Attachment I- Instructions to Offerors.pdf

Solicitation #12653820Q0012 Attachment I

Instructions to Offerors

A. INFORMATION ON SEEDS

The U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) is requesting recommendations for corn hybrids and soybean varieties for the 2020 cropping season. All seed hybrids/varieties quoted must be yield proven (no experimental hybrids) in area test plots.

Supporting test plot data must be provided at time of quote submission to Daniel Kinney at dan.kinney@usda.gov and will be passed on to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) for review. All seed hybrids or varieties quoted must be currently offered and described in your 2020 seed guide. Individual seed hybrid/variety technical specification ratings not provided in seed guide should be described in each field’s comment section located on Attachment II – Quote Sheet.

Field descriptions are located in Attachment II – Quote Sheet and include a minimum request for insect resistance via GMO’s.

Vendors may offer a recommendation/quote for all fields described on Attachment II – Quote Sheet, or only for certain fields selected. To help manage environmental risks, genetic diversity of hybrids should be considered. Individual plantings of a single hybrid or variety will be limited to a maximum of 3 fields. Therefore, the same seed corn hybrid/variety may be recommended/quoted on more than 1 field, but no more than 3.

Small allotments of seed may be delivered in bags. Large allotments of seed should be packaged in center flow bulk seed Pro-boxes.

USMARC feed needs are significantly impacted by climate. Rotations, seed hybrid/variety and quantities are subject to pre-plant adjustments. USMARC will return any unopened/undamaged bags and expect a full refund. Quote accordingly.

GMO Events not approved for export that are quoted will not be excepted.

Planter used will be a John Deere Max Emerge vacuum planter, 30” rows, equipped with ProMax 40 flat metering discs. Central commodity system (CCS).

Seed deliveries can be made as soon as you have been notified of Award. Deliveries should be made by April 1, 2020.

Payment process will be initiated when seed is delivered.

B. USMARC SOIL INFORMATION

Primary soil type of the individual fields is a Crete silt loam with 0 to 1% slopes; this soil is moderately well drained. Several fields include a percentage of a Hastings silt loam variant.

Hastings silt loam areas tend to have 3 to 6% slopes and are well drained.

Most fields also have pockets of Butler and/or Fillmore silt loams. These soils are poor to very poorly drained. Individual field descriptions will note if there is a significant portion of poorly drained soils in the field.

For more detailed soil descriptions, the legal description and latitude-longitude for each field have been provided and fields may be viewed on the internet at: http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov

Nutrient management- UNL recommendations are used for determining nutrient applications.

Individual field descriptions will indicate primary N source and the most recent soil test data on P, K, Mg, Ca, and Na. Soil pH, CEC, OM% is also provided.

Phosphorus is applied at maintenance levels as required. Most phosphorus is supplied by periodical applications of manure.

C. SOLICIATION/QUOTE SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Read the solicitation in its entirety.

2. Vendor is to fill out Attachment II – Quote Sheet of this solicitation and submit to

Daniel Kinney via email at dan.kinney@usda.gov. Put N/A on the fields/seed type that you are not quoting. Vendors are responsible for providing all supporting documents for their product offered that demonstrates it meets the technical specifications listed on Attachment III – Specifications.

3. Evaluation Criteria: The government will award to the offeror(s) submitting the lowest priced technically acceptable proposal. Lowest price will be determined based off the “Total Field Cost” fillable field on the Attachment II – Quote Sheet attached to this solicitation. In order to be considered technically acceptable, quotes must meet the following requirements:

a. Experience on similar contracts. The offeror must demonstrate that it has successfully performed at least three similar contracts within the past three years.

b. Technical requirements. The offeror must demonstrate that the product offered complies with the mandatory technical specifications described in Attachment III – Specifications attached to this solicitation.

4. Questions related to this RFQ are due electronically via email by 2pm CT, January 21, 2020, to Daniel Kinney via email at dan.kinney@usda.gov.

5. Quotes must be submitted electronically via email by 2pm CT, January 24, 2020 to Daniel Kinney via email at dan.kinney@usda.gov.

6. The Government reserves the right to award a contract based on initial offers without conducting discussions. Therefore, each quote should be submitted in the most favorable terms, from a price and technical standpoint.

http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/ http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/

NOTE: All contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database, as required by FAR 4.1102, by the quote submission deadline.

Information on registration may be obtained by visiting https://www.sam.gov.

This solicitation will be using NAICS codes:

• 111150- Corn Farming

• 111110- Soybean Farming

7. There is an intent to issue multiple awards from this solicitation if it warrants it.

Since ARS plans to not purchase the same type hybrid seeds for more than 3 fields, ARS will purchase what is needed from the vendor that has been found to be the lowest price technically acceptable by field for the specific seed type offered.

https://www.sam.gov/