SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Prairie Grass Seed Production Plots and Experimental Restoration
- Notice Date
- 12/12/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 115112
— Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating
- Contracting Office
- USACE District, Memphis, 167 North Main Street, Rm B202, Memphis, TN 38103-1894
- ZIP Code
- 38103-1894
- Solicitation Number
- W912EQ-14-S-0003
- Response Due
- 12/17/2013
- Archive Date
- 2/10/2014
- Point of Contact
- Jackie Primer, 1-901-544-3340
- E-Mail Address
-
USACE District, Memphis
(jackie.primer@mvm02.usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total HBCU / MI
- Description
- W912EQ-14-S-0003 USACE Memphis District Prairie Grass Seed Production Plots and Experimental Restoration) THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS OR DRAWINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. RESPONSE DATE: December 17, 2013 NAICS: 115112 POINT OF CONTACT: Jackie.Primer@usace.army.mil Responses due NO Later than 3:00 p.m. central standard time December 17, 2013. This is a Sources Sought Notice is for informational purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, QUOTATIONS OR BIDS. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, requests comments concerning its requirement for contractor to establish Prairie Grass Seed Production Plots and Experimental Restoration as described in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). This proposed effort is being considered as 100 percent set aside for Minority Institutions (MIs), as defined by the clause 252.226-7000 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. The government will consider these comments and plans to issue a formal solicitation or award as a sole source requirement, depending on responses. Responses to this sources sought announcement will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this announcement, if the Government still plans to proceed with the acquisitions, and after approval of the associated acquisition plan, a solicitation announcement will be published in the Federal Business Opportunity for this requirement. NO SOLICITATION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. All interested offerors will have the opportunity to respond to any solicitation announcements at a later time. This notice is to assist the Memphis District, Corps of Engineers in determining potential sources and to obtain industry comment on the Performance Work Statement. This sources sought announcement is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. Point of Contact Comments are to be sent either via email to Jackie.Primer@usace.army.mil or submit hard copy to the Contracting Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 167 N. Main Street B-202, Memphis, TN 38103 no later than 4:00 p.m. central standard time December 17, 2013. NO APPOINTMENTS OR TELEPHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Performance Work Statement (PWS): 1.0 General information and Background 1.1The work required by this contract includes furnishing all labor, management, transportation, supplies, planting stock, storage facilities and equipment for plot expansion, seed harvesting, seed testing, restoration experiments and prairie restoration for the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project (GPADP) - Bayou Meto Basin Element. 1.2The GPADP - Bayou Meto Basin Element is within a region that historically contained 400,000 acres of tall-grass prairie. To help recreate the native prairie ecosystem, restoration of native prairie will be a major environmental feature of both projects. Prairie restoration efforts will focus on the establishment of the four grasses that historically dominated the Grand Prairie region: big bluestem, little bluestem, indiangrass, and switchgrass. A study by Southern Illinois University at Carbondale provides evidence that local prairie grasses are genetically different from commercially available grasses. Therefore, seeds from local populations of prairie grasses will be used for planting to restore genotypes that evolved specifically within the Grand Prairie region as a result of many years of geographic isolation. 1.3The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) has collected seeds from local prairie remnants; established single-species plots of the four dominant grasses at its experimental farm in Lonoke, Arkansas; harvested seeds from established seed-production plots and local prairie remnants; and conducted viability and germination tests on harvested seeds. UAPB production fields have plots dedicated to each of the four major species to be produced by this project: switchgrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, and indiangrass. UAPB also maintains mixed-species prairie grass plots at the Lonoke farm. 2Performance Work Statement. 2.1All of the Contractor plots covered by this contract will be used as seed sources during prairie grass restoration efforts to insure that an adequate supply of seeds is available during construction of the GPADP. Also, experimental plantings of prairie grasses must be conducted in order to determine the best method(s) for restoring prairie grasses on irrigation canals and reservoir levees. UAPB will also utilize their Small Farm Outreach Program to begin to establish a seed production program with private landowners. Contractor will be responsible for planting the harvested seeds on 62 acres of completed canals and levees and also on 50 acres of upland prairie, as part of the restoration efforts for the GPADP. 2.2During the growing seasons of 2012 through 2016, existing seed-production plots will be cultivated, weeded (both mechanically and with herbicide), fertilized and irrigated to achieve maximum survival and production. 2.3During each September, October, and November UAPB will harvest seed from the production plots and local prairie remnants, determine quantities, and store seeds in a cool (30-40 degrees F), dry environment. From December to February, seeds from production plots and existing prairies will be tested for viability and germination rate. 2.4During each fall and spring, experimental plantings of various prairie grasses will be conducted at Contractor's Lonoke farm to determine the best method(s) for restoring native upland and wetland prairie. In addition, control plantings of other grasses will be made in order to compare the soil retention properties of prairie grasses to other species. 2.5The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Memphis District shall have exclusive rights to the use of all prairie grass seeds collected from UAPB and private landowner seed-production plots established under this contract or collected from existing prairie remnants under this contract until construction of the GPADP, including all environmental features, has been completed. 3Care, handling and Storage of Collected Seeds 3.1The Contractor shall provide adequate storage of seeds from the time collected until the time the seeds are in the care of the Government or replanted. Care, handling and storage of collected seed shall be in a manner best suited for the type of seeds based on research of the contractor. Seeds shall normally store seeds in a cool (30-40 degrees F), dry environment. However, Contractor shall maintain seed in the best manner that protects seed from moisture and other weather conditions and elements that may cause contamination or increased degradation of seeds. 3.2Contractor shall clean, process, mix, store and maintain collected seed not replanted throughout the life of this contract, or until the Government accepts seeds from contractor. 4. Native Prairie Grass Seed Planting Requirements. 4.1UAPB shall plant 25 acres in 2015 and 87 acres in 2016 for the BPADP. All equipment, labor, management, and overhead shall be provided by UAPB including seed, tractors, specialized seed drills, discs, hydro seeders, tackifers, trailers, storage facilities, land costs, prairie seed hay, rice or wheat hay, cultipackers, and broadcasters to plant and establish the prairie grass turf. 4.2The acreage and quantities required for planting are shown in Table 1 included below. 4.3Seeds shall be planted at the rate best determined by the Contractor in order to meet the Government seed requirements per year. 4.4Contractor shall conduct one fall and one spring planting of prairie grass each contract period indicated in section 4.1 of this PWS. 5.Inspection and Acceptance. 5.1Inspection of work performed under this contact shall be made by the Government representative or by the designated inspector(s), during seed collecting/planting activities. Inspections may consist of regular visual inspection of the collected seeds and post-collection seed handling and storage 5.2It is inherent in native seed collecting that some collection area will have less available plant material than others and that the poor weather conditions will affect the ability to collect. A degree of allowance will be made should low availability of seed result in not meeting the minimum target of 30 pounds per acre. Bad weather days have been considered for the purposes of this contract. 5.3It is inherent in native seed planting that some planting areas may have soil wetness limitations delaying planting time or excessive debris impeding safe equipment operation and good seed/soil contact which may decrease the target acres. An allowance will be made should either of the aforementioned conditions exist. 5.4The Contractor shall inform the COR/Government representative once the planting is done or seeds collected. 5.5Satisfactory Seed Collection - Seeds will be considered satisfactory when the seeds are collected free of debris, dry and has forms documenting its collection. Required documentation that has been completed and given to the COR or Inspector will be considered satisfactory. 5.6Unsatisfactory Seed Collection - Seeds that are not cleaned or are stored with excessive debris, pine needles or leaves. Seeds that are stored in a wet or exposed to moisture are considered unacceptable. Required documentation that is not completed or has not been delivered is considered unsatisfactory. 5.7Satisfactory Seed Planting - All seed (in pounds) have been planted evenly across the site, or in a better manner based on Contractor's research for the type of Native grass planted using the appropriate type of equipment. Required documentation of the better planting method must be submitted to the Government or documented and reported to the Government. 5.8Unsatisfactory Seed Planting - Seed is distributed unevenly across the site indicating repeated passes over the same area or that equipment was not monitored to ensure seed was planted correctly. Seed that has been planted too deep or seed has not been pressed firmly into the soil indicating improper equipment use will be considered unsatisfactory. Planting wet seed is unsatisfactory. Planting too much seed per acre due to improper calibration of equipment will be considered unsatisfactory. Required documentation that is not complete or has not been delivered to the Government will be considered unsatisfactory. 5.9Method of Measurement - Pounds of Native Prairie Grass Seeds collected shall be based on a standard U.S. pound. Acres of native prairie seed planted will be based upon a standard acre (43,560 square feet). 6.Quality Assurance 6.1The Contractor shall establish and maintain quality control for planting operations and all other related operations to assure compliance with the Performance Work Statement. The Contract shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The Contractor shall inspect for compliance with contract requirements as necessary during planting and storage operations and record the status of all operations, including but not limited to the layout, planting and storage of all the native prairie grass seeds. 6.2A copy of these quality control records, as well as the record of corrective action taken, shall be furnished to the Government as directed by the COR/Government inspector. 7.Deliverables 7.1Contractor shall provide, within 30 days after the end of each contract period, five copies of a final report to the USACE Memphis District documenting all procedures followed and results obtained from work carried out during that contract period. The reports shall clearly document the requirements for seed plot establishment and expansion. They shall also record the materials and methods used to perform the experimental plantings and document the results of the experiments. The final reports shall document the amount of prairie seed stored and prairie established on the GPADP. 7.2Quality assurance control records indicating quality control of planting operations and storage operations shall be submitted to the COR/Government inspector within 30 days after the end of each contract period. 8.Basis of Payment 8.1Payment shall be made at the unit negotiated price for the total number of satisfactory inspected pounds of native prairie grass seed, mulch and number of acres of satisfactorily planted with prairie grass seed less the following: 1.Value of the seed collected (unreturned or damaged). 2.Value of seed damaged due to poor or improper storage conditions. 3.Number of Lbs of mulch less than required per acre. 4.Contractor shall receive NO payment for unacceptable seed or poor planting technique. 8.2Payment shall also be made based on the acres maintained for prairie grass production but not used in production due to the Government request (Loss of Revenue) at the negotiated price per acre. 8.3 In addition, payment shall be made for based on a lump sum price per year for the development of seed planting, restoration, and research experiments to develop optimal methods to establish cordgrass and eastern gamma grass. The responses to this SOURCES SOUGHT synopsis are to be forwarded to: Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, Attn: CECT-MVM (Jackie Primer), 167 N. Main Street B-202. Responses must be received no later than Friday, December 17, 2013 by 3:00 P.M., CST.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA66/W912EQ-14-S-0003/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USACE District, Memphis 167 North Main Street, Rm B202, Memphis TN
- Zip Code: 38103-1894
- Zip Code: 38103-1894
- Record
- SN03250540-W 20131214/131212234629-a4fc731fa26785c32c0ccdec774f00bd (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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