Presolicitation
Cook Services
Department of State
AI summaryThe U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea plans to buy cook services for nine (9) Marine Security Guards (MSG). This is a presolicitation: the Government plans to issue the solicitation in the middle of November 2026, and SAM.gov gives no response date. Work is in Seoul, outside the United States. More in the summary
Advance notice of a coming solicitation, not a bid yet. If it asks for capability statements, sending one is free and puts you on Department of State's list before the solicitation is posted. See the contact
No deadline
AI summary Beta
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea plans to buy cook services for nine (9) Marine Security Guards (MSG). This is a presolicitation: the Government plans to issue the solicitation in the middle of November 2026, and SAM.gov gives no response date. Work is in Seoul, outside the United States.
Who can bid
- Validate your CAGE code at cage.dla.mil before submitting an offer; SAM registration is not required
How to submit: Electronic responses are allowed; the solicitation will be issued via the Embassy website and SAM.gov, with no paper copies mailed. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch
From the version posted Oct 16, 2026.
- Worth checking: Solicitation not yet issued. The notice says the solicitation is not ready; the Government plans to issue it in the middle of November 2026, so the real requirements and dates are not yet known.
- Worth checking: Work in Korea; host-country terms not stated. The notice does not say what Korean business license, local office, currency or tax rules apply. It cites a clause on tax on certain foreign procurements (FAR 52.229-12). U.S. wage laws such as the Service Contract Act do not cover work abroad.
- Minor: Daily on-site schedule and holiday duty. The cook must be on site about 07:00 until about 15:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and prepare Christmas and Thanksgiving meals.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Cooking services for nine (9) Marine Security Guards, Monday through Friday
- Breakfast prepared a la minute and served between 08:00 and 09:30
- Lunch and dinner in to-go/carry-out form, delivered by 13:00 daily
- Weekend meals fully prepared and delivered by close of business on Friday
- Holiday meals for Christmas and Thanksgiving
- Be on site from about 07:00 until daily duties are done (estimated 15:00 to 16:00), including meal preparation, cleanup and grocery shopping
- Meal planning with two meal options per meal per day; groceries are bought by the Marine Security Guards within a set budget
- Place of performance
- Seoul, Korea (outside the United States)
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How to submit
- Electronic responses are allowed; the solicitation will be issued via the Embassy website and SAM.gov, with no paper copies mailed
What to include when you submit
- Anyone who wants to submit an offer must validate their CAGE code (Commercial and Government Entity code) using the CAGE code search at https://cage.dla.mil
Not in the notice text
- No response date is given on SAM.gov; the solicitation, its due date and evaluation method come later
- Contract length, options and price structure are not stated
- Whether a Korean business registration, local license, local office, currency or tax rules apply is not stated
- Security or background clearance needs for working with Marine Security Guards are not stated
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Electronic responses are allowed; the solicitation will be issued via the Embassy website and SAM.gov, with no paper copies mailed. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
- Service contracts usually set minimum pay rates (the Service Contract Act). Price the labor with the SCA price calculator.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 16, 2026
- Notice type
- Presolicitation
- Office
- U.S. Embassy Seoul
- Product/service code
- S203 · Housekeeping – Food
- Business type
- Food & food service (FedReady's grouping, from product/service code S203)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Embassy of the United States in Seoul, Korea requires Cook Services. Please note that this solicitation is not ready to be issued as of this date. The Government plans to issue solicitation in the middle of November 2026. The solicitation will be issued via the Embassy website and https://www.sam.gov and no paper copies will be mailed. Brief Summary of Work - The Contractor shall provide cooking services for nine (9) Marine Security Guards (MSG). • Performance Days: Monday through Friday. – Breakfast: Prepared a la minute and served between 08:00–09:30. – Lunch and Dinner: Provided in to?go/carry?out form and delivered by 13:00 daily. – Weekend Meals: Meals for Saturday and Sunday shall be fully prepared and delivered by close of business on Friday. • Holiday Support: Contractor shall prepare holiday meals for Christmas and Thanksgiving. • On-Site Hours: Contractor shall be present from approximately 07:00 until completion of daily duties (estimated 15:00–16:00), including meal preparation, cleanup, and grocery shopping. • Menu Planning: Contractor shall conduct meal planning and provide two meal options per meal per day. • Groceries: All groceries and ingredients shall be purchased by MSG within a prescribed budget. Contractor shall coordinate with MSG for required items. SAM registration is not required; however, any offeror who wishes to submit an offer must validate their CAGE code using the CAGE code search feature at https://cage.dla.mil. This opportunity is subject to 52.229-12 - Tax on Certain Foreign Procurements Electronic Submission/Responses: This opportunity allows for electronic responses.
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