Ocean Shipping Data

US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Marketing Services (AMS), Transportation Economic Division (TED) has a requirement for timely access to creditable and extensive ocean shipping freight rate data which is used in its ongoing market reports and analysis. 

We are seeking interested sources from small-business and US other than small business concerns that are capable of providing the following work:

The contractor must be able to provide continual, impartial access to ocean freight rate data between multiple origin-destination pairs important to the export of US agricultural commodities throughout the year such that TED may track ongoing developments in the following trade lanes:

• U.S. Gulf (New Orleans) to Japan (Yokohama, Nagoya, or Kushiro), 55,000 mt in a Panamax vessel.
• PNW (Takoma) Japan (Yokohama, Nagoya, or Kushiro), 55,000 mt in a Panamax vessel.
• U.S. Gulf (New Orleans) to China (Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North), 65,000 mt in a Panamax vessel
• PNW (Takoma) to China (Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North), 65,000 mt in a Panamax vessel
• U.S. Gulf (New Orleans) to Europe (Rotterdam), 60-70,000 mt in a Panamax vessel
• U.S. Gulf (New Orleans) to Mexico (Veracruz), 35-40,000 mt in a Handymax vessel
• U.S. Gulf (New Orleans) to Mexico (Veracruz), 25,000 mt in a Handysize vessel
• Brazil (Santos) to China ((Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North), 54-59,000 mt in a Supramax-Panamax vessel
• Brazil (Santos) to China ((Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North), 60-66,000 mt in a Post Panamax vessel
• Brazil (Itacoatira) to China ((Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North),60-66,000 mt in a Post Panamax vessel

Argentina (Rosario) to China ((Shanghai in the South and Dalian in the North),56-60,000 mt in a Panamax vessel

The estimated magnitude for this project is between $10,000 and $15,000 annually.  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 518210 with a small business size standard of $40mil in average annual receipts for the preceding five fiscal years.

This is not a request for proposals or quotes, but instead market research to determine interested US small-business and other than small business concerns prior to issuing a solicitation.  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 US business, please provide the following information: 1) business name and point of contact; 2) UEI code; 3) Evidence of small business concern status (if applicable); 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, and indicate the degree of work self-performed (not subcontracted out).  Also include past performance references with names and phone numbers.  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 3 p.m., Central Standard Time, on Friday, July 18, 2025, to the attention of Jeremy Pouliot, Contracting Officer, via e-mail to jeremy.pouliot@usda.gov.