Upgrade Refrigeration Equipment

The contract solicitation 1232SA26Q0434, issued by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Acquisition and Property Division, seeks a firm fixed price contractor to upgrade a refrigeration system at a seed storage facility in Brookings, South Dakota. The scope involves the complete demolition and removal of an 18-year-old refrigeration system, with strict compliance to EPA regulations for the handling and disposal of R-12 refrigerant, followed by the turnkey installation of a new system capable of maintaining precise environmental conditions: temperatures between 32–41°F (±3°F) and humidity at 40% RH (±5%). All work must be completed within 60 days of contract award, and the new system must include remote monitoring with configurable alerts and use KE2 Therm or an approved equivalent control unit. Contractors must hold valid refrigerant handling licenses, provide proof of HVAC certifications, and ensure personnel have U.S. photo ID for facility access, with site access coordinated through the designated location monitor. The contract includes critical compliance obligations under multiple FAR clauses, including Service Contract Labor Standards, Buy American Act, Trade Agreements, Paid Sick Leave under Executive Order 13706, and minimum wage requirements of $13.30/hour, in addition to provisions for uniform allowances and anti-discrimination certifications tied to Executive Orders 14168 and 14173. This acquisition is set aside entirely for small businesses under NAICS code 238220 with a size standard of $19 million in average annual receipts, and includes mandatory small business subcontracting requirements with flow-down clauses for subcontracting limitations, nonmanufacturer rules, and HUBZone price evaluation preferences. All proposals must include a signed SF-1449, mandatory site visit verification, prior project references, and full compliance with the Performance Work Statement and Wage Determination attachments. Offers are evaluated on technical acceptability across multiple pass/fail criteria, including submission completeness, prior experience with similar work, and attendance at the mandatory site visit, with award made on the basis of best value to the government. Invoicing must be submitted exclusively through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), and contractors must comply with extensive security protocols, including safeguarding information systems and maintaining facility integrity. Post-installation, the contractor is required to deliver Operations and Maintenance Manuals in Section 508-compliant Adobe PDF format. The contract incorporates extensive labor, environmental, ethical, and data integrity requirements,