Notice of Intent to Award - RFP 21*164

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued Request for Proposal 21*164 on November 6, 2020, to procure forest certification and audit services for state forest lands, with a proposal submission deadline of December 7, 2020. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to conduct Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification and audit services over a five-year base contract term with up to five renewal option years. The scope of work includes first, second, third, and fourth surveillance audits scheduled for 2021 through 2024, culminating in a joint FSC and SFI recertification audit in 2025. The evaluation committee utilized a technical scoring methodology with a maximum of 100 points distributed across seven criteria categories, and bidders were required to achieve a minimum score of 80 points to be considered for pricing evaluation. Two vendors submitted proposals: NSF International, which scored 97 points with a noted deficiency in liquidated damages terms, and SCS Global Services, which achieved a perfect technical score of 100 points. The Notice of Intent to Award was posted on December 22, 2020, with a final deadline of December 29, 2020.

SCS Global Services received the award recommendation based on its superior technical score combined with the lowest proposed price of $165,321.00 for the five-year base contract term, compared to NSF International's proposal of $222,000.00. The award is pending State Administrative Board approval if applicable. The procurement documents do not specify any set-aside designations, restrictions on organization types, or disadvantaged enterprise requirements. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the award documentation. The total contract value for the five-year base term is $165,321.00, with potential additional value associated with the five optional renewal years, though specific pricing for option periods is not provided in the available materials.