WASHINGTON – US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Aug. 14 that it plans to purchase up to $60 million worth of chicken products and an undetermined amount of beef for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.

The agency said it would purchase whole bagged chicken, consumer split breast and dark meat parts.

“These purchases are part of the normal operations of administering Section 32 and are not related or associated with the authority or administration of possible purchases under Section 5 of the Commodity Credit Corporation related to trade mitigation,” the USDA stated in its press release.

Interested parties can find more information through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. More information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. The USDA said that solicitations would be issued soon.

“Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition,” the agency added.

The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. 

National Chicken Council President Mike Brown lauded the decision saying it will help balance the supply and demand situation in the market.

“As such, it will provide continued and improved employment in the poultry industry, underpin steadier family farm grower incomes, and enhance better feed demand for the on-coming expected bumper harvest of corn and soybeans,” Brown said. “It is a real victory for chicken producers, rural America and US agriculture. But the real winners are the actual recipients of these programs that provide high-quality and nutritious chicken to financially-stressed families, group feeding kitchens, disaster-relief operations, schools and consumers needing food assistance.”

Offerors are advised to review all program documents including the latest:

  • AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements (MSCP), April 12, 2017
  • Applicable commodity specification(s) identified in the subsequent solicitation(s)
  • Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA, March 1, 2017

More information can be found on the Agricultural Marketing Service website.