Rice Products

the Ombudsman 1.Initial Point of Contact: Interested parties who believe a specific USDA procurement isunfair or otherwise defective should first direct their concerns to the applicable ContractingOfficer. 2.Escalation: If the Contracting Officer is unable to address their concerns, interested partiesare encouraged to contact the USDA Ombudsman for Agency Protests. Under this informalprocess, the agency is not required to suspend contract award performance. Utilization ofthe informal forum does not suspend any time requirement for filing a formal protest withthe agency or other forums. 3.Required Information: To ensure a timely response, interested parties should provide thefollowing information to the Ombudsman: solicitation/contract number, contracting office,Contracting Officer, and solicitation closing date (if applicable). Formal Agency Protest with the Ombudsman 1.Effort to Resolve: Prior to submitting a formal agency protest, protesters must first usetheir best efforts to resolve their concerns with the Contracting Officer through open andfrank discussions. 2.Independent Review: If the protester�s concerns remain unresolved, an IndependentReview is available by the Ombudsman. The protester may file a formal agency protest witheither the Contracting Officer or, alternatively, with the Ombudsman under the OPAPprogram. Contract awards or performance will be suspended during the protest periodunless justified in writing for urgent and compelling reasons or determined in writing to be inthe best interest of the Government. 3.Resolution Timeline: The agency�s goal is to resolve protests within 35 calendar days fromthe date of filing. 4. Required Information: Protests shall include the information set forth in FAR 33.104(a)(3). Failure to submit the required information may result in a delay or dismissal of the protest. 5. Timeliness: Protests must be filed within the timeframes specified in FAR 33.104. 6. Submission: Formal protests under the OPAP program should be submitted electronically to SPE.inquiry@usda.gov and the Contracting Officer. Election of Forum. By initiating a protest with the USDA, the protester agrees not to pursue the same matter with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) or any other external forum while the agency protest is pending. If a protest is filed externally, the agency protest will be dismissed.