Micro Gin Motor Control Center Upgrade

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service is soliciting sources for design, supply, and installation of a Micro Gin Motor Control Center upgrade at the Cotton Ginning Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi, with responses due October 14, 2026. This procurement is being conducted as a sources sought notice to market-research small-business capacity; no contract will be awarded from responses received, and a formal solicitation using the Tradeoff Process under FAR Part 12 is anticipated to follow.

The system must manage 48 motors ranging from 0.5 to 30 horsepower across a cotton ginning facility, requiring a 600-volt class MCC with PLC and HMI control console to replace existing hardwired controls. The PLC must be from approved manufacturers: Schneider M340, Allen Bradley CompactLogix 5380, Siemens S7-1500, or Omron NX1P2. The MCC must come from ABB Electrification, Schneider Electric, Eaton, Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Mitsubishi Electric, Fuji Electric, or General Electric. Variable frequency drives must be Schneider Altivar ATV340, Eaton Power XL DX1, or Mitsubishi FR-A800 in order of preference, all supporting EtherNet/IP communication. The HMI must be NEMA 4X industrial grade with minimum 21.5-inch Full HD 1920×1080 resolution displaying all 50 motor start/stop stations on a single screen, with real-time visualization, password-protected security, and production data logging.

The contractor must complete all work by April 1, 2027, with PLC and HMI delivery within 120 days of contract acceptance. Installation includes removal of existing equipment, provision of conduit, cable trays, wiring, and breaker panels, designed to minimize research facility downtime. All work must comply with NEMA, ANSI, and UL 845 standards. The applicable NAICS code is 238210 (Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors) with a $19.0 million size standard. Interested small businesses must submit capabilities synopsis (5 pages maximum), UEI Number, SAM registration status, points of contact, and past work experience to frank.palmer@usda.gov by 11:00 AM Mountain Daylight Savings Time, October 14, 2026.