SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Grain Moisture Meters
- Notice Date
- 1/19/2012
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Administrative Services Division/Contracting, 100 North 6TH Street, Butler Square 5TH Floor, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55403
- ZIP Code
- 55403
- Solicitation Number
- AG-6395-S-12-0027
- Point of Contact
- Nathan Johnson,
- E-Mail Address
-
nathan.d.johnson@aphis.usda.gov
(nathan.d.johnson@aphis.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- AG-6395-S-12-0027 UGMA Moisture Meters Purchase USDA, GIPSA Technology and Science Division Background The U.S. Department of Agriculture operates a laboratory in a privately-owned building: 10383 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas City Missouri 64153. The laboratory operates under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), Technology and Science Division (TSD). The USDA GIPSA Technology and Science Division is responsible for maintaining the reference methods for all official services provided by GIPSA to facilitate the marketing of grain. It is also responsible for developing and maintaining methods for accurately predicting the quality of grain and grain products moving through the U.S. marketplace. In order to provide the highest quality service needed to minimize variability in the testing methods, GIPSA has standardized to specific methods and/or equipment within the Official Inspection Service. Only these specific methods/equipment can be used by any entity providing testing service as either a GIPSA lab, an official agency, or State that is designated or delegated to perform work on behalf of GIPSA. Measuring moisture content in grain is a critical factor for official inspection. To obtain accurate, repeatable, and fast results required for official grain inspection, GIPSA has long used moisture meter technology. Currently GIPSA is using Dickey-john's GAC2100 as the exclusively allowed moisture meter within the Official Inspection system. This instrument has been in use for over 10 years and is at the end of its lifespan. The GAC2100 requires maintenance of separate calibrations for each type of grain/oilseed which is a significant cost to GIPSA. For many years GIPSA has conducted research into new technology to improve the accuracy and repeatability of grain moisture meter testing. The research found benefits to measuring at a higher radio frequency (about 149 MHz). The result is the development of the Unified Grain Moisture Algorithm (UGMA). GIPSA's research over multiple crop types and years showed that using the UGMA greatly improved the accuracy and precision of moisture results, reduced the "moisture rebound" effect associated with freshly harvested grain, and required only one calibration curve for all types of grains and oilseeds (though a few simple "unifying parameters" are required for each "grain group"). Basically the effects of variables such as sample temperature, geographic origin, variety, crop year, density and kernel moisture distribution are greatly reduced when using the UGMA technology. During the course of the research, GIPSA has made information available and, when requested and Non-disclosure Agreements signed, provided assistance in developing UGMA-compatible instruments. GIPSA has been working directly (although confidentially) with several manufacturers. GIPSA's intent to standardize on this technology has been publicized for almost 10 years and GIPSA's Grain Inspection Advisory Committee was updated on the technology multiple times and has recommended proceeding in this technology. Contract Scope/Deliverables The two prime technical requirements for instruments are they MUST have NTEP-certification through GIPSA's TSD lab and they MUST be certified as UGMA-compatible through testing by our lab. UGMA-compatibility is crucial to permit the instruments to utilize GIPSA's UGMA calibrations and to give equivalent results to any other UGMA-compatible moisture meter. GIPSA currently owns about 105 instruments that will need to be replaced. GIPSA intends to split the purchase among viable alternatives to ensure the continued availability of UGMA-compatible instruments from multiple sources. There are approximately an additional 500 known instruments needed by various agencies and entities which conduct grain sampling. GIPSA requires delivery of instruments (around 100) by approximately June 1 to allow for full implementation by August 1, 2012. Instruments would be shipped to multiple GIPSA locations throughout the United States A one-year warranty is expected to be included for each instrument at no additional charge. The life cycle of the equipment is expected to be at least 10 years. Since the meters would have NTEP-certification and be certified as UGMA-compliant through testing in our lab, first-article testing is not needed. The current NTEP-certified instruments are currently present in the TSD laboratories participating in the ongoing NTEP grain moisture meter calibration program, so TSD is collecting extensive data that can be used for further assessment of UGMA-compatibility. GIPSA intends to split the purchase among viable alternatives to ensure the continued availability of UGMA-compatible instruments from multiple sources. Since all NTEP/UGMA-certified instruments would be on the GIPSA Approved Equipment List the headquarters lab must, at a minimum, maintain copies of all models. The split between the competing vendors will not necessarily be 50/50. Proposal Submittal There are currently only two vendors who meet the prime technical requirements. As such, this is most likely a limited source procurement. The two sources are: 1. Dickey-john (GAC 2500b) 2. Perten Instruments (Aquamatic 5200) Manufactures (NOT distributers) interested or capable of supplying these instruments shall contact Nathan Johnson via email (Nathan.d.johnson@aphis.usda.gov).
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/APHIS/Contracting/AG-6395-S-12-0027/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02657297-W 20120121/120119234457-e9db7a3ae738e2d39914aabe37ee0448 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |