Inactive
Notice ID:140G0221Q0017
The purpose of this sources sought is to determine the availability and capability of interested small businesses to include, small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-own...
The purpose of this sources sought is to determine the availability and capability of interested small businesses to include, small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, and 8(a) small business to provide Uranium-series dating of corals. This notice is being posted for fact finding and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an Invitation for Bid, a Request for Proposal, Solicitation, Request for Quotes, or an indication the Government will contract for the items or services herein. Responses to this synopsis will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this sources sought synopsis, a solicitation announcement may be published in the BetaSAM website. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses to the solicitation announcement. All interested offerors will have to respond to the solicitation announcement in addition to responding to this sources sought announcement. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this notice. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information beingrequested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this source sought. Any response received will not be used as a proposal. The NAICS code is 541380 size standard $16.5 million. All firms interested in this sources sought must be registered with or have the ability to register with the System for Award Management (SAM), in order to receive a Federal contract award. To register, go to the SAM Internet address at http://www.sam.gov. Failure to register may render the offeror ineligible for award of a contract. The USGS conducts research on past climate change. One of the most pressing issues in this field is sea-level rise and studies by the USGS include mapping, measuring and age determinations of past high sea levels. Age determination is typically done on fossil corals found in ancient reefs or shoreline deposits. These age determinations make use of uranium decay-series isotopes found in corals, measured by mass spectrometry. Uranium-series dating of corals requires cleaning of fossil material (done by USGS personnel), Xray determination of aragonite purity (done by USGS personnel), laboratory chemical extraction (done by the vendor), and measurement of isotopes by mass spectrometry (done by the vendor). The contractor shall receive the coral samples, record the samples received, and any specific processing requests in spreadsheet format (e.g. Excel file) within two business days of receiving samples. This information shall be provided to the USGS contact listed on the sample submission form for verification. TQTQ 2: The contractor shall process all samples using standard isotope dilution techniques, using 229Th, 233U, and 236U spikes as yield tracers. Element concentrations of U (ppm), Th (ppb), and isotopic activity ratios (234U/238U, 230Th/232Th, 230Th/238U), with 2-sigma errors, will be measured on extracted elements using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The contractor shall provide a report in spreadsheet format (e.g. Excel file) detailing the element concentrations (U and Th) and isotopic activity ratios (234U/238U, 230Th/232Th, 230Th/238U) of each coral sample analyzed, as well as calculated ages, using the current halflives of the relevant isotopes, as given in Cheng et al. (2013), Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 371-372, p. 82-91. All measurements will include 2-sigma error estimates. TQTQ 4: The contractor shall return all mineral separate splits and all leftover sample materials for each sample submitted within five weeks of completion of laboratory analyses. The contractor shall maintain a facility dedicated to clean lab chemical extraction, separation, and purification of U-series isotopes. The contractor shall return all excess, unprocessed sample material to the USGS. The contractor shall provide a report in spreadsheet format (e.g. Excel file) detailing the laboratory procedures utilized, as well as the element concentrations (U and Th) and isotopic activity ratios (234U/238U, 230Th/232Th, 230Th/238U) of each coral sample analyzed, as well as calculated ages, using the current half-lives of the relevant isotopes, as given in Cheng et al. (2013), Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 371-372, p. 82-91. All measurements will include 2-sigma error estimates. If you are interested, and are capable of providing the required services please provide the requested information as indicated below. The interested parties should provide a capabilities package to include: (1) Capability and Technical Experience (2) Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, and past experience with similar projects. (3) Past performance with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules; (capacity to accomplish the work in the required time); a) past and current customer satisfaction; e.g., overall customer satisfaction, rapport with customer, information sharing, reporting procedures and technology used, meeting design, cost, and schedule goals; b) performance records, e.g., quality of work as measured over a number of projects completed within/or under budget and within/under schedule: c) relationship & history of work with proposed consultants, d) quality, cost, and schedule and control procedures and technology used. (4) Size of Business - Please provide your business size (including certified 8(a), Small Disadvantage businesses, HUB Zone businesses; veteran-owned small businesses, and women-owned small businesses) and submit copies of any documentation such as letters of certifications to indicate the firm status. (5) Please include company name, address, telephone number, point of contact with an email address, business size, DUNS number, SAM Registration number, Federal CAGE code, general description of the company, how long the company has been in business and a description of similar contracts with the government and/or commercial customers (include points of contact, contract numbers, value and contract type). Note: It is the responsibility of all potential offerors to monitor these sites for release of any future synopses or solicitations. NLT 12:00 P. M. (Mountain Time) DECEMBER 17,2020 USGS Attn: Timothy Bertsch Bldg 810, Denver Federal Center P.O. Box 25046, MS204B Denver, Colorado 80225-0046 The point of contact is Timothy Bertsch; by email ONLY at tbertsch@usgs.gov USGS makes no implied or in fact contract by issuing this Sources Sought announcement. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the USGS's view of the information received. Material that requires a non-disclosure agreement or that may be business sensitive will not be accepted. Please note that responses to this notice will not be returned. Contracting Office Address: USGS OAG DENVER ACQUISITION BRANCH PO BOX 25046 204 DENVER FEDERAL CENTER DENVER CO 80225-0046 US Point of Contact(s): Timothy Bertsch tbertsch@usgs.gov
