BLM Seeks Bids for Off-Range Pastures to Care for Wild Horses
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The Bureau of Land Management is seeking proposals from contractors who can provide humane care for a minimum of 200 wild horses in a free-roaming pasture setting on an annual basis. This is a perfect opportunity to diversify a ranching operation. The deadline is April 29, 2016.
Proposals must show that the pastures are located in one of the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon (excluding west of the Cascade Mountain Range), South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington (excluding west of the Cascade Mountain Range), and Wyoming.
Each proposal must include documentation to support the land's carrying capacity and the contractor's required per head/day cost. In addition to providing a quality pasture, the contractor is required to provide supplemental feed during the dormant months. The contracts are for a one-year period, with a renewal option for a four-year or nine-year period.
To review the solicitation: (1) go to www.fedconnect.net ; (2) click on "Search Public Opportunities"; (3) under Search Criteria, select "Reference Number"; (4) put in the solicitation number "L16PS00305"; and (5) click Search" and the solicitation information will appear. The solicitation form describes what to submit and where to send it for consideration.
Applicants who have never conducted business with the Federal government must first obtain a Dun and Bradstreet number at https://www.dandb.com before registering at www.sam.gov/. There is no fee involved in registering with sam.gov.
For assistance, visit www.blm.gov/whb to review the resource page or contact Kemi Ismael, 202-912-7098 (kismael@blm.gov) or Michael Byrd, 202-912-7037 (mbyrd@blm.gov). These contacts can assist with general questions and coordinate a meeting for an applicant with a BLM small business specialist. Contractors may also visit the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) website, which provides assistance to applicants for government contracts. Most assistance is free to little charge.
Under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, as amended, the BLM manages and protects wild horses and burros while working to ensure that population levels are in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses. The current free-roaming population of BLM-managed wild horses and burros is estimated to be 58,150, as of March 1, 2015, which exceeds by more than 31,435 the number determined by the BLM to be the appropriate management level. The BLM is applying population growth-suppression (PGS) measures and is supporting research to improve existing and develop new PGS tools.
For general questions about the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program, please contact 866-468-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.