Isolated Crossing and Breeding Nursery

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation invites offers from concerns with the expertise and required capabilities to provide items as detailed in the Statement of Work (Attachment 2). Alternate parts are authorized if they meet form, fit, and function requirements and conform to the approved configuration. All parts must be NEW and approved.

• Detailed requirements are stipulated in the Statement of Work (Attachment 2).

• Offerors must demonstrate the ability to meet schedule requirements.

• Offerors must provide a detailed explanation for any SOW requirement they cannot accomplish.

• All parts must be NEW and approved.

• The Government intends to make one award.

• Pricing must be submitted for all line items on the SF 1449 (Attachment 3) to be considered responsive.

• The contract type is anticipated to be Firm Fixed Price.

• Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026, at 9:00 AM PT via email to Elizabeth.Calhoun@usda.gov.

• Quotation Validity: Must be valid for at least 30 days after receipt.

• Required Submissions: Firm Fixed Price quotation on SF 1449, SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI), Past Performance References (Attachment 5), and Capability Statement demonstrating technical capability to meet SOW Performance Elements.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government, based on an integrated assessment of Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price. Technical and Past Performance combined are slightly more important than Price. Award will not necessarily be made to the lowest-priced offeror. Tradeoffs will not be conducted.

• Discussions: The Government intends to award without discussions but reserves the right to conduct them.

• Offerors, or the product/service, ARE required to meet a qualification requirement to be eligible for award.

• Various FAR and AGAR clauses related to small business concerns, HUBZone, etc., are listed as applicable if checked, indicating potential set-aside considerations.

• Attachments: Attachment 2 – Statement of Work, Attachment 3 – SF 1449, Attachment 4 – Wage Determination, Attachment 5 – Past Performance document.

• Questions Deadline: April 15, 2026, by 2:00 PM PT to Elizabeth.Calhoun@usda.gov.

• Service Contract Labor Standards: May apply; place of performance is unknown. Offerors must request additional wage determinations by two days before solicitation close.

• Protest Information: Details on filing agency protests with the USDA Ombudsman Program are provided.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a solicitation for commercial items, specifically for an "Isolated crossing and breeding nursery." The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the issuing agency and is exempt from state and federal sales tax.

• The primary deliverable is an "Isolated crossing and breeding nursery."

• The solicitation number is 232SA26Q0356.

• The offer due date is April 3, 2026, at 1400 PT.

• The anticipated delivery date is November 1, 2026.

• The North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code is 111150, with a size standard of $2.5 million.

• The acquisition is set aside for Small Business.

• Bidders must complete blocks 12, 17, 23, 24, and 30.

• The solicitation incorporates by reference FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4, and 52.212-5.

• This acquisition is 100.00% set aside for Small Business.

• Payment will be made via the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

• The issuing office is USDA ARS Acquisition and Property D, located in Beltsville, MD.

• The delivery location is MWA Plant Introduction Research at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

The USDA, ARS Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Project requires services for the production of hybrid seed and the maintenance of corn breeding nurseries.

• Isolated Crossing Blocks: Six blocks are required for producing topcross (hybrid) seed.

• Hand-Pollinated Nurseries: Two nurseries are required for growing breeding stock.

• Location: Land must be located in a central Corn-Belt region (Iowa, Illinois, eastern Nebraska, northern Indiana), suitable for corn production with consideration for local weather, soil moisture, minimal disease, and low insect pressure.

• Activities: Contractor is responsible for all field activities including land preparation, fertilization, weed and pest control, and harvesting.

• Isolated Crossing: Minimum 500 feet separation from adjacent corn fields. Specific planting patterns (4:4 male-female rows) and timing (GDU delays for male rows) are detailed. Male rows must be monitored and off-types removed. Isolation fields must be bordered by 4 rows of male plants.

• Hand-Pollinated Nurseries: Includes self-pollinated and paired-row crossing nurseries. Specific plot row counts and kernel counts per row are specified. Ear shoots require bagging, and self/cross-pollination must be performed.

• Harvest: Plots harvested individually by row ID when seed reaches ¾ milk line or 45 days post-pollination.

• Seed Drying: Ears dried using forced air heat not exceeding 95°F to 12-14% moisture.

• Shipping Preparation: Dried seed packaged, boxed, and prepared for freight shipment. Contractor to provide container information for USDA shipping procurement.

• Packeted seed (18 kernels per packet) for hand-pollinated nursery plot rows.

• April/May 2026 through November 30, 2026.

• Fields planted by June 10, 2026.

• Bi-weekly written reports on project status, crop development, and field conditions to adam.vanous@usda.gov after planting.

• Harvested material boxed and prepared for shipment by November 15, 2026.

• USDA-ARS-NCRPIS, Ames, IA 50014 (for GEM-Ames generated materials).

• USDA-ARS, Clayton, NC 27520-2128 (for GEM-Raleigh generated materials).

• Adam Vanous, 515-231-3517, adam.vanous@usda.gov

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the requirements for submitting past performance information as part of a proposal. It details how the government will assess an Offeror's demonstrated record of performance to determine confidence in their ability to meet the user's needs.

Offerors are required to submit two (2) to three (3) projects that describe their past performance on contracts similar in size, scope, and complexity to the requirements of this RFQ. Projects must be recent (within the last three years) and relevant (similar complexity and magnitude of work).

Submissions must include:

• Project title
• Project description, scope, and responsibilities
• Contract/Order/BPA number
• Contract type and period of performance
• Government Agency/Organization
• COR’s name, address, and phone number
• Contracting Officer’s name, address, and phone number or email address
• Project status (complete, ongoing, etc.)
• A brief narrative explaining the relevance of the reference to this effort.

At least two references must be from the Offeror's performance as the prime contractor; others may be from subcontractors. Ensure contact information is current.

This attachment is critical for proposal preparation. It specifies the exact information required for the past performance evaluation factor, which is used to determine the probability of success for the required effort. Failure to provide complete and accurate information, especially current points of contact, may negatively impact the evaluation of your proposal.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage Determination No. 2015-4975, Revision No. 27, for the area of Iowa County of Story. It establishes the minimum wage rates and fringe benefits required for various occupations under the Service Contract Act.

• Lists numerous occupational codes and titles, along with their corresponding minimum hourly wage rates.
• Specifies required fringe benefits, including Health & Welfare rates.
• Includes notes on Executive Orders 13706 (Paid Sick Leave) and 13658 (minimum wage adjustments).
• Outlines the process for requesting additional classifications and wage rates (conformance process) if an occupation is not listed.

This document is critical for bidders to understand the minimum labor costs associated with performing services under a contract in the specified geographic area. It ensures compliance with federal labor laws by requiring contractors to pay at least the determined minimum wages and provide specified fringe benefits to service employees.