Understand the Requirements

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Understand the Requirements

Thank you for your interest in becoming a USDA vendor.  Explore the resources and documents below to determine if our programs are a good fit for you.

Our programs are specifically designed for companies that produce food items or are primarily engaged in the wholesale or retail trade of food products. In order to be considered, companies will need to provide details on historical business experience with the same, or similar, products that they would like to sell to USDA in the commercial marketplace or with government entities.

Understand the Materials Purchased by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

  1. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases a variety of 100% domestically produced and processed commodity food products. These purchases support American agriculture by encouraging consumption of domestically produced foods.
  2. Visit the Public Procurement Page to review current solicitations and contract award documentation for different products.
  3. Review the list of products AMS purchases in our purchasing reports to ensure your products are purchased by AMS.
  4. The foods purchased by USDA meet high standards for quality and wholesomeness and must be produced and processed according to detailed USDA specifications.  USDA commodity specifications and requirements explain the production and processing requirements for USDA commodities. Companies must meet the specific requirements for the specification they would like to apply for. A prospective vendor should have established commercial experience providing the commodity as described in the specification or similar product.

       a. Production requirements

             i.  International Commodity Requirements

             ii. Domestic Specifications & Requirements

Understand Federal Acquisition Requirements 

  1. Depending on the product of interest, review the MIFB-D or MIFB-I

       a. AMS Master Invitation for Bids Commodity Procurement – Domestic Programs (MIFB-D) 

       b. AMS Master Invitation for Bids Commodity Procurements – International Programs (MIFB-I)

    2.  Quality assurance, oversight requirements, and other unique commodity requirements can be found in the Vendor Qualification Requirements.