Supply and Install Greenhouse Evaporative Cooling System, Stoneville, Mississippi

This document is Amendment 1 to Solicitation 1232SA26Q1000, issued by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Beltsville, Maryland. The purpose of this amendment is to address contractor Requests for Information (RFIs) regarding a greenhouse maintenance or upgrade project. Key clarifications provided in the amendment include: - Confirming that all eight exhaust fans (one single-speed and one two-speed unit in each of the four greenhouses) are single-speed. - Verifying that the Kool-Cel cooling pad systems must be 10' x 2' x 4". - Instructing the contractor to replace old wooden wall mounts with new ones to support the top and bottom of the cooling pads. - Allowing a single qualified superintendent to fulfill supervision, safety, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) roles, provided their qualifications are submitted. - Requiring contractors to submit contract-specific QA/QC and Safety plans. - Clarifying that the contractor is responsible for researching and incorporating any state taxes into their pricing, as the USDA will not adjust contract pricing for state tax requirements. Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment with their quotes. The due date and time for quotes remain unchanged.

This federal Request for Quote (RFQ), solicitation number 1232SA26Q1000, is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The government intends to award a single, firm-fixed-price contract to supply and install greenhouse evaporative cooling pads and side wall fans at Building #5, Greenhouse 2, in Stoneville, Mississippi. This procurement is set aside 100% for small businesses under NAICS code 238210, with a size standard of $19 million. Quotes are due by September 15, 2026, at 1:00 PM Central Time. The required delivery and installation timeline is 90 days after contract award. A site showing is scheduled for September 8, 2026, at 9:00 AM local time in Stoneville, Mississippi. Prospective offerors must register for the site visit by September 7, 2026. Technical and administrative questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted via email to Contracting Officer Erin Riffey by September 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central Time. Award will be made to the responsible offeror representing the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) to the government. Evaluations will assess detailed pricing, technical acceptability, and past performance. The solicitation incorporates standard federal commercial item clauses, including USDA-specific provisions on diversity, equity, and inclusion compliance, unenforceable supplier terms, and personal identity verification for contractor personnel.

This federal Statement of Work outlines a requirement by the USDA-ARS to supply and install a new greenhouse evaporative cooling system at Building #5 Greenhouse 2 in Stoneville, Mississippi. The project's objective is to equip four plant rooms with fully functional cooling pads and side wall fans to support ongoing research operations. Under the base bid, the contractor must remove and dispose of eight existing evaporative cooling pads, gutters, wall mounts, piping, valves, and four submersible floor-sump pumps. In their place, the contractor will install eight new Acme Kool-Cel evaporative cooling pads (or approved equal) measuring 10’x2’x4” with aluminum covers, along with new wall mounts, PVC supply piping, valves, and four new 1/3 hp submersible pumps utilizing existing 110-volt electrical receptacles. Additionally, the contractor will replace eight existing side wall fans with new Munters Aerotech Vortex VX24F1CT fans (or approved equal). Bidders must register in the System for Award Management (SAM), attend a mandatory site visit to confirm dimensions, and submit a list of similar projects performed over the last five years. Within seven days of contract award, the selected contractor must submit a Site Safety Specific Plan. The project must be completed within 90 days of the Notice to Proceed, with work restricted to Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The contractor is responsible for daily cleanup and ensuring operations minimize disruptions to daily facility functions.

This federal document is a Department of Labor Wage Determination (No. 2015-5161, Revision 34, dated August 22, 2026) issued under the Service Contract Act. It establishes the minimum hourly wage rates and mandatory fringe benefits for a wide variety of service occupations in twelve specific Mississippi counties, including Bolivar, Leflore, and Washington. Key provisions detailed in the document include: - **Minimum Wage Rates:** Specific hourly pay rates are set for numerous job categories, ranging from administrative and clerical support to automotive services, health occupations, technical roles, and maintenance trades. - **Fringe Benefits:** Covered employees must receive health and welfare benefits valued at $5.92 per hour (or $5.42 per hour for contracts subject to Executive Order 13706). - **Paid Time Off:** Workers are entitled to a minimum of eleven paid federal holidays per year and progressive paid vacation starting at two weeks after one year of service. - **Executive Orders:** Guidance is provided regarding compliance with Executive Order 13706 for paid sick leave and Executive Order 13658 for minimum wage requirements. - **Special Pay Differentials:** Guidelines are established for hazardous duty pay (4% to 8% differentials), night shift differentials, Sunday premiums, and uniform allowances. - **Conformance Process:** Instructions and criteria are outlined for utilizing Standard Form 1444 (SF-1444) to establish reasonable wage rates for unlisted job classifications required under a contract.

This document is a compliance checklist and disclosure form for federal offerors to demonstrate adherence to FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. It requires prime contractors to disclose whether they will self-perform the contract work or utilize subcontractors, warning that incomplete responses may disqualify their quote. For prime contractors intending to subcontract, the form requires detailed information for each subcontractor, including their legal business name, Unique Entity ID (UEI), assigned NAICS code, and small business program status (such as SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, or 8(a)). This information is used to verify if the subcontractors qualify as "similarly situated entities." Finally, the prime contractor must certify that they will not exceed allowable subcontracting thresholds, confirm the validity of subcontractor representations, and sign the document acknowledging that non-compliance can lead to termination for default or negative performance evaluations.