SPRAY BOX TREAT ANIMALS FOR SOUTHERN CATTLE FEVER TICK

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS), intends to award a purchase order to W-W Paul Sales, (UEI: F256PNEM6JK1) located at 281810 East 1810 Road, Comanche, OK, 73529 for Spray Box to Support PR Cattle Fever Tick Mitigation Program. The period of performance for the purchase order is anticipated to be 06/03/2025 through 06/02/2026.

On November 26, 2024, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) detected ticks on 6 of 79 cattle imported from PR. Since this time, FDACS restricted importation of all cattle from PR into Florida. FiOps-PR manages the pre-export isolation activities for cattle, including checking animals for ticks (“scratching”) and overseeing acaricidal treatment of the cattle, each twice within 7 days prior to export. Implementing a new strategy is necessary to prevent new incursions and allow for cattle imports from PR to resume. Florida is the only interstate market for cattle from PR. Analysis: Implementing a new treatment protocol will reopen the interstate movement of cattle for PR with a positive impact on the economy. With the approval of a new tick protocol for FiOps-PR, it is possible the Territory could increase cattle exports, thus expanding trade activity for PR. It was determined the purchase of a spray box to distribute acaricidal treatments topically over animals’ bodies was needed.