The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Center for Plant Health Sciences & Technology (CPHST), Fort Collins, Colorado, is seeking interested parties with the intention of negotiating a contract for the development of a Lucid tool for the upgrade of taxonomic identification resources for table grape weed seed flora for the California Central Valley growing area. The export program for California Table Grapes to Australia, New Zealand, and UK requires that specific pests and weed seeds of concern are identified to species in order for the lot to be certified for export to these countries. The development of a Lucid tool for the weed seeds of concern for these countries will enable the county and state entomologists to quickly key out the seed and obtain correct identification allowing those grape lots without seeds of concern to be certified for export and remain in the export program to these countries for the remainder of the season DESRIPTION OF WORK The objective of the proposed project is to significantly upgrade the taxonomic identification resources for officials working on the table grape export work plans for Australia and New Zealand, county inspectors, state identifiers, and off-shore ports of entry inspectors. Inadequate weed seed identification capabilities have resulted in losses and delays that have limited full realization of market potential. The development of the proposed digital diagnostic tool will assist in preventing potential errors in weed seed identification which limits potential export volume. The work consists of designing, developing, deploying, and delivering to CPHST an electronic, matrix-based Lucid diagnostic tool to be tentatively entitled Identification Tool to the Weed Seeds Associated with California Central Valley Table Grapes. It is expected that the tool will include approximately 300 species of weed seeds. 1. Create a Lucid tool, including scoring the Lucid key for the all taxa, obtaining, observing and photographing the taxa, and attaching photographs and fact sheets to the key. 2. Prepare a fact sheet for each taxon based on literature, research, and observation. 3. Prepare appropriate feature and state image and illustration pages to attach to features and states to support the users of the key 4. Create Html resource pages, outside of the key as required for the development of the tool's website. 5. Create final version based on CPHST's peer/client review of the beta version of the tool. 6. Provide CPHST, via a CD, with all electronic files associated with creating and deploying the Lucid tool. 7. Ensure that all work conforms to CPHST ITP standards and requirements for Lucid identification tools. 8. Consult and establish relationships with external experts, weed scientists, and others, as needed. QUALIFICATIONS At a minimum, the individual shall meet the following qualifications: • Possession of a graduate degree (M.S. and/or Ph.D.) in botany, preferably in taxonomy or systematics • Experience using and studying botanical nomenclature and taxonomy • Ability to circumscribe taxa based on morphological characters and the variation of these characters • Knowledge of flowering plant seed morphology • Experience using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and spreadsheet software • Experience using Lucid software • Experience developing keys for seeds • Experience using a compound microscope and stereoscope • Skill in capturing photographs and photomicrographs of plant parts, including their morphological features, to support the identification process • Be willing to undertake work associated with milestones that require access to specialized equipment and software available at the CPHST Fort Collins Laboratory The purpose of this sources sought is to determine acquisition strategy would be interested AND capable of providing the service. Based upon the responses to this notice the Government will decide to compete full and open or set-aside the requirement for small businesses. Companies responding to this sources sought notice shall submit a statement of capabilities. Failure to submit a statement of capabilities will not prevent a company from being eligible to submit a proposal. Interested parties shall submit via email to Joanne Mann the following information
[email protected] 1. Cover page with company name, address, DUNS number, point of contact with phone number and email address 2. Evidence of expertise in botany, taxonomy or systematics 3. Resume addressing the qualifications 4. 2-3 references This announcement does not commit the Government to award of a contract. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon the response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses must be received within 5 days of publication of this notice.