Sole Source Award Legal Notice - Removal of India's medicinal use barrier

The Washington Hop Commission is pursuing a sole source contract with Bryant Christie Inc. to address trade barriers for U.S. hop exports to India. The contract aims to remove India's current restriction that limits U.S. hop pellets exclusively to medicinal use, preventing access to the growing Indian beer market. Specific deliverables include monitoring trade situations, developing petition materials, engaging with USDA-APHIS, U.S. Embassy, importers, and trade associations, and investigating import tolerance applications. The contractor will be required to engage with CropLife India, retain in-country support services, and provide semi-annual progress updates through newsletters. The contract period runs from January 10, 2025 to September 30, 2025, with interested offerors required to submit capability statements by December 26, 2024. Evaluation will focus on the contractor's unique expertise in international trade barriers, with Bryant Christie Inc. selected based on their 4-year history managing this specific program and established network within relevant government agencies.

The procurement does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract covers multiple Washington jurisdictions including Yakima County, King County, Yakima City, and Kingston CDP. The total contract value is $34,250, which includes a structured payment approach of two $12,125 installments and an additional $10,000 allocated for authorized travel expenses. The potential market impact is substantial, with current U.S. hop exports to India valued at $232,000 in 2021 and projected to grow to over $5 million within five years if the trade barrier is successfully removed. Bryant Christie Inc. was selected as the sole source contractor due to their 30-year history working with hop industry trade issues and specific three-year experience addressing this particular trade barrier. The contract includes provisions for travel reimbursement based on Office of Financial Management guidelines and requires Washington Hop Commission approval for any subcontracting activities.