Litchfield alfalfa FY 2026

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California Region, is seeking quotations for the procurement of alfalfa hay to feed wild horses and burros at the Litchfield Wild Horse and Burro Facility in Litchfield, California. The solicitation, numbered 140L1226Q0005, requires a total of 2,000 tons of alfalfa hay delivered in two distinct task categories: Task 1 calls for 1,000 tons in small 3-twine bales weighing 100–130 pounds each, while Task 2 requires 1,000 tons in large 3×4 bales weighing 1,200–1,500 pounds each. All hay must be sourced from 2025/2026 domestic crops, sun-cured, maintain crude protein levels between 12–18 percent, and be free of mold, dust, weeds, contaminants, and foreign matter. The Government will evaluate offers on price alone, with Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) records serving as a pass/fail criterion; offerors must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) database and must comply with all FAR clauses addressing Buy American requirements, equal opportunity, and labor standards. Quotations must be submitted via email to lehlinger@ios.doi.gov no later than March 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM PST, with award expected by March 26, 2026.

This solicitation is set aside as a Total Small Business contract under NAICS code 111940 (Hay Farming), with a size standard not exceeding $2.5 million in annual receipts. No incumbent contractor is identified in the solicitation documents, and no specific budget range or award value is disclosed; however, all shipping and travel costs must be included in the quoted line item prices on a firm fixed-price basis. The contractor must deliver hay F.O.B. Destination to 474-000 Highway 395 East, Litchfield, California 96117, with a performance period running from April 1, 2026, through November 30, 2026. Deliveries are restricted to weekday hours between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and national holidays, with the facility's barn capacity limited to 800 tons; the contractor must provide three workdays' advance notice to the Contracting Officer's Representative and submit state-certified weight tickets with each shipment. The contractor is responsible for providing all offloading equipment on site and may be required to adjust delivery schedules or bale sizes based on facility inventory needs and animal consumption rates.