8910--MVAHCS Milk Supply & Delivery Sources Sought

The Minneapolis Health Care System requires milk products and delivery listed below in the draft Statement of Work (SOW) below. This is a sources sought looking for businesses to provide the supplies listed below for market research purposes. No awards of a contract will be made from this announcement. If you are a vendor that can provide the requested information above and required supplies described below with competitive pricing, send your information (to include your organization's Unique Entity Identifier number) with a description of proof of capability to: Jeffrey.Brown8@va.gov on or before August 25th, 2026. Only emailed responses will be considered. Additionally, please provide answers as appropriate to the following questions in the table below with your response to this sources sought. Failure to respond to the following questions may affect the acquisition strategy. Question # Questions Vendor Responses 1. Identify your organization's socio-economic category.   2. Identify if your organization is the manufacturer of the requested supplies. If you are not the manufacturer, identify the manufacturer of the supplies that you will provide, their socio-economic category and a letter showing that your organization is an authorized distributor for the requested supplies.    3. Fill out the certificate under FAR Provision 52.225-2(b), identifying the item and its country of origin. (https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide/far-overhaul-part-52#FAR_52_225_2). If the product is a US domestic end product, write in USA for the item's country of origin.   4. State whether any of the requested supplies may be ordered against a government contract awarded to your organization (e.g Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), General Services Administration (GSA), etc.).   5. Address whether your organization meets the requirements of 13 CFR 121.406 (b)(1)(i), (b)(1)(ii) and (b)(1)(iii) (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR0fca5207262de47/section-121.406#p-121.406(b)).   6. State if subcontracting is contemplated for this requirement, what percentage of the requirement will be subcontracted and for what tasks.     *If applicable, VAAR 852.219-76 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Supplies and Products, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Veteran Owned Small-Businesses.*  *If applicable, VAAR 852.212-71 Gray Market Items, will apply to the potential solicitation.* *If applicable, FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Small-Businesses. * Draft STATEMENT OF WORK MILK SUPPLY AND DELIVERY BACKGROUND The Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, hereinafter referred to as the MVAHCS, is in need of a contract to procure the supply and delivery of refrigerated milk products. The Contractor shall provide the estimated milk requirements as described in the schedule of items to the location below: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System Dept. 120 Nutrition and Food Services One Veterans Drive Building 70 Dock Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417 DEFINITIONS NFS Nutrition & Food Service PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 3.1 The anticipated contract will be a Firm Fixed-Price with estimated requirements for a base period with four (4) option periods. Option periods may be exercised only through written action by the Contracting Officer. The anticipated periods are as follows: Base Period December 1, 2026 November 30, 2027 Option Period 1 December 1, 2027 November 30, 2028 Option Period 2 December 1, 2028 November 30, 2029 Option Period 3 December 1, 2029 November 30, 2030 Option Period 4 December 1, 2030 November 30, 2031 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS 4.1 The estimated amounts of products to be ordered annually are as follows: Product Individual Container Case Pack Provided Annual Planning Estimate Whole milk 8 fluid ounces (one-half pint) 50 EA per CS 263 CS Lowfat milk, 1% milkfat 8 fluid ounces (one-half pint) 50 EA per CS 2,375 CS Fat-free/nonfat skim milk 8 fluid ounces (one-half pint) 50 EA per CS 387 CS Chocolate milk, 1% milkfat 8 fluid ounces (one-half pint) 50 EA per CS 200 CS 4.2 The Government does not guarantee the estimated yearly quantity. Any proposed alternate item shall meet the requirements of the Government specification as cited in the Index of Federal Specifications/Standards (FED) and or Commercial Item Description (CID). The awarded contract shall constitute the entire agreement including all terms and conditions applicable to the contract. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 5.1 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, quality, or delivery terms of this contract. All products offered within the Schedule of Items must be available to be ordered by the facility. Contractor will order quantities of milk based on facilities menu needs, with oversight and concurrence from facility. The VA facility will phone or electronically send in delivery orders for milk to the Contractor. MVAHCS will require 2 deliveries per week. Order will not be required to be placed more than one day prior to delivery day. If an item has been ordered and it 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. All milk products need to be transported, held, and delivered at temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure quality. All deliveries need to be checked into receiving with an Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) staff member to ensure proper timely storage under refrigeration. This process will also allow for shortages or damage to be identified at the time of delivery. ALTERNATE ITEMS, PACKAGING, AND PACKING 6.1 Offerors may propose alternate items, packaging, or packing. Offerors shall clearly indicate, in their offer, the quantity, packaging size, unit or other different features upon which the offer is submitted. Evaluation of the alternate item will be made against a common denominator (i.e.; weight, package quantity, etc.). Offerors are reminded that the alternate item must meet all the requirements of the Government specifications. 6.2 Availability of requirements documents cited in the solicitation: a) The GSA Index of Federal Specifications (FED), Standards and Commercial Item Descriptions (CID), FPMR Part 101-29, and copies of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained for a fee by submitting a request to: GSA Federal Supply Service b) If the General Services Administration, Department of Agriculture, or Department of Veterans Affairs issued this solicitation, a single copy of specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions cited in this solicitation may be obtained free of charge by submitting a request to the addressee in paragraph C2.2.(a) of this provision. Additional copies will be issued for a fee. PRODUCT QUALITY AND FRESHNESS 7.1 All milk shall be delivered to the requested destination no later than 72 hours after said milk is pasteurized. This requirement is in accordance with the CID Specification # A-A-200113, dated December 12, 1986. All milk and milk product items furnished under this contract shall be fresh and of the highest quality. Failure to comply with this condition will be considered grounds for contract default against the offeror. 7.2 The successful offeror shall furnish to the COR and or the Contracting Officer the code or instructions to decipher the date on which the pasteurization process was completed. This information shall be furnished within five (5) days from award of the contract. Failure to comply with this condition will be considered grounds for contract default against the offeror. 7.3 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. 7.4 Unless otherwise specified in the item specification or solicitation, marking shall be in accordance with best commercial practice. 7.5 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. 7.6 Additional packaging, packing, and/or marking requirements can be found in the Addendum to 52.212-4, Terms and Conditions Commercial Items. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 8.1 The Contracting Officer shall authorize Medical Center personnel to place delivery orders for milk products listed in the schedule of items. 8.2 Orders shall be placed no less than 1 work day prior to required delivery date, upon delivery at the receiving location, items ordered shall be less than 24 hours old. 8.3 Delivery shall be FOB Destination. All transportation, fuel, refrigeration, handling, unloading, and other delivery-related costs shall be included in the applicable contract unit prices. 8.4 Deliveries shall be made between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., local time, on Tuesday and Thursday, as requested by the COR or his/her designee, excluding weekends and designated Federal Holidays. 8.5 On the occasion that a regular scheduled delivery falls on a federal holiday and cannot be accepted, Minneapolis NFS must have the ability to place the order for delivery on another regular business day that excludes Saturday and Sunday. 8.6 Delivery shall be made within the premises at the following location: VA Minneapolis Health Care System Minneapolis Dept. 120 Nutrition and Food Services One Veterans Drive Building 70 Dock Minneapolis, MN 55417 8.7 Federal Holidays are as follows and include any other days specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday: New Year s Day Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Washington s Birthday Memorial Day Juneteenth National Independence Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day