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AMENDMENT 0001 (Dated 08/11/2023):

This amendment (0001) is being issued to update the minimum quantity from 40 tons to 15 tons. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number 12505B23Q0276 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-04. The associated NAICS code is 111140 – Wheat Farming, with a small business size standard of less than $2.25 Million and the PSC code is 8710. This solicitation is a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has need of the following product:

001) Straw Large Square Bales

Scope of Work:

The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS) Midwest Area (MWA) Administrative Office's Acquisitions & Personal Property/Fleet Team on behalf of the USDA-ARS Animal Resources Unit of the National Animal Disease Center (NADC) located at 1920 Dayton Avenue, Building 13, Ames, IA 50010 is requesting quotes for straw large square bales with delivery coverage of 09/08/2023 through 09/07/2024.

Background:

The mission of the USDA-National Animal Disease Center Animal Resources unit in Ames, IA is to provide animal care and support services for internal users that rely in animal products for research, testing and training. Fresh, clean, high quality straw large bales are required for daily care and ensuring of animal well-being of a variety of animals used in laboratory research at the USDA Laboratories in Ames, IA.

Technical Requirements:

Specifications for Straw Large Square Bales

The straw shall be US Grade No. 1, wheat or oat straw in accordance with the “Handbook of Official Hay & Straw Standards”, revised effective July 1, 1949, of the United States Department of Agriculture, Production and Marketing Administration, Grain Division.

The straw must be from year 2023 or 2024 crop and meet the specifications listed below.

No straw will be accepted that is of poor construction, moldy, weathered, weedy, wet, or shows evidence of storage on dirt floor. Straw shall not contain foreign material that may be injurious to livestock.

The straw shall be satisfactorily baled with rot-proof twine making a 3’ X 3’ X 8’, 3’ X 4’ X 8’, or a 4’ X 4’ X 8’ bale. Bales that are ragged or bales having twine of unequal tension, which makes it difficult to handle, will not be acceptable. ROUND BALES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.

Anticipated usage: Minimum 15 tons and not to exceed 120 tons.

Storage:

If the straw is not delivered directly from the field the successful quoter shall store the straw at no additional cost to the Government until such time as all deliveries have been made and the contract has been completed.

Inspection:

The Government reserves the right to inspect the premises and origin of straw before, and at any time after the contract is consummated to assure that the straw is not being contaminated with dangerous pathogens. The Government reserves the right to make inspection of fields and barns where the straw is being stored, and the bales to determine quality and freedom from animal contaminations and also to assure that the Contractor’s operations will meet conditions required.

Final inspection will be made at time of delivery to the National Animal Disease Center, and the straw must meet specifications & requirements as specified herein or it will not be accepted. It will be required that the straw not be unloaded until inspected and approved by Government personnel.

NOTE: The straw large square bales will be used to care for animals in the conduction of research. No substitution or deviation from the specifications is permissible without approval from the USDA. Only clean, high-quality ingredients are to be used. Combining/Blending with like ingredients of low quality or possible contamination is not acceptable. This would include but not limited to mold and mycotoxins within feed ingredients.

Security Requirements:

Contractor will require state-issued identification to gain access to the facility for escorted delivery to the straw storage building.

The following rules and regulations apply to all property at the NCAH, Ames, Iowa, under the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and to all persons entering on such property.

Admission to Property: The campus is closed to the general public. Admission to the facility is restricted to authorized persons and approved visitors. Upon entry, visitors:

1. Will be required to present Government or other identifying credentials to the Officer at the Visitor Gate (photo driver’s license, passport, or other official photo identification).


2. Will be issued a visitor’s badge and must wear and display the badge at all times while visiting the facilities.

Delivery Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide all resourced necessary to accomplish the tasks and deliverables described in the Statement of Work. Delivery shall be direct from fields or barns via clean vehicles not used for transportation of livestock. Shipment by rail is not acceptable. Deliveries shall be made to: USDA, ARS, MWA, NADC, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Building 13, Ames, Iowa 50010. Deliveries shall be made during normal business hours of 7:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. If the Monday is a Federal Holiday or the Observance of the Federal Holiday, then the delivery will be made on Tuesday of that week. The Contractor shall make deliveries within five (5) working days after receipt of a written order from an authorized Government employee. Partial deliveries of a minimum quantity may be requested.

Contractor to confirm delivery timeline within 3 business days of placement of order. It is requested that contractor call “TBD at time of award” at least 48 hours prior to delivery.

It is required by the ICC that both the empty and loaded weight must be obtained from the same weighing station. The Contractor shall provide the Government with a certified copy of the loaded weight ticket at the time of each delivery, which must be obtained at an Official Weighing Station with the firm’s name inscribed on the weigh ticket.

A DELIVERY TICKET must accompany the weigh ticket also, allowing for a signature of a person making the delivery and a signature of government personnel receiving the hay. The delivery ticket must list the number of bales per load.

The Government will be responsible for unloading the bales from the vendor’s vehicle and stacking the bales in an area designated by the Government.

Period of Coverage: 09/08/2023 through 09/07/2024.

Key Deliverables:

• Straw Large Square Bales; Minimum: 15 tons, Maximum: 120 tons.

Evaluation Factors:

Pursuant to FAR 52.212-2, the criteria for evaluation and basis for award will be Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA). Technical acceptable is define as meeting ALL of the technical requirements identified on the Statement of Work and reiterated in the solicitation description. The Government intends to make one Firm-Fixed Price award based on the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) quote received. "LPTA" means the best value is expected to result from selection of the technically acceptable quote with the lowest evaluated price. The lowest priced quote will be evaluated first; if NOT found technically acceptable, the next lowest priced quote will be evaluated, and so on until a technically acceptable quote is identified. The Government will NOT review higher priced quotes if the lowest (or a lower) priced quote is determined to be technically acceptable.

Submitting a Quote:

Failure to demonstrate compliance with ALL instructions presented herein will constitute sufficient cause to reject a quote without further discussions. All responsible sources may submit a quote which will be put into considered for award.

Vendors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote in accordance with FAR 52.212-1. The applicable FAR clauses and provisions for this acquisition are included in the attachments to this solicitation. The Government anticipates making one Firm-Fixed Price award.

Vendors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote along with all other requested and required documentation (such as completed FAR provisions) to be included as part of ALL offeror’s responses. The quote should include any and all fees, charges, and/or surcharges. This will be a tax-exempt purchase.

The solicitation attachments include FAR clauses, a Statement of Work, and FAR provisions. Be sure to read and review ALL of the attachments and to complete any and ALL additional documentation required as part of your quote submission. Of critical importance is to review the SOW as it contains the requirements for this acquisition.

In addition, all submissions should include the FAR clauses and provisions completed in their entirety. The FAR clauses and provisions constitute the terms and conditions for submitting a quote in response to this solicitation as well as the terms and conditions of the anticipated award. The FAR provisions apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes. The FAR clauses apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes as well as to the resulting award. The FAR clauses will be included as part of the resulting award. Please review ALL of the FAR clauses and provisions and be certain to complete all of the FAR clauses and provisions that require the offerors impute (i.e. all boxes are checked, blanks are filled in, and tables are completed). Please provide a completed copy of the FAR provisions FAR 52.204-24 (Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment) and FAR 52.212-3 (Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Products and Commercial Services), with all quote.

Please ensure your quote will be current and that the price quoted will NOT expire for a minimum of 30 days.

To be eligible to be put into consideration for award, ALL vendors who respond to this solicitation must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration at the time their quote is submitted. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is required in order to register. Vendors must also include their UEI# on their quote. Vendors should also include their SAM status as well as the business size and socio-economic status(es) for the applicable NAICS code.

Also, be certain all quotes included your full legal name, physical address, individual unit prices for all items quoted, the total quoted price, the quote submission date, the quote expiration date, and all other relevant information.

The submission and payment of invoices on the resulting award will be made through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). As such, vendors must be currently registered or register in IPP in order to be able to submit and receive payment on invoices for the resulting award.

Questions in regards to this combined synopsis/solicitation must be submitted through email to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov (NO calls with questions will be accepted) and are due by NO later than Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 11:59 PM Central Time (CT). Answers to any questions received by that time will be posted as an amendment to this combined synopsis/solicitation. No questions will be answered after this date unless determined to be in the best interest of the Government.

Only electronic submissions made via email will be accepted (NO verbal quotes made by phone call, quotes submitted by USPS mail, or quotes submitted in the body of an email). Please email all quotes in writing along with completed FAR provisions as well as ALL other requested and required documentation to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by NO later than Monday, August 21, 2023 at 11:59 PM Central Time (CT).

NOTE: Be absolutely certain to reference the RFQ number “12505B23Q0276” and/or title of the solicitation “Straw Large Square Bales IDIQ” in the subject, body, and/or attachments on your quote submission email to ensure your submission can be located and attributed to this solicitation. Failure to do so could potentially result in your submission being deemed “unresponsive” and as a result your quote may NOT be put into consideration for award (as your quote may NOT be located when searching the recipients email to ensure all responses to the solicitation have been logged before making an award determination).

Attachments/Links