United States Department of Agriculture 

1400 Independence Avenue, 

S.W. - Room 3522 

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Room 3522-S, STOP 0239 

Washington, DC 20036 

SOLICITATION 

Master/Shortfall Invitation 

Bid invitation Overview 

Information 

Description: 12-3J14-24-B-0242 

Bid invitation number: 2000009893 

Purchasing Group: AMS-Fruit and Veg 

Bid Timezone: Central Time 

Start Date: 02/09/2024 16:00:00 

Offer Due Date : 02/23/2024 13:00:00 

Opening date: 02/23/2024 13:00:00 

Invitation Type : Master 

Additional requested information: 

Tendering text - Header : 

CCC PURCHASE DRIED APRICOTS, SOLICITATION NO. 2000009893 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requests offers to sell Dried Fruit pursuant to the AMS 

Master Solicitation for use in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutrition 

Assistance Programs. Acceptances will be announced by March 1, 2024. Deliveries are to be made 

between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. 

The specialist for this purchase is Nicholas Cavazos (nicholas.cavazos@usda.gov.) The contracting 

officer for this purchase is Samantha Klagenberg (samantha.klagenberg@usda.gov.) Please contact the 

specialist first with questions about the requirements. Do not discuss your bid prices with the specialist 

or contracting officer before award. 

SET ASIDES INCLUDE: 

111431,,,,Apricots Dried PKG - 24-1,,,,No Set Asides,, 

CROP YEAR: 

2023 or newer will be acceptable for this solicitation. 

The USDA intends to buy a minimum of 100 trucks with a maximum of 120 trucks. 

The incorporated terms of any subsequent contract and obligations for both the awardee and 

Government can be found in: 

1),,The tendering text of this solicitation 

2),,The AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurement # Domestic Programs, often referred to as 

the

 #MSCP# (attached to this solicitation in WBSCM) 

3),,The applicable Commodity Specifications (attached to this solicitation in WBSCM) 

4),,CCC Dried Apricots Invitation for Bids (IFB) 1449 (attached to this solicitation in WBSCM) 

A bidder should: 

1),,Be in active status in SAM.gov 

2),,Be active in WBSCM with the required bidder roles 

3),,Be a qualified bidder with the Agricultural Marketing Service 

4),,List at least one compliant shipping point AND plant with their bid in WBSCM 

For a new-to-USDA contractor and existing contractors who are bidding on new products, a 

probationary period may be implemented in which awards are limited to 10 truckloads per product. 

Contractor must demonstrate successful delivery of at least five truckloads of product in order to be 

removed from probationary status on future solicitations. For the purposes of this rule, successful 

delivery is defined as product delivered on-time and in acceptable condition according to the terms and 
 

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SOLICITATION Information 

Master/Shortfall Invitation Description: 12-3J14-24-B-0242 

Bid invitation number: 2000009893 

conditions of the contract. Any delivery problems directly attributable to the Government will not be 

held against the contractor. 

SOLICITATION-SPECIFIC DETAILS 

Offerors will submit a unit price in WBSCM, for delivery to each state, inclusive of all costs associated 

through final delivery. A price is required for every state and all state prices must be determined fair 

and reasonable for a bid to be determined responsible. 

If applicable, constraints must be entered in truckloads NOT cases, pounds, etc. Constraints may 

overlap by product and delivery window. If an offeror has no constraints for a given product, they are 

not required to enter constraints. 

Offerors who intend to use more than one processing plant and shipping point for contracts awarded 

under this solicitation, other than the processing plant and shipping point entered in their bids, may 

submit a list of their approved processing plants and shipping points on a separate sheet of paper to 

be uploaded in WBSCM, and to be submitted with their proposals. Purchases will be made on an f.o.b. 

destination basis to cities on this solicitation. Destination quantities listed are estimates and subject to 

adjustment based on offerings, changes in recipient needs, market conditions, and program operations. 

All prime vendors are reminded that they are prohibited from subcontracting with companies or 

individuals that have been suspended or debarred. 

Offers must be submitted electronically via the Web-Based Supply Chain Management System 

(WBSCM). Offers submitted by any means other than WBSCM will be deemed nonresponsive. Offerors 

must be active in WBSCM and have the required bidder roles in order to submit offers under this 

solicitation. Once connected, follow the online procedures. A "HELP" button provides detailed 

instructions or call (202) 720-4517 for assistance. 

Offerors are cautioned to bid only quantities they can reasonably expect to produce and deliver. 

Inquiries about the Master Solicitation dated November 2023; Commodity Specifications for Dried Fruit 

dated January 2021. Inquiries for this Solicitation should be directed to the Contracting Officer; USDA, 

AMS, Room 3522-South; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-0239.Telephone: 

(202) 720-4517. FAX: (202)720-2782. 

The USDA prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on 

the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and 

where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or 

part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic 

information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not 

all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To file a complaint of 

discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 

1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free 

Customer Service), (800)877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users). 
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SOLICITATION Information 

Master/Shortfall Invitation Description: 12-3J14-24-B-0242 

Bid invitation number: 2000009893 

See attached documents: 

1 . CommoditySpecificationforDriedFruitJanuary2021

 2 . MSCP-D (11-07-2023)

 3 . Part B_Schedule Dried Apricots

 4 . Exhibit 2_Estimates on orders_2000009893

 5 . CCC Dried Apricots Invitation for Bid (IFB) 1449 

Attributes : 

Timely performance: Offeror and any subcontractor have completed required performance of any USDA 

contract prior to this bid opening. 

Permitted values: - Have been delivered 

- Have not been delivered 

- Have not been delivered, but the Offeror has notified the Contracting Officer 

- There are no existing contracts/purchase orders 

OFFEROR REQUESTS HUBZONE SMALL BUSINESS PRICE EVALUATION PREFERENCE. APPLIES 

ONLY TO FIRMS CERTIFIED IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION#S HUBZONE PROGRAM 

(FAR SUBPART 19.13).MUST BE THE MANUFACTURER/PRODUCER OF THE PRODUCT TO RECEIVE 

A PRICE PREFERENCE 

Furnish name, title, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of person submitting this bid 

(must be an officer of the company or a person authorized to execute contracts/purchase orders on 

behalf of the bidder). 

IS THE OFFEROR AN ENTITY THAT HAS FILED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION IN ONE OF THE 

FIFTY STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, OR THE VARIOUS TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED 

STATES? YOU MUST ANSWER THE NEXT 3 QUESTIONS IF THE ANSWER FOR THIS QUESTION IS 

YES. 

HAS THE OFFEROR BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY CRIMINAL VIOLATION UNDER FEDERAL OR 

STATE LAW IN THE 24 MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE OF OFFER? 

HAS THE OFFEROR HAD ANY OFFICER OR AGENT OF OFFEROR CONVICTED OF A FELONY 

CRIMINAL VIOLATION FOR ACTIONS TAKEN ON BEHALF OF OFFEROR UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE 

LAW IN THE 24 MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE OF OFFER? 

DOES THE OFFEROR HAVE ANY UNPAID FEDERAL TAX LIABILITY ASSESSED, WHICH ALL 

JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED/LAPSED, THAT IS NOT 

BEING PAID IN A TIMELY MANNER PURSUANT TO AGREEMENT WITH THE AUTHORITY 

RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING IT? 

Bid invitation Item details 

Item Material Description Quantity 
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SOLICITATION Information 

Master/Shortfall Invitation Description: 12-3J14-24-B-0242 

Bid invitation number: 2000009893 

Item Material Description Quantity 

10 FRUIT, DRIED 

20 111431 APRICOTS DRIED PKG # 24/1 LB CS 

172,800.000 

Total Quantity for APRICOTS DRIED PKG # 24/1 LB CS 

172,800.000 

Total Quantity for Invitation CS 

172,800.000