This is not a request for competitive proposals, but instead a market research method to determine interested sources. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No requests for capability briefings will be honored as a result of this notice. Interested sources who submit data are responsible for appropriately marking information if it is proprietary in nature. Please provide Tax I.D. Number, Duns Number, and point of contact information. The Government will not award a contract based on the information received, nor reimburse participants for information or samples they provide. Information or materials provided is strictly voluntary. The North American Industrial Classification Code for this requirement is 325320-Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing, Background: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Services, Plant Protection and Quarantine Facility in Edinburg, TX is considering a Multi year contract, for semiochemical lures to provide program personnel the tools needed to detect the pest at an early stage of infestation in order to allow successful and less costly eradication and management programs to be implemented in a timely fashion. Additionally, the lures could be used to monitor existing infestations. Without the lures, defining the area of an infestation might not be possible and the ultimate cost to the USDA and cooperators of an eradication program would increase substantially as the pest number grow and spread undetected. The period of performance would be from the date of award and not to exceed five years from that date. Tuta absoluta lure - with the following requirements: a. (E,Z,Z)-3,8,11-Tetradecatrienyl acetate - 95% b. (E,Z)-3,8-Tetradecadienyl acetate - 5% Tuta Absoluta lure, bulk packaged ( Estimated quantity 15-20,000 yearly) Tuta Absoluta lure, individually packaged ( Estimated Quantity 3 to 5,000 yearly) The load rate should allow for field usage of up to 28 days. Semiochemical lures when combined with a variety of traps have been shown to be an effective monitoring tool for T. absoluta. The various trap and lure combinations have enabled the USDA to better contain and monitor potential infestations of these insects. T. absoluta is one of the most serious exotic plant pests threatening tomato and pepper producers and environmental resources. The USDA APHIS PPQ has been tasked by congress with detecting, monitoring and managing these insects. These insects, should they become established, would have irreversible impacts on natural resources, hinder trade and increase costs of productions. Ultimately, an eradication and/or control program could cost millions of dollars if these insects were to go undetected in our environment. Delivery of product (s) FOB destination to: USDA APHIS PPQ Edinburg, TX 78541 Package Marking/Labeling: The following conditions must be met for the requested products: 1. Each product must be identified, the shipping containers with: a. Manufacturer's name b. Batch or Lot number c. Expiration Date d. Manufacturer's recommended optimal storage conditions (optimal storage temperature and recommended minimum and maximum storage temperature range) e. "Expected Field Life 28 Days" f. Contract number g. Manufacturing date h. Semiochemical component(s) 2. Each shipment will also contain a valid Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 3. Each shipment will include a packing slip identifying the following: a. Manufacturer b. Batch/Lot Number c. Date of Manufacture d. Government Procurement Number e. Quantity Shipped Packaging: Packaging is an important part of the delivery of these fragile products. The following must be adhered to: 1. The lures must be individual packaged. a) Lures will be covered with impermeable packaging to prevent contamination or release of the active compounds. 2. The shipping containers must contain an impermeable over-pack to prevent leakage during shipping and be sturdy enough to ensure safe delivery. 3. Each individual lure package must be labeled with the following information: a) Manufacturer b) Batch/Lot Number c) Date of Manufacture d) Name of Lure -"Tuta absoluta Lure" Shipping Material shall be packed for shipment in such a manner that shall insure acceptance by common carriers and safe delivery at destination. Containers and closures shall comply with the Interstate Commerce Commission regulations, Uniform Freight Classification rules, or regulations of other carriers as applicable to the mode of transportation. Shipping time and conditions must be accounted for when the manufacturer supplies APHIS with information on the lure's shelf life. The USDA will be shipping from Edinburg, TX to various locations throughout the US, with a maximum shipping time of 6 days with various temperature exposures during this transit time. It shall be understood that storage condition requirements (i.e., refrigeration) will not be met during this time and the shelf life of the lures must not be adversely impacted because of this shipping time. Specifications Lures: APHIS, through peer reviewed literature, understands that the listed blending of semiochemicals below to be an attractant for Tuta absoluta. a. (E,Z,Z)-3,8,11-Tetradecatrienyl acetate - 95% b. (E,Z)-3,8-Tetradecadienyl acetate - 5% APHIS is seeking the above described semiochemical blend which is consistent with peer reviewed information. Traditionally, a solution of attractant has been dispensed on to a sleeve stopper (a.k.a. rubber septum) of polyisobutyl-based elastomeric polymer, 19-20 mm in length; the wider end of the stopper shall be 9-10 mm in diameter with a 6-mm diameter by 6-7 mm deep recess or "cup" (West Pharmaceutical 1-F SS 1888 GRY, or substitute of comparable size that delivers comparable stability and release rates of attractant). Absorption of attractant into stoppers entails dilution of the attractant in an organic solvent (hexane or methylene chloride; min. 100 µl per septum); the solution is applied to the septum, allowed to soak in, and the solvent is allowed to evaporate before the septum is packaged. The final product must have a minimum of 100 µg of compound a. ((E,Z,Z)-3,8,11-Tetradecatrienyl acetate) and a correlating concentration of compound b. (E,Z)-3,8-Tetradecadienyl acetate so that the required ratios are obtained. APHIS is willing to consider other methods of semiochemical presentation. However, if they are proposed APHIS reserves the right to exclude these products from the current bidding process until a complete understanding of the effectiveness of the alternate presentation is understood. APHIS may perform this testing or ask the submitter to provide testing results or additional information for review. Contract End Items APHIS will receive a functional Tuta absoluta pheromone lure that is capable of lasting 4 weeks in all field environments. Sampling Testing of Dispensers Effectiveness It is important that USDA APHIS maintain a quality assurance (QA) program. To that end, USDA APHIS reserves the right to conduct QA testing. The USDA APHIS may perform QA testing addressing the following areas: The dispenser shall be resistant to damage and moisture when handled during normal field trapping operations. The dispenser contains an amount at least equal to requirements established in the specifications. This may be done using a necessary battery of laboratory testing, yet to be established. The installation method will not be permanently fixed to any of the portions of the traps nor will they impede the installation or replacement of a new dispenser. Meets the needs of programs In order to assure the most effective use of tax payer dollars APHIS may institute a Quality Control (QC) program in an attempt to addressproduct reliability. APHIS may monitor the following areas of lure quality: a. Lure shelf life: all dispensers shall exhibit satisfactory shelf life by remaining in compliance with the specifications for at least six months after shipment to the APHIS warehouse, assuming APHIS complies with the manufacturer's recommended storage instructions. Lures may be weighed after coming out of storage at the APHIS warehouse. If a company is found to have provided products that fall outside the prescribed specifications, the company will provide working replacements for these products at no cost to the government. Similarly, if the product is found to have depleted content or cannot meet the needs of the field after 6 months at the manufacturer's recommended storage instructions, the company will replace the product(s) at no cost. If the active component is found to have purity or quality issues at any point during the expected shelf life, the company will provide replacement lures meeting the stated specifications at no cost to the government. At the request of the company, APHIS may provide representative samples of the failed products. The company will be required to arrange for shipping costs and logistics for the transportation of any hazardous material, as APHIS field personnel do not have the required training to ship this material. Acceptance Criteria The order will be conditionally accepted at: USDA APHIS PPQ Edinburg, TX 78541 The conditional acceptance will focus on the following factor: • Condition of shipping containers upon arrival - those with obvious defects from the shipping process will be rejected. Additional products must be sent to offset this loss at no expense to the government. Interested sources are encouraged to add your contact information to the interested vendors list for this announcement or send a direct email to Contract Specialist Carol Dingess before closing date of this announcement. Telephonic inquiries will not be honored. Please email or fax all questions regarding subject item(s) prior to Sources Sought closing date to
[email protected] fax # 612-336-5000. Small Business concerns are encouraged to participate. Anyone interested in doing business with the USDA must also obtain a Dunn and Bradstreet number. If your company does not have a DUNS number, you may contact Dun and Bradstreet directly to obtain one by calling 1- 866-705-5711or via the following website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or at ccr.dnb.com/ccr/pages/CCRSearch.jsp. Anyone interested in doing business with the USDA must complete a Representations and Certifications electronically at http://orca.bpn.gov and be listed in the government's Central Contractor Registrar. You may register on line with www.ccr.gov. or by calling Central Contractors Registration @ 1-866-606-8220