This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE to determine the availability of potential small businesses (e.g., 8(a), service disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business) in accordance with FAR 7.104(d). The potential small business will need to demonstrate the capability to perform all facets of the work described below.

The sole intent of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain capabilities for set-aside and procurement planning purposes. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 500 employees. This is not an invitation for bid, request for proposal, or other solicitation, and in no way obligates the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to award a contract.

BACKGROUND:

The ARS SEA Southern Regional Research Center has a requirement for a standalone solution for food extrusion at lab scale. The extrusion equipment will be used to generate high moisture meat analogs (HMMA) and textured vegetable protein (TVP) products for quality and sensory trials. The extruder technical specifications requirements are listed below:  

• Extruder must be a twin-screw design with a minimum of high abrasion grade M390 Steel barrel or barrel liners.
• Combination of 1200 rpm, 20 mm screw diameter, 80 Nm max torque, 350 bar rating, and others) allows it to produce up to 22 kg / hr. products.
• Must be a 20mm screw in a clamshell configured barrel
• Must have multi-zone heating and cooling
• Dies and attachments for texturizing proteins, high moisture meat analogs, expanded products, pellets, pastas…
• Must be made to accept a broad array of attachments (even if from other sources and manufacturers)
• Must have all screws necessary for the various die applications (protein texturization, etc..)
• Must have an automated hopper/feeder
• Must have take off conveyer
• Must have extruder cutting device and extra knives

INSTRUCTION FOR SUBMISSION:

Please provide the follow Business information:

1. DUNS Number

2. Company Name

3. Company Address.

4. Company Point of Contact, phone number and email address

5. Type of company under NAICS, as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information on NAICS codes can be found at www.sba.gov. Any potential government contract shall be registered on the SAM located at http://www.sam.gov/index.asp.

6. Corporate structure (corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, professional corporation, etc.);

7. Current GSA Schedules appropriate to this Sources Sought

8. Current Government Wide Agency Contracts (GWACs)

9. Point of Contact, phone number and email address of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses

Electronic files should be in Microsoft Office Word or PDF format. All information should be UNCLASSIFIED material only. Any proprietary information must be marked as such, the RFI information should not exceed a total of 10 one-sided 8 1/2x11 pages, with one-inch margins, and font no smaller than 12 point.

Interested parties having the capabilities necessary to provide the stated requirements may submit capability statements via email to [email protected] no later than July 21, 2022, 10:00 AM ET. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date.