The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and FENAVI – Colombia’s Federación Nacional de Avicultores – said that they have launched a dedicated website to handle all sales transactions for the quota, which is 6,750 metric tons for the remainder of 2012.

Bids open at 9 a.m. EDT on October 4, 2012, and close on October 5, 2012 at 5 p.m. EDT. Quota shipments – under HS Codes 0207.1300.A, 0207.1400.A, and 1602.3200.A – are allowed to enter Colombia at zero duty. The shipment period is October 10 through December 31, 2012. TRQ Certificates will be awarded to the highest bidder(s). Any person or entity incorporated or domiciled, with a legal address, in the United States is eligible to bid. The minimum bid quantity is 1 metric ton; the minimum bid price is $44.08/metric ton (i.e., $0.02/pound). Bids must be submitted in dollars and cents per metric ton. Bids should not be submitted in amounts that include fractions of a cent.

A Notice of Open Tender, which follows this release, first appeared in the Journal of Commerce on Sept. 10. The notice invites independent bids for rights to ship US-origin chicken leg quarters to the Republic of Colombia under a tariff-rate quota to the United States under the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

An auction for the 2013 quota is expected to be announced this winter.