USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, AAS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mail Drop 5230, Beltsville, MD 20705-5230

65 -- ANTIBIOTIC RESIDUE/ANTIMICROBIAL CONTAMINANT ASSAY PLATES, AND BACILLUS MEGATERIUM SPORES. SOL SOL. FSIS-40-W-99 DUE 101999 POC Tawana Nathan, 301-504-3996 E-MAIL: tawana.nathan@usda.gov, tawana.nathan@usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has a requirement for Antibiotic Residue/Antimicrobial Contaminant Assay Plates (referred to as STOP/CAST/FAST), and Bacillus subtilis/Bacillus megaterium spores (referred to STOP/CAST/FAST Spores. The screen test plates are used to recognize an antibiotic or classes of antibiotics in meat and animal tissues. The use of these test will expand the agency's ability to detect and control antibiotic residue presence in the human food chain. The resulting contract will be from the date of award to September 30, 2000, with four one-year options. The government plans to use the two-step sealed bidding procedures. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside. The Standard Industrial Classifiction Code (SIC) code is 2836 and the small business size standard is 500 employees. Copies of the solicitation will be made available on the USDA, FSIS website at the following address: www.fsis.usda.gov/om/rfp.htm. When copies are obtained from the website, it will be the responsibility of the interested party to notify the Contracting officer in order to obtain amendments if and when they are issued. The solicitation will be available on the website on/or around September 16, 1999. Hard copies of the solicitation package will be made available upon written request. Requests may be faxed to 301-504-4276. No tlephone requests will be honored. Posted 09/02/99 (W-SN376033). (0245)

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