Hydroponic 'farm suites' from Insulated Shipping Containers w/ state-of-the art hydroponic system

Sources Sought Notification

This is a Sources Sought Announcement issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for informational and planning purposes only. This is NOT a solicitation, nor is it an announcement for a forthcoming solicitation. Submission of any information in response to this notification is purely voluntary. The Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred in providing a response.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Charleston, SC is requesting information regarding the capability to provide Hydroponic shipping containers, drains, and software.
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Specifications:

The USDA, ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory requires four (4) hydroponic ‘farm suites’ from insulated shipping containers (40’x 8’ x 9’6”) and contains a state-of-the-art hydroponic system. These units must be customized for up to 8,000 plant capacity using nutrient film technique channels combined with Flood & Drain System trays designed for research and development purposes. These specific containers are required because the customized design of the shipping containers with split fertigation systems that are suitable for controlled experiments to grow different type of vegetable crops for various research purposes by different researchers, which is not available from other manufacturers. The delivery of the first unit is needed and required within 10 days of an awarded contract.

These units will be custom designed by the vendor based on research project needs:
• Full-Spectrum LED Light System Engineered for both Early and Late-Stage Growth
• Precision Automated Fertigation System with cloud connectivity
• Operating System utilizes data-driven science, electronics, and business management systems to monitor, control and track every aspect of farm production and processes. Custom analytics to enhance plant quality and produce higher yields. Provides dashboard view of real-time data from in-farm sensors, with cloud storage of all historical data including growth, climate, and alarm history. Remote access (from anywhere) of lights, irrigation, dosing, and CO2 generation.
• Configurable sensor data parameters with text and email alerts.
• Automatic lot assignment for each seed planted to track for growth records, yield performance and traceability
• Record germination rates to identify top seed performers
• management of multiple pods via a single sign-on
• Inventory management in multiple locations to optimize research.
• Generate custom labels, complete with barcodes for packaging
• Generate custom reports for yield, inventory, and harvest cycle data
• View and export data for downloads to spreadsheets (.csv, .xls)
• complete food traceability from seed to sale
• sensor input/output and relays for automated control of electrical systems such as lights, pumps, and switches
• All data securely stored in the cloud and accessible from any smartphone, tablet or computer with web access
• Air Curtains to protect from pests
• Water Pump, Tank, and Filtration System
• Fans that uniformly distribute air flow in excess of 270 CFM over the plant canopy
• Programmable 5-ton HVAC Unit with integrated dehumidification capability
• 2-year limited warranty
• Inclusive 2-day training period customized to the clients’ needs
• Delivery of the first unit within 10 days of an awarded contract

This is not a request for proposals, but instead market research to determine interested vendors prior to issuing a solicitation. Pricing information provided is for estimation purposes 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. 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 4) a brief statement of Capability (no more than three pages) which demonstrates the ability to meet the specialized work requirements above. Include any past performance information on contracts of similar size and scope. Electronic responses are preferred. Information provided will not be used as a part of any subsequent solicitation requirement. Interested sources who submit data are responsible for appropriately marking information if it is proprietary in nature. 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 are due no later than 12:00 p.m., Central Time, on Thursday, April 28, 2022., to the attention of Huron Virden, Contract Specialist, via e-mail to: huron.virden@usda.gov.

Contracting Office Address:
USDA-ARS, SEA
Stoneville, MS 38776

Primary Point of Contact:

Huron Virden
Contract Specialist
huron.virden@usda.gov