SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- USDA-RMA Crop Insurance Feasibility - Melons & Lawn Seed
- Notice Date
- 1/7/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Minerals Management Service GovWorks (Franchise) 381 Elden Street, MS 2510 Herndon VA 20170
- ZIP Code
- 20170
- Solicitation Number
- 1435-04-03-RP-71248
- Archive Date
- 1/7/2004
- Point of Contact
- Dick Bolick Contract Specialist 7037871395 richard.bolick@mms.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Point of Contact above or IDEASEC HELP DESK
(EC_helpdesk@NBC.GOV)
- Description
- PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE NOTICE CAREFULLY, AS IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY NOTICE THAT WILL BE ISSUED. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulations Subpart 12.6 and the provisions of Subpart 13.5, Test Program for Certain Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-11. The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: 1) 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial; 2) 52.212-3, Offeror, Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items; 3) 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, with an addendum; and 4) 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. Solicitation Number 1435-04-03-RP-71248 applies; the solicitation is issued as a request for proposals (RFP). BACKGROUND: In 1998 and 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), established several pilot programs to evaluate crop yield and cost-incurrence coverage for limited resource farmers of certain crops. Melons and lawn seed are not currently among them. The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is seeking research, feasibility and design reports on the potential for establishing crop insurance programs to support growers of melons and lawn seed. This solicitation consists of two line items. Prospective Offerors may propose on one or both line items, but each line item must be proposed separately. ITEM 1. Melons. In 1999 a yield-based crop insurance pilot program was established for melons. The pilot program had approximately 400 policies sold covering 78,000 acres for the 1999 crop year. The program was subsequently terminated due to a perceived negative economic impact on the melon market as well as fraud and abuse issues, leaving producers without a crop insurance program available. This RFP is to provide information to determine if a melon program is feasible. The Contractor shall research the feasibility of development of a crop insurance program for melons, and for recommending a program design if it is in fact feasible to do so. Research encompasses identifying strategies for product development for melons; the process used to eliminate strategies not recommended as best; and the justification used to select the recommended strategy (including a possible recommendation of no further development) in relation to possible product development. The contractor shall produce a research and program design report for melons. The work will require skills and experience in: project planning, scheduling, and quality control; interviewing techniques; active listening skills; categorizing, analyzing, and summarizing verbal information; data collection and analyses; cost benefit analyses; research; critical thinking; innovative problem solving techniques; oral presentations; and report writing. The task will also require travel. The government anticipates that this will be a Fixed-Price award. ITEM 2. Lawn Seed. This is the first in what may be a series of contract awards intended to ultimately result in a new crop insurance program for producers of lawn seed. A lawn seed crop insurance program is not currently available for producers. This project will require the contractor to investigate the practices and management that producers follow in the production of lawn seed, and will assist RMA in determining the feasibility and design for a crop insurance program to meet the needs of producers of lawn seed. The objective is to provide RMA a research and feasibility report that recommends the best approach to develop a crop insurance program for producers of lawn seed. In conducting this study, the Contractor shall investigate lawn seed production management practices and other data, develop prioritized options, and recommend courses of action to be used by RMA to decide on a strategy for developing a crop insurance program to meet lawn seed producers' needs. This task will involve interviews; travel; data collection, validation and analysis; listening sessions; statistical modeling; and report writing. The Government anticipates that this will be a Time & Materials award. OBJECTIVE. The primary objective of these requirements is to secure the services of technical experts who will provide RMA with the necessary information and resources to determine whether and how to establish crop insurance programs in support of melon and lawn seed growers. Offeror(s) shall include quality control standards for the successful accomplishment of the required tasks, a method to monitor and report task progress, corrective actions to be taken to meet deliverable dates if tasks are off schedule, and a quality control matrix of the productive hours for each skill type that will be devoted to quality control on each. FOR AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE COMPLETE SOWs FOR THIS RFP, PLEASE GO TO http://www.govworks.gov/vendor/csolicit.asp AND LOOK UP THIS RFP NUMBER: 1435-04-03-RP-71248. Period of Performance varies. Item 1 is 215 days from contract award, and for Item 2 is 265 days from date of award. See specific SOW documents for details. HOW TO RESPOND: In order to compete for these contracts, interested parties must demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the work by providing, by 3:00 P.M., EST, February 6, 2003, a CAPABILITIES STATEMENT detailing: (1) your key personnel (those who would have primary responsibility for performing and/or managing the effort, including subcontractors) with their qualifications and specific experience; (2) specific organizational experience for previous work of this nature that your key personnel or organization have performed within the last two years; and (3) overall past performance including specific references (include contract number & project description, period of performance, dollar amount, client identification with the point of contact & telephone number). References will be checked. Capabilities Statements will be evaluated based on; (i) key personnel skills, abilities and experience; (ii) your organization's experience and (iii) past performance (including number, size, and complexity of similar projects), adherence to schedules and budgets, effectiveness of program management, willingness to cooperate when difficulties arise, general compliance with the terms of the contracts, and acceptability of delivered products. Submit your Capability Statement in seven hard copies, plus one electronic copy on CD or diskette in MS Word format to the MMS POC at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, MS 2500, 381 ELDEN STREET, HERNDON, VIRGINIA 20170, ATTENTION: RICHARD P. BOLICK. Following review of all Capability Statements, organizations judged to have the past experience, organizational capabilities and key personnel to perform the work will be invited to give an oral technical presentation and provide a written proposal. The oral presentation will be a one-hour discussion of the offeror's plan for performing the work, plus a question and answer session afterward, wherein the government will query the offeror on its proposed plan and capabilities. PRESENTATIONS WILL TENTATIVELY BE SCHEDULED THE WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2003, AT THE RMA OFFICES IN KANSAS CITY. NOTIFICATION OF EXACT TIME, DATE AND LOCATION WILL BE SUPPLIED BY FEBRUARY 21, 2003. Written offers are to consist of (A) A TECHNICAL PROPOSAL that includes: (1) Discussion of the background, objectives, and work requirements of the statement of work as analyzed by the Offeror; (2) Discussion of proposed methods and techniques for completing each task; (3) Discussion which supports how each task will be evaluated for full performance and acceptability of work from the Offeror's viewpoint. (4) Discussion of any anticipated major difficulties and problem areas, along with potential recommended approaches for their resolution. The Technical Proposal has a Page Limit of ten (10) pages. Any documentation in excess of the ten (10) page limit will not be evaluated. (B) A COST PROPOSAL, which shall be a separate volume from the written portion of the Technical Proposal. The Cost Proposal shall clearly indicate the proposed labor categories, hours, and rates for this effort. (C) The completed OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS per FAR subpart 52.212-3. EVALUATION. Please see the specific SOW document for each Line Item for the evaluation criteria and proposal preparation instructions. CONTRACT AWARD. Contract award(s) shall be made to the responsible Offeror(s) whose offer(s), in conforming to this RFP, provides an overall best value to the Government, technical evaluation factors and cost considered. The Government's objective is to obtain the highest technical quality considered necessary to achieve the project objectives, with a realistic and reasonable cost. Technical evaluation factors are more important than cost; however, between proposals that are evaluated as technically equal in quality, cost will become a major consideration in selecting the successful Offeror. Please submit seven (7) hard copy offers plus one electronic copy on CD or diskette in MS Office format to the following address. FINAL PROPOSALS ARE DUE BY 3:00 PM MARCH 28, 2003, AT DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, MS 2500, 381 ELDEN STREET, HERNDON, VIRGINIA 20170, ATTENTION: RICHARD P. BOLICK. Please note that MMS/GovWorks is located in a secure building. If offers are hand delivered, please ensure that the courier is instructed to use the courtesy phone in the rear of the lobby (to the right of the elevators) to call the Branch on extension 1354. A staff member will meet the courier to receive the submittal. Questions should be sent via fax or Email as soon as possible to: Richard P. Bolick, Fax (703) 787-1009 or Email: richard.bolick @mms.gov. Please include with your question(s) your full name, this RFP number & title, your organization, complete address with telephone and fax numbers. TELEPHONIC QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. The referenced provisions and clauses can be viewed at www.arnet.gov.
- Web Link
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Please click here to view more details.
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- Record
- SN00235062-W 20030109/030107213611 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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