Notice of Intent to Sole Source Dark Fiber Infrastructure

The Department of Agriculture's Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management has published a Notice of Intent to award a sole source contract for dark fiber infrastructure. This Special Notice, posted on February 25, 2026, indicates the agency's intention to bypass full and open competition in favor of a sole source award to Iowa Communications Network. The contract will be issued as a firm fixed price agreement under the authority of FAR 6.103-1(b)(c)(i), which permits other than full and open competition when only one responsible source can satisfy agency requirements. The primary industry classification for this procurement is NAICS code 517810, covering all other telecommunications services. This is explicitly identified as a Notice of Intent only and does not constitute a request for quotations or a formal solicitation.

The purpose of this sole source contract is to procure dark fiber infrastructure services, with Iowa Communications Network identified as the only responsible source capable of meeting the Department of Agriculture's specific requirements. The Notice of Intent is provided in accordance with FAR 5.101 to allow for public disclosure of the agency's procurement intentions prior to award. The deadline for comments or inquiries related to this Notice of Intent is March 1, 2026. Contractors and interested parties should note that this is not an open competition opportunity; the agency has determined that Iowa Communications Network is uniquely positioned to deliver the required dark fiber infrastructure services. No formal solicitation document is currently available, and potential competitors should not submit unsolicited proposals in response to this notice. The determination that only one responsible source exists means that other telecommunications service providers are not eligible to compete for this specific contract award.