Fresh-like Products with Extended Shelf-lives

SYNOPSIS: This Sources Sought Announcement is to assist the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Soldier Center (DEVCOM-SC) Combat Feeding Division to identify potential sources to provide fresh-like products with extended shelf-lives for Military Field Feeding, and Navy Standard Core Menu. The goal is to eventually procure dry single ingredients or dried ready-to-eat convenience meals.
The Government requests that responses be submitted electronically to jean.m.trumpis.civ@army.mil and gil.cohen.civ@army.mil by May 15th, 2026 at 5 PM EDT.
Background: The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Combat Feeding Division is seeking advanced drying technologies for single ingredients (particularly dried produce) and commercially available dried convenience meals applicable for use in both expeditionary field feeding and shipboard feeding environments. Currently, the Joint Force procures the majority of its bulk dried and retort processed operational ration components through Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), with the exception of the Navy procuring through prime vendors. These items provide the necessary shelf-life, but there are critical constraints for shipboard storage space and sensory quality. Furthermore, these limitations might often result in lower product acceptability, which can lead to the discarding of unwanted ration components or “field stripping.” Identifying novel drying technologies, including commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) items that are highly palatable, nutrient dense alternatives to traditional freeze-dried, or retort processed items could improve overall ration acceptability, decrease underconsumption, and significantly reduce the storage footprint for the warfighter and the Naval Fleet. 
Description: DEVCOM-SC is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) on dried single ingredients or ready-to-eat convenience meals that could be integrated into military rations. Please note, for the purposes of this RFI, we are specifically excluding solutions related to freeze-drying or retort processing.
Specific Specifications:  

• Shelf-Life: A minimum shelf-life of 36 months without significant degradation of nutritional value or sensory quality. Must remain stable at ambient temperatures (80 °F), or meet accelerated storage of 6 months (100 °F).
• Rehydration Time: Target rehydration time of 10-12 minutes using hot water.
• Preparation Method: Must be easily prepared (shipboard galley bulk container without specialized processing equipment, heating pouches, standard field canteen).
• Army Regulation 40-25 Nutrition and Menu Standards for Human Performance Optimization Compliance: Nutrient retention, sensory acceptability, caloric density.
• Logistical Footprint Reduction: weight and volume reduction achieved compared to fully hydrated or retort processed equivalent.
• Commercial Maturity: Technology Readiness Level (TRL) should be at 6, 7, 8, or 9 to prove commercial availability or ready for operational testing. 
• Packaging: Must use commercially available packaging.
• Estimated unit costs: Must provide estimate of unit costs if produced at scale.

Deliverables: 
All documentation submitted shall be submitted as MS Word, Adobe PDF, MS PowerPoint, Visio, or MS Excel files.

1.    Respondents: The White Paper should be written in respondent format, double spaced, and minimum font size of 10 pt.  Paper should not exceed 5 pages, including cover. 

a. This paper should cover company information (company name, CAGE code, mailing address, and primary point of contact information (to include telephone number and email address).
b. The paper should cover the 5 Ws, as applicable. (e.g., What, Where, When, Why and Who.   Example focus areas:
     i. Please discuss any/all relevant current products and services that currently meet or will be able to meet the enclosed requirements.
     ii. Vendors are encouraged to propose alternative products that may be able to meet or exceed the requirements. 
     iii. As applicable, please discuss how your product(s) was implemented within industry/Government.
c. Please discuss, as applicable, proposed hardware used as part of the solution.
d. For Foreign companies:  Discuss how the proposer will be able to work with the US Government in the future (i.e., US subsidiary or partner) if required.
e. Additional documentation accepted (and not included in the page count for the White Paper) includes, but is not limited to, the following: PowerPoint presentations, Training documentation, product specification sheets, user handbook/guides, pictures, link to demonstrations, test data, etc.     

2.    Test, Certification and Accreditation (C&A) Documentation:
Vendors are requested to provide any supporting documentation illustrating safety certification, government approval, test data, etc.  

3.    Cost:
Interested parties are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Announcement. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY

This Sources Sought Announcement is issued solely for information and planning purposes and to identify interested sources. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. This Sources Sought does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. It is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Further, unsolicited proposals will not be accepted. Funding is not available at this time. The United States Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items/services discussed, and release of this Sources Sought Announcement should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. Response to this Sources Sought Announcement is voluntary and no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this and any follow-on information requests. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Not responding to this Sources Sought Announcement does not preclude participation in any future RFP if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the beta.SAM.gov website.  It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this subject.

RESPONSES:
Interested parties may identify their interest and capability by sending responses regarding this requirement to DEVCOM-SC via e-mail ONLY to jean.m.trumpis.civ@army.mil and gil.cohen.civ@army.mil by May 15th, 2026 at 5 PM EDT. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Notice. All costs associated with responding to this Notice will be solely at the expense of the interested party. 

Please provide business size (indicate your socioeconomic status), applicable NAICS code, and CAGE code. If you hold a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract, please identify your contract number.

QUESTIONS:
Any questions for clarification may be emailed to jean.m.trumpis.civ@army.mil and gil.cohen.civ@army.mil no later than May 11th, 2026 by 5 PM EDT. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. An unattributed list of questions and answers will be published at the same web location of this Sources Sought Announcement.