A23_Notice_of_Intent_to_Sole_Source_1.docx

United States Department of the Interior Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Washington, DC 20240

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITVE PROPOSALS Prepared in accordance with the requirements of FAR Part 5

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Trust Services (OTS) intends to enter into a sole source Firm-Fixed Price contract with the Society of American Foresters for outreach to forestry students and professionals under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).

The Division of Forestry has identified the SAF as a key partner in reaching prospective future employees and has desired to develop a more complete recruitment and retention effort. A sponsorship would play an important role in achieving that. Many of the current Forestry students and young professionals are SAF members. Therefore, providing a sponsorship and attending the SAF National Convention will allow the needed connection to increase our staffing and provide services to the Tribes. BIA will connect with over 2,000 attendees, 24% students, at the SAF 2025 National Convention. The SAF is the only source capable of providing these outreach services to BIA at the level of quality required because the services are highly specialized and unique to the SAF 2025 National Convention.

SAF is the only organization dedicated to representing the interests of the professionals who manage, study, and care for our public and private forest resources. Offering a unique, professional perspective to legislators, partners, and other decision makers, SAF strives to advance policies informed by science and practice and ensure that forestry and natural resources professionals are respected and afforded the tools they need to be effective. SAF is active and engaged on issues that impact both public and private forests, rural and urban environments, and all landscapes in between. SAF advances policies that support sustainable forest management and empower forestry and natural resources professionals. SAF’s work to advocate for the profession involves collaborating with partner groups and coalitions. Through these partnerships, SAF can leverage shared resources, bolster credibility, and reach a broader audience.

No solicitation is available and no technical questions will be answered for this requirement. The NAICS code for this acquisition is 541690. If a firm believes that BIA should not pursue this procurement, it should submit a capability statement and pricing information for the requirement by 11am EDT on February 25, 2025. Please contact Nancy Shah, Contracting Officer, via email at Nancy.Shah@bia.gov.

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