This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action Synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response. This Proposed Contract Action is published to notify potential sources that the Pacific Southwest Research intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract, on behalf of the USDA Forest Service, to Taber Drilling for the initial drilling to install neutron probe borehole monitoring ports across two hillslopes in the southern Sierra Nevada Approximately 20 to 40 neutron probe monitoring ports (total will depend on material encountered during drilling and the time/effort required to drill through that material, which cannot be predicted ahead of time) will be augured between two hillslopes. We expect the drilling to take 5 days, with a day of travel before and after the drilling week. We expect the average drilling depth to equal 35 ft. Because of the nature of our research, we need to minimize air gaps between PVC casing and the neutron port borehole wall, and we have constraint on the hole size. We want holes with a 4” diameter hole cased with 3 inch (3.5 OD) solid PVC with a cap at the bottom. The PVC does not need to be threaded necessarily, so long as we can somehow connect sections and case a 50+ foot borehole while maintaining a snug fit between the casing and borehole wall. We do not use backfill material and do not need screens. We expect to install approximately 700 ft of borehole.Period of Performance: 10 working days between August 23, 2021 to July 15, 2022. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Date posted to SAM: August 5, 2021. Date posting will close August 18, 2021. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 238910, Site Preparation Contractors. The Size Standard is 16.5 millon. The desired period of performance for the services described herein is anticipated to be from 10 working days between August 23, 2021 to July 15, 2022. The responses to this synopsis will be used to confirm that this is a sole source requirement. This notice is not a Request for Proposals (RFP); it is a market research tool being utilized to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to awarding the contract. Any information submitted by respondents to this synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this notice of proposed contract action. Contractors who believe they possess the expertise and experience shall submit technical capabilities in writing to Sandra Dueck electronically to:
[email protected]. Responses must be received no later than August 18, 2021 10:00 am PT. All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Firms responding must indicate the following information: Indicate the business size: small business or disadvantaged business, veteran owned small business or HUB Zone certified, indicate the appropriate NAICS code, and DUNS number. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This synopsis should not be construed as commitment by the Government for any purpose other than market research.