Sole Source Notice continuation of Operationalizing Shared Stewardship in Oregon

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is pursuing a sole source procurement for the continuation of the Operationalizing Shared Stewardship in Oregon project, with a specific focus on developing a comprehensive 20-year Landscape Resiliency Strategy to mitigate catastrophic wildfire risks. The contract will be awarded directly to American Forests, which has been determined to be the only organization with the specialized skills and qualifications necessary to complete the project. Key deliverables include developing and executing a strategic plan, facilitating coordination among multiple state and federal agencies, managing stakeholder engagement groups, and producing a final 20-year Strategic Plan report by June 2023. The project aims to create a governance framework that will guide investments and actions across three federal and three state agencies to reduce wildfire risks. The sole source notice was posted on April 13, 2023, with a response deadline of April 20, 2023, indicating a rapid procurement timeline.

This procurement appears to be restricted to a sole source contract with American Forests, leveraging previous pass-through funding from the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). No specific set-aside designations or opportunities for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The contract represents a continuation of an existing partnership between ODF and American Forests, with the organization having previously completed similar strategic planning work in Colorado and California. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the contract will support a complex, multi-agency strategic planning effort focused on landscape resilience and wildfire risk reduction. The project involves extensive stakeholder coordination, including the Agency Coordination & Implementation Group, Strategic Leadership Group, and broader statewide and regional advisory groups, suggesting a collaborative and comprehensive approach to developing the 20-year Landscape Resiliency Strategy.