Re-drilling of Water Well for USDA ARS in Las Cruces, NM

This contract solicitation, identified as 1232SA26Q1075, is a combined synopsis and request for quotation issued under FAR Part 12 for the drilling of a new water well at the Jornada Experimental Range in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to replace a failed well serving livestock operations. The work is a turnkey operation requiring the contractor to drill to a minimum depth of 500 feet using 5-inch SDR 17 PVC casing or better, supply all materials, obtain necessary permits, manage waste properly, restore the site, and provide a one-year warranty on materials and workmanship. All work must conform to UFGS 14 24 23 and a comprehensive list of federal, state, and industry standards including Davis-Bacon wage requirements, UBC, NFPA, UL, ACI, ANSI, NEC, and ASTM. The solicitation is strictly a total small business set-aside with a NAICS code of 237110 and a size standard of $45.0 million, and only responsibly qualified small businesses may respond. A bid bond is mandatory and must be submitted with the quotation. Proposals must be submitted electronically via email to Michael Sherlock at USDA ARS by 8:00 PM Eastern Time on August 13, 2026, with no physical submissions accepted. The acquisition follows a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) methodology, meaning technical acceptability and past performance are threshold criteria—offers failing to meet these will be rejected regardless of price—while price becomes the deciding factor among technically acceptable respondents. The period of performance is 60 calendar days from the notice to proceed, with work required to commence within 14 days of award. Special requirements include a detailed safety plan approved by the contracting officer, daily site inspections, advance notice for high-risk activities, submission of MSDS sheets, continuous environmental monitoring with weekly reporting, and strict adherence to anti-discrimination and DEI certification requirements under AGAR 452.203-70. Additional obligations include compliance with Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act provisions, submission of payroll logs and lien releases, and prohibition on using government data for AI training or marketing purposes. The estimated contract value ranges between $75,000 and $140,000, with an option to drill beyond 500 feet if needed. A mandatory pre-bid site visit was scheduled,