RFI_Silvah_12760426Q0195.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

Washington Office Procurement and Property Services National Procurement Operations IT Contract Branch 333 Broadway Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM 87102

Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

Request for Information (RFI) Title: Market Research for SILVAH Software Coding Agency: USDA Forest Service Date Issued: October 22, 2026 Response Due Date: November 11, 2026

Purpose This RFI is for market research only and does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Respondents will not be compensated for submissions, and participation is voluntary.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) is conducting market research to identify capable sources to repair SILVAH version 8 in C++ code to then work with scientific staff to produce a new SILVAH version 9 coning some features from SILVAH 7 and 8.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment by the Government.

Background

SILVAH is a computer tool for making silvicultural decisions in hardwood stands of the mid- Atlantic and Central Appalachian regions. SILVAH recommends appropriate treatments based upon user objectives and overstory, understory, and site data provided by the user. SILVAH also contains a wildlife attributes report, forest stand growth simulator, provides the ability to test alternative cuts, enables development of a forest-wide inventory database, and facilitates other forest management planning functions.

SILVAH is the computerized implementation of a systematic approach to silviculture, in which current conditions are identified through a systematic inventory of overstory and understory. These conditions are evaluated using an objective set of research-based standards and the constraints and objectives of the land-manager. Then a prescription is recommended to move the stand closer to the manager’s objectives.

Requested Information

Interested vendors are invited to respond to the following requests:

1. Describe your company’s relevant experience with forestry applications and abilities to review, rewrite, and update existing C++ code.

2. Provide estimated staffing levels, including proposed labor categories and relevant certifications.

3. Describe your Service Level Agreement (SLA) capabilities, including average response and resolution times for previous coding projects.

4. Identify any previous or existing contract awards under which similar work is performed.

5. State whether your organization qualifies as a small business, and under what categories (e.g., 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone).

Response Format Vendors should submit a response to include:

• Company name, address, and UEI

• Point of contact (name, phone, email)

• Capability statement

• Responses to RFI requests

• Optional feedback on background and requested information

Submission Instructions

Questions regarding this RFI are due by 3:00pm EST on November 4th, 2026. The Government asks that respondents submit responses to the Contracting Officer no later than 3:00 pm EST on November 11th, 2026. Responses should be submitted to the following point of contact:

Email responses to:

Brandon.Newland@usda.gov Subject line: RFI-2026-001 Response – [Your Company Name]