Food bank operations and community nutrition services under USDA and HHS contracts. Find active federal and state community food services contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 624210 is estimated at $1.5–2 billion, primarily through USDA's TEFAP and CSFP programs, HHS's CACFP, and FEMA's emergency food assistance. Contracts are mostly competitive, with a mix of small and large vendors. Work is awarded via single-award IDIQs for state-level distribution and multi-agency BPAs for food procurement. Demand is driven by policy changes (e.g., SNAP modifications), disaster declarations, and annual appropriations for nutrition programs. The market is moderately concentrated, with top players holding 30% share.
These agencies are the largest buyers of community food services services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 624210 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
Winning requires proven capacity to manage large-scale food distribution logistics and compliance with USDA/HHS nutrition standards. Most contracts are set aside for small businesses, with 8(a) and HUBZone preferences common. The highest-leverage move is to obtain USDA's TEFAP vendor approval and build relationships with state distributing agencies, as they often influence award decisions. Focus on best-value evaluations that emphasize past performance in food safety and timely delivery over low price.
Work is primarily awarded via LPTA for standard food boxes, but best-value is used for complex nutrition programs. Common vehicles: USDA's TEFAP IDIQs, HHS's CACFP BPAs, and GSA Schedule 738X (Food Service). 8(a) STARS III and HUBZone set-asides are frequent. Evaluations emphasize past performance, food safety compliance, and distribution network capacity.
Yes, you must be approved as a USDA TEFAP vendor and comply with FSMA food safety regulations. For HHS contracts, you may need CACFP sponsor approval. No specific NAICS-related license is required beyond standard business registration.
Awards vary widely: small BPAs for local food banks may be $50,000–$500,000, while state-level IDIQs for TEFAP distribution can exceed $10 million annually. The average contract value is around $2 million.
The market is moderately competitive. For small business set-asides, you may face 5–15 bidders. For unrestricted contracts, competition includes large nonprofits like Feeding America. Differentiation comes from logistics capability and past performance.
Yes, subcontracting is common. Large primes often seek small business partners for last-mile delivery or specialized services (e.g., culturally appropriate food). Register as a subcontractor on SBA's SubNet and target primes with 8(a) or HUBZone joint ventures.
Performance bonds are rarely required under $150,000; larger contracts may require bid bonds. General liability insurance of $1–2 million is typical. For food distribution, you also need cargo insurance and recall insurance.