AMS Commodity Procurement CPS is committed to providing contracting opportunities to a variety of large and small business concerns. Annually, CPS has an established goal to increase the number of opportunities for all small businesses, but especially for small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, service- disabled veteran-owned small businesses, hub-zone small businesses and 8(a) firms. Our intent is to provide opportunities for all small businesses to grow their enterprises utilizing Federal contracting opportunities. Native American companies interested in the 8(a) Business Development Program and/or a HubZone small business manufacturer, please visit the Small Business Administration at www.sba.gov to see the qualification requirements. CPS purchases fruits, vegetables, nuts, specialty crops, beef, pork, fish, chicken, eggs, turkey, and food oil products for distribution to the National School Lunch Program and other domestic nutrition assistance programs such as elderly homes, homeless shelters, Indian Reservations and Natural Disasters just to name a few. As of July 30, 2015, Agricultural Marketing Service, Commodity Procurement Staff will be handling all FSA domestic products for grain, dairy and oilseed products due to the consolidation merger with the Domestic Procurement Division office in Kansas City (formerly the Farm Service Agency). CPS procures these products year-round in bulk, institutional and household sized packaging and in truckload quantities. Feel free to go on our website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food to view our FY 2015-2016 Purchase Schedule. This schedule will give you our “intended” general plans of commodity purchases for the fiscal year. Please keep in mind that this schedule is “tentative” and can be changed at any time. To view our solicitations, you can visit our website and/or can sign up for free on our AMS-CPS listserv to receive all solicitations, purchase announcements, notice to the trades, etc. Please understand that even though you may be receiving the solicitations, you will not be able to bid on them unless you are an approved USDA vendor. All of our information in how to participate in AMS Commodity Procurement purchasing program is available on our website under “Becoming an Approved Vendor”. I highly recommend that you first read all of the information in the “AMS Master Solicitation and Amendment No. 1” and the “USDA Commodity Specifications” that explains AMS expectations, rules, specification requirements and the Federal Acquisition Regulations requirements in federal contracting. Once your company is ready to apply, refer to Steps 5 and 6 on our website of “Becoming an Approved Vendor”. Step 5 is learning the qualification requirements for becoming a vendor and Step 6 is a checklist to help show you what documents are needed for submission. AMS, CPS is also hosting our 2015 Annual Industry Meeting for USDA Food Contractors and Suppliers Tuesday, October 27, 2015 to Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. All are welcome to join and is a perfect opportunity to learn more about AMS purchasing program. Dianna Price, Small Business Coordinator and New Vendor Assistance for the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Commodity Procurement Staff (CPS), (202) 720-4237. .