Sole-Source contract to control or manage noxious vegetation at Reclamation facilities

FEDBIZOPS -- Special Notice The Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Columbia Cascades Area Office, Bend field Office (BFO) intends to negotiate one sole-source contract to control or manage noxious vegetation at Reclamation facilities within the Bend Field Office jurisdiction: Rogue River Project (Agate, Emigrant, and Howard Prairie Lakes), Crooked River Project (Prineville Reservoir), and Deschutes Project (Wickiup, Crane Prairie and Haystack Reservoirs), through an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. One contract will be negotiated with Crook County, Oregon. The NAICS code for this requirement is 926140, Agricultural pest & Weed Regulation, Govt., and the small business size standard is not applicable, Reclamation has determined under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, that the Crook County Weed Control possesses the unique qualifications for these services for Bureau of Reclamation lands in Oregon. The unique source determination is based on the following: The nature of the required work is complex, continuous, and at a program management level. Persons contracted for this work must understand Reclamation's mission and land management needs. The Work involves considerably more than just spraying noxious weeds on Reclamation lands. The supplies and services required by Reclamation through the BFO for operation of the IPM are: (1) technically uncommon and not widely available commercially (expertise in plant identification, herbicides, biological control agents, and the regulations which govern them, and state applicator certifications for field work); (2) required to be implemented across a large geographic scale (across four counties spanning hundreds of miles and several very different physiographic provinces); (3) broad in scope (chemical, biological, and regulatory expertise) and require familiarity with the coordination needs and on-going efforts of county, state, and federal weed control personnel; (4) are not readily available from a private sector contractor. To appeal to private sector contractors, the scope of work for Reclamation's IPM program would have to be significantly simplified, greatly reduced in geographic scope, and reduced in its expectation that Reclamation's IPM mission would be addressed. The resulting contracts would be larger in overall number, smaller in dollar amounts, and more geographically and work specific. Reclamation's IPM program extends significantly beyond weed spraying, and needs to be managed effectively within the larger context of the state and the region, and across local, state, and other federal jurisdictions. To achieve consistency in IPM programs across all levels, a management partnership with state and county-level organizations is the most efficient alternative. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and award of this requirement will not be delayed to qualify a new contractor. Firms believing they can provide the services listed above must provide written notification to the Contracting Officer with supporting evidence to that effect in sufficient detail to demonstrate the respondent's ability to meet the stated requirements. All responses received within 15 days of this notice will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Inquiries will be accepted by electronic mail to [email protected] or fax 208/378-5108.