X--Rental of Research and Operations Space

The U.S. Geological Survey plans to award a purchase order through a sole source procurement to the University of Georgia for the rental of specialized laboratory, storage, and office space needed to support cooperative research activities. This arrangement is set to cover the period from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2003, and will be executed under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. There is no formal solicitation or competitive bidding process associated with this requirement, and the transaction is identified by the code "No Solicitation Number 03ER04." Although the notice indicates that all responsible sources may submit quotations for consideration, the agency reserves the right to decide whether to proceed with a competitive acquisition based on the responses received. Responses to this notice must be submitted by 1:00 p.m. on December 18, 2002, through mail, fax, or email as designated, and the anticipated award date for the contract is December 20, 2002. The procurement falls under NAICS code 531190, relating to rented space. The contract is administered by the Office of Acquisition Grants-National within the Department of the Interior, with administrative offices located in Reston, Virginia. This procurement aims to secure space essential for ongoing research collaborations conducted at the University of Georgia during the 2003 calendar year.