Aerial Seeding Kaibab National Forest

The USDA Forest Service, Kaibab National Forest, is soliciting commercial aerial seeding services under a total small business set-aside for the White Sage Fire footprint on the North Kaibab Ranger District in Arizona, with the requirement limited to approximately 700 acres. The contract, issued as a Request for Quotation under FAR Subpart 12.6 and identified by solicitation number 127EAU26Q0058, is set aside exclusively for small businesses under the NAICS code 115310, with a size standard of $11.5 million. The contractor must provide all labor, aircraft, certified weed-free seed, equipment, transportation, permits, supervision, and support services necessary to perform aerial seeding in rugged canyon terrain at a rate of 30 seeds per square foot. Work includes seed processing and handling, establishment and rehabilitation of staging areas, traffic control, safety measures, detailed reporting, and full site cleanup. Seed must comply with state and federal seed laws, including labeling requirements for noxious weeds as defined in Exhibits A, B, and C of the Statement of Work, and all seed deliveries must be accompanied by documentation such as transit certificates, yellow Source Identified Seed tags, and lab test results. The performance period spans 30 calendar days beginning June 15, 2026, with a firm end date of July 14, 2026, contingent on weather conditions and operational readiness. The contract operates under a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) evaluation method, requiring offerors to submit pricing in the prescribed Excel format for Item 0001a and 0001b as a combined unit covering up to 700 acres, with pricing for the base period mandatory for consideration. Compliance with the attached Statement of Work is mandatory and includes submitting a detailed site-specific rehabilitation plan within 72 hours of award, a Quality Control Plan, daily progress reports, and a completed map of coverage areas. Contractors must use radios capable of narrow band frequencies, supply daily SATLOC or equivalent GPS tracking for aerial operations, and ensure all vehicles and equipment are cleaned of weed seeds prior to entering federal land. The Contracting Officer’s Representative holds authority to accept or reject completed treatment units and may require additional seeding on areas exceeding one acre with insufficient cover without rework cost. Payment is triggered only after the contractor submits a written request for inspection, followed by a government inspection within two working days; full payment