Cutting mills, benchtop size for the USDA, ARS, North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab in Morris, MN

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service seeks two benchtop cutting mills for the North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory in Morris, Minnesota, with quotes due August 14 and questions due August 11 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside procurement with a 1,000-employee size standard.

Place of performance is Morris, Minnesota. The mills support the Morris ARS Soil Management Unit's research on year-round cropping systems, where grinding plant material samples (stems, leaves, roots, seeds) into fine powders requires chemical analysis. The current mills are damaged and lack adequate operator safety features.

Each mill must include dual safety features: a safety switch preventing operation when the door is open and a safety shutoff that stops the cutter head if the door opens during operation. Required specifications are a 1.5-inch chamber size, 0.6-inch diameter sample input size, 1200 rpm operating speed, two adjustable stationary blades, a rotating cutting head with four cutting edge blades, a stainless steel hopper, stainless steel sieves in sizes 20, 40, and 60, and 115V single-phase electrical power. Delivery is F.O.B. Destination within 90 days of order receipt to 803 Iowa Avenue, Morris, Minnesota 56267.

Evaluation weighs technical approach (ability to meet delivery requirements and detailed explanation of any specifications that cannot be accomplished), price (including quantity and prompt payment discounts for base period and all option periods), and past performance rating (acceptable, neutral, or unacceptable). Award will be made to a single offeror with the highest technically rated quotation offering fair and reasonable pricing and acceptable or neutral past performance. Quotes must be held firm for 90 calendar days from receipt. The NAICS code is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing.