Equine Winter Boarding and Feeding Services

The USDA Forest Service requires winter pasture and boarding services for approximately 40-50 government-owned horses and mules. The service area must be within 200 road miles of the Flathead National Forest office in Kalispell, Montana. The pasture must be safely fenced and free of hazards. The contractor will be responsible for providing daily grazing or hay, open water sources, daily salt, and supplemental feeding of oats or barley for a subset of the animals. Forest Service personnel will require access to the stock with at least one day's advance notice. Loading and unloading facilities for standard stock trailers and trucks must be available. The period of performance includes a base year from November 1, 2026, to October 31, 2027, with four one-year option periods extending through October 31, 2031. Animals will be boarded a minimum of December through April, with potential boarding in November and May due to weather and feed availability. Delivery and pickup of stock will be coordinated, with billing for full months from December through April and prorated charges for November and May. The contractor must immediately notify the Contracting Officer's Representative of any stock issues, such as sickness, injury, inability to maintain weight, or death.