Inyo National Forest (INF) Capture and Removal of 450 Wild Horses.

The contract solicitation 127EAS26Q0026 issued by the USDA Forest Service Southwest 2 office seeks a small business contractor to capture and remove approximately 450 wild horses from the Inyo National Forest in California, with operations focused around the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory. The work is to be conducted between July 8 and July 31, 2026, using approved methods including helicopter drive trapping and bait trapping, followed by transportation of the animals to the Double Devil Wild Horse Corrals in Alturas, CA, approximately 309 miles away. The contractor must provide all labor, equipment, supplies, and transportation necessary to complete the task while strictly adhering to the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program standards, which govern humane handling, health certification requirements for each animal, and proper carcass disposal per state and local laws. Each crew must include a foreman fluent in English and a government inspector for quality control, with the contractor also required to supply a certified firearm for humane euthanasia and a specialized radio transceiver operating in the 150–174 MHz frequency range for coordination with USDA personnel. The solicitation is set aside exclusively for small businesses under NAICS code 115210, with all offerors required to maintain an active SAM registration and complete all mandatory representations and certifications, including compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and prohibitions on child labor and trafficking in persons. Proposals must be submitted in two separate parts by May 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time via email to christopher.kane2@usda.gov: a technical narrative limited to seven total pages covering approach, schedule, key personnel, and past performance, and a separate pricing package using the SF-1449 form and Excel schedule. Evaluation will prioritize relevant past performance, experience in humane animal handling, technical approach, and price, with awards made without discussions to the most advantageous offeror based on combined factors. The government reserves the right to make trade-offs between technical and price considerations. No work may commence without a fully executed contract or written Notice to Proceed, and all obligations incurred prior to such authorization are solely at the contractor’s risk. Invoices must be submitted electronically through the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform, and the contractor must ensure continuity of operations under adverse conditions including inclement weather. Key personnel, including a lead and backup foreman, may not be substituted within the first 90 days unless