Update Headwell Photonics Hyperspectral Camera System

THIS IS FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITION.This is a Sources Sought Notice ONLY.  The USDA-ARS in College Station, TX currently intends to award a sole source firm fixed price contract to Headwall Photonics for the upgrade and service of a Headwall hyperspectral camera system.   The data collected from the system is needed not only for our research project, but also to the success of our stakeholders and research partners.  For continuity of research no other system is acceptable.The current Hyperspec VNIR E-Series camera system was purchased from Headwall Photonics in 2014.  The system needs to be inspected and recalibrated by the manufacturer  to ensure its proper operation and data quality for our research. Data precision, accuracy and long-term repeatability are critical to our research as data need to be compared over multiple years for temporal analysis which is required for most studies.  If the system is not calibrated and serviced, the

ability to collect valid data required to meet mission-critical research will be compromised.The statutory authority for the sole source procurement is 10 United States Code 2304(c)(1) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.This notice does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the USDA to contract for any supplyor service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for anyinformation or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice.  Submittals will not be returned to the responder. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solelywithin the discretion of the Government. However, if a competitive solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential oof Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement.In response to this sources sought, please provide:1. Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition and identify alternatives or solutions. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.2.  Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, identify business size (large business or a small business), and if applicable, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code.3.  Information to help determine if the requirement (item or service) is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., market pricing, catalog pricing), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc.