Sole Source Award Legal Notice - MRL & Trade Policy Harmonization

The Washington Hop Commission is conducting a sole source procurement for professional services with Bryant Christie Inc. to provide specialized trade issue and international Maximum Residue Level (MRL) harmonization assistance. The contract will cover monitoring and commenting on hop MRL issues and trade barriers across multiple international markets, including Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, Australia, EU, Vietnam, India, and other regions. Key deliverables include maintaining and updating a monthly hop MRL chart, producing semi-annual Issues Review newsletters, and providing periodic issue updates and project status reports for the U.S. Hop Industry Plant Protection Committee. The procurement is open to capability statements from interested offerors, with submissions due by December 26, 2024. The contract period will run from January 10, 2025, to December 31, 2025, with Bryant Christie Inc. selected based on their 30-year history managing this program and demonstrated expertise in international trade harmonization and phytosanitary barriers.

The procurement appears to be specifically targeted at Bryant Christie Inc. as a sole source contractor, with no explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract has a total compensation value not to exceed $132,000, to be paid in four quarterly installments of $26,750, with an additional $25,000 allocated for authorized travel and expenses. Bryant Christie Inc. is identified as a small business with an extensive network of contacts in relevant government agencies and a proven ability to respond quickly to phytosanitary and MRL harmonization proposals. The contractor will be responsible for following up with registrants on hop data package submissions, addressing regulatory changes proactively, and cooperating with international agricultural officials. The contract requires approval from the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) and will become effective upon DES approval or the tenth working day after filing. No other U.S. firm has been identified with comparable expertise in this specific scope of work, making Bryant Christie Inc. the recommended sole source provider.