Digital Agriculture Data Purchase and Specialty Crops Survey

This solicitation (No. 1232SA26Q1147) is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on behalf of the Economic Research Service (ERS) Resource & Rural Economics Division. It seeks proposals for a firm-fixed-price contract for the "Digital Ag Benefits to US Farmers Project" (CLIN 0001), featuring a two-year period of performance ending September 30, 2028. Set aside 100% for small businesses under NAICS code 541910 (size standard $22.5 million), the procurement utilizes a comparative evaluation methodology rather than formal tradeoff procedures. Quotes will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 12.203 based on four factors: Technical Approach, Relevant Experience, Key Personnel Qualifications, and Past Performance (requiring references from five relevant contracts within the last five years). The solicitation incorporates standard Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provisions and highlights specific USDA Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) clauses, notably AGAR 452.203-71, which mandates strict compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and equal protection principles, and AGAR 452.203-72, which invalidates conflicting supplier-drafted commercial terms. Questions must be emailed to Amber Sampson (amber.sampson@usda.gov) at least five days prior to the quote due date. Final quotes must be submitted electronically via email, with invoices processed through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) is seeking a contractor for a one-year project to acquire historical agricultural data and develop a new specialty crops survey. The initiative has two primary components: purchasing existing 2019–2021 historical dataset covering digital technology adoption in U.S. field crops, and collaborating with ERS to design, pre-test, and administer a new online and telephone survey of approximately 1,000 U.S. specialty crop producers. The contractor is responsible for ensuring representative stratified sampling, constructing statistical weights, and providing comprehensive methodological documentation. This documentation must include the necessary materials to support OMB Paperwork Reduction Act approval. To maintain security, all data collection, storage, and sharing must utilize a FedRAMP-certified server, preferably Qualtrics XM. The selected vendor must deliver anonymized microdata, codebooks, and technical assistance. Deliverables must be Section 508 compliant, and ERS will retain unlimited data rights for research and statistical purposes. Key personnel required for this project include a project manager, survey methodologist, statistician, data engineer, and quality assurance specialist.

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