Notice_of_Intent_-_Temperate.pdf

ACTION: Pre-solicitation Notice/Notice of Intent to Sole Source

SOLICITATION NUMBER: D15PS00368

SET-ASIDE: N/A

CONTRACTING OFFICE:

Acquisition Services Directorate 381 Elden Street, Suite 4000 Herndon, VA 20170

POINT OF CONTACT:

Melissa Onyszko, Contracting Officer 703-964-3638 Melissa_Onyszko@ibc.doi.gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Park Rapids, Minnesota 56470

SUBJECT:

Pre-solicitation Notice/Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract—“Advisory Services for Nursery Crop Insurance Program for Temperate States”

DESCRIPTION:

On behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Risk Management Agency (RMA), the Department of the Interior/Interior Business Center/Acquisition Services Directorate – Herndon, intends to award a follow on sole source Labor Hour contract entitled “Advisory Services for Nursery Crop Insurance Program for Temperate States” to Swanson's Nursery Consulting, Inc.

USDA/RMA has a requirement for contractor support for the continued review and update of the Eligible Plant List and Plant Price Schedule (EPLPPS), and to obtain expert technical assistance on various nursery crop insurance program issues related to field grown and containerized plant production practices, plant classification and taxonomy, hardiness zone insurability limitations, cold protection requirements, risk assessment, and plant marketing. This award will be done on a non-competitive basis for the purpose of providing the services which includes having the horticulture specialist assist RMA personnel, contractors, and other interested parties update the EPLPPS and provide advice on nursery issues in some temperate areas of the United States covered by the Springfield, IL, St. Paul, MN, Billings, MT, Topeka, KS, and Oklahoma City, OK, RMA Regional Offices (IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI, IA, MT, WY, ND, SD, KS, NB, CO, MO, OK, TX, NM).

The nursery crop insurance program provides crop insurance coverage to wholesale nurseries producing field grown and containerized plants. The key component of the nursery program is the EPLPPS that lists all insurable plants. Assigned to each plant is a plant price factor and insurability specifications, including hardiness zone insurability limitations and storage protection requirements for containerized plants. The EPLPPS is updated prior to the start of each crop year to add new plants and make necessary changes to existing plant insurability and price specifications. The nursery crop year runs from June 1st to May 31st.

The insurability specifications in the EPLPPS must be accurate and comprehensive to ensure that the FCIC nursery crop insurance program provides coverage that adequately protects wholesale nursery growers without introducing undue risk exposure into the program. Because nursery plant production throughout the United States is both diverse and complex, establishment of fair and accurate insurability specifications for the nursery crop insurance program requires the expertise of a horticulture specialist operating according to insurance program rules.

ACQUISITION APPROACH: The Government anticipates that the requirement will be fulfilled by a Labor Hour contract. The Government intends to pursue a sole source award utilizing FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13.5, "Test Program for Certain Commercial Items." The North American Industries

Classification Code (NAICS) is 524298 “All Other Insurance Related Activities” with a small business size standard of $15 million. The Product Service Code (PSC) is R410 “Support – Professional: Program Evaluation/Review/Development.”

Contractors who believe they are capable of meeting the performance requirements should contact the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist by electronic mail at Melissa_Onyszko@ibc.doi.gov and Denise_Carrio@ibc.doi.gov by 2:00 PM (ET), 21 April, 2015.