Statement of Work Milk Samples.pdf

Statement of Work Milk Samples

The USDA Food Sampling and Analysis Program is conducting a Retail Milk Resampling Study Focused on Iodine Content and Variability. Project requires a contractor to provide all labor, materials, travel and any other costs associated with the purchase and shipment of refrigerated 2% cow’s milk every other month spanning a ten- month period (for a total of six pickups). Milk shall be purchased at twelve specifically specified retail grocery stores for each of the six scheduled pickups. All twelve locations must ship the same week for each designated pick up. Exact shipping dates must be confirmed with Government Point of Contact prior to any milk samples being shipped. The arrival dates for the milk in each pickup are anticipated to be as follows:

Pick Up #1 – between 5/01/21 - 5/31/21 Pick Up #2 – between 7/01/21 - 7/31/21 Pick Up #3 – between 9/01/21 - 9/30/21 Pick Up #4 – between 11/01/21 - 11/30/21 Pick Up #5 – between 1/01/22 - 1/31/22 Pick Up #6 – between 3/01/22 - 3/31/22

In accordance with the following:

Milk Product Selection:

(a) Original manufacturers label must be attached to the product as appropriate. Products with ripped or detached product labels will not be accepted.

(b) Instructions for the purchase of each milk sample is provided in:

Appendix 1 – Location of Retail Grocery Outlets and Brand Name for Milk Samples, and Appendix 2 – Purchasing Instructions.

Milk Product Labeling:

(a) Each individual milk container must have an attached label the purchasing agent has completed.

The label shall be placed on the product so that it does not obscure important information on the product label, i.e. name of product, purchase or sell-by date, lot number, nutrition fact panel, or ingredient statement.

(b) All labels shall contain the following information: date of purchase; name and address of store where purchased (including street address, city, state, and zip code), and any other information the Government deems necessary.

(c) Ink used for labeling must be a permanent type that will not smear when label comes in contact with condensed moisture on perishable samples.

(d) Labels shall be provided by the contractor.

Milk Storage Prior to Shipping:

(a) Unless specified otherwise, product shall be shipped on the day it is purchased.

(b) Contractor shall maintain product integrity both prior to shipping and during course of shipping.

(c) Refrigerated items shall be kept between 32-40°F. Purchasing agents must have coolers outfitted with sufficient quantities of blue ice packs/freezer packs at the time products are purchased.

Milk Packaging, Forms, and Shipment:

(a) Unless specified otherwise, food products shall be left in the original packaging.

(b) It may be required that some items be placed in separate resealable or twist-tied plastic bags and/or disposable plastic containers prior to shipping.

(c) Items must be packaged so that product integrity is maintained.

(d) Wherever applicable, products should be wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid breakage or damage

(e) All shipping containers must be adequately cushioned with some type of packaging material interspersed among sample(s) to prevent damage during shipping and handling.

(f) All packaging materials shall be provided by the contractor.

(g) Milk is to be purchased in each outlet specified in Appendix 1 and shipped to arrive at Virginia Tech on a mutually agreed upon date for each pick up. Due to the short shelf life of milk, the arrival of product by Wednesday of the designated week is required.

(h) Any product received in unacceptable condition shall be replaced by the Contractor at no additional cost to the Government.

(i) All shipments to must have additional paperwork completed by the contractor prior to shipping.

Placement of a ‘Food Enclosed’ form on the outside of each cooler. The ‘Packing List’ will serve as an inventory sheet and will provide information relating to the purchase of the milk sample. It is to be filled out by the contractor prior to shipping and placed inside each cooler before it is closed and sealed.

(j) Shipping Instructions and Product Destination: Milk shall be packed in coolers with frozen blue ice packs (to keep samples at refrigerated temperature until arrival) and shipped via Fed Ex Overnight Express to arrive at Virginia Tech by 10:30 am.

All milk samples shall be shipped to the following address:

Katherine Phillips/Nancy Pennington Virginia Tech 340 West Campus Dr.

304 Engel Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061-0308

(540) 231-4361

Handling of Sampling Problems:

In the event of sampling problems, Contractor must speak with the Government directly and do not leave a voice mail message in order to expedite the resolution of the problem.

The Government Representative shall be contacted immediately in the following order:

(a) Denise Trainer (301) 504-0712

(b) Janet Roseland (301) 504-0715

Attachments:

Appendix 1: Location of Outlets and Brands;

Appendix 2: Purchasing Instructions.

Appendix 1 – Location of Retail Grocery Outlets and Brand Name for Milk Samples

County Grocery Store Brand of 2% Milk to Purchase

Adams

Wal Mart Supercenter 3803 Osborne Dr W Hastings, NE 68901

Great Value

Allegheny

Shop N Save 2820 Main St Pittsburgh, PA 15235

United

Emmet

Fareway Store 1108 Central Ave Estherville, IA 51334

Fareway

Halifax

Food Lion Store 1201 Julian R Allsbrook Way Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870

Food Lion

Harris

HEB

14498 Bellaire Blvd Houston, TX 77083

HEB

Henry

Ingles Supermarket 4920 Bill Gardner Pkwy Locust Grove, GA 30248

Laura Lynn

Los Angeles

40130 10th St W Palmdale, CA 93551

Alta Dena Dairy

Mercer

591 Joseph Dr Harrodsburg, KY 40330

Great Value

Middlesex

Saker ShopRite 400 Renaissance Blvd North Brunswick, NJ 08902

Shoprite

Pima

Bashas Market 3275 N Swan Rd Tucson, AZ 85712

Bashas

San Diego Vons Market 4404 Bonita Rd Bonita, CA 91902

Lucerne

Warrick Schnucks 8301 Bell Oaks Drive Newburgh, IN 47630

Appendix 2 - Purchasing Instructions

Overview:

In order to measure variability, 2% cow’s milk will be purchased every other month for a total of 6 samplings. It is critical that each shopper purchase milk samples at the designated stores specified in Appendix 1. All future samples must be purchased at the same store and must be the same brand that was purchased for the first shipment.

Instructions:

Obtain milk from the same store and same brand for each of the 6 times the sample is acquired at a particular location.

• All milk must come from cows. Do not purchase any soy, oat, almond, cashew, or other types of “milk”

• Purchase only 2% milk. Do not purchase any whole, skim (fat free), 1% or other reduced fat milk, lactose-reduced milk, kefir, or flavored milk (such as chocolate or strawberry).

• Do not purchase any organic milk.

• Select the brand of milk specified in Appendix 1. If that brand is not available, select a brand that meets the specified criteria by choosing the one that occupies the largest amount of shelf space.

When deciding which brand has the largest shelf space, select the brand with the most facings (# of slots in which the label is facing you); the depth of the product is not as critical. In almost all cases, the product with the largest depth will also have the most facings.

• Please note that whatever brand is purchased for Pick Up #1 must be purchased for all subsequent pickups.

• Buy one ½ gallon of 2% milk. If the store does not sell 2% milk in the ½ gallon size, you may purchase a 1 gallon container of 2% milk.

• Be sure to check the expiration or sell-by date. Select product stamped with the furthest date from the date of purchase. Do not purchase any milk that expires within 10 days from the day it will arrive at Virginia Tech.

• When affixing label, be sure it does not cover any part of the milk label or ink jet writing on the container. Virginia Tech must be able to read entire milk label as well as any ink jet writing anywhere on the container.

• If purchasing milk in a plastic container, the cap must be secured with plastic wrap, rubber bands and packing tape to prevent leakage during shipping. Once milk cap is secured, place milk container in a small plastic trash bag and seal plastic bag with a twist tie.

• When packing cooler for shipping milk to Virginia Tech, make sure the container of milk is upright and place enough packing material in the cooler to make sure it stays in an upright position during transit.

• Ship on refrigerator packs - no dry ice. Place a layer of brown paper between the product and the blue ice packs to make sure product does not freeze.