Turkey Taco Filling

USDA TURKEY TACO FILLING PURCHASE PROGRAM ANNOUNCED (PY-358): The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced plans to purchase frozen cooked turkey taco filling for school lunch and other domestic food nutrition assistance programs. Frozen cooked turkey taco filling must be produced from ground turkey (ready-to-cook nonbasted, young turkeys or turkey carcasses and parts, and turkey skin) and spices/seasonings. The commodity must be packaged in 3- or 5-pound (1.36- or 2.27-kg) packages to a net weight of 30 pounds (13.61 kg) in each fiberboard shipping container. A purchase unit will consist of 1,300 shipping containers totaling 39,000 pounds (17,690 kg). Interested offerors must ensure that the Contracting Officer receives the technical proposal, laboratory analysis, and two pre-bid samples not later than 1 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday, January 25, for evaluation. The Commodity Specification for Turkey Taco Filling dated November 2009 and the Supplement for the Purchase of Turkey Taco Filling dated November 2009 provide detailed instructions for submission of samples and the factors used for evaluation. Offers will be invited from approved suppliers only. Invitation No. 2, inviting offers due by 12 noon, Central Time, Monday, February 1, will be issued in the near future. Acceptances will be announced by midnight, Friday, February 5. There are some important changes to this year's program. The specification now requires that the sodium content of the cooked taco filling be less than or equal to 460 mg per 100g serving. A laboratory analysis of the sodium and fat content of the product, performed by a USDA-approved laboratory, must accompany the pre-bid sample and technical proposal, for evaluation. Under the food defense requirements, all non-conformances listed in the audit report must be addressed in writing to both the Contracting Officer and Auditor within 14 calendar days of the audit. 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 Vendor Qualification Requirements. 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 Agricultural Marketing Service Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements dated April 2009; Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors dated April 2009; the Supplement for the Purchase of Turkey Taco Filling dated November 2009; the Commodity Specification for Turkey Taco Filling date November 2009; the Source Selection Plan for Turkey Taco Filling dated November 2009; and Invitation No. 1. Offerors are cautioned to only offer quantities they can reasonably expect to produce and deliver during the contracted delivery period. 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.