Shell Eggs

DATE: April 28, 2009 USDA SHELL EGG PURCHASE PROGRAM ANNOUNCED (PY-347): The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced plans to purchase shell eggs for domestic food nutrition assistance programs. Offers will be invited from the trade for U.S. Grade AA or A large or medium eggs (15 dozen case). Shell eggs must be of current production from domestic chickens, and the eggs must be packaged in one dozen cartons and packed in fiberboard boxes with 15 dozen per case. A purchase unit will total 1,500 cases. Invitation No. 1, inviting offers due by 12 noon, Central Time, Monday, May 18, is being issued this week. Acceptances will be announced by midnight, Friday, May 22, for delivery from July 1 to September 30. All offers must be submitted electronically through the Domestic Electronic Bid Entry System (DEBES) website at https://pcsd.usda.gov:3077/mdbc1000.exe?. Offers submitted by any means other than DEBES will be considered nonresponsive. There are some important changes to this program. All contractors and subcontractors must have a documented and operational food security plan that provides for the security of a plant's production processes. This plan will be audited by USDA, AMS, Grading Branch prior to contract award. Plans must also have been audited since March 1, 2009. Also, qualified bidders must provide annual financial updates to Dun & Bradstreet as detailed in the Qualification Requirements. Although most other provisions of the program are similar to the program operated last year, offerors are urged to carefully read all applicable terms and conditions of the Master Solicitation for Shell Eggs dated April 2009; Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors dated April 2009; Commodity Specification for Shell Eggs dated June 2008; and Invitation No. 1. Inquiries may be made by telephoning (202) 720-7693 or addressing the Contracting Officer; USDA/AMS/Poultry Programs, Commodity Procurement Branch STOP 0260; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, DC 20250. An electronic version of this Food Purchase Report can be obtained through the world wide web via the Commodity Procurement Home Page at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/PYProcurement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.