Statistical Consulting for Data Collected at the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range

The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) is conducting an intermediate procurement for statistical consulting services focused on analyzing mule deer habitat use at the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range. The primary objective is to develop resource selection models using extensive GPS collar data collected over two decades, with a focus on understanding winter range habitat selection and potential climate change impacts. The selected contractor will be required to produce comprehensive statistical analyses, including custom computer code, written methodologies, and peer-reviewed publications documenting findings. The primary statistician must possess a minimum of 15 years of experience in data analysis using resource selection functions, with specific expertise in wildlife habitat assessment methodologies and collaborative work with state and federal biologists. Proposal evaluation will be based on a 100-point scoring system, with points allocated as follows: general qualifications (30 points), understanding of services (10 points), statistical director qualifications (30 points), cost (15 points), and references (15 points). The proposal submission deadline is January 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM Pacific Time, with an anticipated contract start date of January 19, 2026, and a two-year initial contract term that can be renewed up to a maximum of five years.

The procurement emphasizes outreach to certified disadvantaged business enterprises, including minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and emerging small businesses for potential subcontracting opportunities. Oregon suppliers will receive a 10 percent cost preference in the evaluation process. Proposers employing 50 or more full-time workers with a contract value exceeding $500,000 must provide a Pay Equity Certificate. The contractor will be required to maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate, as well as workers' compensation insurance if applicable. While no specific contract value is explicitly stated, the solicitation requires detailed cost sheets breaking down labor, profit, and expenses for all project deliverables. The contract includes provisions for monthly meetings between the contractor and ODFW project personnel, with ODFW serving as the lead author on resulting publications and the contractor included as a coauthor. All work products, including data analyses, computer code, and written documentation, must be completed and delivered to ODFW by December 31, 2027.