Alfalfa Hay - 600 Tons, Round Bales

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service is procuring 600 tons of alfalfa hay in round bales through Solicitation Number 1232SA26Q0016, issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for commercial items under FAR Part 12. The hay will be used to feed cattle involved in research projects examining reproductive physiology, nutrition, and genetics at the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory. Key requirements include that the hay must be from 2025 crops, domestically grown, sun-cured, and free of mold and contaminants, with a crude protein level between 15% and 22%. Round, net-wrapped bales must weigh between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds, though bales up to 1,700 pounds may be accepted. The government will evaluate quotations using a lowest price technically acceptable method, assessing price, technical acceptability, and past performance, with offerors required to hold their pricing firm for 90 calendar days. Questions regarding the solicitation had to be submitted by January 8, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, and quotations are due by January 16, 2026.

This acquisition is designated as a Total Small Business Set-Aside, with eligibility limited to small business concerns with 1,000 or fewer employees under NAICS Code 311119. No incumbent contractor or award value is identified in the solicitation materials. The requirement specifies delivery of approximately 62 tons per day from January 26, 2026, through February 6, 2026, with the exception of the final day when 42 tons are due, with all deliveries occurring between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, Monday through Friday. The place of performance is the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory located at 243 Fort Keogh Road, Miles City, Montana 59301, with delivery terms specified as F.O.B. Destination. Quotations must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format to winston.buchanan@usda.gov, and the government intends to award a firm-fixed price contract for one year.