Helicopter Herbicide Spraying for Missouri River Sandbars

This contract, issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under solicitation number W9128F26QA066, is a Firm Fixed Price acquisition for aerial vegetation control via helicopter spraying on sandbars along the Missouri River in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. The work scope requires the contractor to provide all personnel, equipment, transportation, materials, supervision, and non-personal services necessary to apply EPA-registered aquatic herbicides—specifically a mix of glyphosate and imazapyr at defined rates—using helicopters equipped with micro-foil booms or equivalent systems. Operations are scheduled between August 17 and October 30, 2026, with state-specific windows: August 23 to October 3 in North Dakota and September 8 to October 10 in South Dakota and Nebraska. The contract is set aside exclusively for small businesses under NAICS code 115112 with a size standard of $10 million, and the award will be based on best value, considering both past performance and price, rather than lowest cost. The contractor must submit detailed documentation including Government PAR forms, digital GIS/GPS tracks of spray applications, and 24-hour post-application weather forecasts for each treatment area to ensure compliance and enable per-acre reimbursement via Electronic Funds Transfer, typically processed 4–6 weeks after invoice submission. The contractor is obligated to comply with strict environmental, safety, and operational standards, including the exclusive use of potable municipal water for chemical mixing and a total prohibition on using non-potable water from the Missouri River or other USACE lands. Quality control measures mandate an internal quality program and the designation of a primary quality contact, while the Government conducts surveillance through a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan aligned with performance objectives and thresholds detailed in technical exhibits. Security protocols require all personnel to complete regular training in suspicious activity reporting programs like iWATCH or CorpsWatch, and employment eligibility must be verified through E-Verify with initial reports due within three business days of award. The contractor must also adhere to federal representation requirements, including compliance with prohibitions on contracting with inverted domestic corporations, reporting on biobased and sustainable products, and ensuring no business ties to the Maduro regime or Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. All proposals must include the Unique Entity Identifier, signed agreements to terms, completed SF 1449 blocks, and evidence of firm commitments for key personnel identified in the offer. Payment is contingent on satisfactory completion and inspection by the Contracting Officer