FF&V State of Vermont: SPE300-18-R-0034

The DLA Troop Support intends to solicit for a full-line of produce support for Non-DoD (USDA School) customers located in the Vermont Zone. This acquisition will be issued on an unrestricted basis. The total length of the contract will be three (3.0) years. It contains two (2) eighteen (18) month tiers. Its estimated maximum total contract dollar value is $6,300,000. The delivery points require indefinite quantities of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables throughout the term of the contract. A more detailed listing of the delivery sites can be found in the solicitation. All responsible sources may submit proposals that will be considered by DLA Troop Support. The Government will award a contract(s) resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer(s) conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The source selection method for this procurement will be the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection procedures and shall use the following to evaluate offers: 1. Technical Acceptability - A technically acceptable offer is an offer that takes no exceptions to the terms and conditions in the solicitation and complies fully with all submission requirements, including submissions relating to the two sub-factors listed below. The Contracting Officer may remove a proposal for the award deemed technically unacceptable from further consideration. By submitting a proposal with no exceptions, an offeror is confirming it possesses the necessary facilities, equipment, technical skills and capacity to provide all items required by this solicitation successfully. The following sub-factors will be evaluated and must be found acceptable for a proposal to be eligible for award: A. Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) License - The offeror shall possess and submit proof of a valid current PACA license. B. USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) Audit - The offeror shall submit a GAP/GHP audit report for each place of performance identified in the offeror's proposal. The audit report(s) must demonstrate that a passing score(s) was/were received and the report(s) must have a valid date. 2. Pricing - Pricing is required for all items found in the Schedule of Items (for each Group, if applicable) and for all tiers. Failure to offer pricing for all items and for all tiers may result in a proposal being removed from consideration for award as technically unacceptable. The Government will perform an aggregate price analysis on all items found in the Schedule of Items (for each Group, if applicable). To determine an offeror's Evaluated Aggregate Price, the Weighted Aggregate Distribution Price will be added to the Aggregate Delivered Price. Please refer to paragraph (d) of this provision for further details regarding these price components. The award(s) will be made on the basis of the lowest Evaluated Aggregate Price (for each Group, if applicable) of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-price factors. The Government reserves the right to remove item(s) from the Schedule of Items or do a common item comparison if offerors do not submit pricing for all items. Prior to award, the offered prices of the presumptive awardee(s) will be evaluated on an individual line-item basis to determine whether each price is fair and reasonable using analytical techniques deemed appropriate by the Contracting Officer in her/his complete discretion. Past Performance will not be used as an evaluation factor for this solicitation since technical problems are not anticipated. In accordance with FAR 15.304(c)(3)(iii), the Contracting Officer has determined that Past Performance is not appropriate due to the fact that all producers of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables are considered to be technically equal based on historical records of equal technical ratings for past performance. All known vendors have similar records of good delivery of quality items. Past Performance will be considered in a determination of responsibility for the successful offeror prior to award. The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with offerors. Therefore, the offeror's initial offer should contain the offeror's best terms from a price and technical standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. See www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/gap-ghp/audit for details concerning program and certification. Copies of the solicitation will be found on the DLA-EBS Internet Bid Board System at https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil. If not already registered, prospective offerors will be required to do so prior to viewing and downloading a copy of the solicitation. RFPs are in portable document format (PDF). In order to download and view these documents, prospective offerors will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. This software is available free at http://adobe.com. Anticipated solicitation issue date will be the week of October 7, 2018. This solicitation will be issued under FAR 15.101-2 Low Price Technically Acceptable (LTPA). The resultant award will be for an indefinite delivery contract, with a guaranteed minimum of 10% of the first tier.