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US food delivery contracts in Middle East worth billions
One of the least publicized elements of the cost of the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq is the need to truck into Iraq and landlocked Afghanistan almost all the perishable and non-perishable food items consumed by U.S. forces and civilian personnel.
The Defense Logistics Agency is preparing to contract out delivery of more than $10 billion worth of food to U.S. troops and other government personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Jordan. The solicitation is broken into two contracts -- one for Afghanistan for five years and another for Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan for four years.
The list of items is extensive.The prime vendor, according to the bid solicitation, "must be capable of supplying all chilled products, semi-perishable food stuffs, frozen fish, meat and poultry, other frozen foods (fruits, vegetables, prepared foods, etc.), dairy and ice cream products, fresh and frozen bakery products, beverage base & juices (for dispensers), beverages & juices (nondispenser), fresh fruits and vegetables, non-food items."