CA farallon NWR photvoltaic insp & main`

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking inspection, maintenance, and upgrade services for the photovoltaic and electrical power system located on the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge off the California coast. The scope of work includes photovoltaic array inspection and cleaning, battery bank maintenance for 48 batteries and 5 controllers, lighthouse communication cable maintenance, baseline data collection and reporting, and travel and per diem costs. Optional tasks include inverter firmware upgrade, PV regulator reconfiguration, battery maintenance module installation, battery monitoring system installation, and remote monitoring and control system installation. The contract will be awarded on a firm-fixed-price basis with price as the primary evaluation factor, followed by technical approach, project schedule, relevant experience, and past performance. All offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and submit complete quotations by 5:00 PM Central Time on March 6, 2026, with requests for information due by noon Central Time on February 27, 2026.

This is a total small business set-aside solicitation with NAICS code 238210 (Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors). The maintenance report from April 2022 indicates that the current system requires attention to multiple high-priority items including inadequate seismic support for batteries, improper grounding of PV modules, defective monitoring equipment, and corrosion of rooftop components. The contract period of performance runs from March 16, 2026, to October 30, 2026 (base year), with delivery required by October 31, 2026, and award anticipated within five days after the March 6 deadline. The primary work location is the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge located 30 miles off the California coast near Newark, California, with contractors required to navigate significant logistical challenges including boat transportation requiring 2.5 to 3 hours from the mainland, strict cargo packaging requirements, and compliance with comprehensive refuge operational policies and wildlife protection regulations.