Solicitation
Phase 2 Construct Arabian Leopard Exhibit at the National Zoological Park
Smithsonian Institution
More open Smithsonian Institution contracts
AI summaryOnly three firms prequalified under solicitation 33330226FT0010005 (Grunley, Consigli and Whiting-Turner) may send offers. The Smithsonian Institution is buying construction of Phase 2, the habitats and animal care building, of the Arabian Leopard Facility at the National Zoo in Washington, DC (33330226RT0010015). The fixed price is estimated to exceed $10 million, with a 578-calendar-day base period. More in the summary
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Nov 10, 2026. The notice was amended Nov 13, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. Some details are in the notice's attachments, which this summary didn't read. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
Only three firms prequalified under solicitation 33330226FT0010005 (Grunley, Consigli and Whiting-Turner) may send offers. The Smithsonian Institution is buying construction of Phase 2, the habitats and animal care building, of the Arabian Leopard Facility at the National Zoo in Washington, DC (33330226RT0010015). The fixed price is estimated to exceed $10 million, with a 578-calendar-day base period.
Who can bid
- Prequalified under solicitation 33330226FT0010005: only Grunley, Consigli and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company may send offers
- Experience with the listed critical elements, such as work on an occupied historic campus with animals and specialty animal containment
Things to watch (4)
- Serious: Only three prequalified firms may bid. Offers are accepted only from Grunley, Consigli and Whiting-Turner; other firms can only take part as subcontractors.
- Worth checking: Davis-Bacon wages likely apply. Federal construction over $2,000 in the U.S. pays at least the Davis-Bacon wage rates in the wage determination attached to the solicitation. This summary doesn't name one: find it on SAM.gov and price your labor from it.
- Minor: 40% small business subcontracting goal. The prime must plan to subcontract 40% with small businesses, which is an opening for small firms as subcontractors.
Show all 4Show fewer
- Minor: Work around live animals. Construction must follow Zoo feeding schedules, animal welfare needs and DC noise rules, which can slow work.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Build Phase 2 of the Arabian Leopard Facility: habitats and the animal care building
- Install specialty animal doors, transfer systems, containment fencing, mesh and transfer chutes
- Install radiant flooring and shotcrete faux rock and faux trees
- Work on an occupied historic campus with the public, staff and animals present
- Limit sound and vibration so as not to harm animals in nearby habitats
- Meet LEED building criteria and use Building Information Modeling (BIM)
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price (FFP) construction contract: one set price, whatever the work ends up costing
- Period of performance
- 578 calendar days from the notice to proceed (base contract)
- Place of performance
- Smithsonian National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Estimated value
- More than $10 million (Smithsonian's estimate for the entire project)
- Offers due
- November 20, 2026, 3:00 PM Eastern (from the version posted Nov 10, 2026; amended since)
What to include when you submit
- Send a technical proposal and a cost proposal
- Use the revised bid schedule from the latest amendment
Current contractor
No incumbent named; offers are limited to the three firms prequalified in solicitation 33330226FT0010005.
Not in the notice text
- The evaluation factors, submission method and page limits are in the solicitation documents, not in the notice text.
- The new question deadline set by Amendment 0005 is only in the amendment.
- The answers to questions 1-552 and the 100% bid documents are in the amendments.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside, but the notice names requirements you must meet before you can bid:
- The notice mentions an approved or qualified source list. Only listed sources may be eligible, so check that your company or product is on it.
- How and where to submit is in the notice text and its attachments on SAM.gov.
- 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 13, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Office
- Smithsonian Institution, Arlington, VA
- Product/service code
- Y1JA · Construction of Museums and Exhibition Buildings
- Business type
- Construction & renovation (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 236220)
- Versions
9 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Nov 13, 2026 · Amendment 0008 (this version)Due Nov 20, 2026
- Nov 13, 2026 · Amendment 0007Due Nov 20, 2026
- Nov 10, 2026 · Amendment 0006Due Nov 20, 2026
- Oct 20, 2026 · Amendment 0005Due Nov 20, 2026 (changed)
- Oct 19, 2026 · Amendment 0004Due Nov 13, 2026
- Oct 13, 2026 · Amendment 0003Due Nov 13, 2026
- Sep 30, 2026 · Amendment 0002Due Nov 13, 2026
- Sep 21, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Nov 13, 2026
- Sep 14, 2026 · SolicitationDue Nov 13, 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
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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