Three Environment Controlled Plant Growth Chambers with Water Cooled Condensing Units

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 12505B21Q0181 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-06. This solicitation will be a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside. The associated NAICS code is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees and the PSC code is 6640. Contract award is dependent on the availability of funds.

The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following products:

001) Three Environment Controlled Plant Growth Chambers with Water Cooled Condensing Units

Scope of Work:

The USDA-ARS, Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul, MN is requesting quotes for the furnishing, delivery, and installation of three (3) environmentally controlled plant growth chambers with water cooled condensing units.

Background:

We investigate the genetic basis of cereal disease resistance as well as population dynamics of cereal pathogens. Project research is performed both in the laboratory and the field. This project looks at the genetic analysis of cereal-rust interaction as well as variability in the rust pathogens themselves. Lab analyses performed include genetic and molecular basis of plant-pathogen interaction. These could be simple genetic experiments to more modern genomic analysis of host, pathogen and host-pathogen interaction. These projects work in collaboration with geneticist and breeders from across the U.S. to develop more resistant cereal cultivars.

Technical Requirements: 

The government is requesting bids on the furnishing, delivery, and installation of environmentally controlled plant growth chambers (3) as specified herein:

Control System:

• Must be a reliable, flexible, user friendly, and industrial grade control system that is designed specifically for plant growth chambers.
• Programming must be capable of storing at least to 10 real-time user-entered programs each containing at least to 30 lines. Each program should be able to define a single 24-hour period and be able to repeat this program continuously without user intervention.
• Data logging and graphing must be accessible at site and remotely.

Physical/mechanical properties:

• Exterior dimensions must not exceed: 110"W x 36"D* x 80"H

• Must have wheels installed/able to be installed for transport through building to install destination.
• Growth area must not be less then: 28 ft².
• Growth capacity must be a minimum: 95 ft³.
• Growth height must be a minimum: 24” from shelf floor to lights
• Interior finish would preferably be reflective for light dispersal.
• Must have at least two reach-in doors which fasten closed and with keyed locks
• Must have at least two instrument ports with caps.
• Must have two tiers.
• Must have remote alarm contacts.
• Must use a water-cooled condensing unit.

Lighting:

• Intensity: must reach at least 550 micromoles/m²/s
• Light intensity must be dimmable.
• Lamps must be LED and produce a balanced spectrum for optimal plant growth.
• Must have a quantum light meter for display and recording of light output.

Temperature Control:

• Must be able to range: +10°C to +45°C with the lights ON.

Air Flow:

• Must contain filtered air inlet and adjustable exhaust. 

*with door/s removed

Note: Quoted products should be USA Manufactured if at all possible.

Evaluation Factors: 

Lowest price, technically acceptable. The government intends to award a firm-fixed price award based on the lowest price technically acceptable product. The lowest priced product will be evaluated first; if not found acceptable, the next lowest priced product will be evaluated, and so on until an acceptable product is identified. The government will not review higher priced products if the lowest priced product is determined to be technically acceptable. For a vendor’s products to be considered technically acceptable, they must meet all of the technical requirements identified in the solicitation.

Key Deliverables:

• Three (3) Environmentally Controlled Plant Growth Chambers
• Three (3) Water-Cooled Condensing Units
• Delivery
• Instillation

Delivery:

Delivery is to be made to the Cereal Disease Laboratory at 1551 Lindig Street, St. Paul, MN 55108 within 135 days of contract award.

The vendor shall provide all items F.O.B: destination. Location of the Government site is aboard USDA-ARS St. Paul, MN and will be identified in the contract. The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract. Contract award is subject to the availability of funds.

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.

Also, 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 aaron.dimeo@usda.gov 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.  

NOTE: Funds are not currently available for this acquisition. However, if the funds become available, the Government intends to award the requirement before 09/30/2021. Please ensure the quoted amount will be current until at least 09/30/2021.  

Offerors responding to this announcement shall submit their quote on SF 1449 (see attached). The quote should include all fees, delivery charges, and/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 to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by no later than Monday, September 13, 2021 at 5:00 PM Central Standard Time.

Questions in regards to this combined synopsis/solicitation must be submitted through email and are due no later than 5:00 PM CST on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Answers to any questions received by that time will be posted as an amendment to this combined synopsis/solicitation.