Fortified R-T-E Cereal for use in Domestic Food Assistance Programs

This is a Request for Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is researching the commercial availability of Ready to Eat Fortified Cereal packaged in consumer-sized packages for Domestic Food Distribution Programs for Corn Flake, Rice Crispy, Corn & Rice Biscuits, Corn Squares, Oat Circles, Wheat Bran Flakes & Shredded Wheat Cereals, for Federal Domestic Food Distribution Programs. Refer to USDA Commodity Requirements Document, FC10, dated January 19, 2016 (see link below). https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CRD%20Fortified%20R-T-E%20Cereal%20Products%20FC10%201-19-16.pdf This Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice (Notice) will serve as market research to obtain information for the availability of Ready to Eat Fortified Cereal. All information gathered in response to this Notice will be used solely for planning purposes. This is not a formal solicitation, but a request for interested parties to provide information. Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States, and shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States. USDA is seeking specific information from interested suppliers regarding this product. Please provide the following information: 1) Product brand name 2) Your interest in this procurement; 3) Capacity capabilities; 4) Pack size(s), and commercial prevalence of each pack size. 5) Shipment configuration (packages per case; cases per pallet; pallets per truckload; cases per truckload; net product weight per case (in pounds); gross case weight (in pounds); net product weight per truckload (in pounds); gross truckload weight (in pounds)); 6) Servings per container; 7) Ingredients composition; 8) Nutritional information; 9) Cost/price; 10) Shelf life, including recommendations for optimal storage conditions; 11) Product bulletin/brochure, commercial label and commercial warranty; 12) Any other relevant information, recommendations, comments, issues and/or concerns that would be beneficial to the Government; and 13) Name, Title, Contact information, and Organization name, as applicable. All vendors that are considering offering Ready to Eat Fortified Cereal to USDA must comply with all applicable Federal and State mandatory requirements and regulations relating to the preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, and distribution of the product within the commercial marketplace. All offered products must have a history of acceptance in the commercial marketplace. The delivered product shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, and regulations promulgated there under. All vendor facilities must be in compliance with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act inspection requirements. Responses and questions shall be emailed to the attention of Carol Givens-Verser, Contracting Officer's Representative at Carol.Givens-Verser@ams.usda.gov and to Ray Boyd at roy.boyd@ams.usda.gov These responses are requested to be received Not-Later-Than March 29, 2016. Contracting Office Address: USDA/AMS