Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tracking Sol

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is issuing a Request for Information on Radio Frequency Identification technologies for tracking and managing reusable transport crates in the live bird market supply chain, with responses due October 9, 2026. This is a market-research RFI intended to inform future procurement strategy; it does not constitute a formal solicitation and carries no obligation to issue a subsequent contract or reimburse vendor response costs.

The PDA seeks commercially available RFID solutions providing end-to-end visibility of transport crates from farm origin through transportation, distribution centers, live bird markets, and return transportation. Integration with the existing TraceFirst CoreOne platform is a stated requirement. Vendors must detail product portfolios, system architectures, operational capabilities across the complete crate lifecycle (farm locations, cleaning facilities, bird loading, transportation, distribution, markets, and sanitization), scanning performance metrics, mobile capabilities, reporting functions, security features, and reliability specifications.

The Department specifically seeks vendor experience with agricultural applications, food safety, animal health, government projects, logistics, and comparable RFID implementations. Preference is given to references demonstrating relevant sector experience. Vendors are encouraged to provide budgetary information covering hardware costs, software licensing, professional services, training, and maintenance for planning purposes only; no formal pricing proposals are requested.

Vendor questions may be submitted within 30 days of the August 25, 2026 issuance date. The Department anticipates completing information review within 30 days of receipt and holding potential vendor demonstrations thereafter. Participation is voluntary and neither guarantees nor precludes future procurement participation.