Sources Sought – Native Plant Seed Testing

Sources Sought – Native Plant Seed Processing, Testing, Packaging, and Storage Services

This is a Sources Sought Notice issued for market research purposes only. This notice is not a solicitation, request for quotation, or request for proposal, and it shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of a response.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of the Interior, is seeking capability statements from vendors interested in and capable of providing highly specialized native plant seed processing, testing, packaging, and storage services in support of the FWS Seeds of Success (SOS) program for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

The Government is seeking sources capable of performing the complete integrated requirement at a contractor-operated facility without unacceptable risk to seed viability, schedule, or handling integrity.

The Government intends to assess market capability for a commercial service acquisition under FAR Part 12 simplified procedures. The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supplies, facilities, and expertise necessary to receive, clean, test, package, and store native plant seed collected from Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex units, including Moapa Valley, Pahranagat, Ash Meadows, and Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

This requirement is highly specialized. Vendors must be capable of performing the full requirement, including handling native plant seed from arid-land ecosystems such as the Great Basin and Mojave Desert, while protecting seed viability, minimizing contamination risk, and supporting time-sensitive restoration and conservation workflows.

Scope:
The contractor shall be capable of receiving, verifying, and logging SOS seed accessions. The contractor shall clean seed lots using established methods consistent with SOS and applicable technical protocols. The contractor shall perform seed-quality testing, including purity, x-ray fill, ERH percent, and seed weight. The contractor shall obtain outsourced tetrazolium viability testing, when required. The contractor shall prepare approximately 3,000-seed ARS backup samples per accession and provide shipment tracking information. The contractor shall package, label, track, and store cleaned seed lots. The contractor shall maintain secure, environmentally controlled storage appropriate for native seed conservation for up to two years per collection. The contractor shall provide digital testing reports, inventory updates upon request, and a final summary report at contract closeout.

Respondents shall clearly identify whether they can perform the entire requirement as described. If any portion of the requirement would be subcontracted, outsourced, or cannot be performed, the respondent shall identify that portion and explain any resulting limitations, delays, or additional handling risks.

Response Requirements:

Interested vendors shall submit a capability statement that includes the company name, address, UEI, CAGE code, business size, and socioeconomic status. The response shall include the name, title, phone number, and email address of a primary point of contact. The response shall identify the facility location and provide a description of available seed cleaning, testing, packaging, and environmentally controlled storage capabilities. The response shall describe the firm’s ability to perform each required task and identify any outsourced elements. The response shall address experience with native seed processing and storage, especially for desert or arid-land species. The response shall include relevant experience with federal, state, tribal, university, or restoration-related seed programs. The response shall also provide typical turnaround times and any limitations affecting performance.

Interested vendors shall demonstrate their capability to perform the complete integrated requirement, including seed intake, cleaning, testing, ARS sample preparation, packaging, storage, and reporting. Respondents shall clearly identify any task that would be outsourced, subcontracted, or not performed in-house, and shall explain any associated limitations, additional transport or handling risk, or impact on turnaround time.

Responses should be tailored to this requirement. Generic capability statements or marketing brochures are not sufficient because the Government is seeking specific information on the vendor’s ability to meet the stated requirement.

Submission Instructions:
Capability statements shall be submitted electronically via email to oscar_orozco@ios.doi.gov.

The subject line shall read: Sources Sought Response – Native Plant Seed Services.

Responses are due no later than July 09, 2026 at 0700 Pacific Time. Responses received after the deadline may not be considered in the Government’s market research.