B--DRY FORK BLACKFOOT EDNA SAMPLING

The Bureau of Land Management’s Montana State Office is seeking a small business contractor to conduct eDNA sampling across the Dry Fork basin in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, focusing on mainstem Dry Fork, Cabin Creek, Dwight Creek, Canyon Creek, Conger Creek, and multiple unnamed drainages spanning over 25 stream miles. The work requires field access via a six-mile hike from the Hobnail Tom Trailhead, with some areas needing bushwhacking and packstock to transport equipment to a base camp. Sampling must occur between July 15 and November 1 to ensure optimal low-water conditions for accurate eDNA collection. The contractor must deliver a summary report detailing trail conditions, intermittent stream reaches, dry sampling locations, fish barriers, and other relevant observations. All deliverables are performance-based, and the BLM will handle sample processing separately. The contract is a firm-fixed-price, single-award service agreement under FAR Parts 12 and 37, set aside exclusively for small business concerns with a NAICS code of 541620, and the size standard is $19 million in annual receipts. Performance is scheduled from August 17, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with delivery and acceptance occurring at the BLM facility in Billings, Montana, under FOB Destination terms. Proposals must be submitted electronically in four distinct volumes via email to the Contracting Officer by August 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Volume 2, detailing prior demonstrated experience, is limited to three pages and is the most heavily weighted evaluation factor, significantly outweighing price in the trade-off decision process. Price becomes relevant only when non-price factors among offerors are substantially equal. Experience must be relevant, recent (within five years), and directly tied to the scope and complexity of this task, with subcontractor experience not accepted unless the quotee personally performed it. The contract incorporates standard FAR clauses including whistleblower protections, SAM maintenance, commercial item terms, and wage determination standards per the Davis-Bacon Act for Lewis and Clark County. Government property rules, pollution prevention, sustainable procurement, paid sick leave, and drug-free workplace requirements are also binding. Invoicing must be submitted electronically through the Invoice Processing Platform, not WAWF, and the contractor must maintain current representations in SAM, including small business status certification. No key personnel, options, or detailed security clearances are required beyond the general security