USDA Opened Automation Testing Contract for Small Firms
Small tech businesses have until September 28 to bid on this five-year, firm-fixed-price software services contract.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Agriculture
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a solicitation for an automation testing tool to support functional, regression, and end-to-end software needs. The contract is restricted to small businesses meeting a $40 million size standard.
Why it matters
The agency is seeking to modernize its web and mobile application testing capabilities, shifting away from manual processes to automated workflows. The project requires a cloud-based solution, as no locally-installed infrastructure is permitted.
The contract spans a five-year term, consisting of one base year and four option years, for vendors meeting a $40 million small business size standard. Proposals are evaluated on a lowest-price technically-acceptable basis.
The players
Agriculture Department
The federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, forestry, and food.
TestRigor
A software platform specializing in AI-driven, codeless test automation for web and mobile applications.
The details
The contract requires the implementation of the TestRigor Test Automation Tool to manage functional and regression testing across mobile and web environments. The USDA will evaluate submissions sequentially, starting with the lowest-priced proposal. Because the scope excludes locally-installed hardware, successful bidders must manage delivery through cloud-based integration.
Timeline
September 24, 2026: The Agriculture Department issued the request for quotes.
September 28, 2026: Proposal submission deadline at 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Market Landscape
This solicitation follows the established pattern of using Small Business Act size standards to insulate small-market vendors from larger corporate competition in federal service contracts. It reflects a wider agency trend toward cloud-native software requirements to reduce onsite infrastructure footprints.
Software firms should review their current size certifications against the $40 million threshold before the September 28 deadline. Operators should note that the department’s 'lowest-price technically-acceptable' evaluation criteria rewards firms that can demonstrate high efficiency in TestRigor integration.
The takeaway
Agencies are increasingly mandating specific automation platforms, making platform proficiency a key competitive differentiator for government contractors. Firms should prepare to document their ability to manage complex regression testing in a cloud-only environment to meet the evaluation requirements.
What happens next
The Agriculture Department will begin evaluating proposals sequentially starting immediately after the September 28, 2026, submission deadline.
Further reading
For broader context on federal shifts toward digital agility, view the Agriculture sector page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Technology.
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