USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, Contracts Management Branch, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 914, Alexandria, VA 22302

B -- SCHOOL FOOD PURCHASE STUDY SOL FNS 95-024SMC POC Steve Crotwell, Contract Specialist, (703)-305-2265, Len Pinkey, Contracting Officer, (703)-305-2250. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Consumer Service (FCS) intends to solicit competitive proposals for advisory and assistance services to conduct a survey of a nationally representative sample of 400 school districts participating in a federally-supported school feeding program. The survey will take place during the 1996-97 school year. School districts will be asked to provide information about all foods purchased during a specified three month period. National estimates will be produced for each separate food item as well as aggregated categories of foods. These estimates will include total weight, total cost, and cost per pound. It is anticipated that more than 1,000 separate food products will be purchased by the sample of school districts during the study time-frame. The sample of school districts will also be asked to provide food purchase practices information. All tasks will be completed by December 31, 1997. The issuance and closure dates for this procurement have not been finalized, however, we anticipate release of the Request for Proposal (RFP) package sometime in early to mid February. Organizations wishing to request a RFP package, when it becomes available, MUST submit their request in writing (telephone/FAX requests will not be honored) and each request MUST include four (4) self-addressed mailing lebels. (0026)

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