Marine Cargo Surveys
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) requests quotations from responsible sources to provide marine cargo discharge/delivery survey services in Niger.
The services will include surveys of containerized, bulk, and breakbulk commodities for food assistance programs. It is the intention of the Government to award a firm-fixed price contract to one firm.
The Agricultural Marketing Service procures staple foods for use in various international food aid programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The food is purchased in bulk and packaged form and transported overseas by ocean carriers to discharge ports or foreign inland destinations for delivery to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO), or foreign governments. Given the inherent nature of transporting bulk and packaged food long distances by sea and overland in foreign nations, there is a potential for loss or damage.
To address this risk, a marine cargo survey is performed for each food aid shipment during unloading at the foreign destination. The products subject to marine cargo discharge/delivery survey service include dry staple foods such as rice, peas, beans, and lentils; dry blended foods such as wheat-soy blend and corn-soy blend; and vegetable oil type products. This food aid is typically packaged in polypropylene or paper bags ranging in size from 25 to 50 kilograms, cardboard cartons containing consumer-pack quantities, liquid 20 liter pails, 6/4 liter containers, and 208 liter drums. Bulk grain and oil cargoes may be shipped such as wheat, corn, soybeans, soybean meal and vegetable oil.
Agricultural commodities for food assistance programs are shipped overseas using three shipment methods: containerized shipments, breakbulk shipments, and bulk shipments. Cargoes will be shipped port-to-port or on through bills of lading where the cargoes are transported to inland locations.
Cita D. Trice, Contracting Officer , Phone 816.926.1438, Email cita.trice@usda.gov - Justin Martinek, Contract Specialist, Phone 816.926.2853, Email justin.martinek@usda.gov
