Alfalfa Harvesting and Bagging IDIQ

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number 12505B21Q0035 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-04. This solicitation will be a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside. The associated NAICS code is 115113, Crop Harvesting Primarily by Machine, with a small business size standard of $8 million and the PSC code is F099. The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following services: 001) Alfalfa Harvesting and Bagging IDIQ Scope of Work: The USDA-Dairy Forage Research Farm at Prairie du Sac, WI is seeking quotes for alfalfa mowing, chopping, merging, bagging, and storage harvesting services for four separate cuttings of approximately 353 acres (or approximately 1,354 acres total, maximum of 1,500 acres) as well as two haylage baggings of approximately 500 feet each (or 1,000 feet total) under a firm-fixed price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a base plus four option years. The implementation of an IDIQ contract is due to the exact acreage that will be harvested and bagged being an approximation (which may need to be adjusted) and because the exact acreage that will be harvested for each of the option years will be subject to change. As such, an IDIQ is being used in case adjustments to the acreage and bagging needs be made over the term of the contract and so this adjustment can be made without major modifications being made to the contract. All quotes submitted must be issued on the attached SF 1449. Any quote not submitted on the SF 1449 will be not be accepted and will not be put into consideration for award. Background: Alfalfa is grown at the farm for silage. The cutting, chopping and storing of the alfalfa is labor intensive and requires specific farm equipment. The vendor needs to have experience with previous alfalfa harvesting to ensure that the fields and crops are not damaged. The farm has traditionally paid vendors for this service as we dont have the personnel or large-scale equipment to perform the work ourselves. The vendor will need to coordinate specific days for the work with Scott Serwe (608-574-0711) or Paul Davis (608-640-7752) who is a University of Wisconsin employee. Paul and Scott will assess the field conditions to determine the best days for harvesting. The harvest timing will be dependent on weather. The quantity will be determined by the number of acres harvested. When forage is stored in 12ft ag bags the quantity will be determined by the foot. Technical Requirements/Tasks: Alfalfa chopping services for 4 cuttings. Approximate acreage 1st crop 295 acres, 2nd crop 353 acres, 3rd crop 353 acres, 4th crop 353 acres. These acreages may vary depending on winter survival of the crop and feed needs. Operations needed for each cutting include discbine mowing, merging of windrows, a self-propelled chopper, 3 forage trucks, packing tractor, and the personal to operate each piece of equipment for crops that are stored in a forage bunker. For crops that are stored in a 12ft Ag bag all of the above items will be needed with the addition of a 12 ft self propelled bagger. The approximate number of ft of forage bagged in a 12ft bag is around 1000Ft. The vendor must supply their own diesel fuel for their equipment. This contract needs to be quoted based on the number of acres harvested which must be confirmed with Scott before an invoice is submitted. The quote should also contain the cost per foot of putting forage in a 12Ft diameter bag. Current forage harvesting plan that is subject to change based on the farms needs. Need Item 1st cut:1st crop alfalfa 295 acres. For 1st crop, forage will be stored in a forage bunker. Mowing, chopping, merging and one large packing tractor needed. 3 forage trucks or wagons will be needed.Harvest to be performed one week after Paul Davis or Scott Serwe indicates field conditions are ready. Estimated date to cut is May 17th-May 25th. Need Item 2nd cut:2nd crop alfalfa 353 acres (94.2 of which will be spring seeded alfalfa) will be stored in forage bunkers. Mowing, chopping, merging and one large packing tractor needed for two days. 3 forage trucks or wagons will be needed for two days.Harvest to be performed one week after Paul Davis or Scott Serwe indicates field conditions are ready. Estimated date to cut will be June 17th-25th. Need Item 3rd cut:3rd crop alfalfa 353 acres will be stored in 12ft ag bag. Mowing, chopping, merging and self-powered 12 forage bagger. 3 forage trucks or wagons will be needed for two days.Harvest to be performed one week after Paul Davis or Scott Serwe indicates field conditions are ready. Estimated date to cut will be July 17th-25th 2021. Need Item 4th cut:4th crop 353 acres alfalfa will be stored in an ag bag. Mowing, chopping, merging and self-powered 12 forage bagger will be needed. 3 forage trucks or wagons will be needed.Harvest to be performed one week after Paul Davis or Scott Serwe indicates field conditions are ready. Estimated date to cut will be August 17th-25th. Government Furnished: The work will take place on 353 acres of USDA-ARS land within the Badger property in Prairie du Sac. The US Dairy Forage Farm will provide and install oxygen-limiting plastics used to line the concrete forage bunkers prior to feed storage, and provide and install bunker covers. Farm will also provide silage bags for any crop that the farm decides store in a 12ft bag. Contractors Key Personnel: The vendors personnel who perform the harvesting must have previous experience harvesting alfalfa and must be trained and certified to use the farm equipment. Security Requirements: The vendor does not require a security clearance to complete the work. The vendor must check in and out each day with Paul Davis. Travel: Then vendor will need to travel to the USDA Dairy Forage Research Farm for the days it will take to harvest the alfalfa. The vendor must provide own diesel fuel to power their equipment. Key Deliverables: Alfalfa mowing, chopping, merging, and storage harvesting services for up to 1,500 acres (with an approximate 1,354 acres spread across 4 harvests, but subject to increase/decrease). Haylage bagging of approximately 1,000 feet split between two of the four harvests or 500 feet each (the exact number of feet may be lower depending on the actual number acres harvested). Delivery: The specific schedule will be contingent on the weather and crop and field conditions. The quantity will be determined by the number of acres actually harvested. All loads of chopped alfalfa must be weighed on the farm weigh scale to determine the total amount of forage harvested. Weight recording sheets will be provided. Automatic digital weigh wagons can be used by the vendor to record weights. Approximate Service Delivery Dates: May 17th-May 25th June 17th-25th July 17th-25th August 17th-25th Please quote the base term and 4 optional years as follows: Base Year: 05/01/2021-04/30/2022 Option Year 1: 05/01/2022-04/30/2023 Option Year 2: 05/01/2023-04/30/2024 Option Year 3: 05/01/2024-04/30/2025 Option Year 4: 05/01/2025-04/30/2026 Location of the Government site is USDA-ARS Prairie du Sac, WI and will be identified in the contract. The Government anticipates award of a Firm-Fixed Price Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract with a base and four option years. Submitting a Quote: To be eligible for an award, all contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration. A contractor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. A DUNS (Dun and Bradstreet) number is required in order to register.Vendor must also include their DUNS# on their quote. To be eligible, all vendors must also be registered in SAM under the specific NAICS code listed as part of this request for quote. 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 submitting a quote. 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 [email protected] so that they can be added to the list of NDAA 889 Certified vendors. The submission and payment of invoices on the resulting contract will be made through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). As such, vendors must be currently registered or register in IPP in order to be able to submit and receive payment on invoices for the resulting contract. Offerors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote onSF 1449(see attached). If a quote is not submitted on the required SF 1449 is will be automatically disqualified and removed from consideration for award. The quote should include all feesand/or surcharges. This will be a tax-exempt purchase. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Please email all quotes in writing on the SF 1449 [email protected] by no later thanWednesday, March 24, 2021 at 5:00 PMCST. Questions in regards to this combined synopsis/solicitation must be submitted through email and are due no later than3:00 PM CST on Wednesday, March 17, 2020. Answers to any questions received by that time will beposted as an amendment to this combined synopsis/solicitation.