Department of Agriculture Awarded a Contract to RUSSELL BYRD for $187,269.00

Summary of Award

The JSON response from USAspending.gov provides detailed insights into a government contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically under the Forest Service sub-agency. The contract, identified by the unique award ID CONT_AWD_12363N25F4028_12C2_12445125D0008_12C2, pertains to a delivery order for soil stabilization and road maintenance in the Angelina National Forest in Texas. Notably, this contract is characterized by its firm fixed-price nature, as indicated by the type of contract pricing description.

The recipient of this contract, Russell Byrd, is identified as a self-certified small disadvantaged business and a sole proprietorship located in Willis, Texas. This classification aligns with various U.S. government initiatives aimed at promoting diversity in federal procurement by supporting small and disadvantaged businesses. The specific location of the recipient's business is 2201 FM 1725 Road, Willis, Texas, within San Jacinto County. The business is characterized by multiple business categories, including being a U.S.-owned entity, which holds significance in government contracting, often involving preferences and considerations for domestic businesses.

The contract's scope involves activities identified by the Product Service Code (PSC) F099, which pertains to natural resources and conservation with an emphasis on management services that do not fall under more specific categories. This is further detailed in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 237310, which classifies the contract under highway, street, and bridge construction, highlighting the technical nature of the services to be rendered, aligned with infrastructure maintenance. The contract, with a total obligation amounting to $187,269, was signed on April 10, 2025. The timeline for the period of performance spans from April 21, 2025, to March 18, 2026. This indicates a nearly one-year window for the completion of the specified tasks, ensuring the maintenance and stabilization efforts are carried out adequately over the projected timeframe. The contract was awarded following a solicitation identified by 12363N25Q4052 through procedures subject to multiple award fair opportunities. Despite this open competitive setting, only one offer was received, which significantly influenced the contract's award process. The extent competed description underlines a full and open competition strategy, albeit after an exclusion of sources, which might imply specific requirements or standards that limited the pool of viable applicants. Detailed insights into the contract's financial structure reveal that no subawards were associated, and all financial commitments are consolidated within the main award. With no foreign funding involvement, the contract is fully backed by domestic financial resources, abiding by the guidelines of neither requiring a sub-contracting plan nor making use of commercial products/services procedures. Located in the USDA's Forest Service sub-agency, the awarding and funding responsibilities rest within a centralized structure. The awarding and funding agents both belong to the Department of Agriculture, depicting a streamlined process facilitated by a single department functioning across multiple levels. Their involvement portrays the strategic importance of this contract in supporting national forestry infrastructure and resource maintenance. Transactions related to the contract reflect the initial award details, confirmed by a single-action transaction on April 10, 2025. This transaction solidifies the contract's value without modifications, complemented by a non-existent subsidy cost and no loan involvement, further underscoring the direct nature of this financial engagement. The contract execution does not involve complexities such as international transactions, interagency contracting authorities, or national interest actions, positioning it as a straightforward domestic undertaking over a clearly defined geographic and operational scope. Such a focus underlines federal commitment to uphold and manage national resources effectively, primarily through trusted local entities like the businesses operated by Mr. Byrd. Overall, this contract illuminates a fragment of the broader federal effort to manage and maintain crucial natural resources and infrastructure, particularly within the forestry sector. It illustrates how targeted contracts with specialized small businesses can fulfill federal objectives while fostering economic growth and maintaining ecological and infrastructural integrity. By narrowing down to local businesses equipped with expertise in relevant NAICS classifications, the U.S. government leverages domestic capabilities to achieve significant outcomes in resource management.