Mountain Home AFB Water Utility Service

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. This is a notice of intent to award a sole source contract under statutory authority 10 USC 2304(c) (1), set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements." Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) requires water utility service to deliver treated water to the Air Force base in the amount of 2350 acre-feet annually with a peak daily capacity of 5.4 million gallons utilizing surface water rights which are decreed or licensed to the developer/respondent. The developer's/respondent's decreed or licensed water rights must be capable of meetings the water needs of MHAFB during the entire period of contract performance, which is expected to be of an indefinite duration. The AF will not accept groundwater from the Mountain Home Aquifer. The Government intends to enter into a utility service contract with the Idaho Water Resources Board (IWRB) on or about 01 October 2017 as the only known entity with the following: the ability to meet the needs of the government; ability to comply with the proposed delivery schedule; have the necessary organization, experience, and technical skills or the ability to obtain them; have the necessary production, construction, and technical equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them. The IWRB is a water agency within the Idaho Department of Water Resources established to formulate and adopt a comprehensive state water plan for conservation, development, management and optimum use of all unappropriated water resources and waterways of the state in the public interest. On July 2014, the IWRB purchased Snake River water rights authorizing a diversion of 2560 acre-feet per year, conditioned upon the water being used for the benefit of MHAFB. These water rights are sufficient to satisfy MHAFB annual water requirements. The IWRB has the authority and ability to enter into a water utility service contract and finance the construction of facilities required to provide the service through the issuance of public bonds. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. Respondents must address their ownership of existing water rights having a priority date on or before May 1965, their existing option to purchase such rights, or demonstrate their ability meet the water needs of MHAFB; qualifications to design, construct, and operate a water utility system, to include having the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them; ability to secure financing and obtain any necessary right-of-ways to deliver water from the point of diversion. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Interested parties may e-mail vanessa.chavez.2@us.af.mil, not later than 10 August 2015; 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE CONTRACTORS UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED ABOVE (APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY) IWDR is the only known entity which possesses the unique combination of ownership of Snake River water rights; the demonstrated ability to plan, finance and construct (through public bonds or otherwise) the necessary facilities; and authority to act as a water utility provider. Using the IWRB to provide for MHAFB water requirements will satisfy the requirements of FAR Part 6.302-1 (b)(3) as it is the only option that allows the base to ensure long term viability of water supply.