Processed Cereals Specification, May 2026

The contract outlines technical specifications for the procurement of processed cereals—specifically enriched farina, rolled oats, and bulgur—for distribution through the USDA Foods Program, with effective applicability beginning in May 2026. Products must strictly adhere to Commercial Item Descriptions CID A-A-20090J for rolled oats and CID A-A-20108C for enriched farina, alongside the Official United States Standards for Grain for bulgur, while meeting stringent quality parameters such as a maximum of 1 ppm vomitoxin, moisture content not exceeding 11.5%, protein levels above 9.3%, and limits on foreign material, scorched particles, and ungelatinized content. The cereals must be manufactured no more than 30 days prior to shipment and maintain a shelf life of at least one year from manufacture, with no added sodium permitted and enrichment levels following federal guidelines. Packaging must comply with USDA Master Invitation for Bids - Domestic Commodity Procurement sections 4A52.211-76, -77, and -79, including proper labeling that mandates the phrase “FOR USDA FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS,” while also indicating the maximum safe stacking height on shipping containers and including the manufacturer’s lot code on the bill of lading. Bar-coding is not required, but traceability through lot codes is expected. Certificates of Analysis for each lot must be retained for seven years and provided upon request, with immediate notification required if a shipment fails to meet specifications. The solicitation, identified by number 12-3J14-Notice-26-015 and posted on May 20, 2026, with a response deadline on the same date, is administered by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and targets suppliers capable of delivering commercial-grade products in standardized case quantities per truckload. Pricing details are not disclosed in the documentation, and while line-item quantities are listed for farina and rolled oats in two package sizes, no unit or extended prices are provided, preventing value estimation. Delivery locations are not specified beyond designation to USDA food distribution warehouses, and FOB terms are unspecified. No evaluation factors, contracting officer representatives, payment office details, accounting codes, or socioeconomic set-asides are included in the solicitation, nor are there special requirements such as security clearances or personnel obligations. Submission must follow instructions via the USDA AMS solicitation portal, and while no formal proposal format or page limits