Annual Inspection & Certification of the EDS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) is requesting quotations for annual inspection and certification services of an effluent decontamination system (EDS) used at a Biosafety Level 3 Plant Pathogen Containment Facility in Frederick, Maryland. The scope of work includes annual system certification, component testing (valves, instrumentation, and calibration), utility inspection (steam, water, and air), temperature and pressure checks, filter integrity testing (20 tests annually), and replacement of up to 10 Graver Teftec filters as needed. The government will evaluate quotes using a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) approach, with technical acceptability rated as either "acceptable" or "unacceptable," past performance assessed as "acceptable," "neutral," or "unacceptable," and price evaluated for fairness and reasonableness under FAR 12.204. Only the lowest-priced offer will be initially evaluated for technical acceptability; if deemed unacceptable, evaluation continues sequentially with subsequent lowest-priced offers until an acceptable offer is identified. Questions must be submitted by April 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM Central Time, with quotations due by May 4, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central Time, and quoters must hold prices firm for 90 calendar days from the receipt of offers deadline.

This solicitation is designated as a Total Small Business Set-Aside with a small business size standard of $47.0 million under NAICS code 541330 (Engineering Services). The contract consists of a firm-fixed price requirements contract with one one-year base period (July 20, 2026 to July 19, 2027) and three one-year option periods extending through July 19, 2030, requiring quoters to submit pricing for all years to be considered responsive. No incumbent contractor information or specific award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents. Performance will occur at the NEA Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit located at 1301 Ditto Avenue, Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702, with delivery required by July 19, 2027. The contracting officer is Jessica P. Pacheco, and quotations must be submitted electronically to jessica.pacheco@usda.gov on company letterhead in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, with active SAM.gov registration required at the time of quote submission. Service Contract Labor Standards apply to this acquisition, with prevailing wage rates specified for Frederick County, Maryland.