Crmo - mule packer

The National Park Service at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (CRMO) is soliciting mule packing services to support a Cave Research Foundation (CRF) backcountry expedition for cave exploration and mapping activities. The contractor must provide 4 pack mules, 2 riding mules or horses, and 2 packers/staff to transport approximately 516 pounds of camping, caving, and personal gear plus 266 pounds of water (totaling 782 pounds) over a 5.25-mile one-way route into the backcountry. The mule packer will deliver supplies on or before September 15, 2025, and retrieve the gear on or after September 19, 2025, to facilitate the research expedition scheduled for September 15-19, 2025. Evaluation will be based on price, relevant experience, and past performance, with experience and past performance combined being equal in weight to price. The solicitation was posted on July 7, 2025, with quotes due by July 25, 2025.

This procurement is designated as a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 112920 (Mule and Equine Production) with a small business size standard of $2.75 million. The contract includes a base period for 2025 with four additional option years extending through 2029, structured as a firm-fixed-price purchase order using simplified acquisition procedures under FAR Part 13. The work will be performed at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho, supporting the Cave Research Foundation's ongoing partnership with CRMO that has been conducting annual cave mapping and resource assessments since 2016. The solicitation documents do not identify any incumbent contractors or specific budget ranges, though the contract value appears to be below the simplified acquisition threshold given the procurement approach being utilized.