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).

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).

Army of the Potomac
Commissary Dept. HQ, 1864

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…

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.

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….

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).

On February 3, 2006, it was reported that 15 of Belgium’s Pandur armored personnel carriers were stolen, together with radio equipment and field kitchens. The equipment was meant for a Beninese battalion that is part of the UN force in the Congo. Thanks to some help from DID’s Benelux reader David Vandenberghe, DID can bring you the details.

In December a ship under the flag of Saint Kitts & Nevis (VRT’s report was incorrect) left the Belgian port of Zeebrugge for Congo, chartered by Geodis under the auspices of the UN. The cargo ship never made it to its destination. Four weeks ago the ship was seized in a port in Equatorial Guinea….

Mmm, Parmesan Chicken…

Even civilians are familiar with the USA’s MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat. While there are reports that the French RCIR (Ration de Combat Individuelle Rechauffable) has superior trade value on the front lines, MREs are generally considered to be a significant improvement over earlier US rations. As our readers will see later in this article, they can also have a useful secondary function as RPG protection.

MREs have to come from somewhere, however, which explains three firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity type contracts recently issued by the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA. There were 32 proposals solicited and 4 responded. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and the completion date is Dec. 19, 2006. Winners included…

Campina Melkunie B.V. / Melkexport Stcrovita in The Netherlands won a maximum $6.8 million fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for fresh milk and milk products for the US Army and Air Force in Europe.

There were five proposals solicited and three responded. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and the contract will end in December 2006. The contract was issued by the US Defense Supply Center Philadelphia – European Region, Mainz-Kastel, Germany (SP0303-06-DC237).

Military Produce Group received a $72.5 million requirements type contract to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for 22 commissaries located in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia (includes Port of Embarkations for Iceland and Cuba). Work will be performed in Norfolk, VA with deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables to various commissaries located in DeCA’s East Region, with a contract completion date of September 30, 2007. Thirty firms were solicited and two offers were received. The c Defense Commissary Agency, Resale Contracting Division in Fort Lee, VA issued the contract (HDEC02-05-D-0013).