[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8559-8560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03180]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2022 / 
Notices  

[[Page 8559]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc No. AMS-FGIS-21-0088]


Imaging Technology Solutions for the Inspection of Milled Rice

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is inviting manufacturers of 
automated imaging instrumentation to partner in cooperative research 
and development efforts to determine broken kernels, whole kernels, and 
milling yield, in percentage by mass, in short-, medium-, and long-
grain milled rice. The goal is to develop a commercially available 
instrument that can be used in providing official inspection results at 
AMS field offices and official service provider locations. 
Manufacturers must be willing to enter into a cooperative research and 
development agreement that includes mutually agreed upon roles and 
responsibilities, providing a suitable instrument, and providing 
technical expertise to facilitate the development of algorithms and/or 
calibrations. AMS will provide the rice samples and inspection 
expertise necessary to facilitate method development efforts and assess 
whether the instrument is fit for the intended purpose.

DATES: Proposals are due by April 18, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit proposals to: 
Timothy D. Norden, Chief Scientist, Technology and Science Division, 
Federal Grain Inspection Service, AMS, USDA at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy D. Norden, Chief Scientist, 
Technology and Science Division, Federal Grain Inspection Service, AMS, 
USDA, 816-702-3803, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), as amended, AMS establishes 
quality and grade standards, and provides inspection services for 
milled and rough rice. The determination of broken kernels in rice is 
important in the inspection and grading of rice. A broken kernel is 
defined as any kernel that is less than three-fourths the length of a 
whole kernel. For the inspection of rough rice, the whole kernel 
milling yield is the percentage by mass of whole kernels in the total 
rice after milling. The total rice includes whole and broken kernels. 
For the inspection of milled rice, the percentage by mass of broken 
kernels, expressed as percentage by mass of total rice, is an important 
grade-determining factor. A comprehensive information on the grading 
and inspection of rice, including the assessment of broken and whole 
kernels in milled rice, can be found in the Rice Inspection Handbook at 
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/RiceHB.pdf.
    California produces the largest volume of medium grain rice for 
export markets. AMS official inspection locations, in California, rely 
on an imaging instrument for official inspection results. However, the 
manufacturer discontinued this imaging instrument over 10 years ago and 
no longer provides parts or technical support. As a result, official 
rice inspection, in California, could be impacted, if the instrument 
was to become damaged or unusable; it could lead to an increase in time 
and cost for inspecting rice in the State.
    AMS is inviting manufacturers of automated imaging instrumentation 
to partner in development efforts to determine broken kernels, whole 
kernels, and milling yield, in percentage by mass, in short-, medium-, 
and long-grain milled rice. Manufacturers must be willing to enter into 
a cooperative research and development agreement that includes mutually 
agreed upon roles and responsibilities, providing a suitable 
instrument, and providing technical expertise to facilitate the 
development of algorithms and/or calibrations. AMS will provide the 
rice samples and inspection expertise necessary to help develop the 
solution and determine if it is fit for the intended purpose. To meet 
official inspection requirements and be deemed fit for purpose, 
instruments must have the capability of providing results for short-, 
medium-, and long-grain milled rice, in a total sample size of 40-50 
grams, with a testing time of ten minutes or less. In addition, the 
instrument must ultimately deliver results that are as accurate as 
current official inspection results.
    Manufacturers must provide a proposal that includes a description 
of the instrument and its current capabilities for analyzing broken 
kernels, whole kernels, and milling yield, in percentage by mass, in 
milled rice as defined in the Rice Inspection Handbook. The proposal 
should also address each selection factor as given in Table 1. AMS 
intends to select the top two instruments that demonstrate the greatest 
potential for successful development and implementation by summing the 
scores for the selection factors given in Table 1. Manufacturers who 
submit proposals will be notified directly when the selections are 
finalized. Selection and agreement to participate in the cooperative 
research and development process does not hold any obligation to future 
procurement.

[[Page 8560]]



                                        Table 1--Selection Factor Scores
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                                                                         Score
           Selection factor           --------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               1 point                  2 points                 3 points
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current capability for broken and      One rice type (i.e.,     Two rice types (i.e.,    Capability for short-,
 whole kernels in milled rice in        long-grain only).        short- and medium-       medium-, and long-
 percentage by mass.                                             grain).                  grain milled rice.
Total testing time...................  8-10 minutes...........  5-7 minutes............  1-4 minutes.
Test sample size.....................  25 g or greater in a     .......................  40 g or greater in a
                                        single analysis.                                  single analysis.
Sample presentation..................  Dependent on user        .......................  Independent of user
                                        technique *.                                      technique *.
Ability to update algorithm and/or     Requires manufacturer    User updateable, but     User updateable with
 calibration.                           cooperation and          requires special         user-friendly tools
                                        expertise.               training and/or          available.
                                                                 programming.
Instrumentation......................  Shared cost for          Loan of one instrument   Loan of two instruments
                                        duration of project.     for duration of          for duration of
                                                                 project.                 project.
Manufacturer development resources...  Will provide tools and   Will provide expertise   Will provide expertise
                                        training for             and resources needed     and resources needed
                                        development efforts.     with 3- to 6-week        with 1- to 2-week
                                                                 turnaround on requests.  turnaround on
                                                                                          requests.
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* The way the sample is presented to the instrument by the operator can influence the results.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

Melissa R. Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-03180 Filed 2-14-22; 8:45 am]
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