USDA-FOREST SERVICE Clinch Ranger District Mowing – George Washington-Jefferson National Forest (VA)

The USDA Forest Service Clinch Ranger District is awarding a fixed-price contract for mowing, trimming, and leaf removal services within the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, under solicitation number 12444026Q0068. This is a total small business set-aside under FAR 19.5, requiring the contractor to be a certified small business with performance conducted entirely by the prime contractor or through compliant subcontracting arrangements governed by clauses such as 52.219-8, 52.219-9, and 52.219-14. The base performance period runs from May 18, 2026, to May 17, 2027, with options to extend through November 12, 2030, covering annual service from April through November. Work is performed at designated locations in Wise, Virginia, including the Clinch Ranger District work center and two government housing sites, involving weekly mowing of approximately two acres and biweekly maintenance of 1.8 acres, along with trimming vegetation around structures, signs, fences, and trees, and removing all debris. All work must be completed during weekday hours, avoid wet conditions to prevent turf damage, and maintain vegetation at a maximum height of three inches with no uncut strips; failure to meet these standards may result in contract actions under FAR 52.212-4. The award will be made on a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) basis, where price is the sole differentiator among offers that meet minimum technical and past performance thresholds. Technical acceptability requires submission of Exhibit A, a completed performance relevancy questionnaire, evidence of qualified personnel (primary and alternate), appropriate equipment, insurance compliance, and a subcontracting plan aligned with FAR clauses 52.219-9 Alternate III and IV. Past performance is evaluated as acceptable, neutral, or unacceptable, with neutral treated as acceptable under LPTA. The contract includes numerous compliance requirements including full adherence to the Service Contract Labor Standards (FAR 52.222-41), Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Opportunity provisions, prohibitions against trafficking in persons (52.222-50), employment eligibility verification (52.222-54), paid sick leave under EO 13706, and strict anti-discrimination and DEI compliance per Clause 452