Purchase Order 1232SA26P0015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) Plains Area awarded a $62,640 firm fixed-price purchase order to Gillespie Livestock Company Inc., a small business contractor based in Fredericksburg, Texas, for the procurement of 24 head of cattle calves. The contract, awarded on January 30, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of March 30, 2026, supports research operations at the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insect Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas. The calves must meet precise specifications including weights of 300–450 pounds, ages of 6–24 months, Hereford breed (with Black Angus or Charolais as acceptable alternatives), no bull calves, no Brahman influence, and critically, no prior exposure to cattle fever ticks. The government will conduct its own inspection and selection of animals at the origin facility and handle all transportation to the research laboratory.

This purchase order is issued under Gillespie Livestock Company's existing Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle with USDA ARS Plains Area, a $975,000 Multiple Award Task Order Contract awarded on August 1, 2024, and extending through July 31, 2029. This contract was designated as a total small business set-aside. The procurement carries no separate set-aside designation and reflects the government's sole-source determination based on Gillespie Livestock's demonstrated capability to consistently meet specialized cattle specifications and its strategic location in a fever tick-free region within the required 60-mile radius of Kerrville. The company's cattle supplies support various USDA ARS research initiatives, including cattle fever tick studies, fly colony maintenance, and essential oils research.