Provision of Food Rations, Bottled Water (Optional) and Other Services and Equipment to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)

The United Nations is seeking expressions of interest from qualified food suppliers and/or logistics companies to provide food rations and bottled water (optional) and other services and equipment to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The resulting contract is planned to have an initial term of 3 years with the option to extend for two terms of one year each (3+1+1 years). In addition, an initial period of 95 days for mobilization will be included in the contract duration. MINURSO food rations support includes the rental, establishment, maintenance and operation of a food- grade warehouse to be located in Laayoune. The Contractor is responsible to deliver Food Rations, UN Owned Food, and bottled water to the designated delivery points. Additional delivery points may be added during the process of contract solicitation. The fulfillment of the food rations contract shall include, but is not limited to the provision of: 1. Food Items: procurement, transportation, storage, management and delivery to a designated location. Food items include frozen, chilled, dry, fresh and canned products or any combination thereof. Please refer to the UN Food Rations Standards (2024) at https://www.un.org/Depts/ptd/about-us/conditions-contract. 2. Bottled Water (optional): procurement, storage, management and delivery to a designated location. 3. Reserves: maintenance at all times of the required reserved stock for dry, canned, and frozen food items as well as storage of bottled water (if required by the UN) and Combat Ration Packs at the Contractor's warehouse. 4. Warehouse: provision, upgrade, management and operation of a warehouse in Laayoune. 5. Containers (optional): provision of 20' refregeration containers, on a lease basis to the Mission. Containers must meet ISO standards. Full details of the requirement will be provided during the formal solicitation which is planned to be issued in the fourth quarter 2025. Capacities, dimensions, and quantities cited above are approximates only and are subject to change.  Specific Requirements/Information A Vendor that is interested to be considered in the planned tender must electronically submit its Vendor Response Form as instructed below. Additionally, the Vendor must submit documentary proof that it has previous experience managing and/or delivering food somewhere in the world. The vendor must submit compliance with this requirement as a pdf file in acceptable and readable language to federico.saiegh@un.org. Acceptable forms of proof include any or all of the following: - copy of valid food safety management certificate; - copy of audited financial statements where the activity of managing or delivering food is explicitly mentioned; - copy of an agreement with a sub-supplier that has proven experience delivering food, alongside the corresponding proof for the sub-supplier. In its email submission, the vendor must indicate: (1) its full registered business name; and (2) its UNGM number. The UN reserves the right to reject Expressions of Interest documents that are incomplete or are received after the stated deadline. Please read carefully every section of this document.