Radioactive Waste Disposal

The United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) is soliciting quotations for radioactive waste disposal services through Request for Quotation (RFQ) 1232SA26Q0337, issued under FAR Part 12 for commercial items. The Edward T. Schaefer Agricultural Research Center (ETSARC) in Fargo, North Dakota requires a qualified vendor to provide comprehensive disposal services for mixed radiological and radioactive contaminated material, including all labor, materials, transportation, containers, labeling, documentation, waste treatment, stabilization processing, and final disposal in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations. The facility is classified as a Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) and prefers vendors with capability to execute milk-run pickup services in the region. Quotations will be evaluated using lowest price technically acceptable criteria, with the government evaluating only the lowest-priced offer initially for technical acceptability and past performance; if unacceptable, evaluation will continue in price order until an acceptable offer is identified. Critical deadlines include March 25, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time for submission of questions, March 30, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time for quotation submission, and September 30, 2026 for final delivery of disposal services.

This solicitation is designated as a Total Small Business Set-Aside with a small business size standard of $47.0 million, meaning only small business concerns are eligible to compete. No incumbent contractor is identified in the available documentation. The radioactive waste inventory requiring disposal consists of approximately nine line items totaling approximately 280 to 428 kilograms in weight, including glass vials containing Permafluor and Carbasorb solutions in 30-gallon and 15-gallon drums contaminated with Carbon-14 and Chlorine-36 isotopes with activity levels ranging from 17 to 350 microcuries, a 55-gallon drum of contaminated glassware and miscellaneous materials, and smaller quantities of benzene, zeolite granules, and imidacloprid insecticide. Disposal services must commence within five days following contract award, with final delivery required by September 30, 2026, and the contract will be firm-fixed price with a single award anticipated. Performance of services will occur at the USDA ARS Edward T. Schaefer Agricultural Research Center located in Fargo, North Dakota, with all deliverables shipped F.O.B. Destination to that location, and Cass County, North Dakota prevailing wage rates apply to applicable service contract labor.