Statement of Work

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work
Date: 2 November 2026

Project
Proficiency Samples to the Field Service Laboratories (FSL) for all FSIS labs General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The purpose of this project is to acquire proficiency test samples to assist with the operation of a Proficiency Test (PT) program for FSIS Field Service Laboratories, and support quality assurance and regulatory compliance. The primary goal is to provide standardized proficiency testing for laboratories, ensuring accurate and reliable results in accordance with USDA and FSIS requirements. Objectives include securing a vendor to develop test materials, coordinate distribution, collect results, analyze data, and provide a report to stakeholders including laboratory management and the ISO accrediting body.

2.0 Background

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a public health regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Agricultural (USDA), protects consumers by ensuring that meat, poultry, Siluriformes fish, and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled. The FSIS Field Service Laboratories (FSL), located in Saint Louis MO, Athens GA, and Albany, CA are regulatory laboratories that analyze meat, poultry, Siluriformes fish, and pasteurized egg products to ensure they are free from adulteration.
The FSIS Laboratory PT program is a critical component of laboratory quality assurance required for our laboratories’ ISO 17025 accreditation, historically managed by FSIS Laboratory Quality Assurance, Response and Coordination Staff (LQARCS). It ensures each of the Field Service laboratories meet regulatory standards and maintain high performance. PT samples are known testing materials that verify staffing knowledge and methods are adequate to analyze samples in the laboratory. The vision is to secure an external provider of PT to maintain the PT program’s effectiveness, verify, laboratories perform the analyses correctly, and produce accurate data. All PT must be compatible with the methods set forth in USDA's Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG) and Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook (CLG). An Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for supplies will be required for this project. Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The Contractor shall furnish meat-based proficiency testing (PT) sample sets and related supplies ordered under individual Delivery Orders issued against the resulting IDIQ contract. After the FSIS Field Service Laboratories (FSLs) test