Outline

• Staff Introductions

• FAR Overview

• Award Timing (NLT Award Dates)

• 2-Day Requirement for NLT Waiver Submissions

• Bidding to Port vs Final Destination

• Changes and Improvements 2017

• Language Changes (GOVDelivery) 2018

• Other Upcoming Changes for 2018 

• Purchase Schedule Changes for 2018
Staff Introductions
Fruit & Tree Nut Staff 

• Elizabeth Lober, Section Supervisor (Acting)

• Sean Frey, Contracting Officer

– IDIQ Fruit

• Adrienne Collins, Contract Specialist

– Apples-Frozen & Canned; Blueberries; Cranberries; Cherries; PlumsCanned; Kosher Fruit

• DeVonne Collins, Contract Specialist

– Dried Fruits and Tree Nuts
Fruit & Tree Nut Staff (contd.)

• David Cottrell, Ag Marketing Specialist

– Apples-Bulk, Fresh, & Processing; Oranges; PearsBulk, Fresh, & Processing

• La Shawne Brown, Contract Specialist

– Fruit Juices

• Suzette Offer, Procurement Technician

• Cedric Hopkins, Procurement Technician
Vegetable Team Staff

• Elizabeth Lober, Section Supervisor

• David Munford, Contracting Officer

• Colleen Nicholson, Ag Marketing Specialist

– IDIQ Vegetables; Corn; Peas

• Barbara Nelson, Contract Specialist

– IDIQ Vegetables; Green Beans; TomatoesDiced/Canned; White Potatoes; Vegetable Mix; 

Frozen Carrots
Vegetable Team Staff (contd.)

• Dave Cottrell, Contract Specialist

– Potatoes-Bulk & Fresh; Dehydrated Potatoes; 

Potatoes-Sweet Bulk & Fresh

• Renee Collier, Ag Marketing Specialist

– Canned Beans, Bulk Beans

• Jenny Watson, Contract Specialist

– Canned Vegetables; Canned Soup; Canned & 

Pouch Tomato Products- Paste, Sauce, & Salsa; 

Tomato Juice
Vegetable Team Staff (contd.)

• Carol Givens-Verser, Ag Marketing Specialist

– HHP Dry Beans; Canned Carrots; Kosher NSLP 

Vegetables; Dry Lentils

• Raquel Clinton, Contract Specialist

– Frozen Vegetables; Frozen Potatoes; Butternut 

Squash; 

• Darien Davis, Procurement Technician
THE FAR – A Brief Overview
FAR Overview

• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

– the principal set of rules in the Federal

Acquisition Regulation System. The FAR 

System governs the "acquisition process" by 

which executive agencies of the United 

States federal government acquire (i.e., 

purchase or lease) goods and services by 

contract with appropriated funds.
FAR Overview

• Basics:

– Divided into 53 parts

• The FAR ensures government purchasing 

procedures are conducted in a standard, 

consistent, fair, and impartial manner

FAR Overview

• US government contracts differ from commercial 

contracts, primarily due to federal mandates related 

to:

– Appropriations Law (funding)

– Small Business Requirements (Set Asides)

– Competition Requirements

– Prompt Pay

– Labor Laws

– Buy American

– Security Requirements

– Etc. 
FAR Overview

• AMS Mission presents unique challenges

– Products are subject to harvest & weather conditions 

• Timing is critical

• Funding always an issue

– Our recipients are unique

• Children

• Needy families

– Food Safety and Health concerns are paramount

• Nutrition 
Award Timing / NLT Award Dates

• NLT Award Date

– Date is announced in Solicitation WBSCM Tendering Text

• “Acceptances will be announced by Midnight on October 31, 

2017.” 

– NLT Award Date is always subject to change

• Multiple factors can affect award timing

• AMS CPS will typically provide notice of a change to NLT Award 

date as a courtesy, via letter from the CO.

• Notice provides an opportunity to withdraw your bid

– Feel free to contact CS or CO on the day of award if you are 

concerned about timing or award. 
2-Day Requirement for NLT Waiver Submissions

• Master Solicitation for Commodity 

Procurements, Section C. Additional Clauses, 

4A52.211-1 Compensation for Delays in 

Delivery (page 20)

– Sets a due date of 2 working days after the 

scheduled NLT delivery date for submission of 

waiver requests to extend the NLT delivery date 

for extensions that are outside of the control of 

the contractor
2-Day Requirement for NLT Waiver Submissions
2-Day Requirement for NLT Waiver Submissions

• Send the CS a waiver request within 2 days of missed 

delivery due to circumstances outside of your control

• If the new NLT delivery dates are unknown, send the 

request with “TBD” listed as the new delivery dates

– The waiver will be on-hold until you know the new 

delivery dates. 

• Do not invoice until the waiver has been completed 

to avoid reimbursements
Bidding to Port vs Final Destination

• Vendors are not required to bid to Final 

Destination for Offshore Shipments

– Each Offshore location has a Port 

• Instructions for bidding to port are available 

on the AMS Website at:

– www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/wbscm
Bidding to Port vs Final Destination
Bidding to Port vs Final Destination
Bidding to Port vs Final Destination
Changes & Improvements 2017

• In response to industry... 

– Built more time into IFB solicitations (8-10 days)

– IDIQ Successes

• Fruit: Solicited early and Awarded approx. 1 month 

earlier than 2016

• Vegetables: Solicited early and awarded 3 weeks earlier 

than 2016

– Kosher

• Solicited earlier and received more of the product
Language Changes (GOVDelivery) 2018

• Changes will go into effect on November 6: 

– New terms (standardizing on FAR terms)

• Purchase Announcements become Presolicitation

Notices

• Bid Awards/Bid Arrays become Abstract of Bids

• Solicitation numbers will include both the—

WBSCM # PIID

200001234 123J14-17-S-001

*PIID is referenced in Public Procurements

in WBSCM 
PIID (Procurement Instrument Identifier) Breakdown
Language Changes (GOVDelivery) 2018

• Click the link to open the solicitation and view details:

– E.g., Where to find Set-Asides?

• In the solicitation (click the GovDelivery link to “View Solicitation”)

• Found in the “Tendering text – Header” section

• On our website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food
Proposed Changes for 2018

• IDIQ

– Oct through December, “Round 1,” deliveries will continue 

to be IFB

– Frozen Strawberries and Apricot products will be solicited 

and awarded in April and awarded in early May

– Jan through September Deliveries 

• Considering IFB/IDIQ rather than RFP

– Streamlined process, fewer submittals

• Considering soliciting “Round 2” January through June 

and “Round 3” for July though September 
Other Proposed Changes for 2018

• Two Step Sealed Bidding

– Vegetarian Beans and Refried Beans

– Possibly Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

– FAR 14.5

• Step One: Request for an evaluation of technical proposals (aka 

product sample). No pricing is involved. The objective is to 

determine the acceptability of the supplies or services offered 

prior to issuing the IFB. 

• Step Two: Involves IFB solicitation and submission of sealed bids 

by vendors who submitted acceptable technical proposals in Step 

One. 

• IFB/IDIQ vs RFP/IDIQ
Proposed Purchase Schedule Changes for 

Fruit & Tree Nut and Vegetable Teams
Proposed Changes for Apples

• 110561-Apples Fresh PKG-12/3 LB.

• 100514, 100517, 100521, 100522, 100523, and 110543-

Fresh Variety Carton 40 LB.

• Reason for Proposed Change- Would be more effective to 

purchase the above mentioned materials 3 times a fiscal year.

• Point of contact- David Cottrell 
Proposed Timeframe

• 1st solicitation would occur in June 2018- Delivery Periods 

occurring between September-December 2018.

• 2nd solicitation would occur in November 2018- Delivery 

Periods occurring between January-April 2019.

• 3rd solicitation would occur in March 2019-Delivery Periods 

occurring between May-August 2019.
Proposed Changes....

100308- Carrots Can 24/300

100309- Carrots Can 6/10

Point of Contact: Carol Givens-Verser
Upcoming Changes to Carrots' 

• For both of these materials 100308 and 100309 AMS would-

- Solicit in April 

- New Delivery Periods between November-July.

- Reason for this proposed change is due to vendor 

response. 
Proposed Changes for Tomato Paste

• 100332- Tomato Paste Bulk

- Moving forward, change would be to remove 3rd

quarter purchase for this material.

- Currently, U.S.D.A. has received feedback from

vendors that it is difficult to provide product 

between the months of July-September.

• Point of Contact: Jenny Watson
Proposed Changes for Frozen Vegetables

• Changes involve the following materials:

110562 SWEET POTATOES CHUNK FRZ PKG-6/5 LB

110721 SWEET POTATOES CRINKLE FRZ PKG-6/5 LB

110844 POTATOES DICED FRZ PKG-6/5 LB

100357 POTATOES OVENS FRY PKG-6/5 LB

100356 POTATOES WEDGE FAT FREE FRZ PKG-6/5 LB

100355 POTATOES WEDGE FRZ PKG-6/5 LB

110480 CARROTS DICED FRZ CTN-30 LB

110481 CARROTS DICED FRZ CTN-12/2.5 LB

110421 MUSHROOMS DICED FRZ IQF CTN-40 LB

110724 PEPPERS/ONIONS BLEND FRZ CTN-30 LB

110425 SPINACH CHOPPED FRZ IQF CTN-20 LB (1902)

110391 SPINACH CHOPPED FRZ IQF PKG-12/2 LB
Changes to Sweet Potatoes....

• For materials 110562, Sweet Potatoes Chunk FRZ PKG 6/5 LB, 

and 110721, Sweet Potatoes Crinkle FRZ PKG-6/5 LB.

- AMS wants to purchase these materials in March instead 

of April.

- Solicited on an IFB annually

- Change is due to vendor feedback. 

• Point of Contact: Raquel Clinton
Changes to Potatoes...

• Potatoes 110844, Potatoes Diced FRZ PKG-6/5 LB, 100355 

Potatoes Wedge FRZ PKG-6/5 LB, 100356 Potatoes Wedge FF, 

and 100357 Potatoes Ovens Fry PKG 6/5 LB. 

- Under proposed change these items will be 

solicited in August. 

- This change is in response to vendor feedback since

potatoes are available throughout the year. 

• Point of Contact: Raquel Clinton
Changes to Frozen Carrots.....

• For materials, 110480 Carrots Diced FRZ Ctn-30 LB, and 

110481 Carrots Diced FRZ CTN-12/2.5 LB.

- Proposed change is to purchase these materials year

round for FY 2019-2020. 

- Consideration to change the current pack size from 

12/2.5 to 12/2 based on vendor feedback for material 

110481.

- Currently, Industry standard is 12/2, and AMS is 

considering going to that size. 

• Point of Contact: Raquel Clinton
Frozen Vegetable changes...

• Material 110421, Mushrooms Diced FRZ CTN- 40 LB. 

- Change this from an annual buy to a bi-annual purchase.

- Considering combining Mushroom with Material 

110861 Butternut Squash 

- These two materials would be put on one solicitation 

to be purchased in June and November. 

• Point of Contact: Raquel Clinton
Frozen Vegetable changes....

• Material 110724, Pepper/Onions Blend FRZ CTN 30 LB. 

- Proposed change would be to have the NLT dates 

start in July instead of September. 

- Change is initiated per FNS request. 

• Material 110425, Spinach Chopped FRZ CTN 20 LB, 110391, Spinach 

Chopped FRZ PKG 12/2 LB, 110481 Carrots Diced FRZ CTN-12/2.5 LB, and 

110480 Carrots Diced FRZ CTN-30 LB.

- Both Carrot pack-sizes will be combined with the spinach

- The other bi-annual purchase of carrots are not

combined with anything.

- FNS and AMS are considering purchasing spinach bi-annually.

• Point of Contact: Raquel Clinton