases, commodities may be transported in compliance with cargo preference requirements as determined by USAID.          (3) The contracting officer shall notify USAID or, if applicable, the grantee organization, that its shipping agent will be notified of the vessel freight rate used in determining the commodity contract award. The grantee organization or USAID will be responsible for finalizing the charter or booking contract with the vessel representing the freight rate so used.470.203 Cargo preference.       An agency having responsibility under this subpart shall administer its programs, with respect to this subpart, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation.
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