Amendment 000003 Corrects the eastern longitude to -90.30 degrees. Amendment 000002 Dissolves Small Business Set-Aside Requirements and Extends Quote Due Date to 12/14/2014. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation. This Solicitation Notice is to announce the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a requirement for the 2-D seismic reflection data from the area of interest in accordance with the attached solicitation. The solicitation number is G15PS00024 and is being issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). The policies contained in FAR Part 13, in conjunction with the policies and procedures for solicitation, evaluation and award. This is a 100% Small Business Set-aside. The associated NAICS code is 519190 Other Information Services (Small Business Size Standard $27.5 M). A copy of this solicitation may be accessed at FedConnect, www.fedconnect.net. All requirements for preparation, submission, and receipt of offers contained in the solicitation shall be adhered to. The Department of Interior (DOI) U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) The Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center, in collaboration with the Central Mineral and Environmental Resources and Eastern Energy and Mineral Resources Science Centers, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO, USA conducts geologic investigations into the geologic framework and mineral resource potential in a region known as the Mid-continent Rift. The project is supported by the Mineral Resources Program, within the Energy and Mineral Resources Mission Area. The project area covers the midwestern states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. Because most of the Mid-continent rift is covered by younger formations, the investigation relies heavily on subsurface information that is supplied through the use of a variety of geophysical methods and well log data. These data sources are used to determine geologic structure, stratigraphic relationships, tectonics, and geologic history as it relates to understanding the distribution of mineralization throughout the region. To this end, the USGS currently requires seismic data brokers to furnish and deliver two dimensional (2-D) multichannel seismic reflection data from an area in northern Wisconsin, where available geophysical and geologic information fall short in understanding critical questions about a scientifically important part of the Mid-continent rift. The awarded contractor shall provide existing 2-D seismic reflection data from the area. The data must have been acquired from and processed using the minimum standards and specifications described in the Specifications. Evaluation - Commercial Items. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible seller whose bid conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other non-price factors considered. Offers submitted in response to this solicitation will be evaluated based upon the following non-price or non-cost factors, of which Factor (B) will be of most importance: Factor (A) Past Performance: offerors shall submit not less than two references for services performed during the past three years. Each reference shall include: the company or agency name, address, contract or order number, point(s) of contract phone number and email address(es); Factor (B) Quality of Data: All offerors must provide maps (hardcopy, jpg, or tiff) depicting the locations of available seismic data from within the area. The USGS select lines of interest and request to view paper copies of the final processed data and make a final decision on which digital data to purchase. The digital data shall be of such quality as to allow the USGS interpreters the ability to distinguish key geologic features. Data must be of sufficient resolution to allow interpretation of subsurface structures (e.g., faults and folds, stratigraphic features such as sequence stratigraphic units, incised valley, unconformities, and pinch-outs; and diapiric structures caused by salt or mud flow). If the quality of the processed data are not of sufficient quality to allow for the interpretation of subsurface structures (e.g., faults and folds, stratigraphic features such as sequence stratigraphic units, incised valley, unconformities, and pinch-outs; and diapiric structures caused by salt or mud flow), the USGS will request access to the raw unprocessed field data in order to re-process the data with better results. The contractor offering seismic data with the highest CMP fold will be of greater technical merit. Award shall be made to the vendor whose quotation, conforming to this solicitation, is determined to be the most advantages to the government, cost or price and the other non-cost or non-price factors listed. In determining which quotation offers the greatest value or advantage to the Government, overall technical merit will be considered more important than price or cost. The degree of importance of price or cost as an evaluation factor will increase with the degree of equality in the technical merits of the quotations. Between acceptable quotations with a significant difference in technical merit, a determination will be made as to whether the additional technical merit or benefits reflected by a higher priced quotation warrants payment of the additional price or cost. The Contracting Officer is the only person who can legally obligate the Government for the expenditure of public funds. Costs shall not be incurred by recipients of this solicitation in anticipation of receiving direct reimbursement from the Government. It is understood that your offer will become part of the official file on this matter without obligation to the Government. Electronic Transmission of Offers. Offers may only be transmitted via FedConnect, www.fedconnect.net, or via email to Don Downey,
[email protected] . Offers shall consist of two volumes: Volume One shall be non-price (technical) evaluation support documentation, Volume Two shall be Price Quotes. Questions/Inquiries shall be sent electronically to Don Downey,
[email protected]. Questions received within the last five (5) days before this solicitation closes/ends will be considered untimely and may not receive a response. This solicitation closes/ends 12/14/2014 at 1700 ET. All offers shall be received in their entirety by 12/14/2014 at 1700 ET.