Corn Silage Chopping and Harvesting Services

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in 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 number 12561520Q0013 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2020-04. This solicitation will be a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside. The associated NAICS code is 115113, Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine, with a small business size standard of $7,500,00 in income and the PSC is F099. This acquisition is for the following item as identified in the Contract Line Item Number (CUN): 001) Corn Silage Chopping and Harvesting Services. Scope of Work : The USDA-Dairy Forage Research Farm at Prairie du Sac, WI seeks corn silage chopping and storage services on 200 acres Background : Brown midrib (BMR) and conventional corn are grown at the farm for silage. The cutting, chopping and storing of the corn silage is labor intensive, must be completed within short optimum harvest windows, and requires specific farm equipment. The vendor needs to have experience with previous corn silage harvesting to ensure appropriate kernel processing and that the fields and crops are not damaged. The farm has traditionally paid vendors for this service as we don’t have the personnel or equipment to perform the work ourselves. The vendor will need to coordinate specific days for the work with Paul Davis (608-640-7752) who is a University of Wisconsin employee. Paul will assess the field conditions to determine the best days for harvesting. Technical Requirements/Tasks: Corn silage chopping services for 1 cutting of 160 acres of brown midrib corn silage and 40 acres of conventional corn silage. Vendor equipment needed for harvest includes 3 forage trucks, packing tractor, bagger and a self-propelled chopper. The vendor must supply their own diesel fuel for their equipment. Need Item(s) – 160 acres of brown midrib (BMR) corn silage will be stored in three 12’ wide x 500’ long silage bags and one upright forage bunk, and 40 acres of conventional corn silage will be stored in two 12’ wide x 500’ long silage bags. Self-propelled chopper, one large packing tractor, one ag bagger and 3 forage trucks or wagons will be needed for two days. Estimated date to cut will be September 10th-20th 2020. Government Furnished: The work will take place on 200 acres of USDA-ARS land within the Badger property in Prairie du Sac. The US Dairy Forage Farm will provide and install oxygen-limiting plastics used to line the concrete forage bunker prior to feed storage, provide and install bunker covers, provide all silage bags, and provide an additional 3 forage trucks. Deliverables / Schedule: The specific schedule will be contingent on the weather and crop and field conditions. All loads of chopped corn silage must be weighed on the farm weigh scale to determine the total amount of forage harvested. Weight recording sheets will be provided. Automatic digital weigh wagons can be used by the vendor to record weights. Key Deliverables 1. Corn silage harvest Description: Chop corn silage off 200 acres (160 BMR and 40 conventional). Store in upright forage bunker (BMR) and five 12’ wide x 500’ long silage bags (3 bags BMR, 2 bags conventional). Approximate Timeframe: September 10-20, 2020 Equipment needed: Self-propelled chopper, packing tractor, bagger, 3 forage trucks or wagons for two days. The US Dairy Forage Farm will provide and install oxygen-limiting plastics used to line the concrete forage bunker prior to feed storage, provide and install bunker covers, provide all silage bags, and provide an additional 3 forage trucks. Due By: One week after Paul Davis indicates field conditions are ready. Travel: The vendor will need to travel to the USDA Dairy Forage Research Farm for the days it will take to harvest the corn silage. The vendor must provide own diesel fuel to power their equipment. Contractor’s Key Personnel: The vendor’s personnel who perform the harvesting must have previous experience harvesting corn silage and must be trained and certified to use the farm equipment. Security Requirements: The vendor does not require a security clearance to complete the work. The vendor must check in and out each day with Paul Davis. Submission of Quote: Offerors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote on SF-18 (see attached) . Include in quote the DUNs number and any/all charges/fees in the quoted price. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Please email all quotes in writing to [email protected]. To be eligible for an award, all contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). A contractor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A DUNS (Dun and Bradstreet) number is required in order to register. Vendor must also include their DUNS# on their quote. Vendor must remain active in SAM for all option years. Quotes must be received in writing by no later than March 24, 2020 at 1:00 PM Central Standard Time. Questions in regards to this combined synopsis/solicitation are due no later than 1:00 PM CST on Friday, March 20, 2020. Answers to any questions received by that time will be posted as an amendment to this combined synopsis/solicitation.