This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for small businesses only. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the interest and feasibility of small business set-asides. This notice is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor will the U.S. Government pay for information solicited. The information from this notice will help the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plan their acquisition strategy or plan. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Farm to School Grant Program, is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, including small business set-asides, small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), 8(a) small businesses, woman-owned small businesses (WOSB), veteran owned small businesses (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), and Historically Under-utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small businesses capable of providing evaluation services for the USDA Farm to School Grant Program. The contractor will develop and implement a multi-year evaluation plan to measure and describe key impacts of the Farm to School Grant Program. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. All responding small business firms are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business to the anticipated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code. For this acquisition, the NAICS code is 541611, and the Small Business Standard is $14 Million. Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered for any subsequent procurement based on the Government's market research, provided the prime contract is awarded to an applicable small business and that small businesses provide fifty percent or more of the support. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service under the Farm to School Grant Program is conducting market research to identify sources that can demonstrate their experience, skills, and qualifications with projects of similar scope and size completed to meet the following objectives: OBJECTIVE 1: Measure, describe, and summarize the impacts of the USDA Farm to School Grant Program. OBJECTIVE 2: Measure and describe grantee satisfaction with the quality of technical assistance provided to grantees by USDA staff. OBJECTIVE 3: Measure and describe changes in purchases of local foods of all types in grantee and grantee partner schools. OBJECTIVE 4: Measure and describe the grantee partnerships between and within school districts and their surrounding agricultural producers and broader community. OBJECTIVE 5: Measure and describe grantee incorporation of experiential nutrition education activities in curriculum and garden-based education activities. OBJECTIVE 6: Measure and describe the key strategies, barriers and best practices in beginning and sustaining farm to school programs. OBJECTIVE 7: Measure and describe the areas of need for future farm to school funding. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Interested firms responding to this market survey shall provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b). The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the objectives above. The Government technical team will then assess the experience & capabilities based on: 1) technical expertise relevant to the objectives; 2) corporate/organizational experience relevant to the objectives, and 3) relevant past performance. Please specify one primary and one alternate Points of Contact (POCs) within your firm, including their telephone numbers and email addresses. Also if applicable, please provide your GSA Schedule Contract number. Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and they should be emailed to:
[email protected]. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice - AG-3198-S-13-0042 Farm to School Grant Program (FSGP) Program requirement. A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. Please submit all information to Joseph Hodges at
[email protected] by July 8, 2013 by 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.