Crackers for use in Domestic Food Assistance Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is soliciting bids for Crackers to be used in Domestic Food Assistance Programs under solicitation number 12-3J14-26-B-0323, issued as an invitation for bid with no set-aside for small businesses. The solicitation is a combined synopsis and request for offers, with no separate written solicitation to follow, and incorporates applicable provisions and clauses accessible via acquisition.gov. The NAICS code is 311821, and responses are due by July 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. EDT, with the contract to be performed under the USDA AMS 3J14 office in Washington, DC. Point of contact for inquiries includes Ashley Leviege and Philip Helmer, with direct email and phone lines provided for technical and procurement questions. The USDA has established an alternative dispute resolution process through its Ombudsman Program for Agency Protests to address concerns prior to external legal action. Interested parties are encouraged to first raise issues informally with the Contracting Officer, and if unresolved, may escalate to the Ombudsman for an informal review or file a formal protest. Formal protests require prior good-faith efforts to resolve the issue, must include all required information per FAR 33.104(a)(3), and will be resolved within 35 calendar days. Contract awards or performance may be suspended during a formal protest unless the government justifies continued performance for urgent or compelling reasons. Filing a protest with USDA precludes simultaneous pursuit of the same issue with the Government Accountability Office or any other external forum, and protests must be submitted electronically to SPE.inquiry@usda.gov and the Contracting Officer.