Fabricate and Install Cooling Tower Platforms

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service seeks fabrication and installation of cooling tower service platforms at its National Poultry Research Center in Athens, Georgia, with quotations due May 27, 2026. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside with a 750-employee size standard; competition is restricted to certified small business concerns.

Place of performance is Athens, Georgia. The work requires design, fabrication, and hot dip galvanization of six cooling tower platforms—two two-level platforms with 500-pound pivoting jib hoists for BAC model S3E-1221-12R-2 towers at building 2, and four single-level platforms with stairs or ship ladders for BAC model FXV-1218C-32Q-P towers at building 47. All platforms must include handrails, safety gates, tie points, and required safety equipment, with metal bar grate construction. Building 2 supports will use 18-inch round reinforced concrete piers set at least 4 feet deep; building 47 supports will use 2.5-inch Schedule 40 pipe with 3/8-inch baseplates anchored to existing slabs. Work must be completed within 180 calendar days from notice to proceed, with 10 calendar days to mobilize. The contractor must demonstrate at least two relevant metal fabrication projects completed within the past five years. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for May 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST; registration closes May 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST.

The NAICS code is 332999, All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Prevailing wage rates apply under Department of Labor General Decision GA20260321, effective January 23, 2026. The Government intends Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation and will make one award. A 20 percent bid bond is required, not to exceed $3 million. Performance and payment bonds are required. Buy American Act compliance and USDA biosecurity protocols apply. RFI submissions are due May 18, 2026 at 0630 AM CST.