The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) is seeking to procure 24 heads of cattle (calves) for the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insect Research Laboratory located in Kerrville, Texas. The calves must weigh between 300-450 lbs, be aged 6-24 months, and primarily consist of Hereford breeds, with Black Angus or Charolais as acceptable alternatives, while explicitly excluding Brahman breeds. This procurement is critical for research purposes, and the USDA-ARS intends to make a sole source award to Gillespie Livestock Co., as they are the only known supplier capable of meeting the specific requirements outlined in the attached statement of requirements. Interested vendors must submit their capabilities by the specified deadline and ensure they are registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI#). The anticipated delivery date for the calves is no later than March 30, 2026, with the award expected to be made by January 16, 2026. For further inquiries, vendors can contact Aaron Dimeo at aaron.dimeo@usda.gov or by phone at 608-416-0027.