Cotton Ginning Contract

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for cotton ginning services, specifically solicitation number 696-AG-25-B026, covering cotton production across two central area farms: Pack/Luther Unit in Grimes County and Buffalo Ranch in Burleson County. The contract seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive cotton ginning services for approximately 0 to 3,200 acres, with services including transporting cotton modules from fields to gins, conducting cottonseed aflatoxin testing, potentially selling cottonseed at market rates, and providing standard tags and module truck operator documentation. The procurement requires contractors to handle various technical tasks such as USDA cotton classing, module hauling, and bale loading onto TDCJ trucks. The contract term spans from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, with potential renewals for three additional one-year periods through August 31, 2029. The bid is due on May 28, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. CT, with bidders required to submit detailed pricing schedules, including ginning charges per hundredweight of seed cotton, hauling charges per module, and potential cottonseed credits.

The solicitation includes a significant Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) subcontracting goal of 26% for the "All Other Services Contracts" category, mandating that bidders submit a completed HUB Subcontracting Plan with their proposal. Potential contractors must complete a non-employee background questionnaire and comply with specific state and federal regulations. While no incumbent vendor is explicitly mentioned, bidders must demonstrate technical capability to handle complex agricultural logistics and processing requirements. The solicitation does not specify a precise award value, but pricing will be based on per-hundredweight and per-module rates, with potential variations depending on actual cotton production between 0 and 3,200 acres. Interested bidders are required to proactively submit their contact information to the TDCJ to ensure receipt of any solicitation amendments, with communication potentially occurring via facsimile or email. Compliance with detailed technical specifications, background check requirements, and the HUB subcontracting goal will be critical for successful bid submission.