Downeast Maine Community Wildfire Protection Plan

The State of Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Forest Service, Forest Protection Division is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP 202603039) to procure environmental consulting services for the development of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) covering six jurisdictions in Washington County: the towns of Dennysville and Whiting, and the townships of Cathance, Marian, Edmunds, and Trescott. The CWPP will address the region's documented wildfire threat, which has resulted in 304 fires and 359 acres burned between 2019 and 2024, with an additional 22 residences damaged or destroyed during the 2025 fire season alone. The successful consultant must prepare a comprehensive plan mandated under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 that enhances community resilience in the Wildland Urban Interface and aligns with Maine's State Forest Action Plan. Required qualifications include demonstrated expertise in wildfire risk assessment, community engagement, and CWPP development. The RFP evaluation will be based on scoring weights detailed in the document, with proposals submitted through the Vendor Self Service (VSS) system by 4:00 p.m. local time on April 28, 2026; the questions deadline is April 15, 2026, and a bidders' conference is scheduled as outlined in the RFP documentation.

The RFP documentation does not specify set-aside designations, restrictions on respondent types, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, incumbent vendors, or award value ranges. Interested organizations must comply with all standard state contract provisions governing the relationship between the State of Maine and the awarded bidder. The contract term and specific award details are outlined in the RFP appendices, which include detailed specifications, evaluation criteria, required forms, a project area map, and all necessary contractual provisions. Prospective bidders should carefully review all attachments and contact RFP coordinator Kent Nelson with any clarifications needed prior to the April 15, 2026 questions deadline. Submission must be completed through the VSS system to ensure timely receipt and proper processing.