SOW AMS.doc
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- Robotic Milking System Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 1232SA26Q0247
About this file
This is a Statement of Work (SOW) for the acquisition of a robotic milking system for the USDA Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center (NADC) dairy facility in Ames, Iowa. The system is intended to enable cutting-edge research while improving animal welfare and operational efficiency. Currently, the NADC dairy requires 8 animal caretaker hours daily to milk the herd; the robotic system is projected to reduce this to 1 hour daily, generating approximately $54,600 in annual labor cost savings and an estimated $1,092,007 in savings over the system's 20-year lifespan.
The contractor must deliver one robotic milking unit capable of milking at least 60 cows daily with free cow traffic. The system must include advanced features such as sensor technology adapted to individual cow needs, quarter-based pulsation and tailored milking, 3D camera and laser guidance for teat location and attachment, separate vacuum circuits with buffer systems, real-time health monitoring, automated teat cup retraction to prevent contamination, historical data tracking for individual cows to determine milking intervals, milk sampling and quality analysis capabilities (somatic cell counts, flow, color, temperature, lactose, fat/protein ratio, and conductivity), teat disinfection and steam cleaning functions, and post-milking teat care spray application. The contractor must also provide trained technical staff capable of system repairs within 3 hours of the NADC facility. Delivery is required onsite within 60 days of award. Evaluation will prioritize technical capability and deliverability over price. The technical point of contact is Kaitlyn Sarlo Davila at 515-337-6772.
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| File | Type | Posted |
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| LPTA Evaluation Criteria for a Supply Contract.docx | DOCX document | |
| Part 12 Combined Synopsis_Solicitation_Revised 11 Dec 2025 1165392.docx | DOCX document |
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Text version
Statement of Work Project: Robotic Milking System
GENERAL INFORMATION
1.0 Scope of Work: Acquisition of a robotic milking system to enable data collection for cutting edge research ensure animal welfare at the NADC dairy 2.0 Background: Lactating dairy cows must be milked daily and most operations in the United States milk cows twice a day, some even three times to maximize milk output. In order to provide solutions to animal health problems for America’s dairy farmers and ensure a safe, healthy and wholesome dairy supply for all Americans the USDA ARS National Animal Disease Center maintains a fully functioning dairy. The milking parlor at the center is currently outdated. Under the current system milking the herd of cows requires 8 animal caretaker hours daily, 365 days a year. This includes only milking of the cows and cleaning of the system, not the other care such as feeding that the cows also require daily. Under the robotic system, milking the herd of cows will require only 1 animal caretaker hour daily, a savings of 7 labor hours. With animal caretaker positions currently at GS-6, even Step 1 is $21.37 per hour, with an estimated savings of $54,600.35 in labor costs annually. The average lifespan of a robotic milking system is 20 years, creating the potential for a savings of $1,092,007 in labor costs over the lifetime of the system.
CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS
3.0 Technical Requirements/Tasks:
· Instrument shall have the capacity to milk at least 60 cows daily
· Instrument must allow free cow traffic, allowing the cows to use the system at will
· Instrument shall have sensor technology to adapt milking to cow’s individual needs
· Instrument shall have tailored milking of each quarter of the udder including quarter-based pulsation
· Instrument shall have a brush system to clean teats and underside of the udder prior to milking, including disinfection of the brushes after each milking
· Instrument shall have a 3D camera to enable the brushes to easily find the teats
· Instrument shall have a laser system to accurately guide attachment to the teats
· Instrument shall have two separate vacuum circuits and a vacuum buffer to ensure a constant vacuum at the teat end and maintain udder health
· Instrument shall have real time health reports for cows
· Instrument shall have the capability of storing milk for use
· Instrument shall have the capability of collecting milk samples
· Instrument shall have ability to count somatic cells in the milk and check flow, color, temperature, lactose level, fat/protein ratio, and conductivity in milk
· Instrument shall have a system to automatically close the milk line and retract the teat cup if the cow dislodges the teat cup, preventing the cup from touching the ground and causing contamination
· Instrument shall have historical data of each cow and utilize it to automatically determine the milking interval for each cow
· Instrument shall have the ability to spray teats with a care product after cup removal
· Instrument shall have the ability to steam clean teat cups to kill bacteria
· Instrument shall have trained technical staff able to repair the system within a 3 hour travel distance of the NADC to prevent excessive downtime of the instrument which would negatively impact animal welfare
· Qty: 1.
4.0 Government Furnished: None
5.0 Deliverables/Schedule This unit should be delivered onsite within 60 days of date of award.
6.0 Evaluation Factors Technical capability, deliverability and price with technical capability and deliverability more important than price.
7.0 Technical Point of Contact: Should there be technical questions, please contact Kaitlyn Sarlo Davila at 515-337-6772.
8.0 Place of Delivery: USDA, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Bldg 24, Ames, IA 50010
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