US Native Turtles - Housing Care Testing

This is a sources sought announcement issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under solicitation number 140F0S26Q0050 to identify qualified contractors capable of providing veterinary support services for confiscated native turtle species. The announcement is not a solicitation for award but a request for industry input to inform future acquisition decisions under NAICS code 541940. Interested parties must submit their CAGE code, a brief description of relevant experience, and facility location to the designated point of contact by July 21, 2026. The anticipated contract period, should a solicitation be issued, will run from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, with operations beginning in October 2026. The contractor must operate a year-round, secure facility capable of housing up to 500 live native turtles and tortoises, including species such as Terrapene spp., Clemmys guttata, and Malaclemys terrapin, while meeting or exceeding Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) care standards. Facilities must include climate-controlled environments with backup systems, species-specific enclosures, independent quarantine areas, brumation management capabilities, and public access restrictions. The contractor is required to provide comprehensive veterinary care, genetic and infectious disease testing, data management, and husbandry services with the ultimate goal of preparing turtles for repatriation into the wild. All personnel must be trained and certified in handling and care procedures, and a veterinarian with species-specific expertise must be readily available. The facility must comply with federal, state, and tribal licensing requirements, as well as guidelines from USDA, CDC, NOAA, and state agencies. Turtles are to be managed as evidence in active investigations, requiring strict chain-of-custody protocols. Project data, including health records and testing results, must be stored exclusively on secure U.S.-based servers, accessible only to authorized personnel, with no dissemination, transfer, or transmission outside U.S. jurisdiction without explicit written approval. Any data breach or loss must be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within 12 hours, followed by a written report within 48 hours. The contractor must maintain complete records of acquisition, movement, health, and disposal and must demonstrate a clean record with no recent felony or misdemeanor convictions or civil penalties related to wildlife or animal welfare violations. Deliverables include a pre-acceptance facility compliance report, quarterly progress