Bison Care and Facility Maintenance Services

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services is seeking a contractor to provide comprehensive bison care and facility maintenance services at a quarantine facility near Corwin Springs, Montana. The contractor will be responsible for daily care of approximately 70-100 bison, including feeding, watering, health inspections, and animal handling, as well as maintenance of facilities and equipment at two properties on Highway 89 in Gardiner, Montana. Key qualifications required include at least five years of bison handling experience, physical labor capability, knowledge of equipment operation and maintenance, and the ability to maintain perimeter fencing and security. The contractor must provide on-call response within 30 minutes, seven days a week, and reside within 30 miles of the facility. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 12:00 PM MST at the facility location (772 Hwy 89 S, Gardiner MT 59030), and interested parties should contact Rebecca Bigelow at Rebecca.Bigelow@usda.gov to attend. The proposal due date is November 28, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET, with questions to the government having been due by November 7, 2025.

This solicitation is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside, restricting eligibility to small businesses only. The contract includes a base period plus four consecutive one-year option periods, for a total five-year performance period from December 3, 2025, to December 2, 2030. While the specific incumbent contractor has not been publicly disclosed, documentation indicates there was a previous contractor managing the facility. The bison herd composition consists of both males and females managed across approximately 80 acres of fully fenced land, with a total of 120 bison referenced in internal documentation. No specific award value or budget range has been disclosed in the available solicitation materials. Performance of services will take place in Gardiner, Montana, with oversight provided by a full-time USDA Wildlife Disease Specialist and Veterinary Medical Officer who will manage the quarantine process and veterinary care.