DEVELOPMENT OF SYNTHETIC SCENT TRAINING AID

SOLE SOURCE

Polymath Intersciences LLC - Has patent for Training Aid.

General Information

1. Scope of Work

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) require a scent-detection training aid for canine bio-detection sensitivity training. The canines will be used to accelerate the detection and eradication efforts of the New World Screwworm. This aid is required to be a non-biological substitute filling a critical gap in PPQ’s training process. Developing a synthetic scent kit that accurately mimics screwworm infestations will allow a safe training process without the possibility of unintentional spread outside of the training facility.

1. Background

Animal detection teams are essential for spotting screwworm infestations and protecting overall biosecurity. Training these teams with live or infested material has always carried real biosecurity and ethical risks, which is why a reliable synthetic scent would be a far safer and more consistent option.

Major outbreaks in Central America and Mexico are inching dangerously close to the U.S. border. Detection points have been found within 90 to 120 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, triggering strict federal agricultural surveillance and precautionary measures. Current training processes rely on live or infested specimens, creating both safety concerns and inconsistency. PPQ lacks a synthetic screwworm‑detection scent, leaving training less effective than it could be and more hazardous

The goal now is to create and validate a synthetic scent that accurately represents screwworm larvae so detection dogs can identify infestations with greater precision. Without this, detection efforts stay fragmented and imprecise, creating a significant gap in our ability to pinpoint the primary agents driving the infestation.

Solicitation responses are due 23 July 2026 at 4:00 PM

Read solicitation and SOW.

All questions come through Contracting Officer:

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