National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a Special Notice regarding its intent to award an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) network laboratories. The notice, posted on September 16, 2025, pertains to the NAHLN program established under 7 U.S.C. Code 8308a and falls under the NAICS code 541940 for Veterinary Services. APHIS plans to utilize the FAR 6.302-3 authority for Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental, Research Capability, or Expert Services for this procurement. The contracting opportunity is managed by the Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services division within APHIS. Complete details are provided in the attached Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) document.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to establish contractual relationships with diagnostic laboratories that can support the national animal health surveillance and diagnostic testing network. Interested parties seeking to join the diagnostic laboratory network must submit their participation requests by the October 15, 2025 deadline. Potential contractors can submit their requests either by mail to the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services National Veterinary Services Laboratories NAHLN Program Office in Ames, Iowa, or electronically via email to nahln@aphis.usda.gov. The network appears designed to enhance the nation's capacity for animal health monitoring and disease detection through a coordinated system of qualified diagnostic laboratories. This initiative supports broader agricultural biosecurity and animal health protection objectives by leveraging specialized laboratory capabilities across multiple facilities.