Five Year BPA to provide biotechnology support services

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)/ National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, IA  intends to award a sole source, five-year Blanket Purchase Agreement to Iowa State University of Science and Technology  UEI SAM: DQDBM7FGJPC5 CAGE Code:  5J949  to provide a complete range of biotechnology support services including DNA and protein synthesis, sequencing and analysis services together with support functions that monitor the output, provide trouble shooting, system maintenance and reporting to allow the rapid construction and analysis of results required to support diagnostic and cutting edge methods development

This procurement is being conducted in accordance with  41 U.S.C § 1901 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures up to $7.5 million, as authorized by FAR 13.500(a) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

In accordance with procedures for purchases exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. The requirements at 13.501(a) apply to sole-source (including brand-name) acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services conducted pursuant to subpart 13.5. 

Contracting Officer has determined that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.   The additional administrative cost for further market research and time for formal competitive solicitation procedures are not deemed warranted and would only cause substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements.

  Iowa State University is the only facility within the local commuting area,  with impartial interest, instrumentation and knowledge to provide support for genetic analysis of this caliber.  The impartiality and local commuting area is of paramount importance as it impacts our ability to quickly deliver and retrieve samples that may be needed to diagnose disease in the case of an animal health emergency and speeds our results to our customers.  In addition, the Iowa State University has the staff members, equipment, and capacity to support full service biotechnology needs.   Although there are other facilities that supply portions of the services required, there are no other vendors within the commuting area  of approximately five miles with the resources required to provide the all the services needed.  Based on these considerations, there is only one reasonable source for obtaining these services.

This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals.  No solicitation documents are available and telephone requests will not be honored.  However, if a firm believes it can meet the requirements it must furnish information about its products and services to the Contract Specialist listed on this notice by 4:00pm. Mountain Time (MT)  on the closing date of this notice.   Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to comply with the above requirement.  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541380 – Laboratory Testing, and the  Small business size standard is $16.5 Mil.

Responses received after the response date or without the required information will be deemed nonresponsive to the synopsis and will not be considered. Capability statements may be sent via email only to: Carol Dingess, Contracting Officer, carol.dingess@usda.gov