AMS Designated Laboratory Meat Testing Services (ADL)

AMS Designated Laboratory Meat Testing Services (ADL)

The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Commodity Procurement Staff, intends to procure meat testing services for the meat procured for the National School Lunch Program and other Federal food and nutrition assistance programs.  The proposed meat testing requirement will be for a one-year period with four one-year option periods.  The geographical location(s) of the testing laboratories is undetermined as of this time.  The Government is flexible as to laboratory locations if they can meet the timely sample testing requirements of AMS meat suppliers who are in various locations across the United States.

The contractor(s) will be required to provide microbiological and fat testing for the AMS ground beef, boneless beef, and other AMS purchase programs.  Contractors will be responsible for the analysis of data and reporting of results for those programs.

The following are the tests that will be required:

1. Microbiological Testing
   Testing for all microbes as specified within the applicable AMS Federal Purchase Program Specifications.  Tests will be done for both presence and quantification level microbes.  The following tests will be required:

1. Aerobic (standard) Plate Count (APC)
2. Total coliforms Petrifilm
3. Generic E. coli Petrifilm
4. Salmonella
5. Salmonella Confirmatory
6. E. coli 0157:H7 (1 X 325g)
7. E. coli 0157:H7 Confirmatory
8. Non-0157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli Serotypes
9. Non-0157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E.coli Serotypes Confirmatory

1. Fat Testing Requirements
   Samples will be tested for fat content as specified within the applicable AMS Federal Purchase Program Specifications (FPPS).
    
   Contractor(s) shall be responsible for providing the sampling procedures to all meat suppliers, conducting the required tests for microbiological and fat tests, and reporting the test results on a timely basis simultaneously to AMS and the meat supplier.

All testing laboratories to be used by the contractor(s) must provide documentation that the laboratory and methods used by the laboratory to perform testing for AMS Federal Purchase Program requirements, are assessed for compliance with the quality system requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories, assessed for technical competency to perform specific tests (including proficiency testing), and accredited by an accreditation body that is a signatory and in good standing with the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International ADL Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).  The accreditation body must have technical expertise in the fields of biological/microbiological and chemical testing of meat and meat products.

The USDA intends to award multiple firm-fixed-price IDIQ (indefinite delivery indefinite quantity) commercial contracts for this effort.  The contract(s) will include a one-year base period and four one-year unilateral option periods.  This procurement will be competed using the tradeoff process to obtain the best value to the Government.  It is anticipated that the formal solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP) 12-3J14-21-R-0411, will be released on or about July 6, 2021 and posted on the SAM.gov website.  Please download the RFP from this website.

This is being competed using full and open competitive procedures.  Thus, all responsible businesses may submit an offer.  After release, all potential offerors may download a copy of the solicitation from SAM.gov.  NOTIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT TO OFFERORS REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF THE SOLICITATION NOR ANY OF ITS AMENDMENTS.  IT IS THE OFFEROR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THIS WEB SITE.  Any questions or inquiries must be mailed or emailed to the Contracting Office, to the attention of the point of contact listed in this notice.  Point of contact:  James D. Sprandel, Contracting Officer, (202) 658-9053, E-mail: james.sprandel@usda.gov.

Contracting Office Address:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Procurement Policy and Services Contract Division (PPSCD)

1400 Independence Ave SW, STOP 0239

Washington, DC 20250-0239

Primary Point of Contact:

James D. Sprandel, Contracting Officer

james.sprandel@usda.gov

Phone:  202-658-9053

Secondary Point of Contact:

Travis Cathey, Contracting Specialist

Travis.cathey@usda.gov