NRCS-Utah National Resources Inventory (NRI) Data Collection Services

The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, supplies, materials, and incidentals necessary to provide National Resources Inventory (NRI) data collection services for NRCS-Utah as described below and in accordance with the work statement attached to and hereby made a part of this solicitation.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture is mandated (through the 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 Nation’s non-Federal

lands. Resources inventory legislative authorities, NRCS policy, and responsibilities for conducting the National Resources Inventory (NRI) are contained in NRCS General Manual 290, Part 400.

The objective of this solicitation is to acquire specified inventory data on one or two data collection points situated within selected sample segments located in Utah. Data will be collected in accordance with the standards outlined in the National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials). Sample

segments are often located in remote areas on steep, rugged terrain.

Required data includes:

• landscape information

• soil determinations

• ecological site determinations

• rangeland health assessments

• plant identification and census

• disturbance indicators

• sagebrush shape and identification

• identification of resource concerns

• occurrence of conservation practices and conservation needs

• plant species composition and production

• plant cover, density, and height.

The Contractor shall enter the data collected into hand-held computers using NRCS approved software - the Computer Assisted Survey Instrument (CASI). All data will be submitted to the server at Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (ISU server) located in Ames, Iowa. All data will be collected in accordance with the latest version of

National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials).

The estimated period of performance is March 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027 for the base period and March 1 – February 28 (29) for every option period thereafter, if exercised.

Please see attached RFQ documents for complete details.