Vierra Dairy Expansion

The Vierra Dairy Expansion Project, located at 23160 W. Williams Avenue in Hilmar, California, involves a significant expansion of an existing dairy operation through an increase in permitted herd size to 7,117 total animals, including 4,170 milk cows, 550 dry cows, and 1,997 support stock such as heifers, calves, and bulls. The expansion includes the construction of two new freestall barns, a 40-stall parallel maternity milking parlor, a hospital milking barn, a commodity barn addition, a heifer barn, a loafing barn, a mechanical manure separator, and a utility shop, along with the acquisition of 264 additional acres for wastewater and manure application. The project is subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and an Environmental Impact Report was prepared and approved, with a Notice of Determination filed under State Clearinghouse Number 2021100002. Approval for the expansion was formally signed on February 28, 2024, by Merced County’s Deputy Director of Planning, and the project is administered by the County of Merced Community & Economic Development office located at 2222 “M” Street, Merced, CA. All project oversight, compliance, and permitting activities are managed at the local level under Merced County regulations and by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, with no federal acquisition or contracting elements present. The documentation reflects environmental, land-use, and permitting processes rather than a competitive procurement or federal contract with FAR clauses, evaluation factors, delivery schedules, pricing structures, or contract administration roles such as COR, COTR, or PCO. Financial transactions associated with the project are limited to local environmental review fees, totaling approximately $4,051.25, processed manually without the use of electronic invoicing systems or federal accounting codes. The project’s place of performance is clearly defined at the Hilmar site, with no FOB terms, delivery schedules, packaging requirements, or procurement-based specifications applicable. The only publicly available contact points are county staff and air quality specialists from the Valley Air District, who handle environmental compliance inquiries and public notice, not contractual or logistical administration.