Food Sampling and Laboratory Testing Services

Added: Jul 29, 2011 7:35 pm

USDA's Farm Service Agency, Kansas City Commodity Office (KCCO) intends to issue a request for proposals to provide aseptic food sample collection and laboratory testing services for food aid products procured for Government programs. The solicitation is expected to be available on or after July 29, 2011 and will be available electronically through the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website (http://www.fbo.gov). A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available for the acquisition. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through FBO. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. It is the intention of the Government to award a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity services contract to one firm with one base year and one option year. The anticipated date of receipt for offers will be on or near August 15, 2011.

Background:
The USDA routinely procures large quantities of various micronutrient-fortified,
processed/blended agricultural products for use in international food aid programs administered by USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These specialized food products are distributed worldwide on behalf of the people of the United States to combat malnutrition and otherwise address food insecurities caused by manmade and natural disasters. Due to the impact food aid quality has on the missions of these Programs, the Government has a heightened interest in ensuring that the products which commodity contactors tender to the Government for acceptance meet contract specifications. To meet this objective, the Government is seeking to hire a firm to collect samples of these food products and to conduct the laboratory testing necessary to determine that products meet contract specifications.

In general, we are seeking an experienced firm with the capability to collect samples of product at commodity contractors' plants located throughout the continental United States, conduct testing on specified factors for compliance with those factors' contractual requirements, and report findings individually.