This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Ames, Iowa. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

A market survey is being conducted to determine if there are adequate Small Business, SBA certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), Women-Owned, or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) contractors available for a proposed project who meet the specific criteria outlined below. This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a solicitation Announcement, Request for Quote, or Invitation for Bid. It does not constitute any commitment by the Government. No award will result from this notice. The purpose is to conduct market research to gain knowledge of potentially qualified sources and to determine the capability of Small Business and/or Large Business companies to provide the supplies/services described below. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make an appropriate acquisition decision. Department of Agriculture requests responses from ALL socioeconomic categories in order to gain a more complete understanding of the market for these products and service. The National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE) has a requirement for FY23 Custom Hay Baling Contract for USDA Laboratory. Contract Period of Coverage: May 15, 2023 through October 31, 2023. Anticipated total harvest not to exceed 300 acres. Vendor will cut, condition, rake and bale forage from the NADC fields. Vendor will be required to supervise all areas of the operation in which they are responsible. The NAICS code applicable to this acquisition is 115112 (Soil preparation, Planting, and Cultivating) with a size standard of $8.5 million. The PSC is F006. Any subsequent procurement will be conducted as a commercial item purchased in accordance with FAR Part 12 and as a Simplified Acquisition Procedure in accordance with FAR Part 13. Contract requirements include: Specific Requirements/Tasks NADC has the following plots on-site which may be baled by the contractor as requested by the NADC: *Mixed Grass - Approximately 70 acres *Alfalfa - Approximately 10 acres NADC has hay plots on-site up to 80 acres which may be baled by the contractor as requested by the NADC. NADC Farm Management Staff will determine fields to harvest. Minimum number of acres harvested will be 60 acres up to a maximum of 300 acres. Vendor to bid on a per acre basis and will be paid on a per acre basis. Vendor shall supply all needed equipment to include: tractors, balers, rake, mower, wagons, tractors to pull wagons, fuel and labor for all the vendor supplied equipment to harvest hay as assigned by National Animal Disease Center (NADC) Farm Management Staff. Vendor shall maintain a record of the number, average weight, and type of bales from each field and turn in to Farm Manager after completion of each cutting. Vendor will be responsible for delivery of all baled hay from the fields to NADC location as specified by NADC Farm Management Staff. Vendor will be required to bale small squares and stack in location designated by Farm Manager. Hay racks will be supplied by NADC. Vendor will be responsible for supervision and safety of all areas of the operation in which they are responsible. Hay harvest to begin as early as May 15th and may proceed to the middle of October. All tasks must be completed in accordance with typical industry standards and in coordination with NADC Farm Management Staff. Hay is to be baled in Round bales (with option of Large Square bales if needed) and/or Small Square bales (typically not to exceed 10% of total) as designated by NADC Farm Management Staff. Hay is to be cut and crimped/crushed. Care should be taken when raking and baling to prevent dry matter loss. Hay is to be baled when moisture content reaches 15-18%. Propionic Acid and propionic-acetic acid preservatives should be used with prior approval of NADC Farm Management Staff. The acid preservative should be applied at the baler and at a rate recommended by the manufacturer. Exact harvest dates to be determined by NADC Farm Management Staff depending on weather and plant growth stage. Subsequent cuttings will typically be about 30 days apart depending on weather conditions. Harvest to commence within 4 calendar days from verbal or written request by an authorized government employee and be completed in a timely manner yielding a satisfactory product as described above. Estimated acres to be baled per cutting: 1st cutting - 70 acres (mixed grass) (all Round / Large Square) and 8 acres Alfalfa (all Small Square) 2nd cutting - 70 acres (mixed grass) (all Round/Large Square) and 8 acres Alfalfa (all Small Square) 3rd cutting - 70 acres (mixed grass) (all Round/Large Square) and 8 acres Alfalfa (all Small Square) 4th cutting - 8 acres Alfalfa (all Small Square) Small Square bales of hay shall be satisfactorily baled with rot-proof twine. Bales that are ragged, shorter than 36" or longer than 48", and bales having twine of unequal tension, which makes it difficult to handle and stack, will not be acceptable. Bales should weigh between 50 and 70 pounds each. Hay shall not contain injurious foreign material. Large Square bales of hay shall be satisfactorily baled with rot-proof twine making a 3' X 3' X 8', a 3' X 4' X 8' or a 4' X 4' X 8' bale. Round Bales of hay shall be satisfactorily baled with net-wrap making a bale that is minimum 4.5' to 6' in diameter and approximately 5' wide with a minimum weight of 1400 pounds and maximum 1800 pounds. Large Square and Round Bales that are ragged or having twine/wrap of unequal tension, which makes it difficult to handle, will not be acceptable. Hay shall not contain injurious foreign material. Vendor shall be responsible for supervising all operations under their responsibility. This would include the maintenance and safety of all vendor owned equipment, supplies and personnel. Place of Performance: USDA, NCAH, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Bldg 13, Ames, IA 50010 Capability Statement: Companies who have the experience, as well as an interest in doing business with ARS, should submit a Capabilities Statement which, for this notice, is not expected to be a proposal, but rather short statements regarding the company's ability to demonstrate their expertise and experience in relation to the areas specified in this notice. In addition to the Capabilities Statement, companies should complete the attached Sources Sought Response Form and indicate whether they are a Small Business, SBA-certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), SDVOSB, or Women-Owned Small Business. To be eligible, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration. A SAM UEI number is required in order to register in SAM. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. Vendor must include their UEI# on their capability statements. To be eligible, all vendors must also be registered in SAM under the specific NAICS code listed as part of this sources sought. If a prospective vendor is not registered under the specified NAICS code and would qualify to be registered under it then they must update their SAM registration prior to providing a capabilities statement. Finally, to be eligible, all vendors must be NDAA 889 Certified. If they do not currently have a NDAA 889 Certification, then they must complete the attached NDAA 889 Certification form and submit it to melissa.grice@usda.gov so that they can be added to the list of NDAA 889 Certified vendors. Submitting a Capability Statements: Responses should be submitted via email by Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. (Central Time). Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Questions should be directed to Melissa Grice at melissa.grice@usda.gov. Disclaimer: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Respondents are also advised that under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information or provide feedback about any of the information received. After review of the responses received, the Government may issue a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation. No proprietary, sensitive, confidential or classified information shall be included with your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation. The method of contractor selection has not been determined at this time.