Ham & Pork products for use in Domestic Food Assistance Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is soliciting bids for ham and pork products to support domestic food assistance programs under solicitation number 12-3J14-26-B-0382, issued as an invitation for bid with no set-aside for small businesses. The procurement is conducted under a combined synopsis and solicitation as permitted by FAR Part 5.101(d), making this the sole solicitation document and eliminating the need for a separate written request. Offers must be submitted by the deadline of August 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and the NAICS code 311612 applies to the classification of this acquisition. The contract will be awarded for delivery to unspecified locations within the United States, with the contracting office located in Washington, D.C., and point of contact information provided for inquiries regarding the solicitation. The USDA has established a two-tiered dispute resolution process to address concerns related to this solicitation or any resulting award. Initially, interested parties must raise issues directly with the Contracting Officer, who will endeavor to respond within ten business days without pausing deadlines or halting performance. Should resolution not be achieved, a formal agency protest may be filed with either the Contracting Officer or the USDA Independent Review Authority, with the protester required to specify which forum is preferred. Protests must include all information mandated by FAR 33.104-4 and be submitted electronically to SPE.inquiry@usda.gov and the Contracting Officer. Filing a protest with USDA suspends award or performance unless the government determines urgent or compelling reasons otherwise, and the agency aims to resolve protests within 35 business days. Importantly, filing an agency protest precludes parallel protests with the Government Accountability Office or other external forums, which would result in dismissal of the USDA protest.