F--Woody Biomass Utilization Awareness for US Forest Service

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Pursuant to FAR 15.202 Woody Biomass Utilization Awareness for US Forest Service DOI/NBC/Acquisition Services Directorate - Herndon (AQD-Herndon) will handle this Request for Information. AQD-Herndon is a Federal Franchise Fund Contracting Office under the authority of the Government Management Reform Act and provides contracting support to all Federal and D0D Agencies. For an easier to read format of this RFI please go to our website at www.govworks.gov/vendor/csolicit.asp. INTRODUCTION The US Forest Service is seeking firms that, if any, can provide all the following services: work throughout the twenty-state Northeastern Area with a variety of state and local partners to increase the sustainable use of woody biomass for energy and other products. Develop a draft implementation plan for conducting work under this contract; Finalize this implementation plan with the COTR; Provide annual updates to the implementation plan in cooperation with the COTR; Annually conduct at least 2 educational seminars related to expanding the sustainable use of woody biomass in the Northeastern Area; Develop an inventory of existing woody biomass utilization facilities in the Northeast and Midwest 20 states; Annually conduct at least 6 assessments of woody biomass utilization opportunities in cooperation with State forestry agencies; Annually develop at least 3 publications on woody biomass utilization technology, markets, or success stories; Annually develop 3 information products that provide decision-makers with the ability to assess how the use of woody biomass will improve the ecological, economic, and/or social conditions in their environment; Provide advice and analytical assistance to the COTR on opportunities to expand the sustainable use of woody biomass; Work with the Woody Biomass Utilization Services Contractor(s) to develop enhanced tools for preliminary feasibility analysis; Work with the Woody Biomass Utilization Services Contractor(s) to develop information products describing the use of wood as an energy resource; and develop working relationships with the wood combustion appliance industry/boiler manufacturers to improve the quality of small to medium scale solid wood combustion systems available in the US. BACKGROUND Woody biomass utilization is a key component of restoring and maintaining ecosystem health. "Woody biomass" is defined as the trees and woody plants, including limbs, tops, needles, leaves, and other woody parts, grown in a forest, woodland, or rangeland environment, that are the by-products of restoration, hazardous fuel reduction treatments (including urban forests), and forest management. At the national level the Forest Service, through the Woody Biomass Utilization Strategy (http://www.fs.fed.us/woodybiomass/) commits to following three principles to achieve four goals: Principles Goals 1. Pursue sustainability. 1. Supply 2. Empower entrepreneurial action. 2. Partnerships 3. Use science-based information and new technology 3. Science and Technology 4. Marketing The new Northeastern Area strategic plan includes an objective on the sustainable use of forest resources to produce renewable energy and accomplish greenhouse gas reduction. Objective 2B states: Help the Northeast and Midwest meet its need for renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction through the sustainable utilization of woody biomass. The Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) staff, working in cooperation with other Forest Service staff and local partners, is charged with addressing Objective 2B. WERC staff with input from NA staff groups and partners has developed a business plan to guide implementation of NA efforts related to the sustainable utilization of woody biomass. This business plan identifies the need for increased awareness, training and education across the Northeastern Area about the opportunities to use woody biomass. These opportunities range from using wood for energy to the development of chemicals from wood extractives. Providing such awareness, technical assistance, and training to communities and businesses related to the opportunities for the use of woody biomass is consistent with both National and Area strategies. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST Contemplated Requirement: The Government would like to know what firms can provide all the following services for this requirement by identifying themselves and responding to this RFI. The Government requests recommendations, comments, concerns, and/or questions relating to the contemplated support services. 1.1. An overall plan and timeline describing how they will accomplish the scope of work described above and the specific tasks needed to accomplish the goal of increasing the sustainable use of woody biomass for energy and other products across the Northeastern Area at the end of the first year of the contract and providing technical assistance and analytical support to the COTR as requested. This plan will be developed after an initial meeting with WERC staff and the COTR to review the scope of work and make sure the contractor understands what is expected. Finalizing the work plan and timeline may require approximately two (2) additional meetings with the COTR. Some of the meetings may include representatives of the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters Utilization and Marketing Committee. Additional meetings with the Forest Service will be required to identify strategic work items. 1.2. Organize and conduct two meetings/seminars/training sessions annually that address key woody biomass management and utilization issues in the Northeast and Midwest. The topics for these sessions will be selected based on negotiation between the Contractor and the COTR/WERC staff. Initial topics may include sustainability, carbon sequestration in wood products, appropriate harvesting technologies, new combustion technologies, district energy applications for woody biomass, and air quality concerns with biomass utilization. It is expected that two sessions should address national/area-wide issues and two sessions should address sub-regional/local issues. 1.3. Develop an inventory of existing and planned (within 2-5 years) biomass utilizing facilities across the Northeast and Midwest. This inventory will identify the utilization technology, the volume of material used, residues created, the amount of energy created and the form of energy created (thermal/electrical/both). This information will be geo-coded and compatible with ARCINFO products. 1.4. Conduct sub-regional analyses of biomass utilization opportunities in cooperation with potential biomass users, State Forestry agencies, and the Wood Energy Utilization Services Contractors. Opportunities to conduct these analyses will develop as the Wood Energy Utilization Services Contractors identify and analyze energy conversion opportunities on a variety of scales. These analyses will utilize data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis staff as well as additional data provided by the State Forester or other data sources. Additional data will be provided by the biomass utilization inventory developed in 4.3 above. Format of these analyses will be negotiated with the COTR. 1.5. Develop a series of information products to help decision-makers better understand the opportunities created by sustainable biomass utilization in the Northeast and Midwest. These information products will address sustainability, harvesting, combustion/gasification, air quality, district energy systems, new technologies at different scales, and financing options. Other topics may be included based on future program needs. These information products will be developed in formats that can be shared on the WERC website and on electronic media such as CD and/or DVD. Topics and format of these information products will be negotiated with the COTR. These information products will be reviewed by the COTR prior to finalizing the products. These information products must recognize that these materials were develop under a contract with the Forest Service and that information and services will be provided according to all Federal requirements. The following statements should be included in these information products: 1.5.1. The work upon which this publication/CD/DVD/software is based was funded in whole or in part through a contract awarded by the Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1.5.2. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1.5.3. The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1.6. Develop training products that can be provided to key segments of the public regarding the sustainable use of woody biomass. These training products will be developed after conducting surveys of key user communities such as legislators, educational institution and hospital administrators, local elected officials, utility officials, developers, land use planners, economic development professionals, foresters, forest land owners and forest products industry representatives. These training sessions will be sponsored by the WERC. The format of the training program will be negotiated between the Contractor and the COTR. 1.7. Provide analytical and technical assistance regarding woody biomass utilization for energy or other uses to the COTR . Such assistance may require up to 480 hours (60 working days) of staff time. 1.8. Work with the WERC Woody Biomass Utilization Contractor(s) as required by the COTR. Much of this work will be to assist in the development of analytical tools and training programs to help individuals and organizations better understand the potential for the use of woody biomass for energy and other products. 1.9. Complete monthly work progress reports to the COTR on contacts, on-going feasibility analyses, assigned project progress (including obstacles to project progress), and hours to be billed. 1.10. Complete an annual report that summarizes the status of the feasibility analyses, includes client progress on implementing feasibility studies, and provides estimates of the overall impact to the use of woody biomass for energy in the Northeastern Area. INFORMATION SOUGHT This is a request for interested potential offerors to submit a brief qualification statement demonstrating their ability to provide the required services. Submissions shall be limited to no more than ten (10) pages doubled sided or twenty (20) pages single sided. Standard brochures will not be considered as a sufficient response to this notice. The information provided should include a Statement of Qualifications to carryout this work, examples of similar work carried out by the applicant, proposed technical concepts to implement the project, and experience of the contractor, with this type of work. CONTEMPLATED TYPE OF CONTRACT A competitive, multiple, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) task order vehicle or a GSA contract task order either Firm Fixed Price or Time and Materials is contemplated. The method of competition will be determined after all responses to this notice have been evaluated. At this time, there is no definitive date when the Request for Proposals (RFP), including the Performance Work Statement, evaluation factors, and quote submission instructions will be available. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.202, responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. HOW TO RESPOND Please submit your responses to this RFI #20483 via email to Tamia True at [email protected]. The due date for responses to this RFI #20483 is on or before March 17, 2008, by 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.