Area Wide Market Analysis (AWMA) for The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

The United States of America, acting through the United States Department of
Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), purchases
conservation easements to assist the landowners in restoring, protecting and enhancing
wetlands. These lands may be placed under a conservation easement through the
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program -Wetland Reserve Easement
Component (ACEP-WRE).

The purpose of ACEP-WRE is to protect, restore, and enhance the functions and
values of wetland ecosystems and lands enrolled are farmed or converted wetlands,
former or degraded wetlands, agricultural lands that altered by flooding or soil
saturation and water table elevation as a result of offsite or subsurface hydrologic
changes, riparian areas, or land currently or previously enrolled in the conservation
reserve program (CRP). Previously restored lands and adjacent lands are also
included in the areas enrolled in ACEP-WRE.

NRCS plans to obtain an Areawide Market Analysis (AWMA) for and initial fiscal
year (FY) and subsequent annual recertifications or AWMA amendments for each
following FY not to exceed 4 additional years. The FY begins October 1st and ends
September 30th.
 All Areawide Market Analyses (AWMA) completed for ACEP-WRE must comply
with instructions provided by NRCS.
a. Proposed market areas are determined by the NRCS State Conservationist and
identified in exhibit 1.
b. Proposed land use types are determined by the NRCS State Conservationist
and identified in exhibit 2.

NRCS National Appraiser resolves questions that arise from these specifications. The NRCS National Appraiser(s) can be reached at NRCS.NationalAppraisers@usda.gov.
 Delivery of AWMA products will be approved by the NRCS State Conservationist and designated Easement Programs Division (EPD) staff. The National Appraiser will review and provide final approval of the AWMA products. Corrections and additions may be required for the final approval. A copy of all deliverable products and recommendations should be sent to NRCS.NationalAppraisers@usda.gov.
The client is NRCS and the AWMA and other value reports will be USPAP compliant.
These specifications apply to the new AWMA and any subsequent recertifications, AWMA amendments, or reports.
 Deliverables include:
written and digital products, meeting participation, and attendance in at least one training session.

Qualifications of Vendor
1. The vendor must be a State-certified general real property appraiser or obtain a temporary
practice permit equal to State-certified general real property appraiser in compliance with title XI of the Financial Institution’s Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) in the State or States where the AWMA is conducted.
2. The vendor must be in good standing with the licensing authority where the credential was issued, and not the recipient of disciplinary action within the past 5 years from the licensing authority.
3. The vendor must have demonstrated competency in compliance with USPAP in conducting market analyses of rural and agricultural properties of the requested type.