Meat Testing Services

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT IS TO: 1. EXTEND RESPONSE DELIVERY DATE TO 12:00 PM CT ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. 2. CORRECT DESCRIPTION OF CLINS 002D, 003D, 004D, AND 005D IN SOLICITATION FROM "COAGULASE POSITIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI (GROUND BEEF ONLY)" TO "STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (GROUND BEEF ONLY)" TO MATCH DESCRIPTION OF BASE YEAR CLIN 001D. 3. A NEW REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) IS ATTACHED TO REFLECT THE TWO CHANGES ABOVE. NO OTHER CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO THIS REPLACEMENT RFP. IT IS SIMPLY BEING REVISED TO REFLECT THE CORRECTION IN THE DUE DATE AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CLINS LISTED ABOVE. 4. THE LANGUAGE IN THE SYNOPSIS BELOW REFERENCING THE REQUIREMENT FOR A2LA ACCREDITATION IS INCORRECT AS IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE LANGUAGE IN THE ATTACHED RFP. IT SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE LANGUAGE FROM THE RFP WHICH READS: "C. ACCREDITATION The laboratory's technical proposal shall include: 1. Documentation that the laboratory and methods used by the laboratory to perform testing for AMS Federal Purchase Program requirements are assessed for compliance with the quality system requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories, assessed for technical competency to perform specific tests (including proficiency testing), and accredited by an accreditation body that is a signatory and in good standing to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The accreditation body must have technical expertise in the fields of biological/microbiological and chemical testing of meat and meat products. The laboratory's scope of the accreditation must expressly include test methods in accordance within the requirements of this solicitation. Laboratories shall stay current with their ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and shall provide the AMS COR with up-to-date documentation (Certificate of Accreditation and Scope of Accreditation) of their ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation." 5. ESTABLISH COB ON AUGUST 27, 2010 AS THE DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS. FINAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE ASAP AFTER THIS DATE. *********************************************************** The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Livestock and Seed Program intends to procure meat testing services for the meat procured for the National School Lunch Program and other Federal food and nutrition assistance programs. The proposed Meat Testing requirement will be for a one period with four option years. Geographical location(s) of the testing laboratories is undetermined as of this time. The Government is flexible as to laboratory locations as long as they can meet timeliness requirements of sample testing of AMS meat suppliers who are located in various locations across the United States. The contractor(s) will provide required meat testing for microbiological and fat tests, analysis of data and reporting of results for AMS-contracted boneless beef suppliers, suppliers of boneless beef destined for AMS-contracted ground beef, ground beef suppliers, other AMS-contracted meat product suppliers, and non-AMS contract suppliers participating in AMS' Product Certification Service. The following are the tests that will be required: A. Microbiogical Testing Testing for all microbes as specified within the applicable AMS Federal Purchase Program Specifications. Tests will be done for both presence and quantification level microbes. Testing for quantification levels of the following will be required: 1. Aerobic (standard) plate counts 2. Total Coliforms 3. Generic Escherichia coli (E. coli), and 4. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) The following Presence only tests will be required: 5. Salmonella, and 6. Shiga-toxigenic E. coli 0157 (including 0157:H7 and 0157:Non-Motile (NM) B. Fat Testing Requirements Samples will be tested for fat content as specified within the applicable AMS Federal Purchase Program specifications Contractor(s) shall responsible for providing the sampling procedures to all meat suppliers, conducting the required tests for microbiogical and fat tests, and reporting the test results on a timely basis simultaneously to AMS and the meat supplier. All testing laboratories to be used by the contractor(s) must meet the following accreditation standards: Documentation that the laboratory and methods used by the laboratory to perform testing for AMS Federal Purchase Program requirements are assessed for compliance with the quality system requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories, assessed for technical competency to perform specific tests (including proficiency testing), and accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). Laboratories shall stay current with their A2LA laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025) accreditation and shall provide the AMS Contracting Officer with up-to-date documentation (Certificate of Accreditation and Scope of Accreditation) of their A2LA laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025) accreditation. The USDA intends to award multiple fixed price IDIQ (indefinite delivery indefinite quantity) commercial contracts for this effort. The contract(s) will include a one-year base period with four one-year unilateral option periods. This will be a best value procurement. It is anticipated that the formal solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP) AG-6395-S-10-0116, will be released on or about July 16, 2010 and posted on this FEDBIZOPPS website. Please download the RFP from this website. This is being offered as a full and open competition. Thus, all responsible businesses may submit an offer. After release, one may download a copy of the solicitation at this site. NOTIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT TO OFFERERS REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF THE SOLICITATION NOR ANY OF ITS AMENDMENTS. IT IS THE OFFERER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THIS WEB SITE. Any questions or inquiries must be mailed, e-mailed or faxed to the Contracting Office, to the attention of the point of contact listed in this notice. Point of contact: Larry Nelson, Contracting Officer, +1 (555) 000-0000, FAX: +1 (555) 000-0000, E-mail: contact@example.gov