Maize Winter Nursery in Chile

The USDA Agricultural Research Service is soliciting quotes for a comprehensive maize winter nursery research project in Chile through solicitation number 1232SA25Q0933. The contractor will be responsible for managing a complex corn breeding experiment involving 2,203 nursery rows with various pollination protocols, including 830 self-pollinated rows, 73 additional self-pollinated rows, 760 sib-pollinating rows, 250 female crossings, 250 male crossings, and 40 blank rows. The contractor must handle all field activities including land preparation, planting, monitoring, pest control, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, and seed preparation, while providing bi-weekly progress reports and following detailed USDA breeder instructions. The government intends to make a single firm-fixed price award based on technical acceptability, demonstrated past performance, and price evaluation criteria. Questions are due by 12:00 PM Eastern on September 19, 2025, with quotes due by 4:00 PM Eastern on September 22, 2025.

This solicitation is issued as unrestricted with no set-aside designations, falling under NAICS code 111150 (Corn Farming) with a small business size standard of under $2.5 million. While no specific award values are disclosed in the solicitation documents, the project involves significant agricultural research activities spanning from October 2025 through May 2026, with the performance period extending from September 30, 2025, to May 31, 2026. The work will be performed in corn-growing regions of Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region, with the research benefiting the Plant Introduction Research Unit at Iowa State University. Each nursery row requires planting with 22 kernels per 4-meter row, representing a substantial seed production and research undertaking. The contractor must be capable of managing this extensive agricultural research project while ensuring proper seed handling, drying, and shipping to meet USDA requirements.