B -- LABORATORY SERVICES FOR MICROBIAL AND FAT CONTENT TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF RED MEAT PRODUCTS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) plans to solicit proposals from one or more commercial laboratories to test ground beef for microbial levels and fat content. During a one year period there will be approximately 4,000 lots of ground beef tested for fat content. Four individual sample units will be tested from each lot for a total of approximately 16,000 ground beef samples for fat content testing. Contractor(s) will also test separate samples of ground beef for standard plate counts, total coliforms, generic E. coli, and and coagulase positive Staphlococci levels, and for the presence of Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7. USDA estimates that during a one year period there may be 2,000 samples of ground beef for microbial testing for a total of approximately 12,000 individual bacteria tests. The contractor(s) will provide results (including lot fat content average, median and range) to AMS and to individual USDA ground beef contractors. Limited quantities of other commodities (e.g., ground pork and ground bison) may also be added for testing. USDA may also include a requirement for microbial testing for boneless beef in the solicitation. If included, it would require the testing of boneless beef for standard plate counts, total coliforms, generic E. coli and Salmonella. Selected contractor(s) would analyze results from each meat supplier and provide control charts and capability reports to AMS, to boneless beef suppliers and to individual USDA ground beef contractors. At full implementation, USDA estimates that during a one year period there may be 4,000 samples of boneless beef for microbial testing. USDA would prefer to award a single contract. However, if a single contractor is not able to fulfill the requirements in all geographic regions, award of multiple contracts will be considered. The NAICS code for this acquisition is 541380. It is anticipated that the formal solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP) 048-M-APHIS-02, will be released on or about May 1, 2002 and will be posted on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at the following Internet web site address: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mpls/contracts/cbd.html. The Government intends to provide the solicitation and any amendment(s) only through this web site. NOTIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF ANY AMENDMENT(S). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES TO CHECK THE WEB SITE PERIODICALLY FOR UPDATES. A hard (printed) copy of the solicitation will not be provided unless specifically requested in writing through facsimile, mail or e-mail. To receive a hard (printed) copy by mail, interested parties shall submit a faxed, mailed or e-mailed request stating their name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and the solicitation number. Requests must be mailed to the contracting office and to the attention of the point of contact listed in this notice, or faxed to +1 (555) 000-0000 to the attention of the point of contact listed in this notice. Telephone requests will not be accepted.