Best value procurement pilot program; technical assistance; grants

(a) Best value procurement pilot program (1) In general The Secretary shall establish and carry out a pilot program that uses a tradeoff process to select bids for food procurement contracts that deliver the overall best value and target purchases under covered authorities of foods listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 4(b), using evaluation criteria established under paragraph (2). (2) Establishment of evaluation criteria The Secretary shall establish the evaluation criteria described in paragraph (1)— (A) after providing notice and an opportunity for public comment; and (B) by providing opportunities for engagement with— (i) covered producers; (ii) covered entities; (iii) individuals who follow religious or restricted diets; (iv) Indian Tribes; (v) Native Hawaiians; (vi) Native Alaskans; (vii) workers in the food system, including workers employed on farms, in food processing facilities and warehouses, and in food transportation; and (viii) entities that use commodity programs of the Department of Agriculture, including child nutrition providers and food banks. (3) Requirement The Secretary shall annually select bids under the pilot program established under this subsection in an amount that is not less than 20 percent of the annual food spending of the Department of Agriculture under the covered authorities. (4) Report to Congress Not later than January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter throughout the duration of the pilot program under this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report describing the progress of the Secretary in implementing the pilot program, including— (A) the number of bid solicitations selected under the pilot program; (B) the total amount spent by the Department of Agriculture on purchases made through the pilot program; (C) a description of the evaluation criteria established under paragraph (2); and (D) an evaluation of the solicitation process used for the pilot program that includes input from vendors. (5) Termination The pilot program established under this subsection shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act. (b) Technical assistance The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to covered producers and covered entities to support equitable participation in the procurement programs of the Department of Agriculture, including technical assistance in obtaining necessary food safety training or certification. (c) Grants (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program to assist eligible applicants described in paragraph (5) in participating in the procurement programs of the Department of Agriculture. (2) Term The term of a grant awarded under this subsection shall be not more than 3 years. (3) Use of funds A grant awarded under this subsection may be used for any of the following activities: (A) To make upgrades necessary to obtain food safety accreditations and audits required to become a vendor for the Department of Agriculture. (B) To pay for the cost of a food safety accreditation and audit. (C) To purchase liability insurance. (D) To develop and execute a food safety plan. (4) Distribution The Secretary shall ensure geographic diversity in grants awarded under this subsection. (5) Eligibility Applicants eligible for grants under this subsection are— (A) covered producers; and (B) agricultural cooperatives, fishing cooperatives, and producer associations composed of covered producers. (6) Maximum grant amount No eligible applicant described in paragraph (5) may receive more than $100,000 in grants under this subsection. (7) Reports (A) Recipients Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under this subsection, and annually thereafter for the period of the grant term, a recipient of a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary a report describing— (i) how the recipient used the funds; and (ii) the progress of the recipient toward becoming a vendor, as described in paragraph (3)(A), if applicable. (B) Secretary Not later than January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter in which the term of a grant under this subsection is ongoing, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report containing a list of the recipients of the grants, including a summary of— (i) how the recipients used the funds; and (ii) the recipients that have become vendors, as described in paragraph (3)(A), if applicable. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain available through fiscal year 2031.