The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service intends to award a sole source contract to Reston, Virginia, U.S.A.-based StarKist after determining no other providers meet the government's U.S. sourcing guidelines.
While the government did not specify the value of the contract, the type of contract being offered covers awards up to USD 7.5 million (EUR 7.1 million).
In a public notice of intent to purchase, the agency said it is not opening up the contract for chunk light tuna cans to other suppliers to bid on because the major tuna supplier is the only company that provides that particular product and meets the USDA’s “produced in the U.S.” rules. Interested competitors have until 20 December to show the USDA's Commodity Procurement Program that they can also meet the department's guidelines.
The USDA will buy 140,400 cases, or 78 truckloads, of Tuna Chunk Light Can-24/12-ounce.
