Notice to Small Businesses

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified small business concerns. Agricultural Research Services intends to provide maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small businesses.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is conducting a market survey to assess the availability of small business firms as defined by NAICS code 112990 that has the capability to provide beneficial insects.  This notification is for market research purposes and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement will be accomplished.

ARS welcomes responses from all interested parties. ARS does not intend to make a selection decision or award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted of ARS's use of such information. Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the outcome of the ARS's review of the information received. Additionally, the ARS does not intend to hold discussions concerning this sources sought with any interested parties. However, ARS reserves the right to contact vendors if additional information is required.

The USDA, ARS, Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Center in Fort Deterick, Maryland has an interest in forming a contract for beneficial insects for the use in both bio-containment and regular greenhouse environments to control pests that threaten plants used in critical foreign disease research.

This sources sought is seeking total small business interest in an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for 1 year plus 4 option years.

The prospective contractor should be able to provide required insect species (below) and shipped in the appropriate stage of life cycle.  The contractor should be able to ship bi-weekly with date of receipt to location on Thursday.  This contract will require minimum packaging and shipping times in order to sustain viability and lessen mortality in transit to location at Fort Detrick, Maryland. 

Insects for the contract will include:

Neoseilulus cucumeris at 50,000 per container;
Neoseilulus californicus at 2,000 per container;
ScanMask (sprayable) at 5 million per container;
Atheta coriaria at 100 per container;
Phytoselulus persimilis at 2,000 per container;
Encarsia Formosa at 1,000 per container;
Pink Lady Bug Larvae at 25 per container;
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri at 100 per container;
Steinernema feltiae at 250 million per container.

Contractors that believe they possess the ability to provide the required insects must submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the characteristics listed above to the Contracting Officer (i.e. brochure, information on equipment that meets specifications, etc.) The capability statement must also include the organization name, type of business, DUNS number, point of contact name/telephone number/email address, and applicable NAICS code.

Capability statements that do not provide sufficient information for assessment will be considered non-responsive. When submitting the information, please reference the solicitation number AG-32SC-SS-15-755716.

Responses must be submitted via email to Kristen Turner at [email protected] by 12:00 pm CST on September 9, 2015.

Bid Protests Not Available