USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, ASD, PCS, Room 2161 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700

65 -- SIFT TEST KITS SOL FSIS-2-W-97 DUE 010797 POC Contact Point, Claudia Andrews, (202) 720-9891 The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for the testing of whole, raw meat and poultry tissues and products to verify species composition in slaughter and processing plants. FSIS has developed a series of Species Identification Field Tests (SIFT), as preliminary screen tests, that could be easily performed in plants by inspectors. Tissues found to contain violative species by the initial screen test results are then subjected to final confirmation using specific SIFT test for beef, pork, poultry and sheep. The basis of each of these four SIFT test is a serological immunodiffusion identification system using prepared antigen and specific antibody as stabilized filter paper reagent discs applied to a prepared agar diffusion plate containing a positioning template. Each species test system is formatted into a complete kit containing all necessary reagent components in a stabilized condition to allow relatively long shelf life when kept under refrigerated storage. FSIS has a requirement for the development of the reagents for the production of the complete test kits. The period of performance for the contract will be one year with four additional one year option periods. Solicitation packages will be available on or about December 18, 1996. All request for the solicitation package shall be in writing. Telephone request will not be accepted. Request may be faxed to 202-690-1814. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Agency. (0346)

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