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 12505B21Q0160 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-07. This solicitation will be a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside. The associated NAICS code is 334513 Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying and Controlling Industrial Process Variables business size standard of 750 employees and the PSC code is 6680.

The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following products and services:

Scope of Work: Purpose is to procure four multiparameter water quality sondes with real-time nitrate, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen sensors. The sondes will allow to measure additional water quality variables in subsurface drainage systems, particularly in settings where there is drainage water management. This will improve our understanding of nutrient and hydrologic dynamics in these systems.

            Background:  SDRU is conducting research in Northwest and Central, Ohio to examine how agricultural conservation practices impact nutrient losses at the edge-of-field. The data collected from the sondes will add to our existing dataset to better understand how drainage water management impacts hydrologic losses from agricultural fields in Ohio. The data collected from these sondes can also be used for existing and new projects with LTAR, Ohio State University, University of Kentucky, and other research institutions in which our unit collaborates with.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

            Technical Requirements/Tasks:  Provide and deliver four water quality sondes with sensors with the following characteristics/capabilities:

• The sondes should be equipped with 5 sensor ports with a central wiper with a depth range of 0-10meters
• The sondes should include a nitrate sensor that uses UV LEDS
• The sondes should include a turbidity sensor that reads from 0-4000FNU
• The sondes should include an optical DO sensor
• The sondes should include a conductivity and temperature sensor
• The sondes should include a 10 meter flying lead cable

       Deliverables / Schedule:  The drone should be delivered before September 1st to be deployed for field testing.

            Sondes and sensors components.                      

Multiparameter Sondes

Conductivity/Temperature sensors

 Optical DO sensors

Turbidity sensors

Central Wiper

Nitrate UV LED sensor

10meter Flying Lead Cable

Signal output adapter-USB

Conductivity Calibrator

Turbidity STD

Nitrate Calibration standard 10mg/L

Delivery location:   USDA/ARS; Attn: Jedediah Stinner, 590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Evaluation Factors: The government intends to award a firm-fixed price award based on the lowest price technically acceptable service. The lowest priced service will be evaluated first; if not found acceptable, the next lowest priced service will be evaluated, and so on until an acceptable service is identified. The government will not review higher priced services if the lowest priced service is determined to be technically acceptable. For a vendor’s services to be considered technically acceptable, they must meet all of the technical requirements identified in the solicitation.

The vendor shall provide all items F.O.B: destination. The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract.

Submitting a Quote:

To be eligible for an award, all contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration. A contractor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A DUNS (Dun and Bradstreet) number is required in order to register. Vendor must also include their DUNS# on their quote.

Also, to be eligible, all vendors must be NDAA 889 Certified. If they do not currently have a NDAA 889 Certification, then they must complete the attached NDAA 889 Certification form and submit it to [email protected] so that they can be added to the list of NDAA 889 Certified vendors.

The submission and payment of invoices on the resulting contract 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 contract.  

Offerors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote on SF 1449 (see attached). The quote should include all fees, delivery charges, and/or surcharges.

Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Please email all quotes in writing on the SF 1449 to [email protected] by no later than  September 27, 2021 at 4:00 PM Central Standard Time. Questions in regard to this combined synopsis/solicitation must be submitted through email and are due no later than 12:00 PM CST on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. Answers to any questions received by that time will be posted as an amendment to this combined synopsis/solicitation.