Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Barillas Peak & Encino Vista Lookout Tower Restoration, Santa Fe NF
Department of Agriculture · Forest Service
More open Forest Service contracts
AI summaryThe USDA Forest Service is asking small businesses to quote on restoring two fire lookout towers on the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. The main job is to design and build a new tower cab, solar power system and lightning protection at Barillas Peak, with an optional lightning protection and solar job at Encino Vista. It is a firm-fixed-price construction contract with up to 548 calendar days to finish after notice to proceed. More in the summary
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Oct 8, 2026. The notice was amended Nov 5, 2026. The due date moved from Nov 6, 2026 to Nov 16, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. This summary may miss requirements: 1 of 9 attachments weren't read (C04 Attachment 2 Sched of Items.xlsx). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The USDA Forest Service is asking small businesses to quote on restoring two fire lookout towers on the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. The main job is to design and build a new tower cab, solar power system and lightning protection at Barillas Peak, with an optional lightning protection and solar job at Encino Vista. It is a firm-fixed-price construction contract with up to 548 calendar days to finish after notice to proceed.
Who can bid (7)
- Must be a small business; this is a total small business set-aside under NAICS 236220 with a $45M size standard
- Certification of NEC and State approved commercial electric skills and expertise
- 20% bid bond with the quote, plus performance and payment bonds and insurance if awarded
Show all 7Show fewer
- Active SAM.gov registration (FAR 52.204-7 and 52.204-13 apply)
- Professional Engineer (PE) stamped and sealed construction documents, and PE-stamped tower drawings
- Limitations on Subcontracting clause applies, so a small business must do a set share of the work itself
- Davis-Bacon construction wage rates apply (wage determinations for San Miguel and Rio Arriba Counties, NM), and the DEI and anti-discrimination certification is required with the offer
How to submit: Email only, to Contract Specialist Richard Ortega (richard.ortega@usda.gov) per the SF 1442 form; questions go to Richard Ortega and Troy McCullough, due November 6, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time (extended by Amendment 00001); questions (RFIs) due October 19, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (7)
- Serious: 20% bid bond required. You must post a bid bond worth 20% with your quote, which many small businesses cannot get easily and which ties up surety capacity.
- Serious: Design-build work, not just construction. You must produce a full engineered design (30/60/90/100%, PE-stamped) before building, so you need in-house or partner engineers and architects.
- Worth checking: Scope is larger than the notice headline. The statement of work also includes solar power with a backup generator, a CMU toilet building, communications equipment and more, while the notice only mentions the cab and lightning protection.
Show all 7Show fewer
- Worth checking: Remote, high-elevation sites with weather and fire limits. Both towers sit around 9,000 to 10,000 feet at the end of long forest roads, with snow into spring, monsoon storms, fire-season shutdowns and wildlife restrictions that can limit work.
- Worth checking: Site visits are in just days. Visits are on October 13 and 14, 2026 (not mandatory but highly encouraged), and the sites are far apart.
- Minor: Price schedule and some documents not available here. The Schedule of Items (Attachment 2) was not read, so line items and quantities are unknown.
- Minor: Old dates still appear in the original forms. The SF 1442 and base solicitation still show the old RFI date (Oct 1), site visits (Sept 23-24) and quote due date (Oct 12); Amendment 00001 replaces these.
Read from the notice and 8 attachments. 1 of 9 not read. Show which files.
- 127EAX26Q0069 Amendment 00001.pdf (read)
- 127EAX26Q0069 Amendment 00001 Provisions and Clauses.docx (read)
- C04 127EAX26Q0069.pdf (read)
- C04 Attachment 1 Statement of Work.pdf (read)
- C04 Attachment 3 Specifications.pdf (read)
- C04 Attachment 4 Fire Plan and Guidelines.docx (read)
- C04 Attachment 5 WD NM20260028.pdf (read)
- C04 Attachment 6 WD NM20260026.pdf (read)
- C04 Attachment 2 Sched of Items.xlsx: not read (the AI doesn't read this file type yet): open it on SAM.gov
Full summary
What they want
- Design, remove and replace the Barillas Peak lookout tower cab with a new cab on the existing tower, fully grounded and tested
- Provide a full design package (30%, 60%, 90% and 100%, with PE-stamped drawings) for the cab, power system, lightning protection and grounding, and supporting items
- Install a solar power system with a propane backup generator that starts and stops automatically
- Install a new lightning protection and grounding system at Barillas Peak
- Build a CMU (concrete block) toilet building and add communications equipment at Barillas Peak
- Option A: design and install a new lightning protection system plus a solar power system with backup generator at the Encino Vista tower
- Remove the old cab and all equipment and dispose of it properly off federal land
- Handle all materials, labor, equipment and transport to remote high-elevation mountain sites, following the fire plan and seasonal restrictions
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price construction contract (commercial item, FAR Part 12); one award planned, with Encino Vista as an optional bid item
- Period of performance
- Start work within 10 calendar days after notice to proceed; finish all work within 548 calendar days (about 18 months) after notice to proceed
- Place of performance
- Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico: Barillas Peak tower (Pecos Las Vegas Ranger District) and Encino Vista tower (Coyote Ranger District), both about 9,300 to 9,900 ft elevation
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How they'll choose
- Best value to the Government with no tradeoffs: the highest technically rated quote wins if its price is fair and reasonable and past performance is acceptable or neutral
- Offers due
- November 6, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time (extended by Amendment 00001); questions (RFIs) due October 19, 2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time (from the version posted Oct 8, 2026; amended since)
- How to submit
- Email only, to Contract Specialist Richard Ortega (richard.ortega@usda.gov) per the SF 1442 form; questions go to Richard Ortega and Troy McCullough
What they'll judge offers on
- Technical approach (ability to meet the SOW schedule, certification of NEC and State approved commercial electric skills, and a detailed explanation of any SOW requirement you cannot meet)
- Price (pricing for every line item in Attachment 2, judged fair and reasonable)
- Past performance (rated acceptable, neutral or unacceptable; unacceptable disqualifies)
What to include when you submit
- Price every line item in Attachment 2 Schedule of Items; quotes that skip items may be excluded
- Include a 20% bid bond with the quote package
- Include certification of NEC and State approved commercial electric skills and expertise, proof you can meet the SOW schedule, and an explanation of any requirement you cannot meet
- Provide expected construction timeframes in the bid package
- Provide past performance references (the Government also checks CPARS and USDA records)
- Hold your prices firm for 60 calendar days after the due date
- Acknowledge Amendment 00001 and complete the SF 1442 offer form
- Put the solicitation name and number in the subject line of questions
- Name your company representatives for the site visit to Aaron Trujillo (aaron.trujillo@usda.gov or 575-779-7756)
Not in the notice text
- Line items, quantities and pricing format in Attachment 2 Schedule of Items (spreadsheet not read)
- Government estimate or budget range for the work
- Middle sections of the specifications, the SF 1442 and the clauses file were cut off, so some requirements may be missing
- Exact bonding amounts for performance and payment bonds
- Whether Barillas Peak and Encino Vista may be quoted separately (the solicitation says to price all items for one award)
Eligibility and how to respond
- Set aside for small businesses: only a business that counts as small under this notice's NAICS code can bid as the prime contractor. More open small business set-asides under NAICS 236220
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Email only, to Contract Specialist Richard Ortega (richard.ortega@usda.gov) per the SF 1442 form; questions go to Richard Ortega and Troy McCullough. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
- Construction contracts over $2,000 pay at least the local Davis-Bacon wage rates, from the wage determination in the solicitation. Price your labor from it: How to price a government contract, and how Davis-Bacon differs from the Service Contract Act.
Notice details
- Posted
- Nov 5, 2026
- Notice type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- Office
- USDA-FS, CSA Southwest 7, Albuquerque, NM
- Product/service code
- Z1JZ · Maintenance of Miscellaneous Buildings
- Business type
- Construction & renovation (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 236220)
- Versions
3 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Nov 5, 2026 · Amendment 0002 (this version)Due Nov 16, 2026 (changed)
- Oct 8, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Nov 6, 2026 (changed)
- Sep 11, 2026 · Combined Synopsis/SolicitationDue Oct 12, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
- Set-aside contracts explained
Terms on this notice: Solicitation, Set-aside
Full notice text from SAM.gov
This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Part 12. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Quotations are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number 127EAX26Q0069 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the design, removal and replacement of the Barillas Lookout Tower cab with a new cab and lighting protection system. An optional bid item for the Encino Vista Lookout Tower is to replace/install a brand-new comprehensive lightning protection system. This acquisition is set-aside for small business concerns. The applicable North American Industry Classification Standard Code is 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction. The small business size standard is $45M. This acquisition is a Total Small Business Set-Aside. All responsible sources may submit a quotation which will be considered by the agency. The purpose for amendment 00001 is to; 1) Update the Site Visit Dates as follows; a) Barillas Peak Lookout Tower: October 13, Meet at Pecos Ranger District Office @ 9:00am (MST); 32 South Main Street, Pecos, NM 87552, leave office for site by 9:30am (MST) b) Encino Vista Lookout Tower: October 14, Meet at the Coyote Ranger District Office @ 9:00am (MST); 20 Private Drive 1707, Coyote, NM 87012, leave office for site by 9:30am (MST) Provide name of company representative(s) attending the visit to Aaron Trujillo by email aaron.trujillo@usda.gov or phone 575-779-7756. 2) Extend RFI Due Date from 10/01/2026 to 10/19/2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time. Please submit all RFI's to the following POC's a) Richard Ortega at Richard.ortega@usda.gov b) Troy McCullough at troy.mccullough@usda.gov 3) Extend the Quote Due Date from 10/12/2026 to 11/06/2026, 2:00 PM Pacific Time. Amendment 2 provides the following information: Attachment 2 - Revises/corrects typo's on Schedule of Items Attachment 7 - adds WD NM2026001 Attachment 8 - provides responses to RFI's 001-044 Attachment 9 - provides list of attendees for site visit Attachments 10-17 - requested drawings and specifications
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