Pumped Pretreated Waste System Vault Upgrade Project – Ames, IA

The Pumped Pretreated Waste System Vault Upgrade Project in Ames, Iowa, is a total small business set-aside procurement under NAICS code 237110, issued by the USDA Agricultural Research Service through the Office of Acquisition and Property in Beltsville, Maryland. The contract, identified by solicitation number 1232SA26Q0470, requires the replacement of carbon steel piping and valves with stainless steel components across three vaults—101B, 103, and 105—under a 365-calendar-day performance period commencing upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed. All work must comply with stringent federal, state, and local regulations, including OSHA standards, ASTM, ASME, NFPA, and UL specifications, and adhere to detailed material preservation, packaging, and labeling requirements to ensure moisture protection and traceability. The contractor is responsible for full project management, including scheduling, quality control, site safety, daily cleanup, and coordination of utility outages with advance notice, while also providing all necessary temporary facilities such as generators and water containers due to the lack of on-site utilities. Personnel must be qualified and may be required to obtain a USDA Linc Pass badge, and any individual deemed inconsistent with the agency’s interests may be removed at the Contracting Officer’s discretion. The procurement follows a Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation method, where technical acceptability is a mandatory pass/fail threshold based on four factors: completion of required SF-1442 and SF-30 forms, submission of a $300,000 bid bond (SF-24), provision of two recent, relevant project references from the contractor’s own work, and satisfactory CPARS ratings with no more than 10% marginal or unsatisfactory scores in quality, management, or schedule. Only the lowest-priced offeror meeting all technical requirements will be awarded; higher-priced bids are not evaluated unless the lowest is found unacceptable. Contract administration is directed by the USDA ARS Acquisition and Property office in Beltsville, with payment processed exclusively through the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). The contractor must submit detailed as-built drawings in both physical and digital formats, certified payrolls, warranty documentation, and ARS Forms 371 and 372 for payment processing. Additional special requirements include a mandatory on-site superintendent employed directly by the prime contractor, prohibition of storage of materials or equipment after hours without