APHIS secures test kits for ASF, FMD

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is announcing the purchase of diagnostic test kits for the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank. This is the first purchase of these kits, used to test livestock for African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease. The purchases help increase U.S. preparedness to respond to high-consequence foreign animal diseases.

APHIS placed orders for the test kits using Farm Bill funds and sole-source authority. The purchases were made from the manufacturer of the only APHIS Center for Veterinary Biologics-licensed PCR kits for these two diseases.

APHIS has also announced the availability of a sources-sought notice that will be posted for 90 days to gather additional information from interested diagnostics manufacturers and developers on their ability to supply test kits or devices for three major FADs: FMD, ASF and classical swine fever.