TORULA YEAST BAIT PELLETS

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial supplies prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 12.6, and supplemental information included in this notice. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This combined synopsis/solicitation will result in a firm fixed price commercial supply contract. Simplified procurement procedures will be used for this acquisition per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13. The USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspections Service (APHIS), Plant and Protection Quarantine (PPQ), Edinburg TX, intends to procure 6,725 pounds (lbs) Torula Yeast Bait Pellets in 50 pound (lb) drums. (F.O.B. destination) The NAICS Code is 325320. A. REQUIREMENTS AND QUANTITIES: This requirement consists of one (1) line item - CLIN 001 of 6,725 (lbs) of bait pellets meeting the following specifications: 1. The bait pellets will consist of 45% torula yeast (inactive, Type B) and 55% dry borax decahydrate by weight (2.25 grams torula yeast : 2.50 grams 10M standard technical grade borax decahydrate) pressed into pellet that will weigh 5 grams +/- 0.5 grams. 2. The torula yeast will be killed dried yeast rendered inactive, non-viable and incapable of growth in any microbiological growth medium. The torula yeast will be Type B strain with the following parameters: Percent Protein (N X 6.5) 45.0 Minimum Non protein N average 0.3, 0.5 Minerals (ash) 7.0, 7.8 Fiber (AOAC) 0.4, 0.5 Carbohydrates 25, 30 Moisture 4.5, 7.0 Maximum Microbiological/Chemical parameters Unite Forming Colonies/gram Method Reference Viable yeast lt, 10 FDA-BAM, 8th ed. Fungus 50 FDA-BAM, 8th ed. Total bacteria 10,000 Coliform <3 AOAC 966.23 Fecal coliform Negative CMMEF, 3rd ed. Salmonella Negative AOAC 967.26 Other Parameters Essential vitamins Microgram/gram Thiamine 0.15 Riboflavin 0.05 Niacin 0.5 B-Complex Vitamins Micrograms/grams Pyridoxine 30 - 60 Pantothenic acid 100 - 150 Free folic acid 1 - 3 PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) 2500 - 3000 Inositol 3500 - 4500 Biotin 0.6 , 2.0 Vitamin B-12 0.03 , 0.05 Minerals Milligrams/grams Potassium 18 -22 Phosphorus 15 - 20 Calcium 2 - 5 Magnesium 1.5 , 2.0 Silicon 0.3 , 0.5 Iron 0.15 , 0.2 Sodium 0.1 , 0.2 Zinc 0.1 , 0.15 Manganese 0.03 , 0.04 Aluminum 0.025 , 0.03 Copper 0.015 , 0.02 Iodine 0.004 , 0.005 Lead 0.003 , 0.004 Nickel 0.001 , 0.002 Microgram/gram Cobalt 0.04 Amino Acid Composition based on 16% N of 100% protein Amino Acid Protein (%) Lysine 8.5 Methionine 1.5 Chysteine 1.0 Tryptophan 1.4 Phenylalanine 5.1 Threonine 5.1 Leucine 8.0 Isoleucine 4.9 Valine 5.6 Arginine 5.4 Histidine 2.2 Tyrosine 4.3 Glutamic Acid 14.5 Glycine 4.4 Alanine 6.1 Aspartic Acid 8.6 Proline 0.5 Serine 3.8 3. The pellets must dissolve at a rate of one (1) pellet per 100 ml (or 3 pellets/300 ml) of cold tap water within one (1) hour. 4. Using a Schleuniger Tablet Hardness Tester or a similar device, the pellets will break when a force of 7-12 kilopods is applied. It is preferable that no pellet break within the 10-15 Kilo pod range. B. OTHER REQUIREMENTS 1. Packaging and Marking. All exterior mailing or shipping labels shall contain the Contract Number of the deliverable; Base Year or Option Year Contract Line Item Number (CLIN), Contents, Storage Instructions, Manufacturer's Name and Logo, Date of Production, Lot/Batch Number. The pellets will be packaged in durable crush-proof fiberboard drums for shipments of 25 but no more than 50 pounds to prevent breakage during transit, storage and normal handling. Each drum will have a moisture-proof plastic lining and will include a prepackaged desiccant approved for use in food products. 2. Each shipment will have a Certificate of Conformance that the above requirements have been met. 3. APHIS shall conduct a field bioassay on a sample of Torula yeast/borax pellets when a test sample has passed all analytical methods (parameters) from each batch/lot to ensure pellet efficacy deemed satisfactory and to ensure suitability for use in APHIS survey trapping programs. Guidelines for field evaluation of pellet candidates have been developed and accepted by the U.S. National Fruit Fly Trapping Committee to use for testing traps and/or baits, including analysis, prior to acceptance for Program utilization. 4. APHIS reserves the right to have the pellets inspected by an independent laboratory and will reject the shipment if above requirements are not met. A first article sample is required to be shipped to Edinburg, TX within 10 days after award. 5. The contractor shall guarantee product quality for full compliance with contract specification, terms, and conditions for 1 full year from the date of acceptance. The unused portion of product samples from the samples that were taken upon delivery for inspection and acceptance testing will be analyzed by the Government or independent laboratory within 60 days of the end of the 1-year product guarantee period. The Contracting Officer shall provide the Contractor written notification of approval or disapproval of the product within 30 days following the end of the 1-year product guarantee period. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price contract. Simplified procurement procedures will be used as well as commercial item acquisition regulations per FAR 12. Award is subject to First Article Approval, Government Testing and inspection and acceptance testing at destination. First article samples and production quantities shall be produced at the same facility. C. ITEMS AND PRICES: The vendor shall provide a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) quote in response to this combined synopsis/solicitation on or before Friday, January 30, 2009 @ 3:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) for the furnishing of the requirements stated herein and within the specified timeframes. Quotes may be e-mailed directly to Daniel Kline, Contract Specialist, USDA-APHIS at daniel.m.kline@aphis.usda.gov. CLIN 001 FFP Per Pound $________ Total FFP @ 6,725 Pounds $__________ Award will be made to responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the requirements of this combined synopsis/solicitation and is determined to be the lowest priced technically acceptable offer. FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items applies to this solicitation. The contractor shall either complete the on-line Offeror Representations and Certifications or return a completed copy of the Offeror Representations and Certifications with their quotation. The Online Reps and Certs Application Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) can be found at http://www.bpn.gov., or a hard copy of the provision may be attained from http://www.arnet.gov/far. The following FAR provisions are incorporated by reference: 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items applies to this acquisition, 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses identified in FAR 52.212-5 are considered checked and are applicable to this acquisition: 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Alternate I) ; 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns; 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting; 52.222-3 Convict Labor; 52.222-19 Child Labor - Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies; 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans; 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans; 52.225-1 Buy American Act'Supplies; 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer Central Contractor Registration (CCR), 52.246-2 Inspection of Supplies'Fixed-Price, 52.246-15 Certificate of Conformance, and 52.209-4 First Article Approval'Government Testing. To be awarded this contract, the offeror must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). CCR information may be found at http://www.ccr.gov. Quotations are due to the United States Department of Agriculture, Minneapolis Contracting Office, 100 North Sixth Street, Butler Square, 5th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55403 by 03:00 PM Central Time (CT), January 30, 2009. Quotes may be sent via e-mail to daniel.m.kline@aphis.usda.gov or by fax @ 612-336-3550, or by mail at referenced address. Any Quote received after the stated date and time will not be considered for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to the offerors quote, thereby making an offeror ineligible for award. The point of contact for this solicitation is Daniel Kline who may be reached at daniel.m.kline@aphis.usda.gov. or 612-336-3235. A COMPLETE QUOTE WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) FFP for CLIN 001, 2) Signature of the offeror on the page which lists the price, 3) A completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items or confirmation that this has been completed on-line. If an offerors quote does not contain all of the items listed above, the quote may be considered incomplete for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to the offerors quote, thereby making an offeror ineligible for award. The Government reserves the right to award the contract without discussion. ALL RESPONSIBLE SOURCES MAY SUBMIT