Nursery Grown Arundo donax Plants

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number is AG-7MN1-S-10-AA01 and is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). This solicitation is a small business set-aside. The NAICS is 111421, business size is $0.75 million. This solicitation document incorporates those provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-37. The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Laboratory, Weslaco, Texas has a need for Nursery grown Arunda donax plants. The USDA laboratory requires delivery of 7,800 plants over a 11 - week period with the option to increase the quantity by an additional 7,800 plants over a 11 - week period for a total of 15,600 plants over 23 weeks. The following will detail the specific requirements. Arundo donax L., giant reed is an exotic and invasive weed of riparian habitats and irrigation canals of the Rio Grande River Basin and the southwestern U.S. Arundo dominates these habitats, which leads to: loss of biodiversity; catastrophic stream bank erosion; damage to bridges; increased costs for chemical and mechanical control along transportation corridors, and impedes law enforcement activities on the international border. Additionally, this invasive weed competes for water resources in an arid region where these resources are critical to the environment, agriculture and municipal users. Biological control using insects from the native range of Arundo may be the best option for long-term management of this weed. Arundo donax is a good target for biological control because it has no close relatives in North or South America, and several of the plant-feeding insects from its native range in Mediterranean Europe are known to be specialists feeding only on this one plant species. USDA-ARS has an on-going biological control program for Arundo. Additional plant production of Arundo is needed for use in the insect mass-rearing program. 1) Contractor will grow Arundo donax plants in 3 gallon plants. 2) Contractor will provide weekly deliveries (every Monday and Thursday) of 600, 3 gallon pots of Arundo donax plants. 3) Contractor will deliver healthy Arundo donax plants that are topped at 3 feet and held for 3 additional weeks for formation of side shoots at least 3 nodes. 75 of the 675 plants will have a single stem at least 1 inch in thickness at the soil level and no more than 12 inches tall. These single stem plants are used only for rearing the Arundo fly. 4) Contractor must obtain prior approval from USDA, ARS to apply any insecticides to plants. (NO insecticide use without prior approval.) 5) Arundo donax plants must be grown from Arundo donax rhizomes (4-8 inches long) that are mechanically field harvested by the Contractor from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. 6) Plants must be grown in native LRGV sandy loam soil or soil mix as specified by USDA. 7) Plants must be grown in an enclosed and heated greenhouse that will not have any insecticide use on other crops. Greenhouses must be capable of maintaining a minimum average temperature of 80 degrees F during winter. 8) Plants may need to be fertilized with urea fertilizer as required by USDA. 9) Plants must be grown from rhizomes that are no older than 1 week from field harvest. 10) Contractor will deliver plants to greenhouse facilities at USDA, APHIS, Moore Airbase, 22675 N. Moorefield Rd., Edinburg, TX 78541. 11) USDA reserves the right to cancel the contract with one month of prior notice. 12) USDA reserves the right to increase the number of plants delivered each week with advance notice to the grower. Advance notice will account for the time it takes for the grower to dig and grow the optimum plant. 13) Period of the performance is 11 - weeks beginning January 4, 2010 and extending an additional 11 - weeks if option is exercised. Please price the base and option as separate line items. Price to include delivery to the USDA, APHIS, Moore Airbase, 22675 N Moorefield Road, Edinburg, Texas 78541. Each offeror shall include their proposed delivery schedule as part of their quotation. Acceptance and FOB point are destination. In order to be considered for award offerors shall provide a quotation on company letterhead and include with the bid schedule detailing the unit pricing and references for the proposed item. References must have received the proposed item within the last three calendar years (Government references preferred but will accept commercial references) shall also be provided for the item quoted. The following clauses and provisions apply to this acquisition. 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE; FAR 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS; FAR 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS applies, with the following clauses 52.217-6, Option for Increased Quantity; 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract; 52.222-3, Convict Labor; 52.233, Protest after award, and FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns; FAR 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; FAR 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans; FAR 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; FAR 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans; FAR 52.222-19, Child Labor - Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies; FAR 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; FAR 52.232-33,Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration; applicable to this acquisition; FAR 52.207-5 Option to purchase equipment; FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract: FAR 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE; FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS. Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS - COMMERCIAL ITEMS, with this offer; a copy of this provision may be obtained at http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html . Any amendment and documents related to this procurement will be available electronically at the Internet site: http://www.fbo.gov. Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of these documents (if any). It is the offerors responsibility to monitor the site for release of the solicitation and any related documents. Furnish quotations to Michael Douglas, Contracting Officer, no later than COB 4:30p.m., December 21, 2009. Quotations must be received in writing via facsimile, Email or mail to the contacts listed above.