Request for Information - National Nursery System - Facilities Optimization Planning

National Nursery System - Facilities Optimization Planning Request for Information Project Details USDA-FS will soon be requesting contractor services to support National Nursery System Facilities Optimization Planning. These services will likely involve the following activities: Phase 1: (within 90 days) Objective 1: Site Visits to each of the nine sites and a Site Condition Assessment Report (SCAR) - broken down by individual sites Objective 2: Initial Recommendation Report - outlining prioritized immediate project needs Phase 2: (within 180 days) Objective 3: Planning documents for the prioritized immediate project needs - potentially including Preliminary Project Analyses (PPA), Site Development Plans (SDP), and Statement of Work (SOW) to encourage timely implementation of these immediate needs Phase 3: (within 365 days) Objective 4: Facilities Master Plan (FMP) - comprehensive national plan including specifics for each site. Objective 5: PPA for each site - including Total Project Budgets, Process Workflow Diagrams, and an Equipment Master Plan for the system Objective 6: SDP for each site The Forest Service National Nursery System FMP will be used to create a dynamic and flexible interdependent nursery system. Nursery investments shall be evaluated in a holistic manner where improvements are positioned and prioritized in alignment with the reforestation need as described in the National Forest System Reforestation Strategy and Draft National Nursery System Strategic Plan. This includes right-sizing existing and proposed sites by considering reforestation needs after timber harvest, wildfire, insect & disease outbreaks, and other natural disasters. Additional considerations include eliminating reforestation and facility deferred maintenance backlog, improving seed and seedling production rates, supporting a desired scale of production and seed caching, and providing improved operational workflow at each site. This evaluation includes closing current gaps in the system by cross-referencing the need with existing and proposed sites, capabilities for production, and type of seed/plant produced. Consideration shall be given to sharing equipment, resources, and personnel following critical events, such as megafires or other natural disasters. The contractor shall gain a thorough understanding of the process flows, facilities, and infrastructure at each of the existing sites. The PPAs and Site Development Plans may need to be developed simultaneously or consecutively depending on the site. Additionally, PPAs and Site Development Plans shall be prioritized considering the most appropriate method to meet future capacity demand for reforestation needs. PPAs and Site Development Plans for the highest priority sites, as determined in conjuction with FS approval, shall be started first before starting work on lower priority sites. Site recommendations may include improvements such as expanded facilities, replacing obsolete or inefficient facilities, upgrading or modernizing infrastructure, new technologies including climate-smart technologies, more efficient operational workflows, and adding specific technical expertise. Recommendations should also address potential changes in staffing needs, where modernization might streamline the workforce needed, or expanded facilities may require additional personnel. Recommended team members may include Nursery Specialists, Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineer, Civil Engineer, Industrial Process Engineer, Agricultural Engineer, etc. Background The FS National Nursery System currently consists of eight (8) Nurseries and Seed Extractories: Region 1- Coeur d'Alene Nursery (1960): Coeur d'Alene, ID - Panhandle National Forest Region 2 - Charles E. Bessey Nursery (1902): Halsey, NE - Nebraska National Forest Region 4- Lucky Peak Nursery (1960): Boise, ID - Boise National Forest Region 5 - Placerville Nursery (1957): Camino, CA - Eldorado National Forest Region 6 - J. Herbert Stone Nursery (1977): Central Point, OR - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Region 6- Bend Seed Extractory (1978): Bend, OR - Deschutes National Forest. Region 8 - Ashe Seed Extractory (1936): Brooklyn, MS - DeSoto National Forest. Region 9 - James W. Toumey Nursery (1935): Watersmeet, MI - Ottawa National Forest. This project will also evaluate one (1) proposed location for a new FS Nursery in Region 3 - Southwestern Region. This site is located in the vicinity of Flagstaff, AZ. The DRAFT National Nursery System Strategic Plan will provide details on staffing, business operations, current capacities and infrastructure, and future needs for the system. This Plan will be available at the time of contract award. And note that SCAR, National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) Eligibility Evaluation, PPA, and SDP documents for the JW Toumey Nursery were completed within the last 3 years and are attached for reference. If interested in this project, please respond with the following Information by 5pm EST Wednesday, March 1st, 2023: Team Qualifications and Specialties - max 20 pages Ballpark Cost Estimates to provide general level of effort needed for items in draft SOO - max 10 pages Relevant Projects - provide two recent examples - max 5 pages each Memorandum identifying missing/needed objectives and/or deliverables, any duplicated or inefficient/ineffective objectives, and general feedback to be incorporated into the final SOO. Please note that submittal of the draft SOO with track changes and comments will be accepted in lieu of a separate memorandum - max 5 pages of additional feedback Attachments: DRAFT SOO JW Toumey Nursery recent planning documents - SCAR, NRHP Evaluation, PPA, SDP