Air Carrier Freight Forwarding Services for NOW Moths

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is requesting information regarding the availability of companies to supply air carrier freight forwarding services for the transport of navel orangeworm (NOW) moths in shipping containers from Phoenix, AZ to Bakersfield, CA as part of a trial program from approximately February 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018. This trial program may be extended for up to four option years. The primary objective of issuing this sources sought notice is to seek information from vendors with the capability to provide the air carrier freight forwarding services identified in Attachment A - Statement of Work.

If you are an interested vendor, please provide the following information: 1) Business name and point of contact; 2) DUNS number and CAGE code; 3) business size and type; and 4) a brief statement of capability included but not limited to:

A. Pricing information (how you would price your services over a 5-year period.
B. Past performance information on contracts of similar size and scope

Interested vendors should only provide the data requested. No proprietary, classified, confidential or sensitive information should be included in your response. If it's necessary, it should be marked accordingly. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary information in any resultant solicitation(s). Interested sources who submit data are responsible for appropriately marking information if it is proprietary in nature.

This is not a request for proposals, but instead market research to determine interested vendors prior to issuing a solicitation. The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 488510. Pricing information provided will be used to determine pricing methodology only. A determination by the Government on the method of competing this requirement has not been established. The Government will not award a contract based on this Sources Sought Notice or the information received, nor will it reimburse participants for the information they provide. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses to this notice are due no later than 10:00 AM CT on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, to the attention of Larry Nelson, Contract Specialist, via e-mail to Larry.D.Nelson@aphis.usda.gov. All questions regarding this notice must also be directed to the point of contact in this notice.