National Resource Inventory Rangeland Field Study Data Collection

General: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, is seeking contractor(s) to provide services for the collection of rangeland data on selected sample points for the National Resources Inventory (NRI), Rangeland Field Study in Oregon. The intent of the Agency is to solicit the most efficient and effective manner to complete the requirements set forth in this document. To achieve this goal, NRCS reserves the right to make award without negotiations. The result of negotiations will be the award of a performance-based service contract to the Contractor(s) whose proposal most successfully addresses the requirements outlined in this solicitation. The requirements are defined based on the output of products and services and not the level of effort required to perform the functions. The performance period begins April 15, 2014 and concludes October 15, 2014. Background: NRCS is mandated (through Rural Development Act of 1972, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, and other supporting legislation) to assess the status, condition, and trends of soil, water, and related resources on the National non-Federal lands. Resources inventory legislative authorities, NRCS policy, and responsibilities for conducting the NRI are contained in NRCS General Manual 290, Part 400. Objective/Scope: The objective of this solicitation is to acquire specified inventory data on up to two data points within each of 45 segments (a potential total of 90 data points) located in eleven (11) counties on private land within the state of Oregon. Additionally, there are 165 segments (a potential total of 330 data points) in ten (10) counties on federally owned land in Oregon. The subject counties, and the approximate number of points in each, are as shown in Attachment nos. 3 and 4 to the FISCAL YEAR 2014 NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE STATEMENT OF WORK FOR NATIONAL RESOURCES INVENTORY RANGELAND FIELD STUDY DATA COLLECTION which accompanies this solicitation. The general data categories include: soil and landscape information; ecological site information; rangeland health indicators; invasive/noxious plant presence; disturbance indicators; conservation practices and resource concerns; plant composition and patterns; and plant production, cover, density, and height. All data will be collected in accordance with National Resource Inventory Handbook of Instructions for Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection.