Waterbourne Transportation Data

The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service intends to award a sole source contract with IHS Global Inc. located at 15 Inverness Way E, Englewood, CO 80112 for Waterbourne Transportation Data. USDA requires the broadest and most accurate representation of waterborne transportation data. The contractor must provide import and export transaction level, transportation data. For accuracy, continuity and consistency in reporting, USDA requires the fullest extent of waterborne transportation data available including data from all U.S. ports whether in bulk vessels or in containers. Additionally, the contractor must also provide a robust online platform that displays real time and historical vessel location data that allows for tracking and analyzing global movements. Waterborne Transportation Data The contractor must provide USDA with consistent and accurate monthly agricultural waterborne transportation data as well as at least a consistent 15-year historical dataset. The data must be at the transaction level, compiled from the bills of lading and manifests, that will allow USDA to develop multiple transportation analyses on different commodities, in different trade lanes, and during specified times of the year or month. The data must be delivered within 2 months or sooner of the actual shipment activity. Data taken directly from the bills of lading and manifests allow for more comprehensive transportation level detail of the commercial transaction. USDA must be allowed to publish the purchased data in any format it deems necessary to service the agricultural shipper community and USDA policy officials. All waterborne agricultural movements must be included, such as bulk, break-bulk, tanker, and container movements. More specific requirements of these data are listed below. Requirements of the Data/Item Description USDA requires transaction level agricultural transportation data that includes: - Data from all available U.S. ports whether they move bulk or containerized cargo, or both. - At least a 6-digit Harmonized Tariff (HTS) Code'for identifying specific commodities. - The date cargo departs from or arrives in the United States. - The date vessel arrives at or departs from the port. - Separate field identifying whether the shipment is bulk or containerized. - TEU count, twenty-foot equivalent units. - Number of containers in each shipment. - Size of container used to transport the cargo. - Separate field identifying whether the shipment is refrigerated or not. - Name of the ocean carrier company moving the cargo. - Country of origin and destination of the cargo. - City origin and destination of the cargo. - Origin and destination ocean ports. - Transshipment port'the port where cargo is moved from one vessel to another before being moved to its final ocean destination port. - Name and address of the shippers and buyers involved in the commercial transaction including any third-party logistics providers used to facilitate the transaction. - Weight of the cargo in consistent units of measure (preferably in pounds or metric tons). - Value of the cargo shipment. - The data must undergo vigorous quality control measures to ensure accuracy. These measures should include regular audits of the data against U.S. Customs vessel arrival and departure lists as well as industry verification of the shipments. The company goes to extra efforts to resolve data discrepancies by comparing the datasets with original documentation or official government data. Data updates and corrections are incorporated in the final dataset in a timely manner. Delivery Format: The format USDA receives the data is very important to allow for flexibility in developing several unique reports. Access to the raw, transaction level agricultural data is important to allow USDA to see each movement and aggregate the data to the level at which the circumstances or market conditions demand. USDA must receive the data monthly in an electronic format that is easily converted into our existing SAS databases. Datasets should be delivered via email or approved file transfer. In addition, an online platform must also be available to query and download data as needed. The contract will be for a base year and four one year options. The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 519190. This is a notice of intent and is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals. Firms that believe they can provide equal or superior products/services are encouraged to identify themselves and provide a substantive statement with descriptive literature and any other supporting information to the Contracting Officer by the closing date of this notice. All information received will be considered by the Government to determine if more than one firm can meet the Government's requirements and is capable of providing equal or superior products/services. All responses must be in writing and should be emailed to contact@example.gov. Questions concerning this acquisition must be in writing and directed to contact@example.gov. Responses must be received by 10:00am eastern time March 16, 2021.