Broadcast Herbicide

The USDA Forest Service, Allegheny National Forest, is procuring broadcast herbicide application services for designated understory vegetation in the Bradford and Marienville Ranger Districts through a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 115310, restricted to small business concerns as required by FAR 19.5. The contract is structured as a single-award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) agreement with a five-year ordering period extending from July 13, 2026, through December 30, 2031, inclusive of optional six-month extensions under FAR 52.217-8. The scope requires the contractor to provide all labor, equipment, transportation, licensed personnel, and materials—including glyphosate-based and sulfometuron methyl-based herbicides and non-ionic surfactants—for ground-based, high-volume spraying operations conducted exclusively during July, August, and September each year. All work must be performed by licensed Pennsylvania pesticide applicators certified in Category 05 (Forest Pest Control), using calibrated equipment and adhering to strict application rates, buffer zones, climatic limitations, safety protocols, equipment cleanliness standards, and detailed recordkeeping requirements. Payment will be based on acceptably treated acres verified through GPS satellite mapping or computer traverse programs and quantities of chemicals applied, with invoicing processed exclusively through the Department of Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) and payments made via Electronic Funds Transfer following inspection and acceptance by the Contracting Officer’s Representative. The solicitation mandates strict compliance with numerous FAR and agency clauses including whistleblower protections, anti-trafficking, electronic payment, subcontracts, and security prohibitions, along with agency-specific anti-discrimination and DEI certifications that render compliance a material condition of payment. Offerors must submit a technical narrative, key personnel qualifications, equipment specifications, experience questionnaires, and binding unit pricing through electronic means only to the designated point of contact by June 26, 2026, with no hard copies accepted. Proposals are evaluated based on pass/fail gates for price reasonableness, past performance, and technical capability, with award determined by best overall value, prioritizing technical merit over lowest price. The contractor must also dispose of excess herbicides and used containers in accordance with product labels and Pennsylvania programs such as Chemsweep, with recycling strongly encouraged.