This is an intent to sole source. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has a requirement for support for the Laboratory Sample Flow System (LSFS) and Microbiological and Residue Computer System (MARCIS). The applications supported by these systems require a high level of expertise in the agency’s data and reporting requirements as well as the sampling programs conducted. The expertise must be of a level to quickly troubleshoot problems with applications. There is a need for the contractor to have intimate knowledge and experience in the operation and function of these highly specialized applications. The contractor must possess specific equipment with which to accomplish the process. The contractor must be able to develop modules for existing applications to accommodate the agency’s changing sampling programs and reporting needs. USDA/FSIS intends to purchase these services from ID Enterprises Inc. The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is Citation 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The prospective follow-on procurement will be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Fixed Price contract with a one year period of performance and four option years. The objective of this procurement is to continue to support and provide enhancement to these critical agency applications until such time as they are replaced. The agency’s minimum need is to have a contractor with in-depth knowledge of these applications to provide support and enhancements and a statistician with intimate knowledge of the Agency’s sampling and testing programs. The current customized software and HP 3000 hardware are a necessary component to this requirement as they are the vehicle to be used for the data warehousing of the analytical results and sample disposition until the final phase of validation is implemented on the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and the Public Health Data Suite (which includes PREP, LEARN, M2K and eSAMPLE) is fully implemented. ID Enterprises has developed and continues to maintain mission critical applications for the agency. This company provides a source of immediate knowledge of the detailed and complex sampling criteria and rules for the many and various sampling programs conducted by the agency. The applications maintained by ID Enterprises are mission critical to the agency’s laboratories to provide timely data to agency field and headquarter’s personnel on sample status and laboratory results of product or carcasses which may be held pending laboratory results. The time and expense of training another contractor in all the nuances of the agency sample and reporting programs as well as the complexities of the custom software would result in unacceptable delays to meeting the requirements of the Agency and public safety. One of the critical applications resides on antiquated hardware (HP3000 series 948) no longer supported by the manufacturer. ID Enterprises owns and maintains a compatible HP 3000 system running the same level MPE/iX operating system and software platform. This allows ID Enterprises to test and develop software in-house without putting an excessive load on the agency systems prior to implementation of software updates or edits. Until existing applications can be replaced, it is mandatory to keep them operating. The contractor statistician has extensive knowledge of the statistics used to publish the final Rule on Pathogen Reduction Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (PR/HACCP) Systems which focus to reduce both pathogenic organisms on meat and poultry products and the incidence of food borne illness associated with these products. The expertise is used extensively in the development of new performance standards for baseline studies, HACCP for Residues, and microbiological testing program for Ready-to-Eat, E.coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria mono and other pathogen testings. With the implementation of electronic collection of information and submission of forms the statistician performs extensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) of the data, screens and reporting. There is an urgent need to maintain and enhance these custom applications as the agency mission to collect, analyze and report sample results involves the public health. Samples collected and submitted for testing are typically held in the establishments until laboratory results are received. Notification of presumptive and confirmed positive samples utilizes these applications. Protecting the public health is at stake in assuring these applications function continuously. ID Enterprises owns and maintains HP3000 systems. ID Enterprises has a staff of programmers and a statistician with intimate knowledge of the agency sampling programs and the specialized software applications. This is sole source procurement under the authority of FAR 6.302-1. The Government believes only on responsible source can provide the service that will satisfy the agency requirements. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. Interested contractors may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contract no later than 3:00 pm local time on April 23, 2007. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses must be submitted to Lorna Craig, Contracting Officer, at USDA, FSIS, ASD, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mail Drop 5230 Beltsville, MD 20705-230. Responses will also be accepted by fax at 301-504-4276 or by e-mail at
[email protected].