Frozen Fruit for use in Domestic Food Assistance Programs

This contract solicitation, issued under solicitation number 12-3J14-26-B-0335 by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, is a combined synopsis and invitation for bid for frozen fruit to be used in domestic food assistance programs. The acquisition is exclusively set aside for small business concerns and includes specific set-aside requirements for the listed blueberry products: wild frozen blueberries in 20/1 lb and 8/3 lb containers require no set-aside or 100% small business respectively, while the 30 lb wild blueberry container requires 100% small business and 10% service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and the 30 lb highbush frozen blueberry container requires 50% small business. A recent amendment updates the crop year allowance, permitting the use of 2025 crop year materials until the 2026 crop becomes available, effectively extending procurement flexibility during the transition. Bids must be submitted by July 22, 2026, and the full solicitation is accessible via the provided SAM.gov link. The solicitation operates under the provisions of FAR Part 5.101(d), with no separate written document issued. Interested parties may resolve procurement concerns through the USDA’s Ombudsman Program for Agency Protests, which offers both informal and formal dispute resolution processes. Before filing a formal protest, bidders are required to attempt resolution with the Contracting Officer. Formal protests filed with the Ombudsman will trigger an automatic suspension of contract award or performance unless the agency justifies continuation due to urgent needs. Protesters must include specific information as outlined in FAR 33.104(a)(3) and submit electronically to both the Ombudsman and the Contracting Officer; protests must be filed within established timeframes and are bound by an election-of-forum restriction, meaning initiating a protest with USDA precludes concurrent filing with the GAO or other external forums. The USDA aims to resolve formal protests within 35 calendar days, ensuring a timely and internally focused dispute mechanism.