Saguaro National Park Mule Packing Contract

The Department of the Interior National Park Service Intermountain Region is soliciting mule packing services for Saguaro National Park located in Arizona. The contractor must provide trained pack animals capable of carrying 200 pounds per animal, qualified personnel including a pack support rider with five pack mules and an assistant packer, reliable communication systems, and safe packing and transportation of supplies and materials to backcountry locations in both the Tucson Mountain District and Rincon Mountain District. Key requirements include maintaining animals on pelletized feed only, demonstrating proper hitching and tacking techniques, managing load balancing, and handling backhaul of supplies and garbage. Pricing will be evaluated on a firm fixed rate per pound for deliveries, with contractors billing either monthly or at task order completion. The deadline for submitting questions is April 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM Mountain Time to lindsay_mclaughlin@ios.doi.gov, and quotes are due by April 20, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, with an anticipated award date on or before April 30, 2026.

This is a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside with NAICS code 488999 and a small business size standard of $25 million, though no incumbent contractor is identified in the solicitation. The contract includes an anticipated base year period of performance from May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, plus two optional years extending through April 30, 2029, with anticipated trip frequency of approximately eight day trips and six overnight trips annually. The estimated contract value is designed to remain under $250,000 to expedite processing. The government will furnish corrals at Manning Camp, water access, park radio if available, and trailhead access keys. All work will be performed in Arizona, and contractors must be registered in SAM and remain active throughout contract performance, with invoices submitted through the Invoice Processing Platform.