Statement of Work - Maize Winter Nursery in Hawaii.pdf

Statement of Work (SOW) Project: Maize Winter Nursery in Hawaii

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0 Scope of Work:

The USDA, ARS, Plant Introduction Research Facility has determined a requirement for a corn winter nursery for increase seed production for growing between September 2022 and April 2023. The details for this planting, growing, and harvesting requirement are attached to this posting. Offerors must include all associated costs and state on quotes any variances between their offered products and the provided specifications. Any resulting award from this solicitation will be a fixed price contract.

2.0 Background:

Subject to local weather, soil moisture conditions, minimal disease and low insect pressure, and U.S. based location has been determined required. Hawaii has been determined to have a location best suited for the winter nursery required for this research. Nursery sets shall be grown within the 8-month period beginning in September-November 2022 to be harvested and returned in approximately March- April 2023.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

3.0 Technical Requirements/Tasks:

Contractor’s growing location must be in the Hawaiian Islands. Acceptable sites would include the islands of Kawaii, Oahu, and Maui. Proposed growing site should be agricultural production fields with uniform soil. Contractor will provide for all field activities including land, land preparation, planting, monitoring, weed and pest control, pollination services, irrigation, fertilization, harvest, and drying of harvested seed. Ability to provide shelling services as needed is preferred.

Contractor will provide bi-weekly or monthly progress reports depending on crop development stage to track crop progression and condition. Hand-harvesting will be done by plot when grains have dried sufficiently, and the ears dried to approximately 12% moisture at temperatures not to exceed 95o Fahrenheit. Dried, harvested seed will be prepared for shipping in containers provided by contractor.

Contractor will provide information on number of containers, dimensions, and weight of each container sufficient for USDA to procure shipping services via UPS or FedEx.

4.0 Government Furnished:

The USDA is responsible for providing any required phytosanitary certification for seed entering Hawaii and for treating the seed according to requirements for all seed to be planted.

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule:

Contractor will provide brief report of crop development progress in weekly or every two-intervals prior to flowering, and photos as the crop develops. Shoot bagging and pollinations will be done according to USDA breeder’s instructions.

Hand-harvesting will be done by plot when grains have dried sufficiently, and the ears will dried to approximately 12%-15% moisture at temperatures not to exceed 95o Fahrenheit. Dried ears and/or seeds will be prepared for shipping according to USDA breeder’s instructions.

GEM Project Winter Nursery

A late-September – early November planting will consist of 760 nursery rows comprised of:

- 210 self-pollinated rows, 15-foot-long rows planted with 18 kernels per row (September)

- 200 paired rows for cross-pollination, 15-foot-long rows planted with 18 kernels per row (October)

- 150 sib-pollinated rows, 15-foot-long rows planted with 18 kernels per row (October)

- 200 self-pollinated rows, 10-foot-long rows planted with 10 kernels per row (November)

Ears and seed will be prepared for shipping according to USDA breeder’s instructions.

6.0 Data Rights: All corn nursery data collected on stand counts, plant height, and ear height, flowering, or other traits are to be returned to USDA.

7.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards: N/A

8.0 Place of Performance: Hawaiian Islands of Maui, Oahu, or Kauai

9.0 Period of Performance: September 19, 2022, through April 30, 2023

10.0 Evaluation Factors:

Bids will be evaluated based on:

Technical acceptability of proposal as determined by contractor’s ability to meet standards outlined in section 3.0 (Technical Requirements/Task) listed above.

Price

11.0 Technical Point of Contact: Adam Vanous 515-231-3517

adam.vanous@usda.gov