Opportunity: This is a Sources Sought for Seed Research.

140L0618R0036 THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is for market research to make an appropriate acquisition decision and to gain knowledge of potential qualified businesses interested and capable of providing the services described below. Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. Background In response to widespread wildfires, in 2001 Congress directed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a Native Plant Materials Development Program to increase the number of native species, seed sources available in the commercial market as well as improve the effectiveness of the BLM restoration treatments. Improving seed sources and restoration treatment effectiveness provides a direct benefit to the BLM by reducing the need to reseed projects, expedite revegetation/restoration goals, and allow multiple use activities to return to degraded public lands faster. To develop native species for restoration, BLM follows the Native Plant Materials Development Cycle. Unlike food crops, developing and using native plants for wildland restoration requires an investment in understanding plant ecology, seed biology, propagation and cultivation practices, as well as developing techniques for sowing seed effectively on restoration sites. This understanding is achieved by completing scientific studies and investigations (science delivery) projects for priority native plant species. Scope The BLM Plant Conservation and Restoration Program has a requirement for science delivery projects that will improve the effectiveness of federal restoration and vegetation management treatments on public lands. In particular, the BLM has a requirement for projects in four topic areas: (1) Native plant population genetics as related to local adaptation and the performance of native seed sources, including but not limited to the development of seed transfer guidance (2) Native plant interactions, ecology and biology as related to understanding and restoring ecological function, (3) Agronomic development of native plant species for commercial seed production, including but not limited to field cultivation practices and seed increase, and (4) Evaluating methodologies and improving the effectiveness of existing restoration practices and developing new restoration methodologies/treatments to restore degraded public lands. The BLM requires science delivery projects to use traditional research practices and techniques (such as but not limited to, germination studies, laboratory and field studies, common garden studies, and ecological investigations). BLM requires the science delivery projects to be compiled into publically available technical reports and peer reviewed publications. Science delivery projects shall be proposed, planned, developed and implemented by lead investigators with a PhD (or equivalent combination of education and work experience) and publication history that demonstrates the investigator has an in-depth understanding of the topic area and experience using science based strategies to answer questions important to land managers. This sources sought shall not be considered as a request for quote or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the contractor submission of this sources sought or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this request. No contract will be awarded as a result of this announcement. Data submitted in response to this request will not be returned. The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541620-Environmental Consulting Services ($15.0M). INSTRUCTION FOR SOURCES SOUGHT SUBMISSION: After review of this requirement, interested parties may submit a response in an electronic format only via email to kquinones@blm.gov no later than 18 May 2018 2:00PM MT. Electronic files shall be in Microsoft Word® or Adobe Acrobat PDF® format. Respondents shall include the following as part of their submission: a. A synopsis of the company's capabilities to provide Seed Research. Please include previous Native Seed Research experience. b. Indicate company¿s capability to provide services in all of the Continental United States and Alaska or indicate specific states service will be provided. c. DUNS Number d. Company Name e. Company Address f. Business size, SDVOSB, HUBZone, or Woman owned status, as validated via the System for Award Administration (SAM). All offers must register on the SAM located at http://www.SAM.gov g. Company point of contact, phone and email address. The information submitted should not exceed a total of 6 one-sided 8½ x 11 pages, with one inch margins, and font no smaller than 12 point. After review of the responses to this announcement, the Government intends to proceed with the acquisition and a subsequent solicitation shall be published. Link to Native Plant Materials Development Cycle https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-seed-and-plant-material-development