Cattle dip vat and holding pen repairs

The contract is for the repair and rehabilitation of cattle dip vats and holding pens at a county facility in Brownsville, Texas, to support the USDA’s Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program, which maintains a permanent quarantine zone along the southern Texas border to prevent the spread of cattle fever ticks from Mexico. The scope of work includes structural repairs such as sandblasting, priming, and painting all non-galvanized metal surfaces with tan oil-based paint; removing and disposing of deteriorated tin roofing and trusses; installing a new roof constructed with 8-inch C-channel iron; constructing heavy-duty gates with secure chain and slam latches; ensuring compliance with electrical and piping standards using Schedule 40 oilfield piping; and maintaining a clean, debris-free worksite with weekly photographic progress reports. All work must adhere to a wide range of federal, state, and industry standards including the International Building Code, OSHA, EPA, NFPA Life Safety Code, and Texas Administrative Codes, with all necessary permits obtained by the contractor. The contract is a firm-fixed price construction purchase order with a performance period not to exceed six months from the Notice to Proceed, and the place of performance is specifically at the site in Brownsville, Texas. This acquisition is set aside entirely for small businesses under FAR 19.5, with a NAICS code of 236220 and a size standard of $45 million, requiring offerors to certify as small businesses and comply with all small business subcontracting rules, including limitations on subcontracting and the nonmanufacturer rule. Offerors must furnish a detailed, itemized quote with a schedule of values, and proposals will be evaluated based on technical acceptability, past performance, and price, with award going to the highest technically rated offeror whose price is deemed fair, reasonable, and realistic—no trade-offs between technical merit and price are permitted, and this is not an LPTA procurement. The contractor must provide performance and payment bonds, comply with Davis-Bacon wage requirements, submit certified payroll records, adhere to anti-trafficking and DEI compliance mandates, and meet all federal security and information safeguarding requirements for government systems. Inspection and acceptance occur at the work site in Brownsville by the USDA Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer's Representative, and the government retains authority to suspend work, require value engineering, or enforce penalties for noncompliance. All proposals must be submitted electronically following FAR 52.212-1 instructions, and the contracting office is located in