NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE HONIRON HYDRAULIC PRESS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, ARS, WBSC, Stoneville, Mississippi, intends to award a sole source procurement to Honiron Corporation, 400 Canal Street, Jeanerette, LA 70544, for a Honiron Three Position Hydraulic Press Model 703. The Hydraulic Press is a mission critical piece of equipment needed to perform the pre-breaker, core-press (PB/PR) method of sugar cane quality analysis. The current equipment was installed over 30 years ago and is used extensively throughout harvest season. Because of the excessive wear, the Hydraulic press has become unreliable and a potential safety hazard because of the extremely high pressure (approx. 3000 lbs/ square inch) needed to extract sugarcane juice for analysis. Honiron Corporation is the only known source for this purchase of the Model 703 Honiron Three Hydraulic Press used for sugarcane. This press along with electronic components are designed and fabricated by Honiron. This press is also used in conjunction with other existing components used in the Juice Laboratory. Louisiana Sugarcane factories conduct similar calibrations and use an industry standard for the calibrations provided by USDA. Each sugarcane factory uses the calibrations to set pay scale. The data produced by the method is critical to all experimental research projects conducted by the research scientists and the results are directly applicable to grower production results. Placing an order for a new Hydraulic Press is urgent because of the time necessary to fabricate and install the new equipment and to have it available for the 2014 harvest season. Pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. The equipment will be located at the USDA, ARS, MSA, Sugarcane Research Unit, in Houma, LA. The Government intends to award a firm fixed price Purchase Order on or about September 9, 2014. This Notice of Intent is not considered a Request for Quotation (RFQ) nor is it a Request for Proposals (RFP). No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government will consider all responses received by 4:00PM Central Standard Time, September 8, 2014. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Inquiries will only be accepted via mail to the Contracting Officer at the following address: Contracting Office Address: USDA-ARS-WBSC SHALUNDA MIX 141 Experiment Station Road Stoneville, MS. 38776-0225