Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

INTRODUCTION The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Plains Area Office is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market researc... INTRODUCTION The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Plains Area Office is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies available to support/provide the final design of a biological materials transport containers. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement, if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this sources sought notice/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open unrestricted competition. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions. DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO BE SUBMITTED. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. REQUIREMENT The Government has a requirement for responsible contractors to final design and construct a biological materials transport container, based on a Government provided conceptual design. The container must be able to maintain temperatures between -150°C to -20°C, to ensure integrity of the biological material. The container needs capacity for liquid nitrogen storage and other cold storage devices. The container shall be able to provide security and monitoring functions. Anticipated container length could be between a standard shipping container to semi-trailer size. ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS codes for this requirement is 332420 Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing, with a Small Business Size Standard of 750 Employees. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 5430 Storage Tanks. SUBMISSION DETAILS Interested businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten 8.5 X 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating ability to provide the products/system listed in “Requirements” section. Documentation should be in easily readable format. No phone or email solicitations with regards to the status of the RFP will be accepted prior to its release. Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, Kelly D. Wright, in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email kelly.wright@usda.gov no later than 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on 29 November 2019 and reference this synopsis number in subject line of e-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required products/systems, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, FAX, Web site address, telephone number, and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. 3) Business Size 4) Sam.gov information including your Cage Code and DUNS number. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.