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Meal Support Fort A.P. Hill, VA

DEPT OF DEFENSE.DEPT OF THE ARMY.AMC.ACC.MISSION INSTALLATION CONTRACTING COMMAND.419TH CSB.W6QM MICC FT MCCOY (RC) · Response deadline: Tue, 13 Oct 2026

What the government is buying

The U.S. Army is soliciting bids for meal support services at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. This is a food preparation and service contract for a military installation, which see the solicitation for specific meal counts, service hours, and exact requirements.

NAICS code 311991 designates "Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing," though in federal contracting this code is often applied to food service operations involving prepared meals. Federal food service contracts at military installations typically involve preparing and serving meals to military personnel, and may include related services such as menu planning, food procurement, kitchen operations, and sanitation. See the solicitation for the full scope.

Key facts

Who can bid

This opportunity is set aside exclusively for small businesses under SBA size standards. To qualify, your business must:

• Meet the SBA size standard for NAICS 311991 (see SAM.gov or SBA.gov for current threshold)
• Be registered in SAM.gov with active status
• Hold any required food service licenses, permits, and health department certifications applicable to commercial kitchen operations in Virginia
• Meet any applicable security clearance requirements for access to military installations

The Army contracting office is W6QM MICC Fort McCoy (RC), operating under the Mission Installation Contracting Command. This is a rapid-turnaround opportunity with only about six days between posting and deadline, so small businesses should verify their SAM registration and certifications immediately.

How to put together a competitive bid

Understand the service model: Military meal support contracts vary significantly—they may cover troop dining facilities, field feeding, special events, or a combination. See the solicitation for whether this is ongoing institutional dining or event-based support.

Price strategically: Food service contracts typically evaluate on price and past performance. Key cost drivers include labor (kitchen staff with security clearance eligibility), food commodities, equipment (government-furnished or contractor-provided—see the solicitation), transportation to the installation, and compliance with Army food safety standards.

Demonstrate relevant experience: Prior military food service contracts, institutional dining, or large-scale catering experience strengthens your proposal. Document your team's ServSafe certifications, HACCP compliance, and any Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) or military health inspection records.

Address personnel requirements: Military installations typically require background checks, Common Access Card (CAC) eligibility, or escorted access provisions. Factor these lead times into your plan—see the solicitation for specific security requirements.

Review past performance protocol: The government will likely evaluate your CPARS record or request references from similar contracts. Ensure your SAM entity registration includes accurate past performance data.

Next steps

1. Read the full solicitation immediately on SAM.gov using number W911SA27QA029—this notice type combines the synopsis and solicitation, so proposal instructions and evaluation criteria are in the posted documents
2. Note the deadline: October 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM CDT—this is an extremely tight turnaround; confirm your SAM.gov account, representations and certifications are current
3. Contact the contracting office through SAM.gov with clarifying questions, allowing time for responses before the deadline

Given the compressed timeline, existing small business food service contractors with active SAM registrations and military installation experience are best positioned to respond.

View the official notice on SAM.gov →