USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038

88 -- ANGUS STEERS, FEEDER LAMBS, AND SHEEP SOL 01-3615-98 DUE 032398 POC Lisa M. Botella, (215) 233-6551, fax (215) 233-6558, Regina M. Herchak, Contracting Officer The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, requires the following types of livestock for use in Agroforestry and Grazing research to be furnished F.O.B. Destination to the USDA, ARS, Appalachian Soil & Water Conservation Research Lab (Research Farms), 1224 Airport Road, P.O. Box 400, Beaver, WV 25813-0400. 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, a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-03. Solicitation 01-3615-98, Request for Proposal (RFP) is 100% set-aside for small business under SIC code 0291 with a business size of $0.5 million average annual receipts for each of the preceding three (3) years. The Government contemplates awarding a Firm-Fixed Price-Economic Price Adjustment contract as a result of Solicitation No. 01-3615-98. The contract will be for a base period plus one (1) option. Base Year will include the following: Item 1) Angus or black, white-face steers, no horns, medium frame, #1 muscle, 400-500 pounds, 40 each. Item 2) Feeder lambs, wethers, 70 pounds average weight, sheared, 150 each. Item 3) Sheep, yearling wethers, 135 pounds average weight, sheared, 25 each. Option Year will include the following: Item 4) Angus or black, white-face steers, no horns, medium frame, #1 muscle, 400-500 pounds, 1 to 80 each. Item 5) Feeder lambs, wethers, 70 pounds average weight, sheared, 1 to 80 each. Item 6) Sheep, yearling wethers, 135 pounds average weight, sheared, 1 to 40 each. The cost of the livestock acquired during Option year will be negotiated based on the livestock market prices published in the "USDA Livestock Market News" (West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Charleston, WV area) at the time the option is exercised which will be 12 months after the contract award date. Exercising the Option period will be at the Government's sole discretion. Groups of livestock used must be as uniform as possible in genetic background (same sire), breed, size, weight, and sex. The Contractor shall comply with all requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. Animals shall be shipped in proper enclosures to protect from weather elements and in a manner that will insure acceptance by common carrier and safe delivery at destination. Containers and closures shall comply with the International Commerce Commission regulations, Uniform Freight Classification Rules, or regulations of other carriers as applicable to the cargo and the mode of transportation. The Contractor is to provide documentation regarding the livestocks individual weights at delivery. Upon delivery to the Government, the animals shall be immediately inspected by the Government. The Government will not accept any injured, dead, or diseased animals (nonconforming items) found in the shipment and will not be charged for the same. The Contractor shall be required to dispose of and replace the quantities for any nonconforming items within 7-10 days after the item(s) are returned. The Contractor shall deliver the animals within 24 hours of loading on the vehicles. Animals shall be weighed on certified scales tested by appropriate authority at the Contractor's premises and documentation on the animal weight shall be provided with each shipment. The Contractor shall provide a list of the vaccinations administered to each animal with each shipment. Hours of delivery are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and shall be coordinated with the location resentative who shall be named at time of contract award. Base year and Option year deliveries shall be on a calendar year basis and are as follows: Items 1 and 4) April 1-15; Items 2 and 5) April 15 through May 1; and Items 3 and 6) April 15. Items 1, 2, 4, and 5, deliveries shall be FOB Destination to the USDA, ARS, Appalachian Soil & Water Conservation Research Laboratory, School Farm (Unit 1), Bragg Pluto Road, off I-64 East, Beckley, WV, (approximately 15 miles from the AFRS location). Items 3 and 6 deliveries shall be FOB Destination to the USDA, ARS, Appalachian Soil & Water Conservation Research Laboratory, Roscoe Plumley Farm, Exit 133, off I-64, Beckley, WV (approximately 20 miles from the ARS location). Provision FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. Offerors are to include a Past Performance List which is to include recent and relevant contracts for the same or similar items within the last two years and contain the following information: customer's name, address and telephone number, title of contract, amount, and time of delivery. Clause FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes of Executive Orders -- Commercial Items applies to this acquisition which indicates FAR Clauses 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I, 52.203-10, Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity, 52.211-17, Delivery of Excess Quantities, 52.216-2, Economic Price Adjustment-Standard Supplies (applies to all items), 52.217-3, Evaluation Exclusive of Options, AGAR 452.216-72, 52.217-7, Option for Increased Quantity -- Separately Priced Line Item -- will have 60 days notice, 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns and Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns, 52.222-3, Convict Labor, 52.233-3, Protest After Award, 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans, 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers, 52.222-37, Employment Reports for Special Disabled Veteran and Veterans of the Vietnam Era, 52.225-3, Buy American Act-Supplies, 52.229-3, Federal, State, and Local Taxes, 52.232-1, Payments, 52.232-8, Discounts for Prompt Payment, 52.232-11, Extras,52.232-19, Availability of Funds for the Next Fiscal Year, 52-232-34, Optional Information for Electronic Funds Transfer Payment, 52.242-15, Stop Work, 52.242-17, Government Delay of Work. The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with offerors. Therefore, the offeror's initial offer should contain the offeror's best terms from a price and technical standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. State licensing will be used for evaluation purposes in accordance with FAR Clause 52.212-1. Invoices shall be submitted after each delivery with an original and two copies to the Contract Officer. To constitute a proper invoice, the invoice must include the following information: Name of Company, invoice number and date; contract number, description, price and quantity of supplies actually delivered, shipping and payment terms, name (where practicable), title, phone number and complete mailing address of responsible official to whom payment is to be sent. The offer is to include the following: 1) a completed copy of the Provision FAR 52.212-3, Offer Representation and Certifications-Commercial Items; 2) Provision FAR 52.204-6, Contractor Identification Number-Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number; 3) Provision FAR 52.225-1, Buy American Certification; 4) Past Performance List; 5) acknowledgement of solicitation amendments (if any), 6) Copy of the State Department of Agriculture Livestock License, and 7) the following statement and certification: Statement of Eligibility (Humane Slaughter Act): "The supplier agrees that livestock products sold to the Government, except products produced or processed from livestock slaughtered outside the United States, its possessions, and Puerto Rico, conform to the requirements of the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958 (7 U.S.C. 1901-1906)." Facsimile proposals shall not be accepted. The proposal shall be mailed to the attention of the Contracting Officer at USDA, ARS, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038-8598, and received by 4:00 p.m. (local time) on March 23, 1998. Lisa Botella is the point of contact and can be reached at (215) 233-6551 or facsimile (215) 233-6558. See Note 1. (0061)

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