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Special notice, total small business set-aside

Unmanned Aerial Systems Trials for Release of Sterile Insect Technique Navel Orangeworm

1169789

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, PPQ CPHST. Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating.

View on SAM.gov Markdown

Awarded

M3 Consulting Group LLC

$103,080.00 obligated so far on USAspending

Get the next one like this from Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by email, the day it is posted.Find my opportunities

Description

As published on SAM.gov.

SOLE SOURCE 

The joint APHIS–CDFA Navel Orangeworm (NOW) Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) Program in California currently relies on a fixed‑wing Cessna 206 for sterile NOW releases. However, this method has consistently produced low and highly variable recapture rates (less than 0.1 percent), indicating that fixed‑wing aerial release may be biologically and operationally unsuitable for NOW.In contrast, manual (hand) releases conducted in Arizona have yielded recapture rates one to three orders of magnitude higher, suggesting that the challenge lies with the release method rather than insect quality. This substantial disparity, combined with the high cost and limited operational resilience of the fixed‑wing platform, underscores the need to evaluate alternative release technologies. Future pilot availability is also uncertain.Given advances in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), associated equipment, and release methods, UAS-based delivery may offer improved cost savings, operational flexibility, and efficiency compared to the current aircraft‑based approach. The program is under increasing pressure to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, reduce costs, and plan for operational contingencies—including pilot availability. Stakeholders have also expressed interest in emerging technologies such as UAS for SIT applications.Accordingly, this is a valuable area for further exploration to potentially improve program savings, efficacy, and long‑term sustainability. APHIS‑PPQ has therefore initiated an evaluation of UAS‑based NOW SIT releases, including preliminary field trials, to inform program direction and assess whether operational changes or future investments are warranted to support the long‑term viability of the APHIS NOW SIT program.

JUNE 07, 2026 5:00PM (EST) is the deadline for inquiries.

All questions addressed to the below indiviual:

Todd K. Bierl
(Major Program Contracting Officer)
Emergency Acquisition
Marketing and Regulatory Program Business (MRPBS)
Acquisition and Asset Management Division (AAMD)
Acquisition Branch
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Office#(612)336-3465
Cell# (612)500-1321/(763)286-8084

Attachments

Files listed on SAM.gov. The ones we hold a copy of download from here; the rest open SAM's download, which needs no account.

The contract, on USAspending

Federal procurement data the awarding office reported to FPDS, matched to this solicitation by its number.

Recipient
M3 Consulting Group LLC
UEI
GDTQSTVV73N4
CAGE
6SDF1
Vendor location
Erie, PA
Contract
12639526P0186, purchase order
Obligated
$103,080.00
Actions
2 between June 25, 2026 and July 14, 2026
Competition
Competed Under SAP, 1 offer received
Set-aside reported
Small Business Set Aside - Total
Described as
Eight Release Events Over (~840 Acres Per Event) of Sterile Insect Technique (Sit) Navel Orangeworm (Now) by Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas).
Match
solicitation number 1169789 equals the FPDS solicitation identifier; same sub-agency 12K3 (high confidence)
Record
USAspending award page

Publications

Every notice SAM.gov issued under this solicitation number, oldest first. Each is a separate record on SAM.

  1. June 4, 2026

    Special notice

    Due June 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. SAM.gov, notice 9a03d2630fd948d49dd95de258461f25

    1 revisions on SAM
    • June 4, 2026: publish, special notice

Points of contact