Hawaiʻi Wood Utilization Discovery and Market Development

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, is requesting interest in a contractor to facilitate and coordinate the Hawaii Wood Utilization Team (HWUT) under a USDA Forest Service-funded initiative, with submissions due August 31, 2026.

The contractor will serve as facilitator, coordinator, and technical support to convene buyers, mills, processors, manufacturers, builders, researchers, government agencies, and other stakeholders to identify and address barriers limiting local wood products market growth. Key deliverables include a project plan, meeting agendas and summaries, a stakeholder database with online asset maps, a barrier assessment, workshop materials, and a final Hawaii Wood Utilization Roadmap with strategic recommendations. The project period runs from September 15, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with final invoicing and reporting due by July 15, 2027.

Evaluation will emphasize facilitation and collaborative leadership (15 points), technical knowledge of products, built environment, and wood utilization (15 points), project management and implementation (10 points), understanding of Hawaii's industries (10 points), and quality and feasibility of the work plan (10 points). Desired qualifications include built environment and sustainability background, forest products or wood utilization experience, collaborative facilitation and team management skills, project management and stakeholder engagement capabilities, and business or market development expertise. Knowledge of Hawaii forests is useful but not required.

Funding is associated with State Fiscal Year 2027 and Federal Fiscal Year 2027–28 through USDA Forest Service grants. The selected contractor must provide a final grant accomplishment report and financial status report to DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife upon project completion. The contract is subject to Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 103D. Contract extensions are possible upon mutual agreement with at least 30 days' notice.