C--PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES FOR COMPREHENSIVE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANS (CNMP) FOR DAIRIES IN CALIFORNIA

The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks the services of qualified architectural and engineering (A&E) firms to provide planning and implementation services for CNMPs over a period of 3 years for specified dairies in five regions of California (Sacramento Valley, Northern San Joaquin Valley, Southern San Joaquin Valley, North Coast, and South Coast). Counties in the Sacramento Valley include Tehama and Glenn. Counties in the Northern San Joaquin Valley include Sacramento, Placer, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus. Counties in the Southern San Joaquin Valley include Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare, and Kern.Counties in the North Coast include Humboldt, Mendocino, Marin, and Sonoma. Counties in the South Coast include San Diego. Respondents may propose to do work in one or more of these geographic regions. The primary goals of a CNMP are to minimize the potential for water pollution from manure storage facilities and land application of manure, and to maintain soil quality. The CNMP addresses manure and wastewater storage and handling facilities, nutrient management and land application practices, runoff and erosion control practices, animal mortality plans, preventive maintenance plan, emergency response plans, and record keeping. A&F firms interested in providing these services are to submit three copies of completed form SF-330 to the Contracting Officer at the address shown in this announcement by 3:30 p.m., local time, July 29, 2004, as well as any information that will assist with evaluation on selection criteria. Firms will identify the region of California for which they are interested in providing services. Firms must have registered professional engineers in California, demonstrate access to individuals who are certified by the American Society of Agronomy as either a Certified Crop Advisor or Certified Professional Agronomist. Progress made by a producer toward preparing and fully implementing a CNMP--including the investment in facilities, the gathering of information, the management of manure and land application of nutrients, improving skills, and the training of employees--take place over a period of years. A&E firms must take this into consideration when developing the CNMP. The A&E firm is expected to make regular site visits. This solicitation is being solicited unrestricted. The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541330, and the small business size standard is $4.0 million. Firms will be evaluated and ranked using the following selection criteria listed in descending order of importance: (1) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services (2) Knowledge of local dairy manure management practices (3) Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including experience in nutrient management and manure storage, transfer and treatment (4) Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time (5) Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules (6) Location in the general geographical area of the project and knowledge of the locality of the project; provided, that application of this criterion leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project