FAWRA Overview

The Forest and Watershed Restoration Act (FAWRA) was created by House Bill 266 and signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 15, 2019. FAWRA allocates funding annually to the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Forestry Division (New Mexico State Forestry) for the purpose of restoring forests and watersheds in the state of New Mexico and establishes a Forest and Watershed Advisory Board to evaluate and recommend projects. When projects have been selected and approved, New Mexico State Forestry will administer, implement, and report on the projects.

Note: FAWRA is not a grant program. It is a way for the public, government, and non-governmental partners to recommend and develop projects in partnership with the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division (Forestry Division). The Forestry Division administers any projects initiated through the FAWRA and may choose to enter into agreements to implement projects on public lands with governmental entities at its own discretion.

Before submitting a proposal, proponents are strongly encouraged to consult full submission guidelines, available here. For more information, please visit the Forestry Division's FAWRA webpage.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ISSUED BY THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, FORESTRY DIVISION FOR FOREST AND WATERSHED PLANNING & FACILITATION SPECIALISTS

I. PURPOSE

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division (Division) is seeking proposals for Forest and Watershed Planning and Facilitation Services (FWPFS) to assist the Division with strategic planning, coordination, and collaboration among agencies and stakeholders to advance the implementation of the 2020 New Mexico Forest Action Plan (NM FAP). The selected contractor(s) shall ensure that activities lead to actionable outcomes toward the ten strategies in the NM FAP and shall receive their contractual tasks from designated Division staff.

EMNRD may award multiple contracts as a result of this Request for Proposal (RFP).  Any valid proposal resulting from this RFP shall be valid for one year from the proposal due date specified below in Section VIII Contact Person and Due Dates.

II. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS

This RFP is directed to individuals and firms who meet the following criteria.

Mandatory Criteria:

• Demonstrated experience organizing and facilitating effective multi-stakeholder meetings, strategic planning sessions, and events for government agencies, non-profits, or stakeholder groups, with a focus on building consensus and implementing collaborative efforts;
•  Strong facilitation and technical writing skills, with experience in public speaking, creating engaging meetings, developing meeting summaries, strategic plans, and implementation roadmaps; and
• Knowledge of New Mexico’s forest and watershed management challenges and familiarity with the 2020 New Mexico Forest Action Plan.

Preferred Criteria:

• Experience facilitating forest and wildfire management topics and/or natural resource planning issues, including tribal, traditional, and rural community engagement;
• Expertise in managing collaboratives, coalitions and/or large-scale initiatives that involve multiple agencies and levels of government, such as multi-jurisdictional wildfire risk reduction efforts, post-fire watershed restoration programs, planning for rare features such as plants, and forest health initiatives;
• Background in forest management, wildfire protection planning, post-fire recovery, botany, climate adaptation, or similar natural resource management activities;
• Ability to provide or seek approval for continuing education credits for professional training events;
• Availability to respond to requests year-round; and
• Availability to travel and work anywhere in the state.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

The successful Offeror(s) shall provide facilitation and coordination services to advance the implementation of the New Mexico Forest Action Plan through:

Strategic Meeting Planning & Coordination:

• Develop and distribute agendas that clearly outline discussion topics tied to Forest Action Plan strategies;
• Identify and coordinate guest speakers and presentations that provide insights on innovative programs, research, and initiatives related to the Forest Action Plan; and
• Ensure all meeting content is focused on actionable steps that support the Division’s statewide priorities.

Facilitation, Documentation & Progress Tracking:

• Facilitation service for technical natural resource meetings related to fire, forest management, botany, watershed improvement, post-fire recovery, and tribal co-management and collaboration;
• Lead and moderate discussions to ensure meetings remain goal-oriented and productive;
• Take detailed meeting notes, capturing key decisions, action items, and next steps;
• Develop and distribute post-meeting summaries to keep stakeholders informed and accountable; and
• Monitor progress on Forest Action Plan strategies and provide recommendations for accelerating implementation where needed.

Logistical Planning & On-Site Support:

• Schedule and secure meeting dates, locations, and virtual access options to maximize participation;
• Manage facility rental agreements, parking arrangements, and necessary permits;
• Provide meeting supplies and materials (printed documents, name tags, audio-visual support, food and beverages for extended meetings and conferences) to enhance engagement;
• Assign and coordinate staff or volunteers to assist with event logistics as needed;
• Coordinate continuing education credits; and
• Secure and reimburse technical training providers.
   

IV. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENTS

Proposals must contain sufficient information to provide the Division with a thorough description of Offeror’s qualifications to accomplish the activities described in the Scope of Work.

The proposal MUST contain, at a minimum, all listed items.

1. Certification in your Submittable proposal that:

• identifies the name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person authorized to negotiate the contract on behalf of the Offeror;
• identifies the names, titles, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of person(s) to be contacted for clarification;
• expressly indicates acceptance of the terms and conditions of this RFP and its evaluation factors;
• certifies all entities or individuals responsible for authorizing Offeror’s activities have agreed the proposal should be submitted;
• if applicable, acknowledges receipt of any and all amendments to this RFP; and
• is signed by the person authorized to contractually obligate the Offeror.

2. Documentation of experience, education, knowledge, and capability (refer to Proposal Evaluation Criteria). Including: 

• Contact information for references who can attest to experience and quality of deliverables; and
• Work product highlights for specific coordination efforts and collaborative projects, including your specific contributions and impactful outcomes.

3. Federal Compliance – Offeror(s) must provide their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and have an active registration on SAM.GOV (Appendix A to Part 25, Title 2) and state whether they meet C.F.R. requirements for an audit (2 C.F.R. 200.501(a) Audit Requirements).  If Offeror does meet the requirements for an audit, Offeror must provide proof the audit has been submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) (2 C.F.R. 200.512 (b) Report Submission), and provide their federal Employer Identification Number, which will allow the Forestry Division access to the relevant audit(s) prior to any award subject to this RFP.

4.  Budget - Provide a written budget for services based on Compensation Option 3 (Time and Materials) in the attached draft Professional Services Agreement (PSA) (Attachment 3) and draft Governmental Services Agreement (GSA) (Attachment 4) to be provided under any agreement resulting from this RFP. The budget should include the following:

• Hourly Rates per Position: Clearly specify the hourly rates for each position anticipated to work on the project; 
• Travel Expenses: Mileage and per diem must be billed according to the New Mexico Per Diem and Mileage Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 10-8-1 through 10-8-8; and
• Supplies and Materials: Since supply and material needs may vary, indicate whether costs will be billed at actual cost or actual cost plus a specified percentage.

5. Campaign Contribution Form (Attachment 1) -- Offeror shall complete, sign, and submit with Offeror’s proposal response the Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form and disclose whether Offeror, a family member, or a representative of the Offeror has made a campaign contribution to an applicable public official during the two years prior to the RFP. Offeror shall complete the non-disclosure statement or make separate disclosures for all campaign contributions given by (a) the Offeror, (b) a family member, or (c) a representative of the Offeror.

6. Completed, signed Statement of Assurances Form (Attachment 2).

Any proposal not adhering to these requirements may be deemed non-responsive and rejected on that basis. 

V. CONTRACT AWARD AND DURATION

The contract period may extend from the date of contract approval by the General Services Department, Contracts Review Bureau (CRB) for a period not exceeding four (4) years, including all renewals or amendments. 

EMNRD may award multiple contracts under the terms of the attached draft Professional Services Agreement (PSA) (Attachment 3) or draft Governmental Service Agreement (GSA) (Attachment 4) and in accordance with this RFP.  Any PSA or GSA awarded as a result of this RFP shall not be binding until approved by CRB. 

VI. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

The Division shall use the following criteria in the evaluation of proposals and in the selection of the successful Offeror. Please note, a deficiency in any one factor may be grounds for rejection regardless of overall score. 

1. Demonstrated experience organizing and facilitating effective multi-stakeholder meetings, strategic planning sessions, and events for government agencies, non-profits, or diverse stakeholder groups, with a focus on building consensus and implementing collaborative efforts  (minimum) -20 points
2. Strong facilitation and technical writing skills, with experience in public speaking, creating engaging meetings, developing meeting summaries, strategic plans, and implementation roadmaps (minimum) -10 points
3. Knowledge of New Mexico’s forest and watershed management challenges, including familiarity with the 2020 New Mexico Forest Action Plan (minimum) -10 points
4. Quality of reference testimonials (minimum) -10 points
5. Expertise in managing large-scale initiatives involving multiple agencies and levels of government (preferred) -10 points
6. Background in forest management, wildfire protection planning, post-fire recovery, botany, climate adaptation strategies, or similar natural resource management activities (preferred) -5 points
7. Ability to provide or seek approval for continuing education credits for professional training events (preferred) -5 points
8. Availability to respond to requests year-round (preferred)  -5 points
9. Availability to travel and respond to requests throughout the state (preferred) -5 points
10. Budget -20 points

              ***Points will be awarded based on the following formula: 

                         Lowest responsive Offeror’s cost (all items identified in Section II.D are equally weighted) divided by each Offeror’s costs. This is multiplied by available points. 

                                                                         TOTAL 100

Application of New Mexico Preference Laws:

This procurement is excluded from state preference laws because it is funded with federal dollars.

VII. EVALUATION PROCESS

The evaluation process will follow the steps listed below:

1. Three Evaluation Team members will document contents of competitive sealed proposals after the submittal deadline.

2. The Evaluation Team will review proposals for compliance with the mandatory requirements stated within this RFP. Proposals deemed non-responsive will be eliminated from further consideration.

3. The Division Contact Person may contact Offerors for clarification of the proposal.

4. The Evaluation Team will evaluate responsive proposals based on the criteria in Section VI and will select responsive Offeror(s) with the highest total scores as finalist Offeror(s). The Evaluation Team will select the finalist Offeror(s) whose proposal(s) is/are most advantageous to EMNRD for award. Please note, however, a deficiency in any one factor may be grounds for rejection regardless of overall score
 

VIII. CONTACT PERSON AND DUE DATES

The EMNRD Contact Person for this procurement is:

Erin McElroy

Forest Resilience Officer

EMNRD, Forestry Division

1220 S. St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505

Telephone: 505-490-7378

Erin.McElroy@emnrd.nm.gov

Offerors shall direct any questions regarding this RFP to Mrs. McElroy at the email address indicated above. EMNRD will only respond to written questions regarding this RFP. Written answers to those questions will be sent to all who request copies of this RFP and will also be posted on the EMNRD website.

Any inquiries or requests regarding this procurement must be submitted in writing to the EMNRD Contact Person listed above. Offerors may contact ONLY the Contact Person regarding this RFP.  Other state employees or Evaluation Committee members do not have authority to respond on EMNRD’s behalf.

Deadlines for Written Questions

Potential Offerors may submit written questions to the Contact Person as to the intent or clarity of this RFP until 4:30 p.m. MDT, May 16, 2025. All written questions must be addressed to the Contact Person via email as indicated above. Questions shall be clearly labeled and shall cite the Section(s) in the RFP or other document that form the basis of the question.

The Division will post written responses to such questions on the EMNRD website by May 30, 2025:

https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/requests-for-proposals-and-grants/.

Proposal Submittal and Due Date

Offerors shall submit their proposal using the Division’s Submittable webpage using this address: https://emnrd-sfd.submittable.com/submit no later than 5:00 p.m. MDT, June 20, 2025.  EMNRD will deem such proposals sealed in accordance with state statute.  EMNRD shall not accept proposals received after this date and shall make absolutely no exceptions for proposals not received by the appointed time.

Protest Period

Pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 13-1-172 and applicable procurement rules, Offerors who are not selected have the right to timely protest the procurement. Protests must be written and must include the name and address of the protestor and the name of the procurement being protested; a statement of the grounds for protest including appropriate supporting exhibits; and the ruling requested from the Division. The protest period begins on the day after notice of selection/non-selection and ends at 5 p.m. 15 days later. Protests must be delivered to Brian Holton, Administration Bureau Chief, EMNRD Forestry Division, 1220 S. St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505.

IX. NOTICES

Award of agreements is contingent upon sufficient appropriations and authorization being made by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the State of New Mexico.

Where applicable, Offerors must factor in Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) costs as part of their responses. Any response that does not clearly indicate GRT is included in the cost section may be deemed non-responsive and rejected.

The Division may cancel this RFP and may reject any and all proposals when it is in the State of New Mexico’s best interest.

The Division may conduct discussions with Offerors who submit proposals but may also accept proposals without such discussions.

The Procurement Code, NMSA 1978, Sections 13-1-28 through 13-1-199, imposes civil and misdemeanor criminal penalties for its violation. In addition, New Mexico criminal statutes impose felony penalties for bribes, gratuities, and kickbacks.

A template agreement for Offeror(s) who may be selected for award may be viewed below.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Attachments

Attachment 1: Campaign Contribution Form 

Available at: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/Campaign-Contribution-Form.pdf

Attachment 2: Statement of Assurances Form 

Available at: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/Statement-of-Assurances-Form.pdf

Attachment 3: Draft Professional Services Agreement

Available at: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/DRAFT-Professional-Service-Agreement.pdf

Attachment 4: Draft Governmental Services Agreement

Available at: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/DRAFT-Professional-Service-Agreement.pdf

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division (Forestry Division) accepts grant applications for invasive plant management projects year-round. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Forest Service) regularly provides funds specifically to address areas where invasive plants threaten forested acres. As long as other federal money is not involved, eligible applicants are non-federal governmental entities, including tribes. Successful applicants shall be required to provide 1:1 matching funds. 

Projects must emphasize prevention and treatment of invasive plants and address any or all of the following: 

• awareness and education; 
• inventory and mapping; 
• planning and coordination; 
• integrated weed management; or 
• monitoring and evaluation. 

Applications may request a minimum of $5,000.00 and a maximum of $40,000.00. Purchase of items such as backpack sprayers, storage cabinets, storage tanks, or trailers are limited to a maximum of $5,000.00. 

The Forestry Division shall give the highest priority to projects that apply integrated management practices, demonstrate partnerships and commitment to monitoring results, and for projects that address priority species on the New Mexico Noxious Weed List.

Projects involving invasive plant species other than those on the state’s noxious weed list may be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Forestry Division encourages cooperation with federal agencies, although their efforts may not be included as match and federal agencies are not eligible to receive funds for treatment. When listing the partnerships, applicants shall provide the name of any agencies that will be participating and a contact person who will be representing the agency for the purpose of this project. The Forestry Division may contact listed partners during application review to verify their involvement.
 

ADDITIONAL NOTICES 

• All applicants must complete and submit a Financial Capability Questionnaire with their Application. Once filled out, this can be uploaded below.

• All applicants must review the criteria indicated on the Federal Eligibility Checklist. Successful applicants will be required to comply with the Federal Eligibility Checklist.

• Award of agreements is contingent upon sufficient appropriations and authorization being made by the Forest Service and the State of New Mexico. 

• Where applicable, applicants must factor in Governmental Gross Receipts Tax (GGRT) as part of their responses. Any response that does not clearly indicate GGRT is included in the cost section may be deemed non-responsive and rejected. 

• The Forestry Division may reject any and all applications when it is in the State of New Mexico’s best interest. 

• The Forestry Division may conduct discussions with applicants who submit applications but may also accept applications without such discussions. 

• This program does not reimburse indirect costs. The Forestry Division shall not allow more than 10% in administrative costs. 

• The last funded project may receive only partial funding if the Forestry Division lacks sufficient monies to fully-fund that project. Project contacts will be notified by the Forestry Division Program Manager before any partial funding is approved.
 

SUBMISSION AND REVIEW 

Applications are batch-reviewed periodically according to available funds and program demand and scored according to criteria listed below. The latest information on expected review timelines is updated on the NM Forestry Division’s Invasive Plants Program webpage. To submit an application, create an account and offerors shall submit their proposal using the Forestry Division’s Submittable webpage.
 

Questions may be submitted to:

Ash Taylor

Invasive Plant Program Coordinator and Field Botanist

EMNRD, Forestry Division

1220 S. St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 

Telephone: 505-490-0580

ashley.taylor@emnrd.nm.gov
 

***Due to the high demand for this program, available funding may not be sufficient to address all assistance requests. However, you are encouraged to sign up, as your request will remain active and be considered if additional funding becomes available. ***

The New Mexico Forestry Division (Division) is accepting requests for hazardous tree mitigation assistance from landowners impacted by the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. Federal money supports the implementation of this project through the Division. The Division is hiring contractors who will plan and carry out hazard tree projects. Landowners requesting assistance will be evaluated for eligibility and prioritized based on the following criteria: 

1) The property must be in Mora County or San Miguel County within the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon burn scar. 

2) Hazard trees on the property must exist within two tree heights of roads, powerlines, and/or structures. Hazard trees include disaster-damaged trees that:

• are leaning more than 30 degrees from vertical, 
• have more than 50% of the canopy damaged, 
• have split trunk exposing the heartwood, or
• have 40% exposed roots. 

3) Properties in close proximity or adjacent to other landowners who have requested assistance will receive priority.

  Steps in the process: 

1. The Division will receive landowner’s requests and verify eligibility. 
2. A contractor will contact the landowner to schedule a site visit and develop a map indicating which trees are eligible for removal, how slash (tree residue) will be treated, and where logs will be placed or chipped on the landowner’s property. No slash or logs shall be removed from landowner properties as a part of this project. 
3. The contractor will submit the plan to the Forestry Division for approval. 
4. The Division will review the plan and work with the contractor on any necessary revisions.
5. The Division will issue a notice to proceed to the contractor for approved plans.
6. Work can begin on the property in accordance with approved plans.

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division  is seeking applications for urban and community forestry projects to assist communities in developing and maintaining sustainable stewardship of urban and community forestry resources in New Mexico. 

Eligible applicants  are non-federal governmental entities, including public colleges and universities and tribes (as long as other federal money is not involved).  Projects located on lands owned or administered by the federal government are not eligible for this funding.

Applications may request any amount up to $60,000.00. The Forestry Division reserves the right to partially fund projects. Project contacts will be notified by the Forestry Division Program Manager before any partial funding is approved. 

The focus of the grants are on projects that occur within or deliver 100 percent of the projects benefits to communities identified as disadvantaged by the federal government. Applicants must use federal online vulnerability and environmental justice equity data tools to support a disadvantaged community designation (e.g., White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), the EPA Environmental Justice and Screening Mapping Tool, and EPA EnviroAtlas Interactive Map). Projects that occur outside of areas identified as disadvantaged may still be funded but it may be at a lower amount. 

Applications will be accepted year-round and batch-reviewed periodically according to available funds and program demand.  The latest information on expected review timelines is updated on the Forestry Division’s webpage, here: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/RFPs/RFPMain.html. 

Applicants must submit their proposals on the Forestry Division’s Submittable webpage using this link: https://emnrd-sfd.submittable.com/submit.  

Scope of Work 

Projects must emphasize the development and management of community forests.  Projects located on lands owned or administered by the federal government are not eligible for this funding.  Applicants must collaborate with applicable landowners to obtain any needed permissions or permits. Examples of eligible project activities include but are not limited to:

• community forestry program development or improvement such as the creation of management plans, ordinances, tree boards, site preparation (clearing invasives, removing concrete), tree plantings, wood waste program creation, food forest creation, invasive detection, tree maintenance (mulch, irrigation, pruning,      removal), inventory, green infrastructure, assessment, or monitoring; 
• professional  development to create or expand the technical skillset of a diverse and inclusive urban forestry workforce such as the development of classes, implementation of  workshops, registration to attend conferences;
• public outreach and education promoting community involvement in urban forestry such as community events, surveys, engagement, creation of publications, multimedia, and trainings.

Any projects that involve tree removal such as site preparation or tree maintenance that includes removal must also include replanting in their proposal. 

Any projects that involve planting must include a planting plan including tree species and size selection, tree planting methods to be used, irrigation plans, and long-term maintenance plans. Successful Offerors with tree planting projects must have a community forest ordinance, policy, or management plan that designates legal responsibility for the care of trees in the community. Successful Offerors shall follow American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z60.1 nursery standards and ANSI A300 tree planting standards.

Funds cannot be used to purchase capital equipment costing more than $5,000.00 but may be used to rent equipment, and cannot be used for land acquisition or construction. This program does not reimburse indirect costs. The Forestry Division shall not allow more than 10% in administrative costs.

Questions:

Melissa McLamb

EMNRD, Forestry Division

1220 S. St. Francis Drive

Santa Fe, N.M., 87505

Melissa.McLamb@emnrd.nm.gov

The full RFP is available on the Forestry Division website,  https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/requests-for-proposals-and-grants/.
 

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