UAV DRONE SYSTEM

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 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 No. 1263VY20S0010 is being issued as a Request for Quotes (RFQ). This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-03. The NAICS code applicable to this acquisition is 333999 (Lighting Equipment Manufacturing). This requirement is 100% set aside for small business. For a small company to qualify as a small business, the small business standard is 1,250 employees or less. The USDA-ARS-PSRU alfalfa project at the St Paul, MN location is looking for the UAV tool to add to a growing research platform at the unit. A new alfalfa breeder scientist has been hired into the unit who is a specialist in bio informatics, statistical analysis and information technology, effectively requiring new and modern tools such as a drone system. The COVID 19 emergency has slowed this year’s research drastically with restrictions placed on research and personnel activities. The requested drone could be deployed very quickly with minimal effort to start the data collection on existing research plots and be ready to deploy early into next year’s field research efforts. Field research is critical to offer an environment similar to plants where they would normally be grown and harvested in farming. Research plots were limited in size and number of plants because the ability to quickly analyze so many samples was not feasible. Technological advancement in research tools (both lab and field) for plant breeding has allowed researchers to expand the number and speed of determining desired or undesired characteristics in plants. One area of study is the use of remote sensing in phenotyping plants in real time in the field on a large scale, both in terms of plot sizes as well as the number of plants sampled. Remote sensing using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), typically in the form of a multi rotor drone platform carrying a multi spectral and standard image sensor array that relays data in near real time has become very affordable in recent years. In a multi-faceted research approach, a drone system is one tool needed for fast data collection of large number of samples and one that can be rapidly deployed when needed. This will be combined with laboratory chemical characteristically data as well as phenotypical and statistical data all supported by the use of bio informatics. UAV specifications: NOTE: There are several proposed laws currently being debated (S.2502 American Security Drone Act of 2019 and US HB 4753 Drone Origin Security Enhancement Act) that will restrict the purchase and use of so called “foreign entity” built UAVs by government agencies. Although not put into law yet, industry expects to see these made into law in the near future. A. There are three required parts to a UAV research “package”. Looking for one vendor that will support all three parts: UAV, multispectral sensor, analytics computer software UAV hardware: 1. UAV base model hardware as well as flight controller package need to be built and designed in the United States as per proposed S.2502 and HB 4753 rules. 2. Adaptable for future sensor upgrades, have capability of interchangeable custom payloads 3. Flight controller system with built in control screen (live flight view? Live data view?) 4. Multiple rotor system, however limited to fewer rotors over many rotors to control down drafting 5. Lithium polymer style battery with spare included in quote 6. Rotor spares included in quote 7. Hard storage/transport case included in quote 8. Max Payload 3 kg 9. Flight speed up to 15m/s accent speed up to 4m/s 10. Max altitude 5km 11. Video transmission range 3km 12. Datalink range 3km 13. Wind resistance 10m/s 14. Operating temps within -20C to 60C 15. Be able to use standard flight planning software such as DroneDeploy or Mission Planner (as examples). 16. Must be able to interface and operate with a SlantRange 4P+ multispectral sensor or Equal. Sensor 1. High resolution multispectral sensor, 6 bands including RGB, Red Edge, Red and NIR with known use for data collection in agricultural research environment and plant phenotyping, preferably with video image stabilization technology 2. At least 2.2 cm ground sampling distance at 100m: <1 cm per pixel for RGB and <2.5 cm per pixel for NDVI images 3. Global shutter 4. Sensor to have its own GPS and inertial sense sensor not dependent on UAV 5. On board data storage (SD) of at least 64Gb 6. Power draw of 9-36 VDC provided by UAV or with a dedicated battery 7. Calibration with integrated position, attitude and sunlight sensors (ambient light sensor) included 8. Gimble mount for sensor to selected drone 9. Precision navigation module with LIDAR and RTK enabled for image data as well 10. LIDAR altitude sensor 11. Include RTK base station Analytics 1. Phenotyping software exclusive for use in agriculture 2. Be able to provide a standing service for data products such as: stand counts, weed detection, plant stress, canopy, yield potential (crop specific), and be able to work with researcher to design additional data products as needed 3. Cloud based plot level analytics, preferred but not required streamlined with FarmBeats AI platform from Microsoft/AWS. 4. Fly with minimal amount of image overlap (<80%), preferably adjustable based on the flying speed 5. Generate reports in various formats 6. Customized data services by request 7. Provide data export options for images to be used with other analytical systems (not just tied to one company or service) using a standard format (i.e., GeoTIFF) 8. Be able to do some local processing in the field on no larger than a mid grade laptop system with no internet or cloud requirements if desired 9. Images exportable in standard image formats (JPG, TIFF etc) as well as maps as Google Earth, Shapefile and GeoTiff file types 10. Data sharable via DroneDepoly system Total System: 1. Total cost for complete system 2. Delivery within 8 weeks of ARO 3. Onboarding support included DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN QUOTE: In order to be considered for award, Offerors shall provide 1) technical specifications; 2) price and 3) Company's DUNS number. REJECTION OF QUOTATION: Failure to demonstrate compliance will be cause to reject the quote without further discussions. All responsible sources may submit an offer which will be considered. The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and can be found in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference are as follows: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items (Provide with Quote); FAR 52.204-7, System for Awards Management (ALL OFFERORS MUST BE REGISTERED AND ACTIVE IN THE SYSTEM FOR AWARDS MANAGEMENT DATABASE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AN AWARD) The website address for registration is: http://www.sam.gov; and FAR 52.222-22, Previous Compliance Report. FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference, FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal, FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items are applicable to this acquisition: FAR 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First Tier Subcontract Awards; FAR FAR 52.222-3, Convict Labor (E.O. 11755); FAR 52.222-19, Child Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans; 52.223-4, Recovered Material Certification; 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA-Designated Items; 52.225-2, Buy American Act Certificate ; 52.225-13, Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration (31 U.S.C. 3332); 52.232-36, Payment by Third Party (31 U.S.C. 3332) and FAR 52.233, Protest After Award. The above FAR clauses may be viewed at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/loadmainre.html. DELIVERY: FOB Destination. DELIVERY TO: USDA-ARS, St Paul, MN. 55108. QUOTE PRICE MUST INCLUDE any freight, shipping, handling, as well as any applicable duties, brokerage, or customs fees. DELIVERY DATE DUE: The Government requires delivery and invoice no later than 60 days after receipt of contract, however, each offeror shall include their proposed delivery schedule as part of their quotation. The basis for award is Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA). "LPTA" means the expected outcome of the acquisition that results from selection of the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price. Pursuant to FAR 52.212-2, the criteria for evaluation are: (1) Technical Specifications, (2) Net Price and must also have satisfactory Past Performance. Questions relating to this requirement shall be sent via email to Randy Kiehne, Contracting Officer at [email protected] and received no later than 3:00 PM (Central), Monday, Sep. 14, 2020. Answers to all questions will be provided in the form of a modification to this solicitation. Furnish Quotes no later than 3:00 PM (Central), Thursday, September 14th, 2020 to Randy Kiehne, Contracting Officer at [email protected] . Quotes will only be accepted via email, no phone calls will be accepted.