Chemical Nutrient Analysis Service

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Natick Division, in support of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Soldier Center (DEVCOM-SC), Soldier Sustainment Directorate (SSD) / Combat Feeding Division (CFD) located in Natick, MA 01760, has a requirement for nutrient analysis services for the U.S. Army Combat Feeding Division. The Combat Feeding Division’s Nutrient Analysis Laboratory (NAL) currently has multiple samples to analyze for nutritional content.

The CFD, part of the U.S. Army DEVCOM-SC, is the Department of Defense’s centralized source for all research, development, engineering, and integration of joint service combat rations, food service equipment and field feeding systems. CFD’s primary mission is to ensure Warfighters have the tactical, nutritional and logistical advantage required to survive and win on the battlefield.  Although CFD already has an in-house Nutrient Analysis Lab (NAL), there is currently a short-term need to outsource select nutrient analysis services for ingredients and ration components. The contractor shall provide laboratory nutrient analysis testing on provided food
samples.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercially available services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested, and a written solicitation will not be issued. Request For Proposal (RFP) number is: W911QY-26-R-CHEMICAL-NUTRIENT-ANALYSIS. 

The Government intends to award a single, Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract as a result of this solicitation. All timely offers will be considered, and proposal submission shall be in accordance with Submission Instructions contained herein. Evaluation factors are Technical Capability, Price, and Past Performance. The Government intends to make award to the Offeror whose proposal represents the Best Value to the Government.

This requirement is set for full and open competition. This is not set-aside to small businesses. The NAICS code is 541380 - Testing Laboratories and Services. The small business size standard is $19M.

The Army’s Office for Small Business Programs concurs with the full and open competition determination.

Incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-01. FAR Clauses 52.212-1 through 52.212-5 and DFARS 52.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items (see www.acquisition.gov) apply to this procurement.

Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) to be eligible for award. Instructions for registration are available at the website. Any additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices shall apply. 

Submission Instructions: 

All Offerors shall submit a proposal consisting of three (3) sections. These three (3) sections shall be labeled; Section I – Technical Proposal; Section II – Pricing Proposal; and Section III – Past Performance. No Pricing Information shall be submitted in Section I.

Evaluation will be in accordance with FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation--Commercial Items and Commercial Services. 

(a) The Government intends to award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to this solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

I. Technical capability of services offered to meet Government requirements: 

Requirements: The contractor shall be able to analyze samples for the analytes in Table 1 (See Attached Statement of Work for Table 1) with the preferred methods listed below or equivalent* with the listed limits of quantification (LOQ). The main analytes that will be requested are 1) selenium, 2) vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and 3) total dietary fiber. However, the contractor must also have the ability to analyze for any of the other analytes listed below, in case CFD has a need to have those analytes determined as well. This SOW is for an indeterminate quantity of samples (25-100), up to $25K during the period of performance. No more than 25 samples would be sent at one time. 

Analyses and results shall be completed and delivered to the government no later than 14 calendar days after receipt of samples.  Contractor shall prepare a data report for each set of samples that has been analyzed to include sample name/ID, method used, results, units of measure, limit of quantification and date of analysis. 

*If the contractor proposes to use a different method than the preferred methods listed, than that method must be specified in their proposal as well as the LOQ of that method. If the method is not an industry standard method (publicly available), then please attach a copy of the method in the proposal.

During market research the price ranges in Table 2 (See Attached Statement of Work for Table 2) were determined to be reasonable per analyte (dependent on the method proposed). Contractor’s proposals must include the cost/test and the proposed method w/ LOQ.  A cost/test can be outside of this range, but the proposals will be evaluated based on the demonstrated ability of the contractor to meet the requirements, proposed methods with LOQ and the cost/test. 

a. General Requirements

In-House Capacity:  The contractor must have the in-house capacity (personnel, equipment, etc.) to perform the analyses requested.  Contractors acting as pass throughs to larger labs will not be accepted. 

Accreditation: The contractor shall maintain active ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for the duration of the contract. The accreditation scope must cover the specific nutritional tests requested.

Analytical Methodology: All testing must utilize validated, industry-standard methods (e.g., AOAC International, USP, AACC, or equivalent recognized methods). If an alternative method is used, the contractor must provide scientific validation prior to testing.

Sample Custody & Tracking: The contractor must maintain a documented chain of custody from sample receipt at the facility until final disposal.

Communication & Support: The contractor shall designate a primary point of contact (POC) or project manager to handle inquiries, clarify test results, and resolve sample receipt issues within 24 hours.

Storage Conditions: Upon receipt, the contractor shall store all samples under the conditions specified by the government (e.g., ambient, refrigerated at 4°C, or frozen at -20°C) to prevent nutrient degradation before analysis.

Sample Retention: The contractor must retain the remaining homogenized sample material for a minimum of 30 calendar days after the final report is delivered, allowing the government to request re-testing if anomalies are found.

Disposal: After the 30-day retention period, the contractor shall safely dispose of the food samples in accordance with local environmental regulations at no additional cost to the government.

b. Specific Requirements

See Attached Statement of Work for Table containing the Specific Requirements and additional details.

II. Price: Reference Table 1 & 2 in the attached SOW.

III. Past Performance: Offerors are reminded that while the Government may elect to consider data obtained from other sources, the burden of providing thorough and complete past performance information rests with the Offeror. Offerors shall submit three (3) recent and relevant past performance examples performed within the last three years. Each example shall not exceed two (2) pages and shall include the following:

1. Contract number, date of award, order number if applicable, CAGE code, DUNS number, and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.

2. Government contracting activity, Contracting Officer name, telephone number, and email address.

3. Government Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or technical representative, telephone number, and email address.

4. If Offeror performed as a subcontractor, prime contractor company name, point of contact name, telephone number, and email address in lieu of or in addition to the contact information required above.

5. Contract type.

6. Awarded price/cost.

7. Description of the specific tasks or activities performed by the Offeror itself under the contract.

8. Narrative: Offerors shall provide a narrative for each past performance example. The narrative shall describe the contract listed, the contract objectives achieved by the Offeror, and how the contract is relevant to the requirements of this solicitation.

Offerors shall state if they have no recent or relevant past performance. 

In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance. Technical and past performance, when combined, are more important than price.

(b) Options (if applicable). The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TIMELY PROPOSAL EXACTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN THE OFFEROR’S PROPOSAL BEING REJECTED AS UNACCEPTABLE OR NONCOMPLIANT, AND THEREFORE INELIGIBLE FOR AWARD CONSIDERATION. 

Offers shall be emailed to the Contract Specialist Chris Welsh at richard.c.welsh2.civ@army.mil and to the Contracting Officer Alejandro (Alex) Ayala at alejandro.ayala.civ@army.mil. The anticipated period of performance (PoP) is 12 months from date of award. Offers must be received by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 15 SEPTEMBER 2026. Offers received after this date are late and will not be considered for award. For information on this acquisition, contact Chris Welsh at richard.c.welsh2.civ@army.mil and Alejandro (Alex) Ayala at alejandro.ayala.civ@army.mil via email only.