Defense Commissary Agency issues Request for Information on commissary privatization

FORT LEE, Va. - The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) today announced the release of a Request for Information (RFI) to the commercial grocery industry.

DeCA is issuing the RFI on behalf of the Department of War (DoW) in accordance with the Deputy Secretary of War memorandum of April 7, 2025. The RFI seeks industry input on the potential privatization of 178 commissary locations across the contiguous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

The purpose of this RFI is to determine whether commercial grocery operators and investment firms are both interested in and capable of assuming commissary operations, with no government subsidy or with a materially reduced subsidy, while preserving the critical military benefit of a 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees, disabled veterans and other authorized patrons and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which supports the costs of building, modernizing and sustaining commissary facilities. A core military family support element and valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military services and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.