H--Intent to Award sole source

The U.S. Geological Survey plans to award a non-competitive firm fixed-price purchase order to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) for the provision of state accreditation services related to the collection and analysis of water-quality field properties and chemical constituents. These services will support the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center in Columbia, South Carolina, over the period from September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017. NCDEQ is identified as the sole proprietor and exclusive distributor of this specific accreditation within the United States, justifying the sole-source acquisition approach under FAR regulations. Although the agency allows all responsible sources to submit bids or quotations for consideration, this notification serves purely as an informational notice and not a solicitation for competitive proposals. The procurement will follow the FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) guidelines for noncompetitive awards. The contract falls under NAICS code 541380, with a size standard of $15 million. Vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) to receive the contract, with the anticipated award date set for September 1, 2016. Interested parties are encouraged to submit responses via email, which is the preferred method of communication in this procurement process.