38--CTL, Barksdake AFB, AF Wildland Fire Branch, LA

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price task order to Caterpillar Inc. under the USFWS Heavy Equipment IDIQ contract for a single Caterpillar 275XE Compact Track Loader equipped with specialized forestry attachments for use by the Barksdale Air Force Base Wildland Fire Branch in Bossier City, Louisiana. This acquisition is conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures authorized by FAR 13.501(a)(2) and justified due to operational necessity, fleet standardization, and the critical need for uninterrupted service and support from a vendor with existing infrastructure at the installation. The loader must meet stringent technical specifications including a minimum of 122 hp gross power, a 4,205-pound tipping load, a 40-gallon-per-minute hydraulic flow, and a 5-year or 2,000-hour warranty. Required attachments include a grapple root rake, angle broom, mulcher, mulcher teeth, heavy-duty fork carriage, and general purpose bucket, all specified by part number. The contractor is also obligated to provide four hours of on-site operator training, deliver two paper and one digital copy of operating and parts manuals, and ensure service access on the base. Delivery must occur at Barksdale AFB with advance coordination to the designated government points of contact. Invoicing is exclusively electronic via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), and compliance with Buy American, DEI nondiscrimination, and fixed-price inspection clauses is mandatory. This is not a competitive solicitation; however, industry responses demonstrating clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous and not cost- or time-prohibitive may be submitted by August 5, 2026, via email to the contracting specialist. All submissions must reference the solicitation number DOIFFBO260136 and adhere to prescribed formatting instructions.