SPECIAL NOTICE
37 -- Expansion of a Growsafe Model 6000 Feed Intake System
- Notice Date
- 3/18/2013
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 333111
— Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area, Area Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, Illinois, 61604, United States
- ZIP Code
- 61604
- Solicitation Number
- 632337
- Archive Date
- 4/9/2013
- Point of Contact
- Kristen Turner, Phone: 3096816624
- E-Mail Address
-
kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov
(kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This notice is a Notice of Intent to Award. The Eastern Business Service Center for the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture intends to issue an award to GrowSafe Systems, Ltd., 273216 Range Road 23, Airdrie, Ab, Canada, T4B 2A3. This is a sole source procurement under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This is a requirement of Bovine Functional Genomics Lab (BFGL), EBSC, ARS, USDA at Beltsville, MD for the vendor to provide expansion of a GrowSafe Model 6000 Feed Intake System. The expansion includes the feed intake node with trough, metalwork, load bar pair, RTU, windscreens, delivery and installation. Interested parties should submit written (mail or email) responses including prices and technical data sufficient to determine capability to meet the entire requirement and must be received in this office within 6 calendar days after publication of this notice. Written responses should be sent to Kristen Turner, Contracting Officer at Kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov or mailed to 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. It should be noted that no contract will be awarded on the basis of offers received in response to this notice, but will be used to determine if a comparable source more advantageous to the Government is available. If no affirmative written responses are received, negotiations will be held with GrowSafe Systems, Ltd. without further notice. This acquisition is being conducted under the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Contracting Officer, hereby approve the use of other than full and open competition for the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1), FAR Subpart 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. JUSTIFICATION 1. Agency and Contracting Activity (FAR 6.303-2(a)(1)). USDA, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE, Eastern Business Service Center, Procurement & Property Section 2. Nature/Description of Action(s) (FAR 6.303-2(a)(2)). This contract action is to acquire additional GrowSafe Model 6000 feeding nodes in order to expand existing equipment and expand the capacity of the GrowSafe system 6000 currently in place at BFGL for estimating feeding intake of growing heifers. 3. Description of Supplies/Services (FAR 6.303-2(a)(3)). This award will be for the expansion of a GrowSafe Model 6000 Feed Intake System. The expansion includes the feed intake node with trough, metal work, load bar pair, RTU, windscreens, delivery and installation. 4. Identification of Statutory Authority (FAR 6.303-2(a)(4)). 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), FAR Subpart 6.302-1. The services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other type of services will satisfy the Agency requirements. 5. Demonstration of Contractor's Unique Qualifications (FAR 6.303-2(a)(5)). a. Only one responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will satisfy Agency Requirements (FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)) (1) FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) states, "When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or for DOD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for." (2) GrowSafe Systems Ltd. is the only provider of the required equipment. GrowSafe Systems, Ltd. designed and built this equipment. Many of its parts are custom made and are not available from other sources. Because the purchased feeding nodes integrate with software and equipment currently in use at the BFGL Dairy Facility, this manufacturer is the only source qualified for this full spectrum of equipment and support. This also includes support and training issues. This technology is further covered under US patents # 6,427,627 and 6,497,197. Therefore there are no other suppliers which can supply components to repair, upgrade or expand the system. GrowSafe Systems, Ltd. is the sole supplier of both hardware and software for the GrowSafe 6000 feed intake system. 6. Federal Business Opportunities - FedBizOpps.gov (FBO) Announcement/Potential Sources (FAR 6.303-2(a)(6). No additional sources have been found for expansion of this feed intake system, as GrowSafe designed and built this equipment, its parts are custom made and are covered under US patents #6,427,627 and 6,497,197. 7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost (FAR 6.303-2(a)(7). The equipment is custom designed and built to integrate into the current feed monitoring equipment at the BFGL dairy facility. Service, parts, and software are customized for the specified equipment. Acquiring parts from a third party is prohibitive. Therefore, it is cost effective to expand the capacity of the current system through GrowSafe Systems, Ltd. Price is expected to be fair and reasonable as an analysis of costs will be performed in accordance with FAR 15.805-3. 8. Description of Market Research (FAR6.303-2 (a)(8). USDA/ARS is constantly surveying the market, and from this experience knows that the service is proprietary and only available from the vendor identified. 9. Any Other Supporting Facts (FAR 6.303-2(a)(9)) Due to the nature of the work needed, at this time there is only one source available. 10. Listing of Interested Sources (FAR 6.303-2(a)(10). No other sources are available at this time. 11. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition (FAR 6.303(a)(11)). Vendor surveys are done from time to time to see if other existing items can meet the research requirements 12. Technical Requirements and Certifications; (FAR 6.303-1(b) and FAR 6.303-2(b) I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance which are included in this justification and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate. CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION: (FAR 6.303-1(A), 6.303-2(A)(12) I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. //s// Name: Kristen Turner Title: Contract Specialist
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/ARS/MAO/632337/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Beltsville Agricultural Research Services, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, United States
- Zip Code: 20705
- Zip Code: 20705
- Record
- SN03014525-W 20130320/130318235300-44cebf2c39e89608812faa709f7b8220 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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