USDA-Forest Service_Fixed Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with sensor package (Forage and Range Research of the USDA Agricultural Research Service)

This is a federal Request for Quotation (RFQ), solicitation number 12444026Q0215, issued by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The purpose of this solicitation is to procure one fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a sensor package for the Forage and Range Research unit located in Logan, Utah. This procurement is set aside entirely for small businesses under NAICS code 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), which has a size standard of 1,500 employees. The government intends to award a single, firm-fixed-price purchase order without conducting discussions. Offers will be evaluated using simplified acquisition procedures under FAR Part 12. The basis for award is the highest technically rated quotation that offers fair and reasonable pricing, along with acceptable or neutral past performance. To be eligible, offerors must demonstrate their capability to meet all delivery requirements and technical specifications. Additionally, vendors must certify compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) restrictions as outlined in the AGAR provisions. Questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted via email to stacey.phillips@usda.gov by Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET. Final quotations are due no later than Friday, September 18, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET. Offerors must hold their proposed pricing firm for 90 calendar days from the submission deadline.

This federal solicitation (SF-1449), issued by the USDA-FS CSA East 2 under solicitation number 12444026Q0215, is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the procurement of one fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and sensor package. The procurement is set aside for small businesses under NAICS code 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), which carries a size standard of 1,500 employees. The primary deliverable is a single fixed-wing UAV and associated sensor package, which must be delivered to the Utah State University PWA Forage and Range Research facility in Logan, Utah. The solicitation was issued on September 14, 2026, with offers due by September 18, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated period of performance runs from September 21, 2026, through a final delivery deadline of November 23, 2026. Key administrative contacts for this acquisition include Purchasing Agent Stacey Phillips and Technical Point of Contact Alexander Hernandez, both representing the USDA. Contracting authority is held by Shundrica T. Daniels.

Solicitation 12444026Q0215 is a federal business and technical requirement document issued by the Forage and Range Research (FRR) Lab for the procurement of a fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with a sensor package. The primary purpose of this UAV is to map and model floral blooms across expansive semiarid landscapes to evaluate forage resources for pollinators. To support large-scale ecological research in remote and montane environments, the requested UAV must meet several key technical specifications: • Compliance with National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) standards and FAA Remote ID regulations. • Full compatibility and integration with existing Micasense multispectral cameras and LiDAR payloads up to 1 kg. • Ability to operate offline and cover at least 500 hectares per flight, with a minimum 50-minute flight time and wind resistance of 10 m/s or greater. • Highly preferred Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capability, hovering features, and RTK/PPK positioning. • Lightweight design for single-person transport and simplified field setup via tablet-based workflows. • Safety features including automatic return-to-home protocols, a minimum 5-mile operating range, and a wide operating temperature window. This acquisition will enable the FRR Lab to efficiently collect critical spatial and temporal dataset models over vast terrains that traditional multirotor drones cannot practically cover.