Northern Spotted Owl Survey - Elliott State Research Forest

The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) is seeking proposals for a Northern Spotted Owl Survey at the Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF), a comprehensive ecological study covering 83,000 acres. The project requires establishing approximately 665 survey stations and conducting six survey visits per station, with additional requirements including 22 minimum daytime site visits to known owl activity centers that may expand to 53 visits. Key personnel requirements include a field coordinator with a four-year degree and experience coordinating similar projects, a dedicated crew leader with either a four-year degree or three years of biological survey experience, and field surveyors with four-year degrees or one season of spotted owl survey experience. The survey must be completed between March 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026, with proposal questions due by December 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM PST and proposals due January 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM PST. Proposals will be evaluated across four criteria totaling 100 points: demonstrated work experience (35 points), key personnel qualifications (20 points), logistics and field techniques (20 points), and price (25 points), with pricing scored on a sliding scale that awards 30 points to the lowest bidder and descending points to subsequent bidders.

The procurement includes specific outreach requirements for certified disadvantaged businesses, with proposers required to document their engagement with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), Service-Disabled Veteran (SDV), or Emerging Small Business (ESB) categories. Proposers must identify potential subcontracting opportunities and describe steps to solicit certified firms, though this outreach plan does not factor into contract evaluation scoring. The initial contract term is one year with options to renew for a cumulative maximum of 10 years, and DSL anticipates awarding a single contract from this solicitation. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the comprehensive survey requirements suggest a significant project scope. The contract will require extensive documentation, including professional references, tax compliance certifications, and comprehensive insurance coverage, with a potential contract value that reflects the complex ecological survey work across the 83,000-acre research forest.