Native Prairie Grass Restoration Project

W912EQ-17-S-0001 USACE Memphis District Native Prairie Grass Restoration Project In Grand Prairie Region, Arkansas THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS OR DRAWINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. RESPONSE DATE: 17 November 2016 NAICS: 115112 POINT OF CONTACT: Valerie Marshall Responses due NO Later than 10:00 a.m. central standard time November 17, 2016. This is a Sources Sought Notice / Draft Request for Proposals is for informational purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, QUOTATIONS OR BIDS. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, requests information concerning its requirement to provide Arkansas native warm-season prairie grass seed for re-establishment of the Grand Prairie. The government will consider these responses before issuing a formal solicitation. Responses to this sources sought announcement will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this announcement, if the Government still plans to proceed with the acquisition, and after approval of the associated acquisition strategy, a solicitation announcement will be published in the Federal Business Opportunity. NO SOLICITATION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. All interested offerors will have the opportunity to respond to solicitation announcements at a later time. This notice is to assist the Memphis District, Corps of Engineers in determining potential sources and to gauge industry capability. This sources sought announcement is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. Point of Contact Comments are to be sent either via email to [email protected] or submit hard copy to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 167 N. Main Street B-202, Contracting Division, Room 665, Memphis, TN 38103 no later than 10:00 a.m. central standard time November 17, 2016. NO APPOINTMENTS OR TELEPHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Project Description: This is a market survey for providing Arkansas native warm-season prairie grass seed for re-establishment of the Grand Prairie. See General Information and Specific Tasks below: General Information 1. GENERAL: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide native Arkansas-genotype prairie grass seed and hay for re-establishment of the Grand Prairie in Arkansas. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. 1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The work required by this contract requires the contractor to provide native Arkansas-genotype Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) seed (hereafter referred to as ‘seed') and hay bale delivery resulting from the management of production areas of that seed, as well as planting of seed on specified areas planned for prairie restoration. 1.2. Background: The Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project (GPADP) and the Bayou Meto Basin Project (BMB) Projects are within a region that historically contained 400,000 acres of tall-grass prairie. To help recreate the native prairie ecosystem, restoration of native prairie grass habitat will be a major environmental feature of both projects. Prairie restoration efforts will focus on the establishment of the four grasses that historically dominated the Grand Prairie region: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). Seeds from Grand Prairie regional specific populations of prairie grasses shall be used for planting to restore genotypes that evolved specifically within the Grand Prairie region as a result of many years of geographic isolation. 1.3. Objectives: Contractor is required to provide seed, hay bale delivery, as well as planting and monitoring services for the GPADP and BMB Projects, based upon acreages determined by USACE approximately one year in advance. Planting is not expected to exceed 100 acres in any given year. 1.4. Scope: • The contractor shall provide clean, mixed seed of the specified species at a ratio of 2 pounds each of BBS, LBS, and IG to 1 pound of SWG per acre of planting required. • Native prairie grass planting shall occur on an ‘as needed' basis in areas specified one year in advance. 1.5. Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify defective services, and prevent and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor's quality control program (QCP) is the means by which the contractor is assured that their work complies with the requirements of the contract. Contractor shall provide a QCP to the Contracting Officers Representative (COR), in writing, within 30 days of contract award. After acceptance of the quality control plan the contractor shall receive the contracting officer's acceptance in writing of any proposed change to the contractors QC system. Contractor shall have representative samples of seeds tested for percentage live seed, percentage of weeds, and percentage of other crops. Testing to ensure that no noxious weeds are present in any seed is also required annually. Seed analysis will be conducted in accordance with Association of Official Seed Analysts, Inc. (AOSA) protocols. A minimum of three samples of each species will be analyzed, and results will be provided to the Government. Testing will be conducted by an independent laboratory which must be approved by the Government. 1.5.1. Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s). No less than 75% pure seed and tetrazolium test of no less than 75 should be present in any sample. No noxious weeds, as determined the State of Arkansas, must be present in any sample. Less than 10% of the sample shall be considered as weeds. Less than 10% of the sample shall be considered as ‘other crops'. Specific Tasks 2. SPECIFIC TASKS: 2.1. Seed Production: The contractor shall provide acceptable seed and baled hay for USACE per this performance work statement, as well as planting of seed on specified areas planned for prairie restoration. All acreages, number of bales, and seed weights required shall be provided by the Government one year in advance of expected planting activities. 2.1.2. The contractor shall provide acceptable, mixed seed of the specified species at a ratio of 2 pounds each of BBS, LBS, and IG to 1 pound of SWG per acre of planting required. 2.1.3 The contractor shall be notified of required acreage to be planted approximately 1-year in advance. 2.2. Planting: 2.2.1. The Contractor shall plant defined project areas with seed at a rate of 7 pounds per acre, per the specified ratio. 2.3. Haying 2.3.1. Contractor shall provide at least 100 hay bales annually. All round bales will be a minimum of four feet wide by four feet tall. All bales will originate from native prairie grass plots. If there is not enough native prairie grass to produce 100 bales, the remaining bales can made of clean wheat or rice straw. 2.3.2 Contractor will store and deliver hay bales annually to Grand Prairie Discharge Pipeline area or other prior coordinated area. 2.4. Seed Testing: 2.4.1. Contractor shall have representative samples of seeds tested for percentage pure seed, live seed, percentage of weeds, and percentage of other crops. Testing to ensure that no noxious weeds are present in any seed is also required annually. Seed analysis will be conducted in accordance with Association of Official Seed Analysts, Inc. (AOSA) protocols. A minimum of three samples of each species from each field will be analyzed, and results will be provided to the Government. Testing will be conducted by an independent laboratory which must be approved by the Government. 2.5. Care, Handling and Storage of Collected Seeds: 2.5.1. The contractor shall provide adequate climate controlled storage (30-45 degrees F) from the time collected until the time the seeds are in the care of the Government or replanted. Contractor will maintain a posted written temperature log of the refrigerated storage area. Temperatures will be measured and recorded in the temperature log multiple times every week. The temperature log will be provided to the COR or Government representative during quarterly inspections. Care, handling and storage of collected seed shall be in a manner best suited for the type of seeds and protected from excess moisture, desiccation, or other environmental conditions that may cause contamination or increased degradation of seeds. 2.5.2. Equipment: N/A 2.5.3. Each individual bag of seed shall be labeled and include species or mix, date of harvest, harvest location, and weight. 2.5.4. Contractor shall provide seeds free of coarse plant material. Harvested seeds shall be cleaned, stored, and dried to the optimal moisture level to promote maximum germination. 2.5.7. Contractor shall use standard U.S. pounds for seed weights. Contractor shall use a standard acre (43,560 square feet) for acreage measurements. 2.5.8. Contractor must first contact USACE for concurrence and directions for disposition of excess seed stock. The Government will arrange for disposing of excess seeds within 30 days of written notification from the Contractor. 2.7. Inspection and Acceptance: 2.7.1. Contractor shall be available to COR or Government representative for inspections as determined necessary by the government. Inspections may consist of regular visual inspection of the production plots, collected seeds, and post-collection seed handling and storage. The COR or Government representative will provide a minimum of 24 hours notification before requesting access to native grass production sites during the normal operating season for the farm. Contractor will provide 30 days prior notification to the COR or Government representative of when farm will be closed or key personnel will not be available to facilitate access to the farm. 2.8. Reports: 2.8.1. One annual report shall be e-mailed to the COR or Government representative. 2.8.2 Contractor Annual report shall include: a) Native Seed Inventory Reporting Form provided by the Government detailing seed harvest location, bag/ lot number, weight of species or mix harvested, harvest dates, and official seed testing results from independent lab b) Synopsis of work completed for the past year, and c) Management plan for the next year, d) Map denoting current and projected species plots, e) Hay bale inventory, storage location(s) cutting and baling dates and if possible species composition. f) Other anticipated major activities planned for the next year, 2.8.5. This Annual report shall be emailed to the COR or Government representative within two weeks of the end of each calendar year. 2.8.6. All reports shall be considered draft upon first submission and shall be provided for review. COR or Government representative will have 30 days to review reports and provide comments. 2.8.7. A Final Annual Report shall be provided for review and acceptance no later than 15 days after receipt of COR comments. 2.8.8. All draft versions of reports shall be in Microsoft Word compatible format. All data shall be in Microsoft Excel compatible format. 2.8.9. All Final Quarterly and Annual Reports shall be in an Adobe portable document format (pdf) file. The NAICS Code is 115112 with a size standard of $7,500,000.00 dollars. Work is planned to begin on or about January 2017. The Government requests capability statements which demonstrate the ability to manufacture/supply required seed production in accordance with Government requirements. Specifically the Government requests answers to the following questions: 1. Are you able to provide in bulk Native Arkansas genotype prairie grass seed 2. Do you have the capability to plant up to 100 acres of prairie per criteria established above 3. Do you have the capability to deliver native prairie hay bales to desired locations (see section 2.3.2) Comments will be shared with the government personnel, but otherwise will be held in strict confidence. Comments may be in a format as chosen by each offeror, but must include the offerors, name, point of contact and phone number, planned role on the project, and socio-economic status. In preparing the formal solicitation, the government makes no commitment to retain any of the elements/provisions of this request for information and may include different elements/provisions in the formal solicitation. The responses to this SOURCES SOUGHT synopsis are to be forwarded to: Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, Attn: CEMVM-CT-S (Valerie Marshall), 167 N. Main Street B-202. Responses must be received no later than Thursday, November 17, 2016 by 10:00 A.M., CST.