Silage Harvest in Ames, Iowa

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service is seeking a vendor to perform corn silage harvesting at the National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, Iowa. The contract requires chopping and bagging corn from government-owned fields, with a total harvest not to exceed 1,400 tons of corn silage to be stored in four to six 200-foot long storage bags. Vendor qualifications include supplying all necessary equipment such as choppers, trucks, wagons, and silage baggers, maintaining specific silage quality standards including -inch particle size and 62-70% moisture content, and applying silage inoculant. Evaluation criteria will focus on technical acceptability, delivery capabilities, and pricing, with additional emphasis on the vendor's previous experience and maintaining an active public-facing website. The pre-solicitation notice indicates a response deadline of May 2, 2025, with an anticipated harvest period between August 1 and October 30, requiring the vendor to commence harvesting within 4 business days of USDA procurement officer request.

The contract opportunity is not designated with any specific set-aside status, indicating it is open to all qualified vendors in the Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine NAICS category (115113). While no incumbent contractor is mentioned, the vendor must demonstrate professional capabilities in agricultural harvesting operations and ensure personnel and equipment safety throughout the project. The statement of work does not specify a precise award value, but outlines that the total harvest volume will not exceed 1,400 tons of corn silage. Performance will be rigorously monitored through forage moisture tests, visual quality evaluations, and comprehensive review of weight and load documentation. The NADC will provide supplementary support by supplying a tractor and/or skid loader for cleaning silage spills, indicating a collaborative approach to the harvesting operation.