USDA, APHIS, Field Servicing Office, Butler Square West, 5th Floor, 100 North 6th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403

66 -- AUTOMATED TEST WEIGHT DEVICE SOL RFP 27-M-APHIS-99 POC Robert (Bob) J. Crowther, Contracting Officer, Telephone: (612) 370-2115 The United States Department of Agriculture, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is soliciting offers for the design, development, and fabrication of an automated test weight per bushel apparatus and purchase of two (2) automated test weight apparatuses for use with GIPSA overall automated grain inspection system for export facilities. A firm, fixed-price contract is anticipated. Delivery shall be f.o.b. destination to Washington, DC. The solicitation is to be released on or about February 16, 1999. All responsible sources may submit an offer which will be considered. For a copy of the solicitation, please fax or e-mail your request to the Contracting Officer. Include name and address of the company, point of contact, telephone number, fax number,e-mail address, solicitation number and product/service description from this CBS synopsis. Fax Number: 612/370-2106 or E-mail: bob.j.crowther@usda.gov. TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. The following additional information is provided: On April 3, 1997, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Field Servicing Office (now referred to as APHIS Business Services (ABS) -- Minneapolis) conducted market research on behalf of the GIPSA to obtain identities of companies interested in development of a fully automated version of the current approved official grain test weight apparatus. A list of interested companies was compiled and each interested company was informed that further information would be forthcoming as the project developed. GIPSA has agreed to work with the grain industry on a joint research and development project. Under the United States Grain Standards Act (U.S.C. 71 et. seq), GIPSA has developed the parameters and approval requirements necessary to develop an automated export grain inspection system using automated official grain inspection equipment. ADM/Growmark grain elevator (ADM) in Destrehan, Louisiana has agreed to provide space adjacent to their existing official laboratory to be used as atest site for the first system installation. The automated system will meet both the official USDA inspection needs as well as the exporting grain firms' commercial quality control needs. The project includes GIPSA developing the project scope and guidelines in a manual that will be made available to all interested parties, and developing automated official grain inspection equipment that can be used for the automated system development. ADM, working with GIPSA, will provide the infer-structure for the automated system. The project will be a three-way effort (ADM, The Successful Contractor, and GIPSA) to develop, install, and approve the first automated export grain inspection system. The system will make use of the existing official grain sampling equipment and include automated grain inspection equipment, grain sample material handling equipment, necessary system controls, and data collection capabilities to obtain official approval for use in official grain export. GIPSA anticipates approving and standardizing on a fully automated version of the test weight apparatus for automated official test weight determinations in export grain inspection facilities. Consideration on whether to proceed with a contract of a fully automated version of the test weight apparatus for non-export official laboratories depends on whether it represents a greater value to the Government than continue use of the approved manual method. Posted 01/25/99 (W-SN291148). (0025)

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