Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) is accepting bids accompanied by a statement of qualifications to provide a minimum of 1,920 hours of technical assistance over 12 months for each of five (5) private consultant contracts to help deliver the Reinvest In Minnesota - Wetlands Reserve Program (RIM-WRP) for the Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Minnesota. Based on bids and qualifications, DU will contract with four (4) RIM-WRP Wetland Specialists based in Fergus Falls, Glenwood, Morris, and St. James for 12 months to promote and deliver the RIM-WRP, Minnesota, and one (1) RIM-WRP Engineer based in Fergus Falls, Minnesota for 12 months to survey, design, and oversee the construction to restore drained wetlands on RIM-WRP easements. Bidders for the Wetland Specialist contracts should have experience in restoration and management of wetland and prairie habitats, wildlife management, or a related field, and should have a working knowledge of RIM, WRP, and USDA Farm Bill Programs and experience in working with private landowners, ArcGIS and Microsoft Office Software, knowledge of hydric soils, and knowledge and experience in identification of drained wetlands and restoration of wetlands and associated uplands. Bidders for the Engineer contract should have experience applying engineering principles and a working knowledge of GPS and laser-based surveying equipment, engineering and GIS computer software, hydrology and watershed modeling software, and knowledge of BWSR and NRCS practices and specifications for wetland restoration, construction management, and final inspection.
Successful bidders must be available to start July 1, 2013, and provide services through June 30, 2014. Consultants will be provided office space, equipment, and training in NRCS offices in Fergus Falls, Glenwood, Morris, and St. James, Minnesota. Bidders should specify the location for which each bid is intended, and submit separate bids for each location of interest.
To receive a bid packet and more information, please contact Debra Gray, Administrative Assistant, at 734/623-2000 (dgray@ducks.org) or Jon Schneider at 320/762-9916 (jschneider@ducks.org). ALL FINAL BIDS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DUCKS UNLIMITED BY COB Wednesday, May 29, 2013.