Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract for a Subscription for Timber Sales Reporting

The USDA – Forest Service – Procurement & Property Services (PPS), Special Projects Operations Center (SPOC), Northwest Branch intends to award a contract on a sole source basis. Yearly subscription services to forest product market related data and reports that are essential to managing the Forest Service Timber Management program. The current subscription is the sole source of broad market related weekly publications and provides subscribers with an unmatched online information dashboard.

The timber sale programs in Regions 6, 10, and 1 rely on specific price indices only available from reports provided by the current subscription. This information is essential to performing the timber valuation appraisals that are required by law before timber is allowed to be sold.

This subscription will also provide expanded market data in the form of short and long term market forecasts in addition to the support of an economist to tailor those forecasts based on proposed actions to meet the goals of the current administration under Executive Order (EO) 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production (March 1, 2025). Regions 6, 10, and 1 have maintained subscriptions with the existing subscription for several years.

Each year they evaluate the market reports available for their areas of concern and by continuing the use this data, the Forest Service will reduce its costs by saving time and effort in having to learn new subscriptions. Additionally, other market reports do not provide the level of data the agency needs or require too much manpower and labor hours to be efficient.

A determination not to compete this proposed contract was made pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1 (b)(1), Soliciting from a Single Source – For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract deem only one source reasonably available.

This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Procedures; only one source has been determined to be capable of providing services. The Government intends to use FAR Part 12 to purchase the above listed services. This notice of intent is not a formal solicitation or request for competitive proposals. No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be accepted. No award will be made based on quotations or offers received in response to this notice.

Interested parties may submit their interest and capabilities no later than Thursday, May 26, 2025, 1630 PST. E-mail statements will be accepted but senders are responsible for ensuring the complete transmission and timely receipt. All inquiries shall be sent via e-mail to erika.scofield@usda.gov. Any party responding to this notice shall send clear, factual documentation demonstrating their capabilities to meet and resell this item to the government. The intent of this synopsis is for informational purposes only.

Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement for future requirements. A determination by the Government not to compete this action is based on this notice and solely within the discretion of the Government.