Data Catalog and Repository Services

Sources Sought Notice

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Agricultural Library (NAL), Knowledge Services Division (KSD) is posting a source’s sought notice for the sole purpose of market research. The Government is seeking information from all interested parties who can provide Software as a Service (SaaS) for its requirement for Agricultural Research Data Catalog and Repository Services embodied in the Ag Data Commons, a public catalog and generalist repository service for scientific data assets produced as a result of USDA-supported research. The platform must be configured to meet USDA requirements for metadata, curation, storage and publishing. The provider shall have technical expertise, experience, and resources needed for customization and operation of the platform for the National Agricultural Library. The platform must have features, supporting discoverability for open agricultural research data outputs and support the Ag Data Commons’ mission of making federally funded research data open, accessible, and machine-readable to support USDA’s research community meet both public access and open data requirements.

High-Level Requirements

The software platform for the Ag Data Commons must have an out-of-box features standard for a data catalog and generalist data repository aligned with best data management practices. The platform must provide features supporting public access and discovery of the datasets, web-based submission form, automated ingest capabilities, well documented two-directional APIs, data management, and curation workflow. The provider must have documented storage and preservation policies and procedures, based on best practices of data management and industry standards.

It is necessary that the solution is used for data management need in the same ecosystem of data providers and stewards, e.g. by other research government agencies or partner organizations or significant entities in the agricultural research community.

While some customization during the implementation phase is inevitable, resource and time constrains call for an alternative solution, which meets maximum requirement with its out-of-box features and characteristics.

Draft Statement of Work attached with further information.

This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the USDA ARS is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the USDA ARS will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this Sources Sought Notice. All costs associated with responding to this Sources Sought Notice will be solely at the responding party’s expense.

Responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically via email to Scott.Ballweg@usda.gov no later than 31 July 2023 @ 0900 EST.  Responses should include company name, address, point of contact, phone number, email address, UEI number, CAGE code, business size (large or small), and capability statement.

This notice is issued in accordance with FAR Part 10 and FAR Part 15. The Government will use the information received from this notice to determine whether there are other sources capable of providing these licenses.