USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118

66 -- TABLE-MOUNTED UNIVERSAL TESTING INSTRUMENT POC Regina M. Herchak, Contracting Officer, 215-233-6551. The USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) intends to negotiate solely with Instron Corporation in Canton, MA, to furnish and deliver FOB destination a Table-Mounted Universal Testing Instrument, Model 5565, to the Eastern Regional Research Center in Philadelphia, PA. This equipment will be used in the research efforts to measure the textural properties of cheese and other food stuffs. This system has a 5kN (500kg, 1125lb) capacity and includes integrated digital closed-loop control with fully variable speed control, crosshead extension and load measurement channels, automatic recognition and calibration of transducers, test-control panel, corsshead speed range (0.01 mm/min to 1000 mm/min), crosshead return speed (1200 mm/min) with built-in deceleration features, data collection (550Hz synchronously on all channels), digital display (up to 4 channels real-time data simultaneously 4-1/2 digit resolution), precision pre-loaded ballscrew drive and crosshead guidance, controller system and software, and necessary accessories. Companies with the demonstrated capability to provide and service such equipment must submit a written substantive statement outlining the company's and system's capabilities to the Contracting Office within 45 days of this notice. This is not a request for proposal. No solicitation is available. See Note 22. (0078)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0332 19960319\66-0003.SOL)