Att K - SOW.docx

RFS 26-87589

Attachment K

STATEMENT OF WORK

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is expanding its soil sampling initiative to strengthen nutrient management and support Indiana’s nutrient reduction goals within the Mississippi River Basin.

Soil sampling provides essential information on soil fertility, improves nutrient use efficiency, increases producer profitability, and reduces the risk of nutrient loss that contributes to the Gulf of America’s hypoxic zone.

In partnership with the Gulf Hypoxia Program and agricultural collaborators, ISDA aims to build long‑term capacity for nutrient stewardship by engaging agricultural retailers, independent crop consultants, and Certified Crop Advisors to assist producers with soil sample collection. The program prioritizes Indiana growers in the Mississippi River Basin who have never tested their soils or who have not tested within the past three or more years.

By promoting soil sampling as the first step in nutrient management and supporting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework, this initiative seeks to expand adoption of soil testing, enhance on‑farm decision‑making, and protect Indiana’s waterways as part of the Indiana State Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

II. BACKGROUND AND CURRENT STATE:

Indiana Ag-Retailer & Crop Advisor Soil Sampling Program:

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil Conservation (ISDA-DSC) seeks to partner with interested Agricultural Retailers, Independent Crop Consultants, or Certified Crop Advisors to help work with Indiana growers on assessing their soil fertility by collecting soil samples.

The agricultural land in the Indiana portion of the Mississippi River Basin has been identified as a significant contributor of phosphorus and nitrogen to the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of America. ISDA and many other partners have declared an effort to reduce the amount of nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, being transported to the Gulf of America.

ISDA-DSC promotes the importance of nutrient management and the principle of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework (Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place) to achieve cropping system goals. This program focuses on soil sampling because it is a key component and the first step in developing a plan for nutrient management. When used effectively, soil sampling provides an assessment of soil fertility that supports fertilizer application recommendations, helps track available nutrients over time, increases farmer profitability, and enhances environmental protection by reducing the risk of nutrient loss.

The intent of this program is to increase adoption of soil sampling to provide the necessary information for nutrient management planning and to improve nutrient use efficiency statewide. This program focuses on Indiana producers within the Mississippi River Basin who have never soil tested or not soil testing regularly (i.e., within the last 3 or more years). The overarching goal is to influence increased adoption and use of soil sampling as a nutrient management practice to support informed on-farm decisions.

This program continues Indiana’s nutrient reduction efforts under the Indiana State Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

The Indiana Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program is available to row crop, pasture, hay, and specialty crop production systems located within Indiana’s portion of the Mississippi River Basin. ISDA-DSC requests that certified crop advisors prioritize growers that have never conducted soil testing. Advisors may work with growers who do not do soil test regularly (i.e., have not soil tested within the last 3 or more years) and with landowners/farmers that have newly acquired acreage.

ISDA-DSC may refer farmers not currently working with an advisor if they enroll more than 50 acres or request grid sampling.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

a. OBJECTIVES OF ENGAGEMENT Soil sampling is an essential component of soil fertility management. It provides field level information on fertility status, supports nutrient application recommendations, and enables land managers to monitor soil fertility over time. Effective soil sampling can improve farm nutrient use efficiency, increase return on investment for nutrient applications, and reduce the risk of nutrient runoff.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), in collaboration with partners statewide, has worked with the Gulf Hypoxia Program to continue our soil sampling initiative. This program is designed to expand knowledge and the adoption of soil sampling as a nutrient management practice that supports farm operations.

Building capacity within Indiana’s Mississippi River Basin is critical to strengthening nutrient stewardship and protecting the waterways of Indiana and the Gulf of America. Strong partnership capacity ensures long term program sustainability, enhances collaboration with agricultural partners, and empowers Indiana landowners and farmers to adopt practices that improve soil health, water quality, and nutrient use efficiency.

b. DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINES

1. Soil Sampling and Agronomic Deliverables

The deliverables listed below may be adjusted to successfully implement this program to achieve program goals. Selected vendors will be notified of any changes. Vendors shall:

· Conduct grid, random, or zone soil sampling on up to 400 acres per farm operation.

· Ensure soil samples are collected and handled according to industry recognized agronomic standards.

· Develop a lite nutrient management plan based on soil test results using the vendor’s own agronomic software.

2. Lite Nutrient Management Plan Requirements (Deliverables)

At minimum, each nutrient management plan shall include:

· Name of farm operation

· Names of individuals associated with farm operation

· Farm operation address/location (to confirm with Mississippi River Basin)

· Total acres enrolled in the program

· Soil test results

· Field boundary map showing sample collection points

· Crop plan for the next two crop years

· Recommended nutrient application maps (flat rate or variable rate)

· Field map identifying sensitive areas

· Sensitive areas may include flood areas, highly erodible areas, or areas adjacent to ditches. Depending on the conversations between vendor and landowner this definition can be defined. Any questions about sensitive areas can also be discussed with ISDA Nutrient Stewardship Program Manager prior to sampling.

The lite nutrient management plan and soil test results shall be submitted to the Nutrient Stewardship Program Manager (NSPM) or to the designated ISDA soil sampling email.

The lite nutrient management plan and soil test results will be submitted to ISDA Nutrient Stewardship Program Manager (NSPM) or the ISDA’s soil sampling email. Please note that this plan will not be accepted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for producers enrolled in the NRCS program for nutrient management.

ISDA also requires that interested vendors provide:

1. Service Area: A clear description of the vendor’s service area, including the geographic regions, specific counties, or statewide coverage where services can be provided. (e.g., Indiana statewide, specific counties, regions).

2. Primary point of contact: Contact information for the individual responsible for program coordination, including name, title, email address, and phone number. If there are multiple business locations that the Respondent is associated with please provide all locations where this program will be made available.

3. Relevant Experience: A brief summary of the vendor’s experience in conducting soil sampling, nutrient management planning, and related agronomic services. This may include years of experience, client types served, and examples of comparable work.

4. Standard Operating Procedures/Performance Standards: Description of the vendor’s standard operating procedures for soil sampling, sample handling, and nutrient planning, including any internal performance standards or quality controls.

5. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest relevant to program activities, including any financial or organizational relationships that may influence service delivery.

6. Certifications and Qualifications: List applicable professional certifications held by the business and/or its employees who will be working with this program (e.g., Certified Crop Advisor, 4R Nutrient Management Specialist, Sustainability certifications, Precision Agriculture credentials), as well as any specialty or technical qualifications relevant to program delivery.

Vendor Certification Required Statement: All applicants recognize that by entering into a contract agreement with ISDA, your organization is certifying that you acknowledge the following statements:

· The vendor has read and understands the Program Integrity and Non Solicitation Requirements.

· The vendor agrees to fully comply with these requirements while performing work under this program.

· The vendor acknowledges that program activities may not be used to market, promote, or sell commercial products or services, including but not limited to fertilizers, pesticides, seed, inputs, or proprietary technologies.

· The vendor affirms that all nutrient recommendations will remain product neutral and consistent with recognized agronomic standards.

· Vendors must maintain the confidentiality of all producer information and may not share, reuse, or distribute program-related data except with specific client that work was completed for and as authorized by ISDADSC.

· The vendor acknowledges that acreage totals and reimbursement amounts may not be altered or adjusted by the vendor and agrees to adhere to the reimbursement structure established by ISDADSC.

· The vendor acknowledges that noncompliance may result in suspension or termination from the program at ISDADSC’s discretion.

c. PAYMENT MILESTONES Participating vendors will be reimbursed at $12.00 per acre for a maximum of 400 acres per landowner/renter per sampling season, contingent upon full compliance with all program guidelines and deliverables outlined in this Scope of Work. Acreage or reimbursement amounts may not be altered or adjusted by the vendor.

This reimbursement rate includes all activities required under the program, including soil sample collection and laboratory analysis, preparation of the lite nutrient management plan.

Vendors shall:

· Submit all required deliverables and the corresponding invoice within 30 calendar days of completing sampling and nutrient management plan development for each participating farm operation.

· Recognize that reimbursement will be processed only after all deliverables have been received, reviewed, and approved by ISDA DSC for completeness and accuracy.

· Respond to any requests for corrections in submitted materials within 14 calendar days for payment to be issued.

The planned contract term is three years with a not to exceed amount of $50,000. The contract term and dollar limit are subject to change based on ISDA DSC funding availability and State procurement requirements.

IV. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

a. PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN ISDA will oversee all project management activities for the Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program to ensure consistent coordination, timely progress, and alignment with program objectives. ISDA’s Nutrient Stewardship Manager will outline the internal management structure, key ISDA staff roles, communication procedures with participating partners and contractors, progress monitoring methods, risk identification and mitigation strategies, and quality oversight for soil sampling and data reporting. This plan will guide how ISDA tracks milestones, manages documentation, provides ongoing support to participating agricultural partners, and ensures the program remains on schedule and in compliance with the goals of Indiana’s nutrient reduction efforts.

b. KEY PERSONS In the instance of any questions that may arise to this scope of work, please direct inquiries to the following:

· Primary point of contact: Ophelia Norman (Nutrient Stewardship Program Manager-ISDA; odavis@isda.in.gov)

· Project Backup: Julie Harrold (CREP and Water Quality Initiatives Program Manager-ISDA; jharrold@isda.in.gov)

c. OTHER PROJECT STAFF

· Breegan Andersen (Deputy Director, Division of Soil Conservation-ISDA; bandersen3@isda.in.gov)

d. DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

· Delivery of documents outlined in the deliverables section can be discussed to accommodate vendor’s technology capacity.

e. STATUS UPDATES AND REPORTING Reporting and Data Management:

Vendors shall:

· Understand that nutrient management plans produced under this program are not eligible for NRCS-USDA nutrient management program requirements.

· Ensure all information submitted to ISDA DSC remains confidential; ISDA DSC will only report aggregated, non-identifiable information at the watershed level.

· Maintain confidentiality of all producer data. Vendors may not share, reuse, or distribute program related information except with specific clients for whom service was provided and as authorized by ISDA DSC.

· Permit ISDA DSC to audit program related records, including soil sampling logs, laboratory results, maps, communications, and invoices, to verify compliance with program requirements.

· Submit all digital deliverables in accessible formats such as Microsoft Office files, PDF, or ZIP files. Additional file formats may be accepted if agreed upon by ISDA DSC prior to submission. Web based file links may not be accepted due to agency security restrictions.

Confidentiality and Reporting: This information will remain internal to ISDA-DSC and will not be shared with external agencies or organizations. When reporting, ISDA-DSC will aggregate non-identifiable information at the watershed level. Vendors must maintain the confidentiality of all producer information and may not share, reuse, or distribute program-related data except with specific client that work was completed for and as authorized by ISDA DSC.

V. INDEPENDENT VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION

In the event the State determines that any independent verification and validation ("IV&V") oversight is required by the State during the term of this Contract, the Contractor shall comply with any such oversight during the term of this Contract, pursuant to which an independent third-party review may be conducted by a reviewer selected by the State, for the purpose of verifying that the Contractor has performed its obligations in compliance with the terms of this Contract. In the absence of any such IV&V oversight, the Contractor shall comply with any other appropriate methods or means for verification and validation required by the State during the term of this Contract for the purpose of verifying and validating that the Contractor has performed its obligations in compliance with the terms of this Contract. The Contractor shall provide all information and documentation requested during the State's IV&V oversight or verification and validation efforts related to this Contract and in connection with any IV&V oversight or verification and validation efforts related to an initiative of which this Contract is a part.

VI. COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Communication and Coordination Requirements Vendors shall:

· Maintain regular written communication (email is preferred) with the NSPM at least once every two months, using an agreed upon tracking method for reporting acres enrolled and program dollars allotted.

· Invite the NSPM to observe sampling activities when feasible to support program transparency and relationship building. Scheduling must be coordinated in advance, and site visits shall not impose undue travel or time burdens.

Program Integrity and Non-Solicitation Requirements: To uphold the integrity and neutrality of the Indiana Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program, vendors shall:

· Maintain a non-commercial, advisory role when interacting with participating producers.

· Ensure that services delivered under this program are not used to market, promote, or sell additional products or services, including but not limited to fertilizers, pesticides, seed, proprietary technologies, or agronomic inputs.

· Provide nutrient recommendations that remain product neutral and consistent with recognized agronomic standards.

· Conduct any discussions regarding commercial products or unrelated services separately and outside the scope of ISDA supported activities.

· Acknowledge that ISDA DSC reserves the right to discontinue partnership with vendors who use program participation to solicit product sales or promote proprietary commercial offerings.

Program Promotion and Public Communications (Optional for Vendors): Vendors may choose to promote their participation in the Indiana Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program, provided that all promotional materials and outreach activities adhere to the Program Integrity and Non-Solicitation Requirements and the following conditions:

· Promotional materials shall not offer or imply discounts, incentives, or bundled pricing for any commercial products or services unrelated to this program, including but not limited to fertilizers, pesticides, seed, or proprietary technologies.

· Any promotional materials referencing ISDA DSC, the program name, or the vendor’s role as a participating partner must be submitted to ISDA DSC for review and approval prior to public use.

· Vendors may update or revise promotional materials as needed; however, revised materials must also be submitted to ISDA DSC for approval prior to distribution.

· ISDA DSC approval will focus solely on ensuring accuracy, neutrality, and compliance with program messaging and will not unreasonably restrict vendor communication efforts.

· Participation in promotional activities is optional and is not a requirement for program eligibility or continued participation.

Vendor Certification Required Statement: All applicants recognize that by entering into a contract agreement with ISDA, your organization is certifying that you acknowledge the following statements:

· The vendor has read and understands the Program Integrity and Non‑Solicitation Requirements.

· The vendor agrees to fully comply with these requirements while performing work under this program.

· The vendor acknowledges that program activities may not be used to market, promote, or sell commercial products or services, including but not limited to fertilizers, pesticides, seed, inputs, or proprietary technologies.

· The vendor affirms that all nutrient recommendations will remain product‑neutral and consistent with recognized agronomic standards.

· Vendors must maintain the confidentiality of all producer information and may not share, reuse, or distribute program-related data except with specific client that work was completed for and as authorized by ISDA‑DSC.

· The vendor acknowledges that acreage totals and reimbursement amounts may not be altered or adjusted by the vendor and agrees to adhere to the reimbursement structure established by ISDA‑DSC.

· The vendor acknowledges that non‑compliance may result in suspension or termination from the program at ISDA‑DSC’s discretion.

ISDA DSC reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate vendor participation or the overall program at its sole discretion based on funding availability, program performance, or non compliance with the requirements of this Scope of Work.

VII. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The State will use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure performance and outcomes of the Contract. The specific KPIs and their targets will be defined and agreed upon by the State and the Contractor during the initial phases of the requirements under the Contract. At a minimum, on time delivery at quality standards of the scope provided within the budget set forth in the Contract will each be measured. Additionally, the State will collect a modified Net Promoter Score from customers to this Contract in its discretion. Low ratings on the modified Net Promoter Score or failure to meet any other KPIs may be deemed, at the discretion of the State, to constitute default under the Contract.

VIII. END OF CONTRACT TRANSITION AND TURNOVER

Prior to contract conclusion, the Contractor must have utilized all contract dollars to sample agricultural acreage and provide deliverable to landowners as well as ISDA by completing soil sampling activities and provide all required documents, data, and reports associated with the Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program. The Contractor shall ensure a smooth transition of all soil sample results, field records, producer information, and related materials to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). All turnover activities must support continuity of the soil sampling initiative and maintain the integrity of data used for nutrient management planning and Indiana’s nutrient reduction efforts.