RFQ: 36C246-20-Q-1055 BREAD PRODUCTS Request for Quote for Fresh Bread Products for delivery to the Richmond and Salem VA Medical Centers Nutrition and Food Service. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The Government reserves the right to make no award from this solicitation. This is a Request for Quote (RFQ). The government anticipates awarding a firm-fixed price contract resulting from this solicitation. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-95. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 311812 with a small business size standard of 1000 employees. This solicitation is an Unrestricted for Large and Small Businesses. Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 6, is soliciting offers from Large and Small Businesses to provide Fresh Bread Products to the Multiple VISN 6 VA Medical Centers. Respondents to this solicitation must fully demonstrate their capability by supplying detailed quote information along with any other documents necessary to support the requirements below. The deadline for quotes is 12 Noon EST, September 23, 2020. They shall be submitted to [email protected]. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION/WORK STATEMENT This is an estimated yearly quantity order for delivery of Fresh (never frozen) Bread Products to the Richmond and Salem VA Medical Centers Nutrition and Food Services, at Richmond and Salem, Virginia (VAMC). Delivery addresses may be found in this solicitation. Deliveries are estimated at four to five times weekly to each VAMC. Period of performance for the base year is 10/01/2020 through 09/30/2025; four (4) renewal option years are anticipated, however, not guaranteed. OPTION TO EXTEND: This contract may be extended up to four (4), one-year periods at the option of the Government in accordance with FAR 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract, subject to the availability of funds. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Exercise of the option will be based on whatever is the most advantageous to the Government. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option. Method of payment will be a Certified Invoice billed monthly, submitted electronically in arrears. Nutrition and Food Services staff at each VAMC will phone in delivery orders to Contractor. Contractor shall indicate cut-off time for calling in normal deliveries; normal to be determined by the Contractor and the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR). Deliveries will be made on Monday through Friday of each week, depending upon the individual order placed. NOTE: All prices submitted shall be inclusive of delivery charges. Delivery charges shall not be separately priced. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS/QUALITY STANDARDS FOR BREAD/BAKED GOODS Fresh bread and other bakery products shall have sufficient remaining shelf life (minimum of 7 days) commensurate with good commercial practice and shall conform to the Commercial Item Descriptions (CID) for Rolls, Bread, Baked, Fresh or Frozen. Quality assurance: When required, the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, shall determine the quality of the fresh bread according to requirement of the CID or applicable standards or specifications. Fresh bread shall be examined or analyzed in accordance with applicable provisions in this CID, solicitation, contract, or purchase order, and when applicable, the United States Standards for Condition of Food container in effect on the date of the offer. Ingredients for fresh bread shall consist of flour, water, salt, yeast, emulsifiers or stabilizers, and other ingredients appropriate for the type of bread in the schedule of items. The fresh bread shall include only mold inhibitors of proper levels allowed by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Unless otherwise specified in the item specification or solicitation, marking shall be in accordance with the best commercial practice. Any commercial or additional labeling, as specified, which complies with the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and regulations promulgated thereunder, is acceptable. Products manufactured to metric dimensions will be considered on an equal basis with those manufactured using inch-pound units, providing they fall within the tolerances specified using conversion tables contained in the latest revision of Federal Standard No. 376. If a product is manufactured to metric dimensions and those dimensions exceed the tolerances specified in the inch-pound units, a request should be made to the Contracting Officer to determine if the product is acceptable. The Contracting Officer s Representative (COR), in accordance with the Contracting Officer, will accept or reject the product. Any items not found to meet freshness requirements upon inspection will either be replaced or credited after confirmation of deficiencies. Additional packaging, packing, and/or marking requirements can be found in the Addendum Terms and Conditions Commercial Items . PACKAGING, PACKING, AND LABELING All packaging and packing shall be in accordance with good commercial practice. Labeling shall be in accordance with commercial labeling complying with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. All items shall be identified with readable dates (open code dates), or coded dates. Contractors who do not use open dating will provide a product code number key listing to the facility. The product code number key listing shall explain the actual date of production or processing. Copies of key-codes will be furnished to the destination receiving officer and destination inspection agency with the first delivery. Failure to comply with this requirement will render a contract in default and grounds for termination. Unless otherwise specified, preservation, packaging, and packing shall be to a degree of protection to preclude damage to containers and/or contents thereof under normal shipping conditions, handling, etc., and shall conform to normal commercial practices and applicable carrier rules and regulations involving shipment from the contractor to the receiving activity for storage. Shipping containers shall be in compliance with National Motor Freight Classification and Uniform Freight classification (issue in effect at time of shipment). SANITATION AND WORKMANSHIP Items shall be prepared, processed and packed under sanitary conditions and in accordance with good commercial practice. All containers shall be clean, sound, and securely covered or sealed to provide adequate protection from dirt or other contamination. Compliance with Federal Laws and Regulations: All deliveries shall conform in every respect to the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. All items furnished under this contract shall be prepared, processed and packed under sanitary conditions in accordance with good commercial practice and approved standards established by the Food and Drug Administration. All containers shall be clean, sound and securely covered or sealed to provide adequate protection from dirt, filth, and all other contamination. Chilled and frozen items shall be maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product. REPORTS Contractor shall provide a report summarizing the total amount by line item delivered, the unit cost of each line item, and the total dollars delivered each quarter, specific to each Medical Center. The report shall be provided electronically via email to the Contracting Officer and his/her Representative (COR) at the end of each quarter. In the event that the Contractor utilizes the services of a sub-contractor(s) for deliveries, the Prime Contractor will be responsible for gathering the required information for submission to the Contracting Officer at each respective VA Medical Center. AUTHORIZATION FOR CHANGES: The contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer on all matters pertaining to administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments to issue changes which will affect the price, quantity and quality or delivery of this contract. ALTERNATE ITEMS, PACKAGING AND PACKING: Offerors may propose alternate items, packaging or packing. Offerors shall clearly indicate, in their offer, the quantity, packaging size, unit or other different features upon which the offer is submitted. Evaluation of the alternate items will be made against a common denominator (i.e., weight, package quantity, etc.). Offerors are reminded that the alternate item must meet all the requirements of the Government specifications. PRODUCT QUALITY AND FRESHNESS: All bread shall be delivered to the requested destinations as listed in the schedule. All bread and bread products furnished under this contract shall be fresh and of the highest quality. All products furnished under this contract shall be processed and packed under sanitary conditions in strict accordance with guidelines provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, using the best commercial practices that are standard for the industry. All containers shall be clean, sound and securely covered or sealed to provide adequate protection from dirt, filth or contamination. Unless otherwise specified in the item specification or solicitation, marking shall be in accordance with best commercial practice. Any commercial or additional labeling as specified which complies with the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under, is acceptable. Breads and Buns that contain seeds must be labeled or identified as such. Products manufactured to metric dimensions will be considered on an equal basis with those manufactured using inch-pound units, providing they fall within the tolerances specified using conversion dimensions and those dimensions exceed the tolerances specified in the inch-pound units, a request should be made to the Contracting Officer to determine if the product is acceptable. The COR, in accordance with the Contracting Officer, will accept or reject the product. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE: The Contracting Officer shall authorize personnel to place delivery orders for products listed in the schedule of pricing. Orders shall be placed no less than six (6) days prior to the required delivery date, upon delivery at the receiving location, items ordered shall be less than 24 hours old. Deliveries shall be made as requested by the COR or his/her designee, excluding Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays. Federal Holidays are as follows and include any other days specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a national holiday: Memorial Day Thanksgiving 4th of July Christmas Labor Day New Years Columbus Day MLK Day Veteran s Day Presidents Day INSPECTION OF PLANTS: All product furnished under the awarded contract shall be processed at plants that have been inspected by the Federal Government. Approved inspection reports of another VA Facility or other Federal Government agency will be accepted as satisfactory evidence that the facilities/plants meets these requirements, provided that the inspection was made not more than six (6) months prior to the proposed contract period. The Contracting Officer or his/her designee reserves the right to make pre-award, on-site survey and inspection of the plant, personnel, equipment and processes of the offeror prior to making award and conditions found will be considered in awarding the contract. Inspection(s) may also be made at any time during the life of the contract and, if it is found that the contractor is not complying with specifications, deliveries will be rejected and the products covered by this contract will be procured in the open market. Any excess cost occasioned by this action will be charged against the contractor s account. The total guaranteed minimum of supplies and/or services that will be acquired under this contract is $2,500.00 per year. The total maximum of supplies and/or services that the Government will acquire for total contract award is $150,000.00. DELIVERY LOCATION: DELIVER TO: VA MEDICAL CENTER WAREHOUSE 1201 BROAD ROCK BLVD. RICHMOND, VA 23249 DELIVER TO: VA MEDICAL CENTER WAREHOUSE 1970 ROANOKE BLVD. SALEM, VA 24163 The following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) clauses and provisions are applicable to this acquisition and are available for view at: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/. The full text of FAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at http://acquisition.gov FAR and VAAR Clauses / Solicitation Provisions: 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting 52.204-17 Ownership or Control of Offeror 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items Addendum to 52.212-1 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items Addendum to 52.212-4 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising 852.232-70 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests 852.237-78 Performance and Delivery Performance and Delivery (OCT 2019) (a) The Contractor shall furnish the material ordered and perform the services specified as promptly as possible, but not later than 36 hours after receiving notification to remove the remains, excluding the time necessary for the Government to inspect and check results of preparation. (b) The Government may, at no additional charge, require the Contractor to hold the remains for an additional period not to exceed 72 hours from the time the remains are casketed, and final inspection is completed. 852.246.70 Guarantee 852.246-71 Inspection (End of Clause)