USDA, ARS, FMOD, BA, Contracting Section, Bldg. 003, Rm. 329, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350

66 -- PURCHASE OF ONE HYDRODYNE UNIT SOL 28-3K47-97 DUE 083097 POC Donna Hardy, Procurement Analyst, (301) 504-5073, FAX (301) 504-5009 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commerical items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The USDA intends to solely award a contract to Allied Engineering & Production Company. The hydrodyne unit is currently patented. Currently, the USDA has a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement working with the Hydrodyne unit. This announcement constitutes the solicitation only; proposal is being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number 28-3K47-97, is issued as request for proposal and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 90-46. The standard industrial classification code is 5049, with a small business standard of 100 employees. Delivery is required F.O.B. Destination to the USDA, Beltsville, Maryland on or about December 17, 1997. The RFP is due August 30, 1997 at 2:00 p.m. Response will be evaluated to determine the ability to meet the capabilities below. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsive/responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other related factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offeres: technical capabilities; past performance; and price. The offeror shall identify where the offered item meets or does not meet each of the Governments functional and performance minimum specifications listed herein. Responses should include literature, brochures, and other such information corresponding to the required items which demonstrates the capabilities of the offeror's equipment. The following FAR clauses and provisions apply: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commerical Items, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commerical Items (Technical capabilities will be significantly more important than cost or price), FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representaticves and Certification -- Commerical Items. The following FAR clauses in paragraph (b) of FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions -- required to implement statues or executive orders -- commerical items, will apply to the resultant contract: 52.203-6, 52.203-10, 52.225-3 and 52.225-21. All offerors must include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3 with their responses. Response time will be in accordance with FAR 12.603(c)(ii) rather than the time established in numbered Note 22, which in this instances, is not applicable to this acquisition. The hydrodyne process changes the way meat is tenderized. The process involves a high pressure, hydrodynamic wave of very short time duration generated by underwater detonation of a small amount of precisely calculated high explosive. A two part explosive is used, neither of which are an explsovie until combined and are very stable. When combined it is quite insensitive and therefore take a substantial force to detonate. The small scale hydrodyne system to be built is designed for a small piece of meat (e.g. 6" X 6" x 4"). Vacuum packaged sections of meat are immersed in water contained in this steel vessel. The meat is lowered to the bottom of the tank and a small explosive charge is submerged in the water at a chosen distance from the meat. A heavy metal cover locks in place on the top of the steel tank and contains the blast and resulting water splash. An explosive (pressure shock wave) is generated in the water sending the shock wave through the water and through the meat. Tests that will be performed: meat tenderness evaluations, sensorial evaluations, shelf life evaluations, nutrient composition evaluations, and food safety evaluations which will include potential for inactivating microorganisms anbd pathogents associated with food products. (0211)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0376 19970801\66-0015.SOL)