Statement of Work 24R0022.pdf

Statement of Work

Malting Lab Equipment upgrade

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0 Scope of Work. The UDSA-ARS is requesting bids for repair, refurbishment, upgrade and/or replacement of malting equipment including 3 Steep Tanks, 4 Germinators, 2 Joe

White micromalters, Controller software, and updating of any lab utilities/infrastructure necessary to meet requirements of upgraded equipment.

2.0 Background. The malting lab is a congressionally mandated service that provides malt quality metrics for all public sector barley breeders, scientists, extension agents, and members of our stakeholder groups. On an annual basis we are charged with supplying timely returns of malt quality scores on over 6000 customer submitted samples.

Two sets of machines required for the malting of barley samples (steep tanks and germinators) are severely aged (more than 50 years) and thus often break down. Repairs are becoming more frequent and less effective, and the repair technicians are harder to locate and often turn down the work since the machines are so old.

The malting of the samples is the first step in our processes of offering malt quality evaluations and thus when a malting machine breaks, not only do all those samples have to be discarded and reprocessed, but the bottleneck created halts all downstream steps, including the work of five technicians.

The imminent failure of these machines necessitates immediate action by the agency to maintain high quality malting quality services in the future to our stakeholder community.

The malting equipment consisting of steep tanks, germinators, PLC controller software, and Joe White micromalters are used to process 100-200 gram samples (as per ASBC requirements) of barley into malt. On weekly basis we process between 40 and 100 individual samples. Malting consists of three basic steps: Steeping, Germinating and

Kilning. Commercially available micromalters combine the 3 steps into a single machine which limits the sample volume and capacity of malts. Our current malting systems were custom made and separate the 3 steps into individual machines thus allowing us to process samples much faster and at a larger capacity. Therefore the design must maintain this arrangement.

We require that the new design or refurbishment of the steep tanks and germination chambers be able to accommodate our currently used grain steep cans and grain germination cans that were custom fabricated (see dimensions below). Pictures of current malting machines (steep tanks and germination chambers).

The 2 Joe White micromalters were built and purchased from a commercial company however the company no longer produces or repairs the micromalters, therefore the repair/refurbishment would be independent of the original manufacturer.

Brand name or equal: None

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

3.0 Technical Requirements/Tasks. To be determined technically acceptable equipment must include:

3.1 Steep tank refurbishment/replacement

3.1.1 3 steep tanks each capable of handling 48 individual 100-200gram barley samples (144 total). Will consider proposals to reduce number from 3 to 2 larger steep tanks as long as capacity remains 144 total.

3.1.2 Steep water must be chilled (16C) and accurate temperature control maintained.

3.1.3 Automatic steep tank filling & draining

3.1.4 Must fit in area currently occupied by steep tanks (approx. 15’long x 4’ deep x

7’tall)

3.1.5 Improved sample movement system that can lower and raise from water bath and the scheduling of sample water immersions and air rests must be fully customizable.

3.1.6 Design must include the re-use of currently used hanging steep baskets

(3.5”x3.5”x6” each)

3.1.7 Internal cleaning system. Ex. spray device(s) to assist with cleaning product contact zones.

3.1.8 Data recorder notification system to report aberrant environmental conditions within the chamber.

3.2 Germination Chamber refurbishment/replacement

3.2.1 4 Germination chambers capable of handling 36 sample cans each (144 total). Will consider proposals to reduce number from four to three or two larger germination chambers if capacity remain 144.

3.2.2 Each germination chamber must contain a rotisserie style can-holder that rotates at a constant speed (~2 rotations/minute).

3.2.3 Must fit in area currently occupied by steep tanks (approx. 20’long x 4’deep x

7’tall)

3.2.4 Must be able to accommodate our circular grain germination cans (6”diameter and 4 “tall)

3.2.5 Must maintain constant humidity (~98%)

3.2.6 Must maintain constant temperature (cooling) (17C)

3.2.7 Data recorder and notification system to report aberrant environmental conditions within the chamber.

3.3 Joe White Micromalters

3.3.1 Repair/upgrade/refurbish parts necessary for Joe White micromalters to operate normally and consistently (parts list and manual available for reference).

3.3.2 Upgrade interface and on-board controls

3.3.3 Central controller system software replacement/upgrade

3.3.4 Replace or update current MetaSys controller software.

3.3.5 Main Controller/PLC to operate all three phases of malting process.

3.3.6 Custom workstation software for operator interface, sample data logging and report generation.

3.3.7 Software will track samples through various stages and compile process data into single file/report

4.0 Deliverables / Schedule. If the machines (steep tanks, germinators) need to leave our facility, vendors will need to coordinate with CCRU staff to schedule the work during slow months (i.e. May-Sept). Alternatively the vendor may choose to operate on one machine at a time, leaving the other (working) machines in the lab to continue processing samples. The work should begin Summer of 2024 and be completed by Spring 2025.

5.0 Security Requirements. Vendor will need access to our building and will likely need to involve IT for controller software integration.