USDA Forest Service DPG Dakota Skipper Surveys

The USDA Forest Service seeks quotations for Dakota Skipper presence/absence surveys within the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, North Dakota, with proposals due September 23 and questions due September 16 at 5:00 PM Mountain Time. This procurement is a total small business set-aside; only small business concerns may compete.

Place of performance is Bismarck, North Dakota. The contractor must hold a USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) permit for Dakota Skipper prior to contract award and possess specialized field identification expertise for the species. Work comprises 12 days of field surveys during the optimal flight period (June 12 through July 19), following the 2024–2025 USFWS Dakota Skipper survey protocol. Surveys cover approximately 20 sections within the McKenzie and Medora Ranger Districts in McKenzie and Billings Counties, North Dakota. Deliverables include a work plan, progress report, and final report with GIS data in WGS-84 datum, due November 8, 2027; final reports must be Section 508-compliant. All travel costs must be included in the quotation; no separate reimbursement is provided. Service Contract Labor Standards apply to field work, with prevailing wage determinations covering North Dakota counties including McKenzie and Billings.

NAICS code is 541620, Environmental Consulting Services; small business size standard is 19.5 million dollars. Award will be made to the highest technically rated offeror with acceptable or neutral past performance and fair and reasonable pricing. Technical proposals must include three years of similar project examples with dollar amounts and contact information, academic qualifications, detailed methodologies, key personnel resumes, field availability dates, relevant Dakota Skipper survey experience, and evidence of required USFWS certification. The quotation period is firm for 60 calendar days from receipt date. Evaluation criteria include technical approach, price fairness and reasonableness, and past performance.