REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
TO THE
EL DORADO COUNTY Resource Conservation District
RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2017
CLOSING DATE: Proposals must be received by May 19, 2017 by 4:00 p.m.
PROJECT TITLE: “Collaborative Reforestation Strategy Project”
CONTACT PERSON:
Mark Egbert
District Manager
El Dorado County Resource Conservation District
100 Forni Road, Suite A
Placerville, CA 95667
(p) 530-295-5630
Project Summary & Objectives
CAL FIRE provides a substantial seed bank as insurance against poor seed crop years and for providing the widest possible genetic variety of forest tree species. This long-term depository contributes to restoration of native trees lost to wildfire, insects and disease; avoiding losses of tree species threatened with extirpation or extinction; and mitigates the uncertainties associated with tree species and forest ecosystem adaptation to climate change. The seed bank is located in the L.A. Moran Reforestation Center (LAMRC) in Yolo County in Davis, California. LAMRC specializes in forest tree cone and seed processing and seed bank storage. CAL FIRE staff at the center continues to provide technical assistance to forest industry, other agency, and private landowners on cone and seed matters and seed collection activities.
Up until 2003 LAMRC produced container seedlings. CAL FIRE’s other nursery, the Magalia Reforestation Center in Butte County, ceased operations as of June 30, 2011 due to ongoing state budget reductions. This closure has suspended for the foreseeable future CAL FIRE's bare root seedling production. The Magalia facility was the last operating seedling production nursery in the CAL FIRE system. CAL FIRE and the Board of Forestry are continuing to evaluate strategies for providing nursery and reforestation services for the state's public and private forests, consistent with statutory authorities. Central to these efforts are identification of new funding sources or partnerships to support these operations.
Reforestation treatment needs have historically been closely associated with regeneration activities. This association was beneficial both from the standpoint of utilizing funds collected from timber sales to do the necessary reforestation work, and because reforestation programs could be planned and scheduled to coincide with harvest activities under a timber sale contract with a finite contract period. This afforded the opportunity to schedule and complete needed site preparation work, collect cones and seed from appropriate sources, sow this seed at the nursery, grow these seedlings to desired specifications, prepare them for out-planting, and plant the seedlings and complete the other work needed to assure regeneration success.
Much of this program predictability is lost when the principal causal agent creating reforestation treatment needs is a natural disturbance event, particularly those on a catastrophic scale. Since the location and magnitude of these events cannot be predicted from one year to the next, this dynamic makes the job of planning orderly programs of work to complete reforestation treatments more difficult.
Moreover, this lack of predictability can also make it very difficult to secure tree seed from appropriate seed sources in sufficient quantities to address reforestation needs. Recent trends in the severity of wildfires and tree mortality have made it much more difficult in recent years for managers to plan and program their needs to complete reforestation treatments.
Reforestation work is time-sensitive. Without timely reforestation efforts, undesirable species can dominate, making establishment of desired tree species difficult. Once undesirable species become established, decades may pass before sufficient numbers of appropriate tree seedlings occupy the site. Delays also increase the cost of reforestation work by necessitating expensive site preparation, reduce timber yields, and may adversely affect meeting other resource objectives.
Reforestation program delivery capacity is dependent on several program areas, as well as numerous partnerships and cooperative agreements. The El Dorado County Resource Conservation District (RCD) has entered into a sales agreement with the U.S. Forest Service Placerville Nursery in July 2014. As a public agency, the RCD can act as an intermediary between private landowners and the nursery to facilitate seedling distribution. Under the terms of the agreement, the Placerville Nursery will provide tree seedlings to the RCD to be used for a variety of reforestation needs. Seedlings will be grown from native or approved seed sources including the CALFIRE seed bank or Placerville Nursery seed bank. All seedlings are produced in accordance with U.S. Forest Service grading standards. This reforestation collaborative aims to increase communications, to share information, to increase efficiencies of available resources, and to enhance mutual program capacity to meet reforestation needs.
Scope of Work
The District shall maintain an Interagency Agreement with CAL FIRE (#8CA03473) to provide reforestation services. This RFP is requesting the services of a Registered Professional Forester, Silviculturist, or similar, to conduct the following:
Task 1: Project Coordination.
Reporting schedule will include three-month progress reports, draft and final completion reports. The submittal and approval of all reports is a requirement for the successful completion of this Agreement. Reports shall meet generally accepted professional standards for technical reporting and shall be proofread for content, numerical accuracy, spelling, and grammar prior to submittal to RCD. All reports shall be submitted to RCD’s Project Manager, and shall be submitted in both electronic and hard copy forms.
Deliverables:
1) Contractor shall submit Quarterly Progress Reports. Quarterly Progress Reports shall provide a brief description of the major accomplishments during the reporting period (i.e. tasks completed, contracts awarded, expenditures, milestones met, meetings held or attended, any problems encountered, etc.) in the performance of the work under this Agreement during the reporting period.
2) Contractor shall submit a Project Completion Report. The Project Completion Report shall be submitted within ninety (90) calendar days of Project Completion. The Project Completion Report shall include a brief description of the Project accomplishments, and how those projects will further the goals of the Project.
Task 2: Interagency Coordination.
Today’s forest lands are a result of planning and management decisions made years ago. In an effort to sustain the integrity of viable seed and resilient stands of productive forests, this collaborative will engage forestland managers, responsible agencies and conservation planners in a coordinated, mutual interest, mutual benefit partnership to find solutions to adequately address California’s reforestation needs for citizen’s dependent on ecosystem services that forests provide, now and in the future.
Deliverables:
1) The Contractor, in coordination with RCD, will work within the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts Forest Stewardship Committee to establish a framework of Resource Conservation Districts throughout California to disseminate information on reforestation issues affecting the State.
2. The Contractor, in coordination with RCD, will work with Resource Conservation District offices throughout California on a local and regional level in an effort to identify reforestation needs, distribution information, and develop relations to effectively consolidate seedling orders and evaluate seedling distribution logistics and opportunities.
3. The Contractor, in coordination with RCD, will coordinate with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Forester and Regional Foresters to obtain seedling need projections based on current Farm Bill contract obligations. This information will be compiled in a Reforestation Needs Assessment Report completed by October of each year.
4. The Contractor, in coordination with RCD, will coordinate with the CAL FIRE Units to obtain seedling need projections based on current California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) program obligations, post fire events, and other state programs supporting forest restoration and enhancement projects .This information will be compiled in a Reforestation Needs Assessment Report completed by October of each year.
5. The Contractor, in coordination with RCD, will collaborate with the USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, SP&F, University of Cooperative Extension, the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, and other public entities on a wide range of nursery and reforestation matters, including measures to address and adapt to climate change.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
One original and two copies of Proposal must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. by May 19, 2017 at the RCD office at 100 Forni Road, Suite A. Placerville, CA 95667. One electronic copy of the Proposal, in PDF format, may also be delivered as an alternative means, via email no later than 4:00 p.m., local time, on Friday, May 19, 2017 to Mark Egbert, District Manager (). Please cc yourself as verification of submittal. Please note the RCD email server can only accept document sizes 10 MB or less. Faxed or late proposals will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to assure that the Proposal is received prior to the deadline date and time. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be accepted and will be returned unopened.
Any changes to this RFP are invalid unless specifically modified by the RCD and issued as a separate addendum document. Should there be any question as to changes to the content of this document; the RCD’s copy shall prevail.
Available Funds
The maximum funding available for planning consultation services in this grant is sixty thousand dollars and zero cents ($60,000.00). Contractor must acknowledge and affirmatively indicate that they can provide such services within this amount.
PROPOSAL FORMAT
A qualifying proposal must address all of the following items:
1. Page limit. The Project proposal shall be limited to ten (10) pages, excluding cover letter and resume, and shall contain all of the information requested below.
2. Accuracy and completion. Information must be complete and accurate. If during the course of the evaluation Contractors information becomes inaccurate, Contractor must immediately notify RCD in writing.
3. Information. Project proposal must contain sufficient information for an objective evaluation of the Contractors ability to understand and perform the requisite services. Project proposal must reflect what the RCD could expect in terms of thoroughness and quality of work product, cost efficiency, and responsiveness. Project proposal shall be organized in the following manner and contain the following information:
- Cover Letter. Project proposal shall be transmitted with a cover letter signed by Contractor.
- Project Experience and References. Describe in narrative form the experience and expertise in providing the service sought by the RCD. Provide contact information for three former or current clients for whom you have performed similar services to that the RCD may interview these references.
- Rates. In consideration of Contractors fulfillment of the promised work, the RCD shall pay Contractors at a Per Hour Rate.
- Scope of Work. State in concise terms your understanding of the Scope of Work. Identify additional tasks, if any, that you believe are essential or advisable to constitute a more complete scope of work.
5. Contract and Insurance Requirements. The successful Contractor will be required to execute a contract in the form shown in Exhibit A attached hereto and to meet the insurance requirements referred to in that Exhibit. Please indicate your willingness and ability to comply with these requirements or describe any exceptions you requests. Alterations or changes to the agreement which were not in the Contractor’s response may not be made after the selection of the proposal. This includes alterations, exceptions, or changes to the insurance and indemnity provisions.
- Addenda. The Contractor shall include all acknowledged addenda for the RFP.
COST OF SERVICES
In consideration of Contractor fulfillment of the promised work, the RCD shall pay Contractor at a Per Hour Rate. Rates and charges shall include any part of Contractor’s capital expenses. Travel expenses will be reimbursed at current IRS mileage rates. The rates and charges shall also include minor expenses connected with performance of the services such as copies, computers, software, on-line legal research, office supplies, postage, faxes, long-distance telephone calls, telephone, and any other expense incurred to accomplish the work. Note that no separate charges for these items will be allowed. Note also that no administrative charges will be allowed. Rates shall be held constant throughout the project.
NON-DISCLOSURE AND DISCLOSURE OF PROPOSALS
Proposals will be held in confidence during the evaluation process until RCD staff issues Notice of Intent to Award the contract. Thereafter, all proposals will be treated as documents subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (Act).
SELECTION Criteria
Representatives of RCD will review the proposals. The selected Contractor will be required to execute a professional services agreement with RCD. In reviewing the proposals, the selection criteria will include the following:
1. Rates and charges (25 points).
2. Responsiveness to RFP (15 points).
3. Capacity of the Contractor to conduct the Scope of Work (25 points).
4. Experience and expertise (25 points).
5. Evaluations from client references (10 points).
Note: Proposals that do not demonstrate direct experience with reforestation will not be considered to meet the qualification threshold.
FINAL SELECTION
Proposals will be rated based on the merit of the entire proposal. RCD staff presently anticipates making contract award recommendations to the RCD’s Board of Directors. Notice of Intent to Award the professional service contract will be issued at the time of the Board meeting at which the contract is considered.
The RCD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to re-issue this RFP. The RCD may waive any minor informalities or irregularities in any proposal that are immaterial and inconsequential in nature. The RCD reserves the right to request additional written or oral information from Contractors to obtain clarification of their proposals. All proposals become the property of the RCD. All costs associated with development of the proposal shall be the sole responsibility of the Respondent and shall not be charged in any manner to the RCD.
PROTEST PROCEDURE
Any protest concerning the rating of any proposal or award on the Contractor hereunder must be submitted in writing to the RCD’s District Manager at 100 Forni Road, Suite A. Placerville, CA 95667 on or before 4:00 p.m. of the tenth (10th) calendar day following the RCD’s posting the Notice of Intent to Award the professional services contract at the entry to the RCD’s main office at the aforementioned address. The procedure and time limit set forth in this paragraph are mandatory and are the Contractor’s sole and exclusive remedy in the event of a protest of the rating of its proposal or award of the contract and failure to pursue said remedy shall constitute a waiver of any right to further pursue said protest, including filing a Government Code claim or legal proceedings.