Northern Research Station - measuring vegetation response to silvicultural treatments

The US Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Northern Research Station in Grand Rapids, Minnesota is seeking contractors to conduct specialized field vegetation sampling and data collection services to measure vegetation response to silvicultural treatments across Minnesota forests. The procurement covers forest management field sampling services in the Chippewa National Forest and Cutfoot Experimental Forest, spanning Itasca, Aitkin, Cass, and St. Louis Counties. Contractors must possess at least 10 years of experience in vegetation identification and specialized forestry measurement capabilities, with responsibilities including relocating vegetation plots, measuring tree diameters, recording tree heights, identifying plant species, and transcribing field data into Excel spreadsheets. The work involves complex research tasks following established protocols and providing digital sample data with metadata. A site visit is highly encouraged, and interested vendors can contact Doug Kastendick to reserve a spot for the site visit.

This opportunity is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside under NAICS code 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry). The contract structure includes a base year plus two optional years, with performance periods running from October 1 to September 30 annually. The estimated work hours are 333 hours in the base year and 600 hours in each of the two option years, with invoicing calculated at 15-minute intervals. The contractor will work across 60 vegetation plots in Chippewa National Forest, 170 vegetation field plots in Cutfoot Experimental Forest, and 228 permanent sample points throughout the specified Minnesota counties. Deliverables are scheduled across dormant and growing seasons from 2026-2028, with contractors responsible for all travel expenses and required to provide quarterly progress reports.