USDA Nationwide A-E Services 2015-2018

The USDA Agricultural Research Service established a Master IDIQ for architect-engineer services on April 28, 2015, with a last date to place orders of October 30, 2018—the vehicle is now closed to new task orders. The shared ceiling was $22.5 million; the vehicle obligated $32.6 million across 63 task orders (96% of combined potential value of $34 million), indicating multiple task-order ceilings or amendments that expanded the vehicle's capacity during its lifecycle.

Work contracted spans facility design, planning, and specifications for ARS research and administrative infrastructure nationwide, including laboratory facilities, greenhouses, breeding structures, and farm buildings. Task orders also encompass building condition assessments, rehabilitation of historic structures, project management and construction inspection, CADD services including drawing digitization, environmental surveys, and hazardous-materials assessment and abatement design. The vehicle funded work across Beltsville, Maryland; Ithaca, New York; Temple and Riesel, Texas; Tucson, Arizona; Athens, Georgia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Washington, DC; and other ARS field locations.

Ordering momentum declined steadily: 20 orders in 2015, dropping to 16 in 2016 and 2017, then 11 in the final 2018 period. The most recent task order awarded on October 30, 2018, was a $214,000 firm-fixed-price engagement for building programming and bridging documents at a Beltsville facility.

All 63 task orders were unrestricted competitive procurements with no set-aside designations. Competition concentrated heavily on STV Incorporated, which secured 36 orders totaling $10.9 million in combined potential value, representing 57% of the order count. Merrick & Company, while capturing only 8 orders, held the largest combined potential value at $17 million—including a $7.8 million Southeast Poultry Laboratory modernization engagement. AECOM Technical Services and RMF Engineering each won 8 and 11 orders respectively, with combined potentials of $3.1 million and $3 million.

Customer concentration was extreme: the USDA ARS Central Program Planning Coordination and Support office placed 26 of 63 orders (41%) worth $22.8 million combined potential value. Field Research Implementation offices in the Northeast, Midwest, and Plains areas distributed the remainder. Typical task-order values ranged from under $20,000 for small design or construction-administration efforts to multi-million-dollar engagements; the Southeast Poultry Laboratory modernization orders exceeded $7.8 million. Firm-fixed-price was the standard contract type across all awarded work.

USDA Agricultural Research Services (ARS) has awarded a Master IDIQ for Architect-Engineer services. The scope of work under this vehicle includes, but is not limited to: Architect Services and engineering design coordination for the preparation of designs, plans, specifications and cost estimates for various projects. Designs and/or feasibility studies for new structures, various repairs, alterations and/or improvements to administrative facilities, research laboratory facilities including greenhouses and specialized farm buildings such as breeding and rearing facilities, barns, stock-watering systems/facilities, and other existing facilities or infrastructure. Work may also include preparation of building condition reports, rehabilitation of historic buildings and structures, project management and inspection services for construction projects, and Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) services, including the scanning or digitization of existing construction drawings, environmental surveys, reports, studies, and designs for the clean-up, removal, monitoring and/or abatement of asbestos, hazardous toxic materials and petroleum products.