SOWMAR2018__maize_curation_winter_2018_nursery.docx

SOW for <Project>Winter Nursery Page 4 of 4 Statement of Work (SOW) for a ‘Winter 2018 Maize Germplasm Collection Seed Increase’

1.0 General

1.1 Background

The mission of the USDA-ARS is to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide access to information and the products of its research and service activities.. The mission of the Plant Introduction Research Unit (PIRU) is to develop collections of valuable plant genetic resources, and to maintain, characterize, and distribute these crop genetic resources and associated information for research and education purposes. This acquisition < The National Plant Germplasm System’s collection of maize genetic resource includes temperate and tropical inbreds, populations, and synthetics. In order to fulfill its mission by providing these resources to researchers and educators, curatorial staff must periodically increase seed while maintaining its genetic integrity, viability, and seed quality. Typically the research unit distributes about 45,000-55,000 packets of seed to research recipients each year of an estimated 20,000 unique accessions. Tropical material requires a short day environment to flower and mature, which cannot be done in the PIRU’s Ames, Iowa environment. Tropical material is also quite late in maturity, and tropical/sub-tropical winter nursery providers who have a sufficiently long season to mature the seed have been used. As we typically have multiple winter nursery plantings in a given winter, we seek to spread our production risks across multiple tropical environments that vary in climatic conditions. Some of the maize varieties to be grown are old farmer varieties that are very specifically adapted. Sometimes one location scan suffer from disease and/or insect pressure in a given season while another location does not. If a seed increase of a variety is not successful, the variety will have to be grown another season, and seed supply is limited.

In the past, two vendors have provided winter nursery services, Moreno RTNS in the Puerto Vallarta area of Mexico, and 3MG (Third Millenium Genetics) in Puerto Rico. A Chilean winter nursery vendor also offers winter nursery services, but their season is not long enough to mature tropical maize germplasm. The Puerto Vallarta location offers a relatively dry, non-humid environment. The Puerto Rico location is much more humid, and appropriate for germplasm of tropical lowland origins. We have experience with both vendors; the Puerto Rico location is much more challenging due to insect and disease pressure, and the vendor must intensely manage these pressures.

1.2 Objective

This project is to increase seed of germplasm of humid, lowland tropical origins to ensure the continued availability of high quality germplasm for research and educational objectives.

1.3 Scope of Work

The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the tasks and deliverables described in this Statement of Work. Planting, agronomic inputs, pest control, plot care, pollination lab and supplies, harvest, and drying are required for 600 twenty-foot rows of maize nursery. Seed is to be returned to the geneticist on the ear (not shelled). Ears are to be fumigated for insect control, and a phytosanitary inspection certificate issued prior to shipping to the US. Progress reports and photos of the status of the nursery work are expected as crop progression occurs. Stand counts are to be recorded, as are notes of any observed variables of importance during the season.

1.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance of this contract is from October, 2018 to July, 2019. Contractor judgement is required to know when they should be planted to give best results. The contractor is expected to judge optimal planting time based on their weather conditions and workload demands, such that adequate attention can be provided to the nursery efforts to ensure seed production and quality.

1.5 Place of Performance

The winter nursery is conducted in a tropical location by trained agricultural research specialists who are experienced in providing maize winter nursery services and have the necessary infrastructure.

1.6 Applicable Documents

Planting, agronomic inputs, pest control, plot care, pollination lab and supplies, harvest, and drying are required for 600 twenty-foot rows of maize nursery. Drying to approximately 15 % moisture will ensure corn does not ferment during transit to the Ames, IA genebank location. Seed is to be returned to the geneticist on the ear (not shelled). Ears are to be fumigated for insect control, and a phytosanitary inspection certificate issued prior to shipping to the US. Progress reports and photos of the status of the nursery work are expected as crop progression occurs. Stand counts are to be recorded, as are notes of any observed variables of importance during the season.

2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

2.1 Field Planting and Care of 600 – 20’ rows of tropical maize genetic resources

2.1.1 Planting

2.1.2 Fertility, Weed Control, Pest Control Inputs sufficient to produce high quality seed

2.1.3 Stand counts are to be recorded, as are notes of any observed variables of importance during the season.

2.2 Pollination following directions provided by geneticist to produce seed genetically true to type of each variety

2.3 Harvest of individual rows, preserving their identity and drying of corn on the ear

2.4 Phytosanitary inspection certificate

2.5 Fumigation and shipping of corn on the ear (included in contract price estimates)

3.0 Delivery or Deliverables

Vendor will provide timely reports of planting date, population stands following emergence, and at intervals during crop development of progress. Vendor will provide trained labor and all supplies to accomplish plot care, pollination of corn at flowering time, and harvest at appropriate maturation time. Drying to approximately 15 % moisture will ensure corn does not ferment during transit to the Ames, IA genebank location. Vendor will arrange for phytosanitary inspection of seed, issue of phytosanitary certificate to the maize geneticist, and arrange for shipment of seed. Care should be taken to time shipping to avoid delays during shipping that would cause the shipment to sit somewhere in tropical heat and humidity.

Notice to contractors:

All information and data related to this project that the contractor gathers or obtains shall be both protected from unauthorized release and considered the property of the government. The contracting officer will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, must not be publicized without the written approval of the contracting officer.

4.0 Meetings

Communication between the vendor and geneticist will occur by email and phone primarily. The geneticist may choose to visit the nursery site during the pollination period, but that is not anticipated at this time. [

5.0

5.0 Government Furnished Property/Equipment/Information

The USDA-ARS maize geneticist will provide seed of the maize accessions sufficient to plant the nursery plots in packaging that meets the vendor’s instructions.

6.0 Special Instructions

Inbred lines are to be self-pollinated. Populations are to be sib-mated, using each plant as a male only once. Populations may have poor agronomics and will require extra time and care to ensure the plants’ standability. If plants lean into adjacent rows, extra attention needs to be paid to ensure that pollinations are made within the same accession (variety), and not crossed between varieties.

Source Selection Information—See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 [This footer applies during internal development of the SOW. Remove the footer when officially releasing the SOW to vendors as a draft for comment or in the formal solicitation]

Source Selection Information—See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Developed by Virtual Acquisition Office™ for federal government use and customization.