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

Q -- TSE TESTING FOR VETERINARY SERVICES, APHIS, USDA SOL 55-M-APHIS-00 DUE 062300 POC Kathryn Linde 612-370-2494 WEB: RCSA Web Page, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mpls/contracts/index.html. E-MAIL: </presol>, kathryn.s.linde@usda.gov. USDA, APHIS, VS intends to contract for Scrapie and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), known collectively as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) testing of up to 30,000 animals in FY 2000 and FY 2001. APHIS will award a Blanket Purchase Agreement, BPA, to up to 10 laboratories across the United States who demonstrate the capability to provide the services outlined in the solicitation. Interested laboratories must be able to perform the above test, must be approved by APHIS to conduct said test, have quality control procedures in place and follow good laboratory practices. More experienced laboratories will be selected first for award and as additional laboratory demands are needed, other laboratories will be offered BPAs. Bids will be accepted on a per test basis, payments will be made on a monthly basis and there are no guaranteed minimum samples per year. Tissue samples will be sent to the laboratories by USDA employees or their designees or other contract laboratories. Selected labs should be able to handle at least 2500 samples per year for USDA. Samples and results will need to be archived for several years after the test is conducted. Government furnished equipment will be provided so that there are consistent test results among the various laboratories. Awards will be made based on best value to the government,evaluating price and experience. This effort is advertised under full and open competition under SIC 8071, Medical Laboratories, small business set aside. The solicitation, 55-M-APHIS-00, will be released on or about May 19, 2000. For a copy of the solicitation, submit a written or faxed request stating name, address, telephone number and solicitation number. Fax requests to "Contracting Section" at 612-370-2106. Telephone requests will not be accepted. This solicitation is prepared under FAR 12, commercial item acquisition and FAR 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Proposals are due by June 23, 2000, 2:30 p.m. local time. Posted 05/10/00 (W-SN453384). (0131)

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