SYNOPSIS/NOTICE OF INTENT The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water (OW), has a requirement for the analysis and reporting of the current practices utilized by the Dairy Industry to protect water quality, creation of a best practices report relying on case studies from the 2014 Dairy Sustainability Award Program and the establishment of criteria for a water quality award. The Government intends to award a sole source Purchase Order to Diary Science Institute, Inc., in early March 2014. The period of performance for this award will consist of twelve (12) months and will not exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. Performance shall commence no later than 10 days from the date of award and shall consist of the following deliverables: 1. Research and analyze practices that are currently employed or have the potential to be employed on dairy farms to protect water quality, including: a. Practices that can be included in existing FarmSmart on-farm environmental management decision support tool; b. Practices specifically applicable for small diary producers; c. Practices that facilitate nutrient recovery and utilization from anaerobic digesters and other on-farm manure management systems; and d. Provide a report outlining information found and results of the analysis performed on practices that are currently employed on dairy farms to protect water quality. 2. Study behavioral changes and drivers for such changes to protect water quality that are associated with diary owners and operators. a. Create a lessons learned document from The ?U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards? Program which recognizes dairy farms, businesses and collaborative partnerships for efforts that deliver outstanding benefits to business, communities and environment; b. Create case studies of the 2014 Dairy Sustainability Award Program recipients; c. Consider environmental stewardship, operational efficiency and market access among such drivers; and d. Provide a report which outlines all lessons learned and case studies of the 2014 Dairy Sustainability Award Program recipients. 3. Develop an award category for water quality and integrate into the existing Innovation Center?s Dairy Sustainability Award Program, including: a. Establish criteria for the water quality award category; and b. Identify potential practices to be acknowledged and possible recipients. Market research has revealed no other service from any other single vendor with the comparable abilities to provide these requirements. Also, there were no substitutes found that could replacement the requirements as required. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities. In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b), other than full and open competition is authorized when there is only one responsible source and no other supplies and services will satisfy agency requirements. This is a NOTICE OF INTENT; however, interested parties may submit a capability statement or quotation via e-mail to
[email protected], and shall be considered by the Agency until Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 at 12:00pm (Eastern). The written response shall include a general statement for services and deliverables as described in this announcement. Also include past performance information for relevant work. A determination by the Government to compete this proposed purchase order 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 requirement.