Sources Sought_Water Quality Analysis.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture

Research, Education, and Economics

Agricultural Research Service

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Southeast Area Office is conducting market research to determine if there is a sufficient number of qualified Small Businesses, (i.e., small, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, Hub Zone, serviced-disabled veteran-owned small business) to set aside a purchase order. The USDA will use responses to this notice to make the appropriate acquisition decision. The contemplated solicitation will be issued in accordance with FAR Part 13.

The objective of this requirement is to acquire Water Quality Testing Services in support of the USDA’s Delta Water Management Research Unit located in Jonesboro, AR.

The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this Sources Sought. No contract will be awarded as a result of this announcement. Data submitted in response to this Sources Sought will not be returned. This request is for informational purposes only and the Government will not pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of a response to this Sources Sought.

Water Quality Analysis

Description of Work

This requirement is for the acquisition of Water Quality Testing Services. The USDA is seeking a Water Quality laboratory capable of analyzing approximately 600 water samples per year for nitrate, nitrite, soluble reactive phosphorus, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. These samples will be filtered, acidified, and frozen prior to shipment. In order to meet the UDSA’s quality control requirements, any laboratory interested in this requirement must be certified by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. The laboratory must operate under an approved Quality Assurance Plan that meets or exceeds all requirements for certification. The laboratory must provide a history of certification for the previous five years and the certification must be retained for the duration of the period of performance. Samples must be processed in a timely and efficient manner with the appropriate quality controls in place and the data must be reviewed and approved by a PhD level scientist.

The contemplated solicitation will be evaluated based on the Tradeoff Process in accordance with FAR PART 13. All interested contractors who can meet the requirements stated above should respond with information describing their interest, capabilities statements, and indicate the small business category for which they qualify. E-mail responses are required. The due date for responses to this Sources Sought is at 3:00 pm Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Please email your responses to frank.palmer@usda.gov.

Electronic files must be in Microsoft Office Word or PDF format. All information must be UNCLASSIFIED material.

Respondents should include as part of their submission:

a. A synopsis of the company's capabilities to provide membership to organization capable of providing access to resources supporting Reclamation’s mission needs referenced above (limit 5 pages)

b. UEI Number

c. Company Name

d. Company Address

e. Business size as validated via the System for Award Administration (SAM). All offers must register on the SAM located at http://www.sam.gov.

f. Company points of contact, phone number, and email address.

g. Past work experience. If you have experience working with other Federal Agencies and/or commercial businesses of similar size and scope, please include agency and/or business name contract number (if applicable), amount and type of contract.

Any company proprietary information must be marked as such.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 541380, which contains a size standard of $19.0 million is applicable to this acquisition. Interested firms are reminded that in accordance with FAR 4.12, prospective contractors shall complete electronic annual representations and certifications and in conjunction with FAR 4.11, are required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at the time an offer or quotation is submitted.

[END OF SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE]