Methyl Bromide Soil Fumigation Services

Source Sought Notice for: Methyl Bromide Soil Fumigation Services This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for small businesses only. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the interest and feasibility of small business set-asides. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited. The information from this notice will help the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Procurement Branch, Minneapolis, MN plan their acquisition strategy or plan. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Administrative Services Division, Procurement Branch located in Minneapolis, MN , is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, including small business set-asides, small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), 8(a) small businesses, woman-owned small businesses (WOSB), veteran owned small businesses (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), and Historically Under-utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses capable of providing Methyl Bromide Soil fumigation services in Southeastern Idaho. All responding small business firms are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business to the anticipated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code. For this acquisition, the NAICS code is 115112 and the Small Business Standard is $6.5 million. Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered based on the Government's market research, provided the prime contract is awarded to an applicable small business and that small businesses provide fifty one percent or more of the support. The USDA APHIS MRPBS ASD under ASD Procurement Branch is conducting market research to identify sources that have the combination of experience in: 1. Soil Fumigation using Methyl Bromide 2. Continuous tarp applications (complete coverage) The effort will consist of treating an estimated 303 acres of crop land near Shelby Idaho with the fumigate methyl bromide (methyl bromide 80% chloropicrin 20%) to support the Pale Potato Cyst Nematode Eradication Program (PCN). The contractor will be required to supply all required supplies, materials, equipment, labor, supervision, safety equipment, personnel, services, tools, transportation, secured storage of fumigant, and sufficient workforce to complete the contract in the specified time (13-18 operational days, not to exceed 35 days inclusive of weather delays). The Contractor will be responsible for the application of the fumigant, perforation, and removal of the plastic from the treated areas after fumigation, and approved disposal of the plastic. Removal and disposal of used plastic must be done in a manner that will substantially minimize movement of soil out of the treated fields. Plastic must be disposed of in a municipal landfill (the nearest is ~25 miles from the fields to be fumigated) where it will be secured by deep burial. The used plastic must be transported to the approved disposal area in enclosed containers. Tarps must not be perforated until a minimum of 5 days (120 hours) have elapsed after the fumigant injection into the soil is complete, unless a weather condition exists which necessitates the need for early perforation or removal. Tarps may be removed before the required 5 days (120 hours) if adverse weather conditions have compromised the integrity of the tarp, provided that the compromised tarp poses a safety hazard. Tarps may also be perforated before the 5 days (120 hours) for flood prevention. Adverse weather incudes high wind, hail, or storms that blow tarps off the field and create a hazard. A compromised tarp is a tarp that due to an adverse weather condition is no longer performing its intended function and is creating a hazard. The Contractor will be responsible for operating within the applicable federal and state regulations for PCN, including subjecting all personnel and equipment that come into contact with soil regulated for PCN to the requisite sanitation treatments. All equipment and vehicles used inside the PCN-infested fields or within a proximity that presents a risk of PCN spread must be pressure washed to remove all soil before leaving the field, followed by steam-sanitation under a tarp for one hour at 140°F. From start to finish, both pressure washing and steam sanitation treatments may take 3-4 hours per piece of equipment. Sanitation must be conducted by PCN Program personnel, and services will be available only when adequate natural lighting and weather conditions permit. The previous contract was awarded to Trident Agricultural Products, Inc and was a Firm Fixed Priced (FFP) type contract that fumigated 316 acres. Please submit the following information: 1. Name and address of company and or companies (if there is a teaming arrangement or joint venture) 2. Technical expertise relevant to the requirement 3. Technical approach relevant of the requirement 4. Management approach relevant to the requirement 5. Corporate experience relevant to the requirement 6. Relevant past performance, including: • Contract name • Contracting Agency or Department • Yearly contract value (in $) • Period of performance • Description of work and how it relates to the requirements Submission requirements: 1. Page limit - eight (8) 8 ½ x 11 pages 2. 1 inch margins (top, bottom and sides) 3. Times New Roman font - 12 point 4. Page limitation does not include (1 cover page or 1 letter of introduction page) 5. Do not include promotional materials Interested small business firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b). The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, but not exceed eight (8) pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the requirements above. The Government technical team will then assess the experience & capabilities based on: 1) technical expertise relevant to the requirement; 2) technical approach relevant to the requirement, 3) management approach relevant to the requirement, 4) corporate experience relevant to the requirement, and 5) relevant past performance. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses Your capability statement needs to include a list of three customers (Government/non-Government) within the past 5-years highlighting similar work in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty and a brief description of the scope of work. Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to: [email protected]. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice - Methyl Bromide Soil Fumigation Requirement. A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. If capability statements are not received from at least two (2) responsible small businesses or if the Government determines that no small business concerns are capable of performing this requirement based upon an assessment of the capability statements submitted, the Government may proceed with a full and open competition. Please submit all information to Jason Wilking at [email protected] by February 15, 2014 by 1:30 PM Central time. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Contracting Office Address: USDA APHIS MRBS ASD Contracting Butler Square West, 5th Floor 100 North 6th Street Suite 510 C Minneapolis, MN 55403 Place of Performance: Southeastern ID United States Primary Point of Contact.: Name: Jason Wilking email: [email protected]