Broadcast Seeder and Flail Harvester

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service is soliciting a broadcast seeder and flail harvester under solicitation number 1232SA26Q0509, issued as a Total Small Business Set-Aside with NAICS code 333111. The contract requires delivery of one 15-foot broadcast seeder and one 6-foot flail harvester, both new and fully compliant with detailed technical specifications outlined in Attachment 2. The seeder must feature adjustable metering wheels, a pneumatic distribution system with 12 deflector plates, and support for mixed seed and fertilizer application into standing crops, while the harvester must be tractor-towed via a Category II/III 3-point hitch, PTO-driven at 540/1000 RPM, and capable of configurable residue management with a hydraulically adjustable cut height between 3 and 8 inches. All equipment must include load cell monitoring and safety features such as guardrails and lights. Delivery is due 15 days after award at the designated destination in Charlotte, Vermont, under F.O.B. Destination terms, assigning full transit risk and responsibility to the contractor until receipt at the USDA ARS facility. No specific packaging, preservation, labeling, or military standards are stipulated beyond the requirement for new condition delivery and inclusion of contract number, ship number, voucher number, and delivery code on shipment documentation. The solicitation is restricted to small business concerns as defined under the SBA size standard of 1,250 employees, and all proposals must be submitted via email to katelyn.nelson@usda.gov by 5:00 p.m. ET on May 27, 2026, using Standard Form 1449 with pricing for CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002. Proposals are evaluated first on technical acceptability, with failure to meet any requirement resulting in disqualification; past performance must be acceptable or neutral to qualify; pricing is reviewed solely for fairness and reasonableness and does not factor into ranking. Award will be made to the highest technically rated offeror whose price is deemed fair and reasonable and whose past performance meets minimum thresholds, consistent with a best value approach rather than lowest price technically acceptable. The contract incorporates numerous FAR clauses including Buy American, Tax on Foreign Procurements, Electronic Funds Transfer, Protection of Government Property, Security Requirements, Anti-Discrimination and DEI Compliance, and Wh