Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

The Agricultural Research Services Division of the USDA requests construction of custom grasshopper cages. Sidney Montana, USDA Grasshopper Cages 0.5 m2 cage specifications 110 cages based on per cage... The Agricultural Research Services Division of the USDA requests construction of custom grasshopper cages. Sidney Montana, USDA Grasshopper Cages 0.5 m2 cage specifications 110 cages based on per cage price. We can provide a sample cage with pvc frame. We need 2 distinct heights of cages. 50 cages made at 30” tall, 55 cages made at 24” tall. 1. Finished internal dimensions: 55 cages with internal dimensions 24” tall, with all sides 28.5” wide. Top should be 28.5”x28.5” finished internal. 50 cages with internal dimensions 30” tall, side dimensions the same as above. See attached photos. 2. Screening: Lumite® insect screening (woven 100% polyethylene 14x18 mesh per inch). As this is a specialized material and specs are critical, screening material will be provided by us and shipped to you in 6’x100’ rolls with a cardboard inner tube. 3. Bottom cage flap: A 6” wide flap of 18oz coated vinyl added to the bottom (tan, white, grey or other light color). Cage flap should sit on ground perpendicular to the sides of the cage and have no break at the corners, a continuous flap around the corners. See photo (figure 1). See more information on seams in point 6 below. 4. Grommets: Bottom flaps need 8 grommets (~1” O.D., minimum 0.5” I.D.) consisting of one at each corner and one in the middle of each side located ~1.5” from the inside edge of the vinyl flap. Each grommet should have reinforcing material (extra square of vinyl) to avoid ripping out. Grommets must be spaced 1.5” from the junction of lumite and vinyl (figure 2). Depending on seam location, corner grommets may be okay without extra reinforcing material. 5. Zippers: 2 Opposite sides of the cage will each have an 18” YKK #10 Vislon Delrin Black Zipper (Ex: https://www.sailrite.com/YKK-Continuous-Vislon-Zipper-Chain-Black-10) with single pull. The zipper itself should be approximately 18” in height above the base and ~centered on the wall – this will be the same for both cages. Zipper should be sewn into a 3” high piece of vinyl inset into the cage that will reduce stress on the screening when opening and closing. The vinyl inset should extend 1.5” beyond the zipper on the ends, as shown in the photos (figure 3 – interior and exterior cage view). 6. Seams: All seams should be double stitched. It is critical that the interior of the cage doesn’t have any pockets created by concealed seams as our insects get trapped in these. Frayed and unfinished edges on the interior of the cage are also bad as the insects can impale themselves on the stiff Lumite threads. a. Seams on the vinyl inset for the zippers need to be double-stitched with raw edges of Lumite concealed within the seams as the Lumite tends to unravel (figure 3). b. Vinyl-Lumite seams on bottom flap should also be double-stitched with sufficient Lumite overlap. c. Lumite-Lumite seams need to be flat felled seams, wide enough to prevent seam failure due to lumite fraying (minimum ½ inch finished seam width). If unable to serge the edge of the Lumite, seams need to have raw edges to the exterior of the cage for Lumite-Lumite seams (figure 4). d. To minimize the number of seams on the cage, a continuous piece of Lumite should be used for the top and the 2 sides that don’t have zippers – if there is an easier way to construct the cage, we are open to changing this particular requirement as long as all seams follow the above specifications. It is essential that seams be a minimum finished flat felled width of ½ inch. 7. To prevent the need for modifications, we will provide a priority next day air shipping label to send a prototype cage to us that we will check the day we receive it. See attached specifications for photos of cages. If interested in submitting a price quote, please fill out the attached SF-1449 Form and email to james.porter@usda.gov before the deadline.