Janitorial Services for USDA-ARS, Frederick, Maryland

This document contains the Questions and Answers (Q&A) for Solicitation 1232SA26Q0891, a total small business set-aside for janitorial services at USDA facilities (including Buildings 1301, 1302, and 374) located at Fort Detrick. The contract structure consists of a base year (September 27, 2026, to September 26, 2027) plus four 12-month option years, and requires a minimum of two personnel. Under FAR 52.219-14, the prime contractor must self-perform at least 50% of the contract value. Key operational details clarify that the Government will provide all necessary cleaning equipment, consumables, and mandatory cleaning chemicals, and will handle equipment maintenance. Janitorial staff must undergo a Tier 2 (T2) trust determination, a process taking 60 to 90 days. While U.S. citizenship is preferred, legally authorized non-U.S. citizens may be employed, though their vetting takes longer. Specialized procedures are required for Building 374, a plant pathogen containment facility. Personnel entering this area must undergo government-provided biosafety training and adhere to strict "gown-in, shower-out" biosecurity protocols. The government allocates 15 minutes per person for this billable transit process. Government escorts will be provided for containment access. Routine cleaning services will occur at designated, weekly frequencies between 7:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Floor care requirements include approximately 5,500 square feet of annual stripping and waxing of vinyl composition tile (VCT) and concrete flooring in Building 1301. Quotes must be emailed to the designated USDA point of contact by the extended deadline of July 24, 2026.

This federal Request for Quote (RFQ), solicitation number 1232SA26Q0891, is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The solicitation seeks a contractor to provide custodial and janitorial services for Buildings 1301, 1302, and 374 at the Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit (FDWSRU) located on Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. The acquisition is set aside 100% for small businesses under NAICS code 561720 (Janitorial Services), which carries a size standard of $22 million. The USDA intends to award a single, firm-fixed-price requirements contract. The contract structure consists of a one-year base period (September 27, 2026, to September 26, 2027), four consecutive one-year option periods, and an optional six-month extension, totaling a potential performance period of five and a half years. Acquisition evaluations will utilize the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process. Quotes will be assessed on price, technical acceptability, and past performance. To be considered responsive, quoters must provide pricing for all line items and submit a detailed technical explanation demonstrating how they will fulfill the Performance Work Statement (PWS) requirements. Questions regarding the solicitation are due by July 8, 2026, and final quotes must be submitted by July 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Standard federal and USDA-specific contract clauses, including strict anti-discrimination and supplier term restrictions, are incorporated.

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) outlines the requirements for a non-personnel services contract to provide custodial and janitorial services for the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit (FDWSRU) at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The contract covers three mixed-use buildings (totaling approximately 20,300 square feet) containing offices, laboratories, and a high-containment plant pathogen facility. The period of performance consists of a 12-month base year, four 12-month option years, and a six-month extension option. Due to the sensitive nature of the high-containment facility, contractor personnel must undergo federal security and suitability determinations, attend specialized training, and follow strict bio-exclusion protocols, including showering and changing garments. The scope of work is divided into scheduled tasks: twice-weekly cleaning for Buildings 1301/1302, weekly cleaning for Building 374, quarterly deep cleaning (such as high dusting and grille cleaning), annual maintenance (including interior window washing and stripping/waxing approximately 5,500 square feet of uncarpeted floors), and periodic or seasonal tasks. While the government provides major equipment, tools, and consumable supplies, the contractor must manage quality control, coordinate utility conservation, and provide an onsite Contract Manager. Performance will be monitored via a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. The contract includes strict remedies for defective performance, holding the contractor liable for actual damages if research is disrupted or if statutory fines are incurred due to non-compliance.

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