Baling Contract for Hay and Cornstalks

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) is soliciting quotations for hay and cornstalk baling services under Request for Quotation (RFQ) 1232SA26Q0150, issued as an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contractor will be responsible for cutting, conditioning, tedding, raking, and baling services on approximately 80 acres of mixed grass hay, 10 acres of alfalfa hay, and up to 80 acres of cornstalks at the National Animal Disease Center (NADC) facility. Key contract requirements include commencing baling within 4 business days of receiving an order, completing work within 5 business days (subject to weather conditions), supplying all necessary equipment and labor, maintaining detailed records of bale types and weights, and delivering bales to NADC-designated locations. Award will be made using the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation methodology, with technical acceptability requiring submission of all required documents including a completed Standard Form 18, pricing documentation, specifications acknowledgment, and evaluation method acknowledgment. The quotation submission deadline is February 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central Time, with submissions directed to james.porter@usda.gov.

This solicitation is designated as a Total Small Business Set-Aside, restricting competition to small business concerns with the applicable size standard of $2.5 million under North American Industry Classification Standard Code 111940 (Hay Farming). No incumbent contractor or award value is identified in the solicitation documents. The contract period of performance extends from April 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with hay baling to conclude no later than October 15, 2026, and cornstalk baling by December 15, 2026. Technical specifications require round bales (4.5 feet to 6 feet in diameter) or large square bales in specified dimensions, with hay baled at 15-18% moisture content using approved preservatives. The work will be performed at 1920 Dayton Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50010, with inspection and acceptance occurring at the delivery address, and all invoicing to be submitted electronically through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).