Forest Certification Services

The selected Contractor, upon executing a formal Agreement with ODNR-DOF, shall identify an appropriate Point of Contact (POC) to begin the audit planning process. The POC shall, on an annual basis, be provided with and review prior years’ certification audit records and other relevant documentation, as needed, to determine the appropriate audit scope for the year that meets current FSC® and SFI® Standards for continued forest certification. For 2026, this shall be a recertification audit with the following four years being surveillance audits. This should include, but is not limited to, ensuring that Management Units are audited at an appropriate intensity and frequency and the relevant Standards are evaluated. Draft FSC® and SFI® Audit Reports shall be provided to ODNR-DOF within 45 days of the completion of field audits with Final Audit Reports being provided within 15 days of ODNR-DOF’s review and approval of the Draft Reports.

ODNR-DOF’s current FSC® certificate expires January 4, 2027, and the current SFI® certificate expires January 19, 2027. The Contractor shall deliver all reports, provide revisions, and submit necessary filing in a timely manner so as to prevent a lapse in either of ODNR-DOF’s certificates.

The Division of Forestry desires to be recertified under the new FSC® Version 2.0 U.S. Standard released in 2026. If new Standards are released during the term of the Agreement, ODNR-DOF will determine under which Standard it chooses to be audited during each year based on permitted Standard guidelines.

Acceptable performance of the Agreement shall constitute the successful planning and execution of annual field-based audits conforming to the relevant FSC® and SFI® Standards for an initial recertification audit in 2026 and four subsequent surveillance audits in the following years along with delivery of Final Audit Reports following each audit that detail ODNR-DOF’s compliance and conformance to the principles and criteria from each Standard. Acceptable performance will permit annual payment for services rendered as detailed in the Agreement.

Contract Term: ODNR-DOF, seeks to secure a five (5) year agreement for Forest Certification Services. Below is an estimated timeline for the services needed.

The purpose of this solicitation is to identify and select a contractor serving as a Certifying Body to provide forest certification auditing services and perform a recertification audit in addition to four (4) subsequent surveillance audits consistent with applicable Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) standards.