Soil Carbon Measurement Using Mobile Inelastic Neutron Scattering (IDIQ)

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering Research and Development Center-Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) has a requirement to collect soil carbon measurement data from Department of Defense (DoD) installation lands using a recently emerged technology known as Mobile Inelastic Neutron Scattering and intends to issue an indefinite-delivery-indefinite- quantity (IDIQ) contract. Collection of data is projected to cover as much as 5,000 acres at a time across selected Department of Defense (DoD) installation lands. Data collection scans from multiple installations across the country are needed to create an adequate level of data to be used in a study being performed by ERDC researchers on the amount of carbon sequestration that is occurring in those soils, as part of an overall goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions within the DoD. The study requires data from varying climate regions and topographical environments. Orders will be issued for individual installation scanning as funding becomes available. Then there is a need to have re-scans of those areas done in two-year intervals so that further time lapse comparisons can be made. Finally, it is anticipated that there will be needs related to upgrading the technology over the five-year ordering period. ERDC-CERL intends to award this indefinite-delivery-indefinite- quantity (IDIQ) contract on a sole-source basis to Carbon Asset Solutions (USA) Inc. in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) and 13.501(a)(1)(ii). Their Mobile Inelastic Neutron Scattering method is a novel technology recently developed by USDA and licensed to CAS that is vastly superior in terms of accuracy to conventional soil carbon measurement. It is determined that this technology is the only one that can meet the needs to measure carbon on 5,000 acres of training lands per installation. In addition, it is the only technology of its kind that can measure carbon at a rate of 64 acres per hour. As this technology currently exists as a licensed prototype, only a single vendor is capable of providing this service. Because of these reasons, Carbon Asset Solutions (USA), Inc. is the sole source for this procurement. This is not a request for proposal and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. This is not a small business set aside. Any interested party that believes they can fulfill this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government's acquisition strategy. Please provide responses to this notice, no later than the date and time Please provide responses to this notice, no later than the date and time listed at the top of this posting, to: [email protected] Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses to this notice will not be considered as a response to any solicitation, a request to be added to a prospective offerors list, or to receive a copy of any solicitation. A determination by the Government not to compete the contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.