Grounds Maintenance Services for USDA, AMS, Cotton & Tobacco Program, Memphis, TN

This solicitation for Grounds Maintenance Services under solicitation number 12639526Q0122 is a combined synopsis and request for quotation issued in accordance with FAR Part 12 for commercial items, with no separate written solicitation to follow. It seeks proposals for a five-year Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide grounds maintenance and optional snow and ice removal services at the USDA AMS Cotton & Tobacco Program facility in Memphis, Tennessee. The acquisition is exclusively set aside for SBA-certified Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB), with a small business size standard of $9.5 million in average annual receipts. All responsible EDWOSB sources may submit quotations, and while an optional site visit is available on May 8, 2026, attendance is not required and no costs associated with it will be reimbursed. The contract will be awarded on a best-value basis, prioritizing technical approach first, then price reasonableness, followed by past performance as a go/no-go threshold, with no trade-offs permitted between technical merit and cost. The technical evaluation criteria emphasize a sound, compliant approach to routine maintenance and snow/ice response, staffing plans, personnel training, and demonstrated understanding of requirements, limited to a 10-page narrative. Pricing must be fair and reasonable as per FAR 12.204 and includes all five ordering periods through May 2031, with the optional snow and ice removal services offered on an hourly basis during the contract term. The contract includes mandatory clauses addressing whistleblower rights, trafficking in persons, employment eligibility verification, paid sick leave under Executive Order 14173, DEI discrimination prohibitions, security requirements, government property usage, and compliance with federal labor standards, including the Service Contract Act. Contractors must ensure personnel are properly identified, comply with USDA PIV and security protocols, and avoid organizational conflicts of interest by not employing current USDA staff. A contractor representative must be onsite at all times to serve as the point of contact. Proposals must be submitted via Standard Form 1449 by May 18, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Time to the designated address in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with no email submissions accepted. All offers must include a completed Price Quotation for Grounds Maintenance Services and a Vendor Experience Sheet, and bidders must maintain active SAM registration with a valid UEI and EDW