FY26 4TH QTR MEAT AWARDS

The contract awarded under the solicitation title FY26 4TH QTR MEAT AWARDS is a small business set-aside under NAICS code 311999 for the procurement of canned, dried, frozen, and packaged food products to support the Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Elkton, Ohio. All vendors must be verified small businesses with fewer than 700 employees and must meet stringent technical specifications for product quality, labeling, packaging, and origin. Products must comply with FDA 21 CFR standards for items such as tomato products, canned fruits and vegetables, and spices, as well as USDA FSIS labeling regulations and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. Specific items include beef roast, tomato paste, canned pineapple, applesauce, pasta, eggs, and bottled water, each with exact packaging, net weight, and formulation requirements. A strict prohibition exists on products originating from China for certain items like pineapple and applesauce, while all goods must be ovenable and not fried. Packaging must use clean, new polyethylene film bags of at least 2 mil thickness with sealed, labeled containers displaying ingredients, allergens, fat content, and actual delivered weight; labeling cannot be substituted with manufacturer letters. Evaluation is conducted using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) approach, where vendors must first achieve a “Go” rating based solely on past performance—demonstrating timely deliveries and accurate order fulfillment—with no exceptions. Among technically acceptable offerors, award is granted to the lowest-priced bidder per line item. Delivery is required exclusively at the FCI Elkton warehouse, with mandatory advance scheduling for frozen items, and failure to schedule results in automatic rejection. No substitutions to specifications are permitted, and compliance is verified by the Nutrition Food Service Administrator or Chief Dietitian. The estimated total contract value is $196,100, covering multiple delivery windows through September 2026, with a standard 30-day As Required Order (ARO) delivery flexibility. Payment and invoice procedures are not detailed in the documentation, and no formal FAR clauses, contracting officer representatives, or COTR information are provided; all logistics and acceptance are coordinated directly through FCI Elkton warehouse contacts. The procurement reflects a highly regulated, compliance-driven food supply operation with no trade-offs beyond meeting minimum quality and performance thresholds.