Statement of Work.pdf

Statement of Work Project: Straw Large Square Bale IDIQ Contract for Animal Resources Unit of USDA

Laboratory

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0 Scope of Work: Straw Large Square Bale IDIQ Contract for Animal Resources Unit of USDA

Laboratory. IDIQ Contract Period of Coverage: 1/1/2025 THRU 12/31/2025. Anticipated usage:

Minimum 15 ton and not to exceed 120 ton.

2.0 Background: The mission of the USDA-National Animal Disease Center Animal Resources unit in Ames, IA is to provide animal care and support services for internal users that rely in animal products for research, testing and training. Fresh, clean, high quality straw large bales are required for daily care and ensuring of animal well-being of a variety of animals used in laboratory research at the USDA Laboratories in Ames, IA.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

3.0 Technical Requirements/Tasks:

SPECIFICATIONS FOR STRAW LARGE SQUARE

The straw shall be US Grade No. 1, wheat or oat straw in accordance with the “Handbook of Official Hay & Straw Standards”, revised effective July 1, 1949, of the United States Department of Agriculture, Production and Marketing Administration, Grain Division.

The straw must be from year 2024 or 2025 crop and meet the specifications listed below.

No straw will be accepted that is of poor construction, moldy, weathered, weedy, wet, or shows evidence of storage on dirt floor. Straw shall not contain foreign material that may be injurious to livestock.

The straw shall be satisfactorily baled with rot-proof twine making a 3’ X 3’ X 8’, 3’ X 4’ X 8’, or a 4’ X 4’ X 8’ bale. Bales that are ragged or bales having twine of unequal tension, which makes it difficult to handle, will not be acceptable. ROUND BALES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.

NOTE: Straw that shows signs of greater than 2% foreign material, mold, musty odor, excessive dust/dirt, weeds, exposure/damage by rodents/insects/wildlife (fur, scat), moisture damage (included rain during baling), heating, discoloration, and/or significant evidence of storage in direct contact with floor (such as dirt, gravel, discoloration, moisture damage, and/or mold) is unacceptable and may be rejected.

DELIVERIES

The Contractor shall provide all resources necessary to accomplish the tasks and deliverables described in the Statement of Work. Delivery shall be direct from fields or barns via clean vehicles not used for transportation of livestock. Shipment by rail is not acceptable. Deliveries shall be made to: USDA, ARS, MWA, NADC, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Building 13, Ames, Iowa 50010. Deliveries shall be made during normal business hours of 7:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. The Contractor shall make deliveries within five (5) working days after receipt of a telephone or written order from an authorized Government employee. Partial deliveries of a minimum quantity may be requested.

Contractor to confirm delivery timeline within 3 business days of placement of order. It is requested that contractor call (515) 337-7248 at least 48 hours prior to delivery.

It is required by the ICC that both the empty and loaded weight must be obtained from the same weighing station. The Contractor shall provide the Government with a certified copy of the loaded weight ticket at the time of each delivery, which must be obtained at an Official Weighing Station with the firm’s name inscribed on the weigh ticket.

A DELIVERY TICKET must accompany the weigh ticket also, allowing for a signature of a person making the delivery and a signature of government personnel receiving the straw. The delivery ticket must list the number of bales per load.

The Government will be responsible for unloading the bales from the vendor’s vehicle and stacking the bales in an area designated by the Government.

Vendor shall accept credit card payment per delivery order.

Price to include delivery to place of performance and any applicable credit card transaction fees per payment.

Anticipated Minimum: 15 ton – Anticipated Maximum: 120 ton.

STORAGE

If the straw is not delivered directly from the field the successful quoter shall store the straw at no additional cost to the Government until such time as all deliveries have been made and the contract has been completed.

INSPECTION

The Government reserves the right to inspect the premises and origin of straw before, and at any time after the contract is consummated to assure that the straw is not being contaminated with dangerous pathogens. The Government reserves the right to make inspection of fields and barns where the straw is being stored, and the bales to determine quality and freedom from animal contaminations and also to assure that the quoter’s operations will meet conditions required.

Final inspection will be made at time of delivery to the National Animal Disease Center, and the straw must meet specifications & requirements as specified herein or it will not be accepted. It will be required that the straw not be unloaded until inspected and approved by Government personnel.

NOTE: Items purchased under this contract will be used to care for animals in the conduction of research. No substitution or deviation from the specifications is permissible without approval from the USDA. Only Clean, high-quality ingredients are to be used. Combining/Blending with like ingredients of low quality or possible contamination is not acceptable. This would include but not limited to mold and mycotoxins within feed ingredients.

4.0 Government Furnished: Government will unload and stack straw in storage location as designated by government personnel. Contractor delivery personnel responsible for handling any straps and/or tarps utilized for transport.

5.0 Deliverables/Schedule Delivery shall be direct from fields or barns via clean vehicles not used for transportation of livestock. Shipment by rail is not acceptable. Deliveries shall be made to: USDA, ARS, MWA, NADC, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Building 13, Ames, Iowa 50010. Deliveries shall be made during normal business hours of 7:30 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. The Contractor shall make deliveries within five (5) working days after receipt of a telephone or written order from an authorized Government employee. Partial deliveries of a minimum quantity may be requested. It will be requested that contractor call 515-337-7248 prior to delivery. If the Monday is a Federal Holiday or the Observance of the Federal Holiday, then the delivery will be made on Tuesday of that week.

IDIQ Contract Period of Coverage: 1/1/2025 THRU 12/31/2025.

6.0 Evaluation Factors : Technical acceptability, delivery availability and price.

7.0 Technical Point of Contact: Should there be technical questions, please contact Stephen Sterle at

515-337-7248 stephen.sterle@usda.gov

8.0 Place of Delivery: Services will be provided at USDA, NCAH, 1920 Dayton Ave, Ames, IA. Pick-up and delivery shall not be made on Federal Holidays or Observance of Federal Holidays (New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day). If the Monday is a Federal Holiday or the Observance of the Federal Holiday, then the delivery will be made on Tuesday of that week.

The following rules and regulations apply to all property at the NCAH, Ames, Iowa, under the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and to all persons entering on such property.

Admission to Property: The campus is closed to the public. Admission to the facility is restricted to authorized persons and approved visitors. Upon entry, visitors:

1. Will be required to present Government or other identifying credentials to the Officer at the Visitor Gate (photo driver's license, passport, or other official photo identification).

2. Will be issued a visitor's badge and must always wear and display the badge while visiting the facilities.

3. No Weapons or pets of any kind are allowed on Campus to include in vehicles.