Colorado Digital Surface Models from 2019 and 2021

This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action Synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response. This Proposed Contract Action is published to notify potential sources that the National Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract, on behalf of the USDA Forest Service, to Leica Geosystems Inc., for Digital Surface Model Point cloud and raster data (roughly 1m spatial resolution) for the state of Colorado for the years pre- and post- catastrophic events (COVID-19 and 2020 catastrophic fire season), specifically 2019 and 2021, processed in accordance with required standards.

Annually there is only one contractor hired to acquire NAIP data for each state and year. According to specialists at the USFS Geospatial Technical Applications Center (GTAC), the only company that flew the area in that time frame was the NAIP vendor Leica Geosystems Inc. Therefore, the USDA Forest Service must purchase the point cloud and raster Digital Surface Models (DSM) from Leica Geosystems Inc. It is critical to this study that these products are derived from the 2019 and 2021 stereo image data.  It would be impossible to compete this effort as the vegetation status in 2019 and 2021 cannot be imaged or recreated and Leica Geosystems Inc. is the sole owner of the 2019 and 2021 3D Stereo Imagery.  This data must be in the form of Digital Surface Model point cloud and Raster data because the data can provide, at high spatial resolutions, information on vegetation height, which is a fundamental physical property of trees. Height, when measured reliably through time, can be an indicator of forest productivity and changes in volume and biomass, processes that vary widely across different forest types and especially after disturbances to the systems. Height measurements in one date and through time can help illustrate the role of disturbance on vegetation across a range of forest conditions in Colorado and new opportunities to use FIA data in forest monitoring.

The proposed contract action is for services/supplies for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1 Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals.  A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  Date posted to SAM.gov  July 31, 2023.  Date posting will close: August 24, 2023. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334511. The Size Standard is 1,350.  The responses to this synopsis will be used to confirm that this is a sole source requirement. This notice is not a Request for Proposals or request for quotes  (RFQ); it is a market research tool being utilized to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to awarding the contract. Any information submitted by respondents to this synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this notice of proposed contract action. Contractors who believe they possess the expertise and experience shall submit technical capabilities in writing to Rochelle Infante electronically to: Rochelle.Infante@usda.gov.  Responses must be received no later than August 24, 2021 11:00 am MDT.  All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Firms responding must indicate the following information: Indicate the business size: small business or disadvantaged business, veteran owned small business or HUB Zone certified, indicate the appropriate NAICS code, and DUNS #. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Quote, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This synopsis should not be construed as commitment by the Government for any purpose other than market research.