1000 plots for the cultivation and seed increase of sorghum breeding lines

Contract Opportunity: Sources Sought – 1000 plots for the cultivation and seed increase of sorghum breeding lines.

PSC:  AA11

NAICS: 11119

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. This notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or an obligation or commitment by the Government, nor is it a Request for Proposal (RFQ) at this time. Responses to this Notice must be in writing.

The USDA ARS in Lubbock, TX has a requirement for 1000 plots for the cultivation and seed increase of sorghum breeding lines. Winter sorghum nursery must be in a tropical environment, provide all services related to sowing, in-season management, harvest, SY visitation and genetic crossing, and, in the case that SYs are not allowed to travel, nursery labor to carry out genetic crosses and agronomic phenotyping The project requires the sowing of ~1 acre (approximately 1000 individual plots) for the cultivation and seed increase of sorghum breeding lines to be used for summer research trials. Trial size and plot number may vary each year. Farm must have the ability to sow individual plots, perform all duties necessary for optimal growth and grain yield of plants, including but not limited to irrigation, fertility, weed and pest control, and harvest. Harvest includes sorghum head collection, threshing, drying, and shipping harvested material back to Lubbock, Texas duty station. In-season management must be according to best practices for sorghum production at the location and be amenable to input from USDA partners. Additionally, facility must allow for USDA scientists to work on-site to perform genetic crosses, plant agronomic evaluations, and end of season harvest. Agreement includes option years: Base Year 1 2023 with option years 2024-2027. Period of performance is September 1 – August 31 for each year. This contract shall cover service for a base and four option years. Contractor will supply field space and in-season crop management.

Timely land preparation, sowing, harvest of seeds is essential to successful completion of this project. Seed samples will be shipped to the field site and sowing must occur on or about November 20, 2023, to ensure harvest of mature seed occurs before the US summer trial season (approximately May 1, 2024). Optimal crop management (Land preparing, sowing, irrigation, fertility, weed management, pest control, and harvest) is also essential to successful completion of the project. 

Delivery Location:

USDA ARS PA Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research

3810 4th Street

Lubbock, TX 79415

INTERESTED VENDORS: Shall submit vendor information to laura.nessa@usda.gov

Submit on or before 12 July 2023 @ 11:00am Eastern Time

Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine a business entity’s ability to compete for this acquisition. ARS will accept responses from ALL socioeconomic categories in order to gain a more complete understanding of the market for these supplies. Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) company name; (b) address; (c) point of contact; (d) phone and email address; (e) ueiSAM Number; (f) a technical/capability statement and; (g) any relevant GSA Schedule numbers.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.

Respondents are also advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information or provide feedback about any of the information received.  In order to protect the procurement integrity of any future procurement that may arise from this announcement, information regarding the technical point of contact will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made. After review of the responses received, the Government may issue a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation on sam.gov Contract Opportunities.   No proprietary, sensitive, confidential or classified information shall be included with your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.