EO 14398 - This requirement is for support service

This contract solicitation, identified as EO 14398 with solicitation number 140G0326Q0138, is issued by the Department of the Interior’s Office of Acquisition Grants to procure specialized well construction supplies for the USGS Research Drilling Program, specifically bentonite grout and sand bags to support groundwater well installations along the Virginia Coastal Plain as defined by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for 2026. The requirement mandates the use of CETCO Pure Gold® bentonite grout in 50-pound bags, with a maximum quantity of 1,300 bags, and FILPRO sand #3 in 50-pound bags, with a maximum quantity of 200 bags. The use of CETCO Pure Gold is designated as essential and non-substitutable due to its critical role in ensuring long-term well integrity, data quality, and compliance with the cooperating agency’s technical and funding requirements. All materials must be delivered on pallets, with pricing inclusive of material, handling, and delivery charges per bag, and deliveries must be completed by September 3, 2027, to the USGS Research Drilling Program, with performance originating from Sacramento, CA. The solicitation is a firm-fixed-price, total small business set-aside under NAICS code 212321 (Construction Sand and Gravel Mining), with a size standard of 500 employees, and requires all offerors to be actively registered in SAM.gov at the time of submission. Proposals must be submitted electronically by June 18, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, and will be evaluated under the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) method. Contract administration is overseen by Contracting Officer Victor Nuno, and all payments must be processed electronically through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), with enrollment instructions provided within 3–5 business days of award. The contract includes extensive compliance requirements, including adherence to Buy American provisions, sustainable procurement standards, anti-trafficking policies, child and convict labor prohibitions, and a strict prohibition against racially discriminatory DEI activities, with violations considered material to payment under 31 U.S.C. 3729(b)(4). The clause must be flowed down to subcontractors, and contractors are obligated to report any subcontractor violations or legal challenges that implicate the clause. Performance is