Sole_Source_Conservation_Demonstrator.pdf

Sole Source Justification

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR

SOLE SOURCE PRODUCT

OVER THE MICRO-PURCHASE

ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: The contracting organization responsible for this action is the USDA- NRCS, 6200 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. The contracting actin is a Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition; FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements Citations: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) or 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1).

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED. This contractual action is for the sole source acquisition of conservation rainfall simulator devices and transport containers used in conjunction with USDA-NRCS educational outreach programs. This is multi-state consolidated acquisition for New Mexico, Texas, Montana and Oklahoma. The devices were created by Conservation Demonstrations (CD), Inc, Salina, Kansas.

III. A DESCRIPTION OE THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY'S NEEDS (INCLUDING THE ESTIMATED VALUE).

CLIN MFR ITEM QTY DEST REQ

01 CD TRAVEL LITE RAINFALL SIMULATORS

(Albuquerque, NM) 2 NM 751357

02 CD FIELD DAY UNITS

(Albuquerque, NM) 2 NM 751357

03 CD SOIL PANS

(Albuquerque, NM) 10 NM 751357

04 CD

SOIL QUALITY/WATER MOVEMENT

DEMONSTRATOR

(Albuquerque, NM)

3 NM 751357

05 CD EXPO RAINFALL SIMULATOR

(Albuquerque, NM) 2 NM 751357

06 CD SOIL SAMPLE CUTTERS

(Albuquerque, NM) 4 NM 751357

07 CD EXPO RAINFALL SIMULATOR

(Albuquerque, NM) 13 NM 756277

08 CD

TRAILER, MODIFIED FOR RAINFALL

SIMULATOR TRANSPORT

(GREENSBORO, NC)

1 TX 758995

09 CD

TRAILER, MODIFIED FOR RAINFALL

SIMULATOR TRANSPORT

(BOZEMAN, MT)

1 MT 758250

10 CD

FIELD DAY UNIT, 65 GALLON FOR

RAINFALL SIMULATORS

(BOZEMAN, MT)

1 MT 758250

11 CD EXPO RAINFALL SIMULATOR, TABLETOP

(BOZEMAN, MT) 2 MT 758250

12 CD

TRAILER, MODIFIED FOR RAINFALL

SIMULATOR TRANSPORT

(GREATFALLS, MT)

1 MT 758250

13 CD

FIELD DAY UNIT, 65 GALLON FOR

RAINFALL SIMULATORS

(GREATFALLS, MT)

1 MT 758250

14 CD EXPO RAINFALL SIMULATOR, TABLETOP

(GREATFALLS, MT) 6 MT 758250

15 CD

RAINFALL SIMULATOR, TRAVEL-LITE

WITH OSCILLATING HEAD

(MCALESTER, OK)

1 OK 761321

16 CD

RAINFALL SIMULATOR, TRAVEL-LITE

WITH OSCILLATING HEAD

(CLAREMORE, OK)

1 OK 756789

Overall estimated value of this acquisition is $65,000.00.

IV. THE AUTHORITY AND SUPPORTING RATIONALE: FAR 6.302-1 -- Only One

Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. (a) FAR subpart 13.5 were used in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901 or the authority of 41 U.S.C.

1903.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 is important legislation that provides authorization for services and programs that impact every American and millions of people around the world. The new Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer.

In implementation of the Agriculture Act of 2014, the USDA-NRCS provides educational soil outreach demonstrations to communities including: elementary, high-school, college, and producers. In doing so, highly accurate simulators were developed by Conservation Demonstrations (CD), Inc in conjunction with leading US soil scientists. The rainfall simulators have been developed to provide insight into soil erosion and water run-off based upon soil types and ground cover. The simulators are adaptable to each unique location it will be shipped to since weather patterns and soil conditions vary drastically.

The Conservation Demonstration simulators, such as the oscillating heads and trays, have been engineered to accurately reflect rain size (droplets) and patters for the state in which the simulator would be used. CD has the capability to adjust (on-demand) the simulator to account for unusual weather patterns to accurately predict future impacts of excess rain or wind upon arid ground.

In addition to rainfall simulation, the systems can simulate arid climates and accurately demonstrate the impact of winds upon ground lacking vegetation. These systems create awareness in producers, using their actual soil samples, on how to improve both vegetative quality and soil health.

The CD has also developed a methodology for transporting and setting up the simulators that reduces overall manpower requirements and the potential for transport damages. Due to the weight of some of the simulators, the CD has modified standard commercial trailers. These modifications include specialized jigs for holding rainfall simulator parts and for transporting water to trade sites without water available. The special tooling within the trailer creates a safe environment for transporting the demonstrators risk free.

V. A DETERMINATION BY THE ORDERING ACTIVITY CONTRACTING OFFICER

THAT THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE

I determine that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED OR A STATEMENT

OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED.

A market survey was conducted in an attempt to locate other vendors. Several vendors were located but these units were created for use on large scale farms and not as a traveling demonstrator. A workshop for Rainfall Simulators was held in Trier, Germany in 2011 in which many countries provided unique simulators. Page 34 of the proceedings showed large scale scientific demonstrators that (1) were not readily transportable and (2) were not scaleable to those demonstrations warranted under the auspicious of the Agriculture Act. These units were not capable of being transported, assembled, or operated by one individual, as the simulators built by CD. The price to obtain these large units exceeded the budget of the USDA-NRCS and would exceed the operating budget of most soil units to demonstrate (the INRA-ORLEANS France) simulator cost roughly 500EU-2000EU a day to run.

VII. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE RESTRICTED

CONSIDERATION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES

OR SERVICES IS MADE.

The resulting purchase order will be a Firm Fixed Price purchase order. The NAICS Code is 333318 “Teaching Machines (e.g. flight simulators) manufacturing with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, responses received by 5:00 PM ET August 21, 2015, will be considered by the Government for future acquisitions. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement

VIII. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: The attached supporting data was provided by the USDA-

NRCS personnel and was used as the basis for this justification. I hereby certify that the information provided is complete and accurate.

JOYCE TREVITHICK

USDA-NRCS MT AREA AGRONOMIST

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION: I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

STEVEN J ALVES

Contracting Officer, USDA-NRCS