Grounds Maintenance Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center Stuttgart, AR

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service seeks grounds maintenance services at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas, with quotations due September 15, 2026 and pre-award questions due September 9. This acquisition is a total small business set-aside; the small business size standard is $9.5 million.

Place of performance is 2890 Highway 130 East, Stuttgart, Arkansas 72160. The Forest Service intends to award one firm fixed-price contract with a base year (September 28, 2026 through September 27, 2027) and four one-year option periods through September 27, 2031. Award of option years is contingent upon fund availability and the Government reserves the right not to exercise them.

The contractor must provide all labor, supplies, supervision, equipment, tools, and materials to perform mowing and string trimming on approximately 6 acres of grounds. Work consists of 24 mowing sessions annually conducted weekly from April through September, with lawns mowed when no more than 3 inches high and all work completed within a two-day period each week (Monday or Tuesday). The contractor must clear debris from sidewalks within four hours of mowing, pick up fallen limbs and trash, and perform string trimming around trees, shrubs, ditches, light poles, and buildings. No pesticides may be applied near greenhouses. Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays. Contractors must be registered in SAM prior to bidding and must obtain Contracting Officer Representative approval for all supplies and materials. The contractor is liable for replacing or repairing any government property damaged through negligence.

The NAICS code is 561730, Landscaping Services. Service Contract Act Wage Determination 2015-5133, Revision 32 (effective August 12, 2026) applies; prevailing wage rates range from approximately $11.79 to $51.08 per hour depending on occupation, plus health and welfare benefits of $5.92 per hour. Evaluation uses Lowest Price Technically Acceptable methodology, with award to the lowest-priced quotation achieving acceptable technical rating and acceptable or neutral past performance. Quotations must include unit prices for base year and all four option years and remain firm for 90 calendar days. An optional site visit is scheduled for September 8, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Amendment 0001 (effective September 12, 2026) removed mulching from the Statement of Work and requires invoices be submitted via the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform. The contract specialist is Shavera Leveille at shavera.leveille@usda.gov or 912-463-3328.