RFI_Facility_Rentals-Eastern_States_6-6-2019_FINAL.docx

Statement of Work for Wild Horse & Burro Placement Event Facilities

BACKGROUND

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (the Act) charged the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service with the protection and management of wild horses (also known as “mustangs”) and burros on public rangelands in the Western United States. Because wild horses and burros are federally protected and have virtually no natural predators, populations double every four years. Today, the BLM manages more than 88,000 horses and burros across 31.6 million acres in 10 Western states; the BLM’s target population level is approximately 27,000 horses and burros. The Act requires the BLM to manage wild horses and burros in a manner that achieves a thriving natural ecological balance. As resource conditions and other factors warrant, excess wild horses and burros are removed from the public lands and placed in private care through adoption or sales. Animals that are not adopted or sold are cared for using public funds, which is approximately $50 million annually, and currently total nearly 50,000 animals.

The BLM has made excess animals removed from the range available for adoption since 1973 and for purchase since 2005 and has placed more than 245,000 animals into private care; however, prior years of a stagnant economy and other socio-economic factors resulted in thousands of animals not being placed into private care. The Program is taking a number of steps to increase adoptions and sales.

One of the identified barriers to increasing the number of animals placed into private care is the limited availability of facilities to rent and opportunities to offer wild horses and burro at BLM staffed events. This Request for Information (RFI) seeks information from facilities located in the Eastern States region that may be interested in “renting space” from the BLM to bring their equipment and offer wild horses and burros for adoption and sale to the general public at satellite events. The Eastern States region includes the 31 states east of and bordering the Mississippi River:

· Alabama

· Arkansas

· Connecticut

· Delaware

· DC

· Florida

· Georgia

· Illinois

· Indiana

· Iowa

· Kentucky

· Louisiana

· Maine

· Maryland

· Massachusetts

· Michigan

· Minnesota

· Mississippi

· Missouri

· New Hampshire

· New Jersey

· New York

· North Carolina

· Ohio

· Pennsylvania

· Rhode Island

· South Carolina

· Tennessee

· Vermont

· Virginia

· West Virginia

· Wisconsin

Typical facilities range from livestock sales barns, rodeo arenas, show barns at fairgrounds, or privately owned facilities. Generally we would arrive on a Wednesday to set up, the animals arrive on Thursday, the event is open to the public Friday and Saturday, any unplaced animals are then loaded and shipped back to our BLM facility Saturday evening, then finally we begin removal of equipment and leave on Sunday. We do feed the wild horses and burros loose hay on the ground and place water troughs within each corral we build.

SUMMARY

The facilities would be required to have or provide:

· Covered arenas at least 180 feet long and 80 feet wide;

· Semi-truck and trucks and horse or stock trailer accessibility with no low overhead wires or tree limbs;

· All weather, hard surface road/entrance;

· 110 volt electrical plugs;

· Onsite security or locking gates to physically secure the premises;

· Water to fill troughs;

· Restrooms; and,

· Parking spaces for trailers, equipment and personal vehicles.

Other items that would be beneficial include marquees to promote the event, seating and concessions.

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES ARE ALL FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS WILL BE ANNOUNCED OR NEEDED AFTER REVIEWING RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS THAT REFER TO THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVE:

This RFI seeks information from facilities that may be interested in “renting space” from the BLM to bring their equipment and offer wild horses and burros for adoption and sale to the general public at satellite events.

1. Describe the “renting space” you have available. (Include the dimensions of your covered arena)

2. How far are you from the closest major highway? (In Miles)

3. What does is cost to rent your facility?

4. What type of footing is in your arena? Is it acceptable to feed loose hay in the arena?

5. Do you have water available onsite?

6. How far in advance do you schedule events?

7. Does your facility allow semi-truck and/or flat deck trailer access?

8. What type of material(s) is the access/entry road made of to your facility?

9. Do you have security onsite?

10. Are restrooms available or could you rent portable toilets?

11. Do you have a marquee?

12. What concessions do you have available?

13. Describe any unique features to your facility or area.