Preventative Maintenance Agreement for GreenFeed & SmartFeed Systems

THIS IS FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITATION.

This is a Sources Sought Notice ONLY.  The USDA-ARS, Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward, OK currently intends to award a base year contract plus 4 option years for a preventative maintenance service contract to be used in maintaining the C-Lock equipment.  The contract will provide data access, hardware and software support and maintenance for GreenFeed units #44, #81 and #121 and SmartFeed Pro units #10025 and #10026.  The government intends to award on a SOLE SOURCE basis, but is seeking vendors that may be able to perform this requirement in order to support a competitive procurement.  Accordingly, the USDA highly encourages all interested businesses (large and small) to respond to this sources sought synopsis.

The proposed sole source firm fixed price contract will be issued to C-Lock, Inc. for the Service and Maintenance coverage. 

This notice does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future.  This notice does not commit the USDA to contract for any supply or service.  Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought notice.  The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice.  Submittals will not be returned to the responder.  A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.  However, if a competitive solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry.  It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

1.  Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition and identify alternatives or solution solutions. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

2.  Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, identify business size (large business or a small business), and if applicable, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code.

3.  Information to help determine if the requirement (item or service) is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., market pricing, catalog pricing), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc.