Forest Inventory and Assessment

Agency:	Town of Glastonbury
State:	Connecticut
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	115310 - Support Activities for Forestry 541620 - Environmental Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Feb 21, 2024
Due Date:	Feb 27, 2024
Solicitation No:	RPGL-2024-20
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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TOWN OF GLASTONBURY

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

FOREST INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT

RPGL-2024-20

DUE DATE AND TIME: FEBRUARY 27, 2024 by 11:00 AM

The Town of Glastonbury will be accepting proposals from qualified respondents interested in

assisting the Town with developing a Forest Inventory and Assessment throughout certain

sections of Town-owned land located in the town.

Interested individuals and firms should obtain the complete Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

and related information from the Town website at www.glastonburyct.gov/rfp. Proposal

responses must be submitted electronically by no later than the time and date indicated above.

LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Responses can be submitted at the following link: https://glastonburyct.bonfirehub.com/ under

the RFQ title “RPGL-2024-20 – Forest Inventory and Assessment”. Respondents will be

required to create a profile before submitting their proposal. Step-by-step instructions on how to

https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com/hc/en-us/articles/6830871161239-Vendor-Registration

The Town reserves the right to waive informalities or reject any part of, or the entire proposal,

when said action is deemed to be in the best interests of the Town.

The Town of Glastonbury is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Gina Consiglio

Purchasing Agent

RPGL – 2024-20

Forest Inventory and Assessment

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section I

Section II

General Information

Overview

Background

Scope of Work

Specific Services

Proposed Project Tasks

Page No.

Section III Submission of Proposal

Minimum Requirements

Term of Service/Time for Completion

Proposal Instructions

Evaluation Criteria

Selection Process

Timeline

Insurance Requirements

Indemnification

Attachments

 Attachment A – Town of Glastonbury Proposal Response Page

 Attachment B – Statement of Non-Collusion

 Attachment C – Town of Glastonbury Municipal Open Space Map

 Attachment D- State of Connecticut Grant Documents

RPGL – 2024-20

Forest Inventory and Assessment

SECTION I – GENERAL INFORMATION

OVERVIEW and BACKGROUND

The Town of Glastonbury (the “Town”) intends to contract for the services of an experienced

Respondent to assist the Town with developing a Forest Inventory and Assessment

(“Inventory”) on designated Town-owned open space parcels. The Inventory will be Phase 1 of

a Comprehensive Forest Action Plan, to be developed over the next 2-3 years. Inventory and

assessment methods will include:

• Review of existing documentation and mapping

• Establish a field survey schedule with staffing assignments and responsibilities

• Develop a site access and safety plan

• Perform site visits to verify and gather information through walking existing trails,

parcel boundaries, and performing transects/grid surveys

• Perform “bio-blitz” or plan cruise

This RFQ is designed to identify Respondents who possess the qualifications necessary to

create an effective Inventory of approximately 3,063 acres of forested land. The Town seeks a

qualified Respondent with demonstrated experience in developing such an Inventory will

support a long-range management plan for the Town’s forests.

SECTION II – SCOPE OF WORK

Through this request for qualifications (RFQ), the Town of Glastonbury is seeking to identify

Respondents who possess the experience and expertise necessary to develop an effective Forest

Inventory and Assessment. It is the Town’s intention to work with the selected Respondent to

develop the Inventory of approximately 3,063 acres of forested land located throughout the

Town. The attached Town of Glastonbury Municipal Open Space Map (Attachment C) lists

each open space by name and acreage. Please note that the total acreage reported on the map is

3,932.35 acres as it includes parks with approximately 208.74 of non-forested lands. In 2023,

the Town inventoried two large parcels – JB Williams and the Keeney Street open spaces.

These inventories included approximately 661.02 acres, leaving a remaining 3,062.61 acres to

be inventoried and assessed in the proposed project. Respondents are encouraged to visit the

Town GIS to view these properties as well. To do so, visit www.glastonburyct.gov/gis and

click on the Layers tab at the bottom left to modify your view to include various layers.

Helpful layers to review include, but are not limited to: Topography; Soil; Natural Resources,

Zoning/Regulatory Layers; and Parks and Trails.

SPECIFIC SERVICES

This RFQ will serve as the first step of a multi-phased project to identify Respondents who

possess the qualifications necessary to develop a Forest Inventory and Assessment. The Plan

should address the elements outlined below; therefore, Respondents should demonstrate

experience and expertise in:

RPGL – 2024-20

Forest Inventory and Assessment

 Conducting and completing field investigations to assess flora and fauna diversity,

population, distribution and overall ecosystem health

 Reviewing existing conditions documentation and mapping

 Establish a field survey schedule with staffing assignments and responsibilities

 Developing a site access and safety plan

 Performing site visits to verify and gather information through walking existing trails,

parcel boundaries, and performing transects/grid surveys

 Performing “bio-blitz” or plan cruises

 Developing a project geodatabase as a system of record to store spatial and attribute

information for the open space tracts to be investigated.

 Conducting community engagement and community surveys

Proposed Project Tasks

The Town is anticipating that this project will be structured as outlined below. The selected

Respondent will be expected to participate in meetings with Town staff and review findings

and recommendations with elected/appointed boards and commissions and the community.

Such meetings may take place at Town Hall or other locations throughout town. The project

tasks will be shared with Town staff, as outlined in the timeline table at the end of this section.

Task 1 Preliminary Existing Conditions Mapping

Perform preliminary existing conditions mapping and desk top assessment of town-owned

forest open spaces to determine existing baseline. The goal of the database review is to identify

open spaces with representative larger forest tracts.

Task 2 Community Survey

Conduct a hybrid online and paper community survey to gather forest user and existing

conditions information.

2.1 Develop list of survey questions and forms.

2.2 Launch and promote survey through a public information meeting, public

announcements, posters with QR codes, and social media for a period of approximately

two months. When possible, utilize volunteers and local organizations to distribute

surveys.

2.3 Evaluate survey findings and summarize public input.

Task 3 Forest Inventory and Assessment Planning

Determine Forest Inventory and Assessment Process from mapping analysis and public survey

results.

3.1 Develop criteria with CT licensed forester to select and assess control forest tracts to

perform forest inventory and assessment. These may include parameters such as:

RPGL – 2024-20

Forest Inventory and Assessment

• Acreage of forest tract

• Biodiversity/composition of forest stands

• Evidence of tree regeneration

• Lands with cultural, historical significance, and community or recreational

value

• Populations benefitting from access or in proximity to forest locations

The following open space properties are expected to be prioritized for assessment based

on the draft parameters above:

Arbor Acres

Blackledge Falls

Grayledge

Longo

Shoddy Mill

Total

76.29 acres

87.33

85.48

156.99

110.06

516.15

In total, the control forest tract parcels to be surveyed by a CT licensed forester will be

an estimated 1,500 acres, including the priority properties listed above.

3.2 Present the proposed criteria, methodology, and selected control forest tracts to the

Parks and Recreation Commission and the Conservation Commission for input.

3.3 Confirm control forest tracts with CT licensed forester and identify open spaces

requiring forestry management plans.

Task 4 Field Investigations

Launch field investigations of selected control forest tracts, documenting characteristics such

as the following:

• Complete inventory of tree stands (biodiversity, composition, conditions)

• Identification of invasive and non-native species distribution and percentage

• Wildlife and fisheries habitat value

• Overall forest health including identified stressors

• Connectivity and position in landscape

• Presence of forested floodplains, wetlands and waterbodies and riparian corridors

4.1 Develop a project geodatabase as a system of record to store spatial and attribute

information for the open space tracts to be investigated. The investigations performed

by the Qualified Consultant will employ Esri GIS (Geographic Information Systems),

including desktop ArcGIS, Web, and Mobile GIS to compile, collect and organize data.

4.2 Conduct field investigations with CT licensed forester and survey staff.

RFP Number	Title	Starting	Closing	Status
RPGL-2024-20	Forest Inventory and Assessment	02/07/2024	02/27/2024 11:00 AM	Open

Forest Inventory and Assessment

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