USAFA Herbarium Digitization Project

Amendment 1 (8/17/2026): The purpose of this amendment is to (1) add Attachment 4 - Government Furnished Property (GFP); (2) add an updated Attachment 3 - Solicitation v2 to remove any password protection and add GFP provisions and clauses; (3) post all received questions and answers in Attachment - FA700026Q0089 USAFA Herbarium Digitization Project Q_As; All other terms and conditions of the original solicitation remain unchanged and in full force and effect. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products prepared in accordance with (IAW) Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) part 12.201-1(c)(1). This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. The purpose of this solicitation number FA700026Q0089 is for a firm-fixed-price purchase order to provide the Herbarium Digitization Project at the US Air Force Academy, Dean of Faculty Department of Biology (DFBI). DFBI is in need of digitization for DFBI’s herbarium. In 1978, Col Alvin Young along with cadets and faculty members who followed him, started an impressive herbarium with over 1800-2400 dried plant specimens. Each plant specimen is filed in cabinets in folders and grouped by family, genus, and species.Thus, the herbarium is an irreplaceable record of the ecological history of the flora on the 18,000 acre USAFA reservation over the past 48 years. Specifically, it serves as a permanent record of what plants grew in a particular location on the Academy reservation.The herbarium currently is housed and accessed by department faculty and cadets for teaching and research. This request seeks USAFA’s herbarium to be boxed and shipped to a company that specializes in the digitization of museum collections worldwide. They have digitized millions of specimens for some of the most famous botanic gardens in the world. This company will receive, handle, barcode, photograph, create a searchable database for USAFA and return the specimens to USAFA for preservation. The necessary salient characteristics of this requirement are found in Attachment 1 - Salient Characteristics. This acquisition is a 100% small business competitive set-aside. All responsible and eligible Small Business concerns may submit a quote, which if received timely, may be considered by the 10th Contracting Squadron at the USAFA. This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses by reference. The full text of provisions and clauses may be accessed electronically at www.acquisition.gov. Notice to Offeror(s)/Supplier(s): Funds are not presently available for this effort. No award will be made under this solicitation until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs. It is USAFA’s preference/intent to acquire only domestic end products per the Buy American Statute (41 USC Chapter 83), except as provided in RFO 25.103. Foreign offers will be evaluated per R-DFARS 225.502 when comparing domestic and foreign offers. This requirement is for commercial items; therefore, the manufacturing country of origin will determine if the quoted product is foreign or domestic. The Buy American – Balance of Payments Program Certificate (R-DFARS 252.225-7000), Attachment 2 –252.225-7000 Buy American – Balance of Payments Program Certificate, must be completed and submitted with the quote. DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE. For the quote to be considered by the Government, it must meet the description specified. Include any applicable descriptive literature, such as illustrations, specification sheets, or product brochures that clearly identify that the quote meets the Government’s requirements. Submission Package Requirements: To be considered responsive, contractors must email the following to marissa.morris.4@us.af.mil and melinda.lingley@us.af....