Q--CO-NTRL RESRCS PRGM CTR WILDLIFE DISEASE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to award a sole source contract to the University of Georgia’s Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) for a five-year period to provide specialized disease diagnostics and conduct field and laboratory investigations related to wildlife health. SCWDS offers a unique combination of diagnostic, research, and training services tailored for wildlife disease issues in the southeastern United States, a capability unmatched by any other single institution in the region. Due to the complexity and specialization required, it would be inefficient and costly for the government to attempt to replicate this scope of work through multiple separate providers. SCWDS has a 60-year history supporting state and federal wildlife agencies by identifying disease pathogens, conducting mortality investigations, developing pathogen ecology research, and training field personnel. This sole source arrangement reflects SCWDS’s proven track record and comprehensive expertise, particularly important as zoonotic diseases increasingly affect both wildlife and human populations. The contract supports ongoing Wildlife Health office initiatives, including those under the Avian Health and Disease Program, and enables expanded health services across refuges and other programs. Interested parties who believe they can fulfill the contract requirements and offer comparable services are invited to submit their objections and statements of capability by the specified deadline. The contract solicitation is managed by Robert Sung at the Department of the Interior, with responses due by December 23, 2025.