The National Organic Program (NOP) is pleased to announce that it has made contract awards to three organizations, who will produce Technical Reports for substances under evaluation.  

Check out today's Organic 101 post on the USDA blog, explaining the five steps to organic certification.   

Finally, the NOP updated the textiles section of its organic labeling fact sheet.  

A key NOP activity is supporting the National Organic Standards Board's (NOSB) evaluation of substances for the National List. To support this, NOP contracts with third party organizations to produce Technical Reports for substances under evaluation.  

The NOP is pleased to announce that we have awarded Blanket Purchase Agreements to three contractors to produce Technical Reports for fiscal years 2013 through 2017. The three contractors are:

• ICF International
• Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
• Pesticide Research Institute (PRI)

These three contractors will compete with each other for individual Technical Report projects over the next five years. This approach will allow for the selection of the best team for each project based on technical approach and capability; management approach, project staffing, and quality assurance; past performance; and price.

This Blanket Purchase Agreement contracting opportunity remains open, and the USDA will continue to accept proposals from organizations interested in developing Technical Reports for the NOP and NOSB  through November 15, 2012. Any additional contractors awarded Blanket Purchase Agreements through this solicitation will be added to the list above for subsequent project competitions.  

Learn More  

Today's Organic 101 post on the USDA blog explains the organic certification process and highlights USDA's Organic Literacy Initiative.

Organic 101: 5 Steps to Organic Certification

The NOP updated the textiles section of the organic labeling fact sheet.  

Fact Sheet: Labeling Organic Products

The NOP facilitates trade and ensures integrity of organic agricultural products by consistently implementing organic standards and enforcing compliance with the regulations throughout the world. Learn more.