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AMENDMENT 0001 (Dated 09/15/2023):

This amendment (0001) is being issued to add a question and answer document to Attachments/Links. 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 12505B23Q0365 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-05. The associated NAICS is 326199 - All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of less than 750 employees and the PSC is 9330. 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:

• Greenhouse Seeding Trays

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 Cereal Disease Lab (CDL) located at 1551 Lindig Street, Saint Paul, MN 55108 is requesting quotes for 6,800 greenhouse seeding trays

Technical Requirements:

• The tray dimensions must be no more than 1.1” deep; 6.4” x 9.2”.


• Trays are used in a greenhouse setting to hold sets of 2x3 3" square pots (6 total pots) and ~ 500 mL of water.


• Trays must be able to hold the pots in place with minimal sliding.


• No holes or voids in/on tray.


• Trays are exposed to high UV settings and must be made of UV resistant material.


• Trays are to be no thinner than 4 mil and are ideally produced from material that is 5-6 mil thick.


• Trays must have a directional indicator (chamfered corner, etc.) on one of the two narrower sides.


• Wringing (sticking together) of stacked trays must be reduced as much as feasible.


• Trays must be designed in such a way as to withstand torsion, as the trays are often handled with one hand from a corner or single side when tray/pot combos are being moved.

• Edges of tray must be smooth to not cut through gloves.


• Trays must be made form UV‐resistant high impact polystrene (HIPS)

Key Deliverables:

• Greenhouse Seeding Trays; Qty: 6,800


• Delivery

Delivery:

Delivery is to be made to the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Lab (CDL) located at 1551 Lindig Street, Saint Paul, MN 55108 within 120 days of award.

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 may 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 are to submit their quote in accordance with FAR 52.212-1. The applicable FAR/AGAR clauses and provisions 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/AGAR clauses and provisions) that are 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 a fillable PDF, additional information, FAR/AGAR clauses, a Statement of Work (SOW), a sole source justification (for YSI products), and FAR/AGAR 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.

The FAR/AGAR clauses and provisions constitute the terms and conditions for submitting a quote in response to the solicitation as well as the terms and conditions of the anticipated award. The FAR/AGAR provisions apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes. The FAR/AGAR clauses apply to the solicitation and submission of quotes as well as to the resulting award. The FAR/AGAR clauses will be included as part of the resulting award. Please review ALL of the FAR/AGAR clauses and provisions included in the attachments. The FAR clauses 52.212-4 and 52.212-5 as well as the FAR provisions FAR 52.212-1 and FAR 52.212-2 are applicable to this solicitation. The clauses listed under FAR 52.212-5(a) are applicable to all solicitations. The clauses marked with an X under FAR 52.212-5(b) and (c) are applicable to this solicitation. The evaluation criteria of FAR 52.212-2 is outlined in the next paragraph.

It is strongly advised that a completed copy of the FAR provision FAR 52.212-3 be included with the submission of all quotes (especially if the applicable NAICS or a NAICS with the same or lower small business threshold is not included in a vendor’s SAM registration). A copy of FAR 52.212-3 is provided in the attachments.

Please ensure your quote will be current and that the price quoted will NOT expire for a minimum of 30 days or until September 30, 2023.

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. 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.

As the Buy American Act applies to this acquisition, vendors are to provide the full legal name of the manufacturer as well as the manufacturing location’s full street address (for USA made) or the country of origin (for foreign made) products included in their quote. A statement or certification from the manufacturer as to the manufacturing street address or country of origin would be preferred.

Also, be certain all quotes included your full legal name, physical address, individual unit prices for all items quoted, the total quoted price, an estimated time to delivery or completion, 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 Thursday, September 14, 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 with ALL requested and required documentation to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by NO later than Monday, September 18, 2023 at 11:59 PM Central Time (CT).

NOTE: Be absolutely certain to reference the solicitation number “12505B23Q0365” and/or title of the solicitation “Greenhouse Seeding Trays” 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 may 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