SOLE SOURCE
CHARM SCIENCES
The United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), has annual requirement for an estimated 25,000 quantitative mycotoxin tests for the determination of Aflatoxin, Deoxynivalenol (DON), Fumonisin, and Zearalenone. Aflatoxin, DON, Fumonisin, and Zearalenone are naturally occurring mycotoxins produced by several species of molds. Each species of mold has unique ideal growing conditions and affect specific grains and commodities.
7 CFR § 800.15(b)(1)(ii) states, “. . . corn, as defined in § 810.401, exported from the United States tested for aflatoxin contamination unless the buyer and seller agree not to have the corn tested.”
This Statement of Work includes test kits for the four above mentioned mycotoxins. Submissions will include only one test kit. If the submitter is submitting three test kits for consideration, then three submissions (one per test kit) must be submitted. Each test kit will be evaluated according to the specific requirements based on the type of mycotoxin. The contract for the mycotoxin test kits will be awarded on best choice considering cost, overall test kit performance, same testing platform, same equipment, and total commodities (required and additional.)
The Contactor must:
- Provide a quantitative water-based extraction test kit capable in analyzing total aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) in corn with a minimum testing range of 5ppb to 300ppb aflatoxin.
and/or
Provide a quantitative water-based extraction test kit capable in analyzing DON in corn and wheat with a minimum testing range of 0.5ppm to 30ppm DON.
and/or
Provide a quantitative water-based extraction test kit capable in analyzing Fumonisin (sum of B1, B2, B3) in with a minimum testing range of 0.5ppm to 30ppm Fumonisin.
and/or
Provide a quantitative water-based extraction test kit capable in analyzing Zearalenone in corn with a minimum testing range of 100ppb to 1000ppb zearalenone.
- Include a list of equipment, accessories, and supplies required for the test kit(s) offered for testing.
- Provide all non-disposable items (e.g., readers, incubators, micro-centrifuge, micro-pipette) at no cost to FGIS.
- Replace any non-functioning, non-disposable items (e.g., readers, incubators, micro-centrifuge, micro-pipette) at no cost to FGIS.
- Provide a unit price that includes all costs, including shipping, to test one sample of grain for mycotoxin content. Refer to section F of this document for the list of FGIS offices/delivery locations.
NOTE: When the disposable items are shipped separately from the test kit, the per unit cost of the disposables must not exceed those listed in the schedules.
- Provide the option for test kit purchases of varying counts (i.e., 100 and 50 tests) at the same unit price. Due to the drastic range in the number of FGIS mycotoxin tests performed across all FGIS testing sites and to reduce the amount of test kits expiring before use, the contract needs to contain multiple kit sizes.
- Provide adequate training at no charge to the government, for a minimum of two FGIS employees at each FGIS office included in the award.
- Provide technical support when needed. The technical support includes issues with readers, test kits, and equipment. The technical support may be provided by the contractor using a method (e.g., telephone, email, video call, or onsite) that guaranties quality support.
- Provide proof the test kit has an active FGIS Certificate of Conformance (COC) at the time of the submission for this solicitation. In the case that test kit does not have a COC at the time of solicitation submission, the contractor must provide proof the test kit has been submitted to FGIS’s Technology and Science Division (TSD) for approval to be used in official testing. Details to obtain test kit approval are available here. The award for this solicitation will not be given to a test kit until it is approved by TSD and included on the FGIS list.
- Notify the Government of any changes or alterations to the test kit as soon as possible. The contract resulting from this solicitation will only be valid for the exact test kit specification submitted in the contractor’s response.
- Provide one Safety Data Sheet with each shipment of test kits, regardless of quantity shipped.
The Aflatoxin Test Kit must:
- Analyze aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) of the following commodities: corn (including dent or field corn, cracked corn, corn grits or polenta, and corn screenings.)
- Analyze aflatoxin with a testing range of 5 to 300 parts per billion (ppb) for all of the commodities listed above.
- Complete sample extraction (water-based) and analysis in 30 minutes or less and must be simple to use. Simple means that no specialized scientific degree, certification, or high-level training is required to use the test kit.
- Have a minimum shelf life of three months for all components of the test kit. Test kits requiring refrigeration will be considered, but storage at room temperature (64-74 °F) is preferred. Test kits requiring storage below 33 °F shall not be considered.
- Have an active FGIS Certificate of Conformance (COC) at the time of awarding contract and throughout the term of the contract.
- Not require special waste disposal or expose employees to toxic or hazardous substances higher than OSHA standards (CFR 1910.1000).
The DON Test Kit must:
- Analyze DON of the following commodities: corn (including dent or field corn, cracked corn, corn grits or polenta, and corn screenings); wheat (including whole grain wheat flour, wheat middlings, wheat red dog, wheat flour 2nd clear, and wheat screenings.)
- Analyze DON with a testing range of 0.5 to 30 parts per million (ppm) for all of the commodities listed above.
- Complete sample extraction (water-based) and analysis in 30 minutes or less and must be simple to use. Simple means that no specialized scientific degree, certification, or high-level training is required to use the test kit.
- Have a minimum shelf life of three months for all components of the test kit. Test kits requiring refrigeration will be considered, but storage at room temperature (64-74 °F) is preferred. Test kits requiring storage below 33 °F shall not be considered.
- Have an active FGIS Certificate of Conformance (COC) at the time of awarding contract and throughout the term of the contract.
- Not require special waste disposal or expose employees to toxic or hazardous substances higher than OSHA standards (CFR 1910.1000).
The Fumonisin Test Kit must:
- Analyze Fumonisin (Sum of B1, B2, B3) of the following commodities: corn (including dent or field corn, cracked corn, corn grits or polenta, and corn screenings.)
- Analyze Fumonisin with a testing range of 0.5 to 30 parts per million (ppm) for all of the commodities listed above.
- Complete sample extraction (water-based) and analysis in 30 minutes or less and must be simple to use. Simple means that no specialized scientific degree, certification, or high-level training is required to use the test kit.
- Have a minimum shelf life of three months for all components of the test kit. Test kits requiring refrigeration will be considered, but storage at room temperature (64-74 °F) is preferred. Test kits requiring storage below 33 °F shall not be considered.
- Have an active FGIS Certificate of Conformance (COC) at the time of awarding contract and throughout the term of the contract.
- Not require special waste disposal or expose employees to toxic or hazardous substances higher than OSHA standards (CFR 1910.1000).
The Zearalenone Test Kit must:
- Analyze Zearalenone of the following commodities: corn (including dent or field corn, cracked corn, corn grits or polenta, and corn screenings.)
- Analyze Zearalenone with a testing range of 100 to 1000 parts per billion (ppb) for all of the commodities listed above.
- Complete sample extraction (water-based) and analysis in 30 minutes or less and must be simple to use. Simple means that no specialized scientific degree, certification, or high-level training is required to use the test kit.
- Have a minimum shelf life of three months for all components of the test kit. Test kits requiring refrigeration will be considered, but storage at room temperature (64-74 °F) is preferred. Test kits requiring storage below 33 °F shall not be considered.
- Have an active FGIS Certificate of Conformance (COC) at the time of awarding contract and throughout the term of the contract.
- Not require special waste disposal or expose employees to toxic or hazardous substances higher than OSHA standards (CFR 1910.1000).
- BILLING
- Contractor must register and maintain their SAM (System for Award Management) account by keeping it current and active during the period of performance.
- Contractor must accept ACH and credit card payments.
- Contractor must register in Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP.GOV) to submit invoice(s) for payment under the delivery award.
- Each invoice (bill) submitted in IPP.GOV must contain the delivery location for the individual order.
This is a firm fixed price contract for 5 years. One base and Four option years.
Must be registered in SAM.GOV
Deadline: 04/20/2026 12:00 pm EST
Todd K. Bierl
(Major Program Contracting Officer)
Emergency Acquisition
Marketing and Regulatory Program Business (MRPBS)
Acquisition and Asset Management Division (AAMD)
Acquisition Branch
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Office#(612)336-3465
Cell# (612)500-1321/(763)286-8084