8945--VA San Diego Sandwiches IDIQ 36C26226Q0238

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation Total Small Business set aside for commercial supplies prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with the additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This is a request for quotes under solicitation number: 36C26226Q0238 The Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO) 22 is looking to establish 1-year firm fixed-price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for variety fresh sandwiches for VA San Diego Healthcare System located at 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161. The period of performance is from 2/1/2026 through 1/31/2027. The Contractor shall furnish all supplies/services at participating VA medical center. Shipping term is FOB Destination. Shipping must be included in the unit cost. Sandwich Description Estimated Quantity Roast Beef, Lettuce, & Tomato wedge (on Wheat) 3 ounces or more roast beef, sliced at least 1.5 millimeters thick 50 Turkey, Lettuce & Tomato wedge (on Wheat) 3 ounces or more turkey, sliced at least 1.5 millimeters thick 11,000 Vegetarian Wedge (Garlic Hummus & Cucumber on Dark Wheat) 1 ounce or more vegetarian protein source 25 Peanut Butter/Strawberry Jelly on Wheat Triangle 50 Egg Salad on Wheat Triangle 3 ounces or more of egg salad 50 Chicken Salad on Wheat Triangle 3 ounces or more of chicken salad 50 Tuna Salad on Wheat Triangle 3 ounces or more tuna salad made with albacore tuna meat 4,200 Chicken Salad on White Triangle 3 ounces or more of chicken salad 50 Egg Salad on White Triangle 3 ounces or more of egg salad 3,600 The quantities cited above are estimated quantities for base and all option periods; quantities are not a contractual statement of precise quantities that the Government will order. The quantities given are estimated only, and no guarantee of their accuracy is either given or implied. The Government will only pay for quantities that are actually ordered and for which the services are fulfilled. The solicitation will be in accordance with FAR Part 12, 16.5, and 19, Acquisition of Commercial Items, Indefinite-Delivery Contracts, Small Business Programs, and Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations as supplemented with additional information in this notice. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 311991, Size Standard 700 Employees. The Contractor shall adhere to all federal and state laws and regulations in effect during the term of this contract. The Government intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract. The Contract begins on the date of award. System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations. Examples include 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance, and paragraph (d) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Contracting officers will not consider these representations when making award decisions or enforce requirements. Entities are not required to, nor are they able to, update their entity registration to remove these representations in SAM. In advancement of Section 2 of Executive Order 14208, the removal of requirements related to Executive Order 14057 eliminates all non-statutory sustainability requirements or preferences in purchases of food service wares, including paper straws. In addition to removing requirements related to Executive Order 14057, the attachment also reflects recent updates to Code of Federal Regulation citations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture s BioPreferred Program, a statutory purchasing preference program. Key solicitation milestones are: Submit any questions regarding this procurement via email to Hestia.Sim@va.gov no later than 10am Pacific Local Time Tuesday, January 6, 2026. No questions will be answered after this date/time unless determined to be in the best interest of the Government as determined by the Contracting Officer. Telephonic questions will not be accepted or returned. RFI responses will be responded to as necessary in amendment format which will be posted to contract opportunities at http://SAM.gov. Due to time constraints, responses to the solicitation shall be due on Friday, January 9, 2026 at 10:00 Pacific Time. Offerors are advised that it is your responsibility to review and monitor the website frequently to ensure you have the most up to date information, including amendments. Correspondence or questions may be directed to Hestia Sim, Contracting Specialist at Hestia.Sim@va.gov with " 36C26226Q0238, VA San Diego Sandwiches IDIQ in the subject line within 48 hours of release of this notice. Telephone inquiries will not be honored. Inquiries after the allotted period may not be responded to due to the time constraints of the procurement. All offerors must be registered in www.sam.gov to do business with the Government. Ensure your registration is correct, current and has not expired.

Amendment 0001 to Solicitation/RFQ 36C26226Q0238 is issued to: Provide responses to contractors questions. Refer to the page 4 5 for the VA s answers in blue. Extend the response/quote due date to January 14, 2026, at 10am Pacific Time. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged and in full force and effect. Q1. What delivery frequency is anticipated (daily/weekly/as needed), and what are the receiving hours/windows at the VA San Diego Healthcare System? The solicitation states: Order shall be placed on an as needed basis , and deliveries shall be made Mondays and Wednesdays, except holidays, between the hours of 5:30 am and 6:30 am, pacific time, no exceptions. Q2. What is the minimum lead time between order placement and delivery (same-day, 24 hours, or 48 hours, etc.)? How many days in advance will the contractor receive finalized quantities prior to each delivery date? Is there a standard ordering cadence (e.g. standing orders with adjustments and/or guaranteed minimums)? Orders are placed 48 Hours in advance. There is no standing order or guaranteed weekly minimum; however, minimum and maximum order thresholds apply to the delivery order for the one-year period, as specified in the solicitation. Q3. Are there any specific packaging requirements (wrap vs. clamshell), and is tamper-evident packaging required or preferred? Solicitation reads that sandwiches must be in sealed food grade container and packed in a way to prevent damage during shipping and handling and storage. Tamper-Evident packaging is required. Q4. What labeling is required of each sandwich (e.g., product name, production date/time, allergens, prep-date, expiration date)? Are Nutrition Facts labels required? Is any special packaging or warning label needed for gluten free or nut processing? Food products must be labeled with the product name and a use-by date. The nutrition facts label may be on individual package, but it is NOT required. If nutrition facts label is not on individual package, the contractor MUST provide them separately, and it is the contractor s responsibility to keep it up to date. Q5. Are there any special handling or packaging requirements for allergen-containing items (e.g. PB&J) to prevent cross-contact? Special handling is required. The solicitation states that the Food Preparation Center (FPC) and Equipment shall have waterproof painted walls, flooring shall be smooth and of durable construction of non-absorbent material, shall have clean equipment; and a separate preparation are for clinical diets. An allergy would be considered a clinical diet. Items containing major allergens may be on individual packages, but it is not required. If ingredient list, including major allergens, is not on the individual packages, the contractor must provide them separately and it is the contractor s responsibility to keep it up to date. Q6. Is the expectation same-day prepared and delivered only, or is a 24 48-hour shelf life acceptable if properly refrigerated? The solicitation requires Unopened food items must be guaranteed to remain in a fresh condition for at least five (5) days after delivery. All delivered ready-to-eat food items are to be labeled with a five (5) expiration date. Q7. Does the receiving team take product temperatures upon delivery? If so, what temperature range is considered acceptable, and what are the rejection criteria? The solicitation states: Deliveries shall be made in a temperature controlled refrigerated vehicle capable of maintaining temperatures between 35 degrees 41 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature must be verified upon delivery. Items will be refused if they are not in fresh condition, if the use-by date is less than five days, and/or if the temperature is outside of the specified range. The delivery vehicle will be inspected at least once per week. Q8. How will orders be placed (email, ordering system/portal, purchase card), and is there a preferred invoicing method? The solicitation states, Orders shall be placed by telephone, in writing, web-based order, email, via online ordering system, or given to Contractor personnel as mutually agreed between the POC and the Contractor, and the invoices shall be submitted electronically through https://portal.tungsten-network.com. Q9. If there is a temporary ingredient shortage, are substitutions of equivalent brands/ingredients allowed with prior approval? The solicitation states, if the products under this contract become unavailable, the contractor shall notify the Government in time to change the order for the specified delivery date. It is up to the Government to accept or deny the substitutions of equivalent ingredients. Additionally, The Government reserves the right to procure services from an alternate source, until routine services are restored by the Contractor. When the Government exercises its right to procure these services from an alternate source, the Contractor shall reimburse the government for all charges in excess of the amount that would have normal been incurred by the contract. Q10. Is there a preferred vendor? No, there is not a preferred vendor. Q11. Is the quantity provided for the year or another specified period of time? The estimated quantities listed under this solicitation are for 1-year. There is no information on how many sandwiches will be needed per week. It depends on mission needs. Q12. Maybe I overlooked it in the SOW, is the payment method NET30? The payment term is NET30. Q13. Does the Government intend to make a single award under this IDIQ, or are multiple awards anticipated? The Government intends to award a single award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. Q14. Can the Government clarify the expected ordering frequency under this IDIQ? Is this anticipated to be a one-time requirement, or will it be a recurring delivery on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, based on operational needs? The Government will have one open PO valid for 1-year performance and will place a recurring delivery on a weekly basis, as needed based on mission needs. Q15. For sandwich items listed with ingredient quantities (e.g., 3 ounces or more ), can the Government confirm whether there is a minimum total sandwich weight requirement (in ounces) that must be met for each sandwich type, or if compliance is based solely on the specified ingredient quantities? There is no minimum total sandwich weight; only specification for protein sources is required to ensure adequate nutrition. Q16. Pricing is stated as Firm Fixed Price, FOB Destination, with shipping included. Should vendors include all costs (ingredients, labor, packaging, delivery, fuel, insurance, regulatory compliance, etc.) within the unit price? Yes, all costs must be included in the unit price including ALL costs. Q17. Besides the complete pricing schedule, can the Government confirm all documents and information that must be included in the vendor s quote to be considered responsive? If the contractor utilizes a subcontractor to provide sandwiches (i.e. if the contractor is not directly producing the sandwiches), the contractor must disclose the subcontractor s name, address, and phone number with their quote/response. Prior to award, the contractor is required to provide a copy of Food facility permit issued by the local county health department, food handler certification and food manager certification, business license obtained from the city or county where the business operates, and general and product liability insurance to the contracting officer, but not required to provide them with the quote. Q18. Is past performance information required to be submitted as part of the quote? Past performance may be submitted but not required as it is not a part of the evaluation factor. Q19. Is there an incumbent contractor for this requirement? If so, can the agency share any available historical spending or prior contract value information? The Government is unable to provide incumbent contractor details or historical spending information directly. However, this information is publicly available on SAM.gov or FPDS.gov. Q20. With this being such a large order will a deposit be provided? No, a deposit will not be provided. Please note, the estimated quantities provided on the solicitation are only estimate for 1-year performance. The actual order will be placed as needed basis per week as the contract will be an IDIQ. Q21. Specifications regarding cut of the meat (1.5 millimeters, some must be on wheat bread and cut into triangles), how accurate are those specifications? These specifications will be visually inspected. Q22. Will we be expected to set up the food also or is it just a drop-off situation? The contractor is responsible only for delivering (drop-off) the sandwiches. However, the delivery personnel must remain at the facility until VA-authorized personnel complete the receiving procedure to verify the quality and quantity of the delivered sandwiches. Q23. The SOW specifies no condiments within the sandwiches. Can you please confirm if condiments like mustard and mayonnaise are not required at all, or if they should be provided separately (e.g. in individual packets)? No condiments are needed. Q24. Should each ready-to-eat sandwich be individually packaged in clear, food-grade containers suitable for display, or can sandwiches be delivered in grouped containers (e.g. multiple units per sealed container)? Sandwiches must be individually packed in clear, food-graded containers. Q25. Should we anticipate relatively consistent quantities week-to-week, or should our pricing and production planning account for significant fluctuations? Fluctuations in the number of sandwiches ordered should be expected from week to week. Typically, a core selection of sandwiches is ordered regularly, with occasional additions on a monthly or quarterly basis. Quantities for regularly ordered items are adjusted based on demand factors such as census and preferences, while also accounting for the product s shelf life. Q26. If a delivery day falls on a federal holiday, will deliveries be canceled, rescheduled, or expected as normal? Expected as normal.

Amendment 0002 to Solicitation/RFQ 36C26226Q0238 is issued to: Update the estimated quantity see below/attached. Extend the response/quote due date to January 20, 2026, 08:00 am Pacific Time. Contractors MUST resubmit their quote. Previous submissions will not be considered. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged and in full force and effect.