GSA opens call for agricultural product providers for 800+ public school cafeterias
The General Services Administration (ASG, in Spanish) has opened a call for Puerto Rico farmers to participate in the procurement process to provide agricultural products for school cafeterias in more than 800 public schools.
ASG Administrator Karla Mercado said the Education Department’s School Cafeteria Program needs to buy fresh agricultural products, such as meat, potatoes, bananas, green bananas, and other fruits for food services provided to the school population.
The deadline to receive proposals for auction number 22-0616-R1 is May 27, before 10 a.m., at the agency’s Santurce headquarters.
Mercado, who is also the government’s chief purchasing officer, stressed that it is essential that prior to that date, entrepreneurs and suppliers of meat and produce attend a pre-auction meeting in which they will receive information and guidance on the requirements and steps to follow to do business with the government.
The next meeting is slated for May 17 at the Centro Comunal Pedro González in Las Piedras at 11 a.m. Attendance is required to be able to submit proposals to the agency’s Bid Board. Providers must also be registered in the government’s Single Registry of Bidders; those who are not on the list will be able to sign up for free during the meeting.
“This is the second round of auctions that is being held to procure agricultural products and create a bank of local suppliers for school cafeterias, so that students consume local goods,” Mercado said.
