A market survey is being conducted to determine if there are adequate Small Business, SBA certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), Women-Owned, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) contractors available for a proposed project who meet the specific criteria outlined below. This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a solicitation Announcement or Request for Quote. It does not constitute any commitment by the Government. No award will result from this notice. The purpose is to conduct market research to gain knowledge of potentially qualified sources and to determine the capability of Small Business and/or Large Business companies to provide the supplies/services described below. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make an appropriate acquisition decision. Department of Agriculture (ARS) requests responses from ALL socioeconomic categories in order to gain a more complete understanding of the market for these products and service. The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will not award a contract on the basis of responses or pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. After completing an analysis of the responses, the Government will determine whether to limit competition to 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, Women-Owned, or other small business firms, or to proceed with issuing an unrestricted solicitation, inviting full and open competition. The NAICS code for the expected acquisition is 333111, with a Size Standard of 1,250 employees and the PSC Code is 3730. Any subsequent procurement will be conducted as a commercial item purchased in accordance with FAR Part 12 and as a Simplified Acquisition Procedure in accordance with FAR Part 13. The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following products: 001) Manure Solids Separator (MS10 AL-INS Separator or Equivalent) 002) Control Panel (PanelTek or Equivalent) Scope of Work : The USDA-ARS Marshfield Ag Research Station will be requesting quotes for a Manure Solids Separator (MS10 AL-INS Separator or Equivalent) and Control Panel (PanelTek or Equivalent). An additional manure solids separator is needed to work in series or parallel with the existing (dated) model, to improve capacity and throughput at the USDA-ARS EIDMRU in Marshfield, WI. Background : The Marshfield USDA-ARS EIDMRU and University of Wisconsin Marshfield Agricultural Research Station currently house about 500 dairy heifers and 125 lactating cows. Manure generated from the lactating cows and large heifers is directed mechanically to a common receiving pit, and then run through a screen-press system (model PSS1.2-520; FAN Separator Gesellschaft, Marktschorgast, Germany) to remove organic solids. These organic manure solids are used as bedding on top of free-stall mattresses for large dairy heifers. The existing unit, while state-of-the-art in 2009, is now dated and does not always generate solids at a desirable rate. We are seeking another organic solids separator to operate in series or parallel with the existing unit in order to increase capacity, and ensure continuous service should one unit need repairs. Additionally, the previous configuration of the manure system utilized sand bedding in free-stalls for lactating cows, but this practice has been discontinued (sand is no longer used) because the manure system remained problematic and unreliable after more than 10 years of efforts to adapt the original system to operate as designed. Since sand has been removed from the system permanently, Marshfield USDA-ARS no longer needs the screw-type sand separator (McLanahan Corp., Holidaysburg, PA) previously in use. We are offering the sand separator (Model #S209 A20 X; Project #20075067) as an optional trade-in as part of this procurement (see attachments for images). Technical Requirements/Tasks : The new organic solids separator is not intended to replace the existing unit, but rather, to function as an additional unit (in series or parallel) to provide greater capacity and ensure continuous service should one unit need repairs. General specifications should be consistent with the MS10 model offered by AL-INS (see vendor list, the Fan PSS 1.2-780, or equivalent). Manure will enter the separator in raw form as a slurry, and then should be pressed outward through a stainless steel screen, thereby reducing the moisture concentration in the solids by up to 65%. Screen openings range between 0.01 and 1.0 mm. Key Deliverables: Manure Solids Separator (MS10 AL-INS Separator or Equivalent) Control Panel (PanelTek or Equivalent) Optional Sand Separator Trade-in Value Delivery Installation Note: Any additional equipment, such as platforms for the new unit, electrical wiring costs, etc., should be itemized and included in the proposal. Travel: Any travel associated with installation of the solid’s separator is the responsibility of the vendor. Contractor’s Key Personnel: Vendor’s personnel should be trained and certified to perform any electrical or other work required for installation of the unit. Security Requirements: Installation should be completed during regular business hours (7:00 am to 4:00 pm), Monday through Friday. Delivery: The solids separator will need to be delivered, installed, and fully functioning at to the Marshfield Ag Research Station, 208356 Drake Ave, Stratford, WI 54484 by or before December 1, 2020. The vendor shall provide all items F.O.B: destination. Location of the Government site is aboard USDA-ARS Madison, WI and will be identified in the contract. The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract. Capability Statement: Companies who have the experience, as well as an interest in doing business with ARS, should submit a Capabilities Statement which, for this notice, is not expected to be a proposal, but rather short statements regarding the company’s ability to demonstrate their expertise and experience in relation to the areas specified in this notice. Companies should also indicate whether they are a Small Business, SBA-certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), SDVOSB, or Women-Owned Small Business. To be eligible, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration. A DUNS (Dun and Bradstreet) number is required in order to register in SAM. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. Vendor must include their DUNS# on their capability statements. Submitting a Capability Statements: Responses should be submitted via email by Monday , July 20, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. (CST) to the attention of Laura Jones at
[email protected]. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Questions should be directed to Laura Jones
[email protected] by no later than Wednesday , July 15, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (CST). Disclaimer: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Respondents are also advised that under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information or provide feedback about any of the information received. After review of the responses received, the Government may issue a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation. No proprietary, sensitive, confidential or classified information shall be included with your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.