S--LANDSCAPING SERVICES AT NWS IN SANTA TERESA, NM

The contract is for landscaping services at the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, under solicitation number 1305M326Q0240, issued by the Department of Commerce, NOAA, with the procuring office based in Seattle, Washington. The work involves managing and performing exterior landscape maintenance on approximately five acres of property, including manicured areas and natural desert terrain, with specific tasks such as pruning cacti, shrubs, and trees to maintain a one-foot clearance around buildings, fences, and infrastructure; conducting monthly litter patrols around the 15th of each month; and ensuring all products used are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable, made from renewable sources, and not petroleum-based. Personnel handling pesticides or herbicides must be certified and licensed in New Mexico, and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all products must be submitted to the Meteorologist in Charge for approval. The contract is a firm-fixed-price, total small business set-aside under NAICS code 561730, with a base period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, and four one-year option periods extending through June 30, 2031, for a maximum total duration of five years. Award will be made using a lowest-priced, technically acceptable (LPTA) methodology, where technical proposals must pass a pass/fail evaluation based on substantive operational details that go beyond merely repeating the Statement of Work language; failure in technical capability or price balance disqualifies an offer. Contractors must be actively registered in SAM.gov with a valid UEI and CAGE code, and submissions must include responses to all required representations, signed SF-1449 forms, and a statement of agreement with all solicitation terms. Invoices must be submitted monthly in arrears through the Treasury’s IPP system, referencing key payment clauses, and administered via the FedConnect portal. The contract includes clauses for option extension, equivalent wage rates, site visit requirements, and compliance with regulations on trafficking in persons, Buy American, and organizational conflict of interest. Contractor employees must abide by strict conduct standards, including policies on sexual harassment and assault, which must be flowed down to all subcontractors. Access to NOAA facilities may be restricted during government shutdowns, severe weather, or safety incidents, and only personnel performing excepted work will be granted entry during lapses in appropriations.