In January 2006, “IBM Wins $370M Contract for Commissary Point-of-Sales System” covered IBM’s 5-10 year, $370 million maximum contract to support the US Defense Commissary Agency’s Commercial Advanced Resale Transaction System (CARTS), which replaces replace the existing point-of-sales (POS) system used at checkout. The DeCA is a supermarket chain in its own right, with worldwide operations and over 250 stores and distribution centers.

Recently, E&E Enterprises Global, Inc. was selected to provide a HughesNet high-availability satellite broadband system to support DeCA commissaries worldwide. Hughes Network Systems, LLC will provide the high-availability VPN service to E&E Enterprises Global as a subcontractor during the 4-year (1 base + 3 option years), $12 million contract. That covers 174 stores in the continental USA, 86 stores located outside that region, and 10 central distribution centers outside the continental USA (OCONUS).

HughesNet will support systems that include functions such as POS; debit and credit card transaction authorizations; “just-in-time” product ordering; shipping; receiving; invoicing and billing; email; as well as payroll and personnel management. HughesNet release.

Tyson Fresh Meats, Incorporated in Dakota Dunes, SD received an indefinite delivery, requirements type contract to provide “as needed, case ready, primal and sub-primal pork products” for resale to the commissary stores located in the DeCA East and West Regions, including Alaska and Hawaii. The estimated award amount is $308.6 million. The contract is for a 2 year base period with performance starting May 4/08 through May 3/10, followed by 3 one-year option periods. If all option periods are exercised, the contract will be completed May 3/13. The US Defense Commissary Agency, Resale Contracting Division, Produce Support Branch in Fort Lee, VA solicited 65 firms, and 5 offers were received (HDEC02-08-D-0005)

Tastes like (Parmesan) Chicken…

While there are reports that the French RCIR (Ration de Combat Individuelle Réchauffable) has superior trade value on the front lines, MREs are generally considered to be a significant improvement over earlier US rations. DID readers with a high fright threshold might wish to view a set of comparative photos of modern army rations from various militaries; even if you knew nothing about China, you could guess that their soldiers are draftees. Or, you can learn about the tactical uses of MREs as protection against anti-tank rockets. See below for field anecdotes and contracts from FY 2007 – Present…

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Cezanne

The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA recently issued a series of fixed price with economic price adjustment base contracts to a number of small business qualifiers. Date of performance completion is October 11, 2008:

Produce Source Partners in Newport News, VA won a maximum $27.6 million contract for full-line fresh fruit and vegetable support for Army, Navy, and Marine Corps installations in southern Virginia and Norfolk, VA. This proposal was web solicited and 3 responded (SPM300-07-D-3216).

Foster-Caviness Co., Inc. in Colfax, NC won a maximum $37.6 million contract for full-line fresh fruit and vegetable support for military installations (Army, Air Force, Marine Corps) and USDA School Lunch participants in the state of North Carolina. This proposal was web solicited and 2 responded (SPM300-07-D-3217).

East Coast Fruit Company in, Savannah, GA received a maximum $25.6 million fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for full-line fresh fruit and vegetable support for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps installations and USDA School Lunch participants in the state of South Carolina. This proposal was web solicited and 1 responded (SPM300-07-D-3218).

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Small business qualifier Coastal Pacific Food Distributors in Stockton, CA received a maximum $149.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for full line food distribution services on behalf of US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, federal civilian agencies – Job Corps Center, and US embassies in Japan, Singapore and Diego Garcia. This is an indefinite delivery/ indefinite-quantity type contract exercising option year 4.

There were 15 proposals submitted and 4 responded; date of performance completion is March 16, 2008. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA issued the contract (SPM300-07-D-3046).

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Small business qualifier Babington Enterprises, Inc. in McClean, VA received a maximum $10.5 million firm-fixed-price letter contract for “tray ration heating system, single pallet expeditionary kitchen and spare parts.” for the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

Work will be performed in McClean, VA and Rocky Mount, N.C. This is a sole source competition with 1 response, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is March 2008. Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, PA (SPM3SD-07-D-0003).

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Army of the Potomac
Commissary Dept. HQ, 1864
(click to view full)

It’s often said that an army travels on its stomach. Well, they base that way, too. In addition to contracts for field rations like MREs, the US military has an extensive network of bases with a correspondingly extensive set of mess halls and even commissary stores where military families can go to buy food and other goods. To get an idea of the scale involved, annual sales at those commissaries exceeds $5 billion.

This article will track an often-overlooked area during the month of October 2006, covering all food-related contracts issued by the US military and explaining just what an “economic price adjustment” contract is.

It will be updated as new contract items are published on DefenseLINK…

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Right. Now, self-defence…

The US Defense Commissary Agency, Resale Contracting Division, Resale Services Support Branch in Fort Lee, VA has just issued $63.8 million in indefinite-delivery, requirements-type contracts to a pair of vendors. They will provide fresh fruits and vegetables (FF&V) for resale at various commissary stores on military bases. Of the 151 firms solicited, and 9 offers were received; the winning contractors will deliver these items to the store locations as needed over the contract’s two-year base-period (August 1, 2006 – July 31, 2008). Two one-year option periods are available, and the contract will be completed July 31, 2010 if both option periods are exercised. The winners were:

• C & C Produce Inc. in Kansas City, MO won an estimated $32.6 million contract to service 16 commissary store locations throughout Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming (HDEC02-06-D-0011).

• B. Catalani Inc. in San Antonio, TX won an estimated $31.2 million contract to service for resale at 20 commissary store locations throughout New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas (HDEC02-06-D-0012).

Special self-defense courses are optional. Don’t laugh – sometimes, they’re apparently necessary.

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The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, PA recently issued almost $550 million worth of contracts for fixed-price with economic price adjustment contracts for Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) and Humanitarian Daily Ration (HDR) sets, on behalf of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.

DID readers with a high fright threshold might wish to view a set of comparative photos of modern army rations from various militaries, or learn about MREs’ uses as RPG protection. If you’d just like to know about the contracts, however….

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The Defense Commissary Agency Contracting Business Unit at Fort Lee, VA recvently issued a pair of indefinite delivery requirements type contracts for delivery of paper grocery bags to commissaries. The contracts are for a base period starting on May 1, 2006 with a contract completion date of April 30, 2009. Three offers were received, and two awards were made.

Duro Bag Manufacturing Co. in Florence, KY won a $5.6 million contract for commissary locations in the Defense Commissary Agency, Western Region (HDEC05-06-D-0003).

Small business qualifier Ross and Wallace Paper Products Inc. in Hammond, LA won a $4.2 million contract for the Eastern Region commissaries (HDEC05-06-D-0002).

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