U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Administrative and Financial Management, Procurement and Property Branch, 14th & Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 1310 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250

B -- STUDY OF U.S. EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE SYSTEM SOL 16-3K06-98 POC Linda M.Fischer, Contract Specialist (202) 720-7684 The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks a qualified contractor to conduct a study of a nationally representative assessment of the characteristics, resources, and operating structure of the nation's Emergency Food Assistance System and to identify the barriers to and opportunities for increasing food resources and administrative support among systm providers. The contractor shall accomplish the following tasks: 1)describe the characteristics and service areas of four type of emergency food assistance providers -- food banks, food pantries, emergency kitchens, and emergency shelters; 2) describe the volume and characteristics, by source, of the food obtained and distributed by food banks, food pantries, emergency kitchens, and emergency shelters; 3) access the capacity of food banks, food pantries, emergency kitchens, and emergency shelters to manage current and future changes in food resources, including levels and sources of administrative support. There is apossibility of two contract options. Under one contract option the contractor shall use on-site interviews at food pantries, emergency kitchens, and emergency shelters to describe the characteristics of emergency food assistance recipients, determine their participation in Federal benefits programs, and to describe their food security status. Under a second contract option, the contractor shall describe differences in these recipient characteristics in metro and nonmetro areas. The study is estimated to take approximately eighteen (18) months to complete. The anticipated solicitation release date is May 19, 1998. Interested parties shall submit a written request, (telephonic requests will NOT be honored) with four self-addressed mailing labels, to the point of contact identified in this notice. (0107)

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