Areawide Market Analysis for USDA NRCS Vermont

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding Solicitation # 12FPC426Q0023 for Areawide Market Analysis for USDA NRCS Vermont.

• Requirement Type: The requirement is not a brand new contract. NRCS has procured these services in the past. However, there is currently no incumbent performing these services for the period needed.
• Prior Contract Numbers: The previous contract numbers associated with these services were 12FPC425P0043 and 12FPC424P0049.

This Q&A clarifies that the requirement has a history of procurement by NRCS, but the current contract status is that there is no incumbent. Bidders should note the provided prior contract numbers for context.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation seeks a Vermont licensed appraiser to conduct a statewide Area Wide Market Analysis (AWMA) for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Vermont State Office. The AWMA is for the Conservation Easement Program - Wetland Reserve Easement Component (ACEP-WRE), which aims to protect, restore, and enhance wetland ecosystems and associated lands. The analysis will cover an initial fiscal year and subsequent annual recertifications or amendments for up to four additional years.

• Conduct a statewide Area Wide Market Analysis (AWMA) for ACEP-WRE lands in Vermont.

• Comply with NRCS instructions for AWMA completion.

• Provide services for an initial fiscal year and up to four subsequent annual recertifications or amendments.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price Commercial Services.

• Period of Performance: Anticipated to begin by May 2026, with a base period of one year and four one-year option periods, not to exceed five years total.

• Award Type: One firm fixed award.

• Evaluation Basis: Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable (LPTA).

• Proposal Submission: Quotes must be emailed to chanda.sow@usda.gov and oksana.strekha@usda.gov by 2:30 PM ET on April 23, 2026. Include pricing, technical capabilities, past performance, and licensing/certification.

• Pricing: Vendors must provide pricing for all items as requested in Attachment 2 - Schedule of Items. Failure to do so will result in exclusion.

• Technical Approach Evaluation: Assesses the offeror's ability to meet requirements, including a description of capabilities, past performance (within the last five years), Vermont Appraisal License, and active SAM registration.

• Questions Deadline: April 16, 2026, at 2:30 PM ET.

• Vendors must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, which must remain active throughout the contract period.

• Specific clauses related to small business concerns, HUBZone, and other set-asides are listed but not explicitly detailed as a set-aside for this opportunity in the provided text.

• The solicitation incorporates numerous Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Agency Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) clauses and provisions. Key attachments include: Attachment 1 - Statement of Work and Specifications, Attachment 2 - Schedule of Items, Attachment 3 - Proposed Market Areas, and Attachment 4 - Land Use Categories.

• Offerors must hold prices firm for 90 calendar days from the receipt of offers.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for an Areawide Market Analysis (AWMA) for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Vermont State Office. The purpose is to obtain the services of a Vermont licensed appraiser to complete a statewide AWMA for lands under the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE). The program aims to protect, restore, and enhance wetland ecosystems. The contract will be a Firm-Fixed-Price award based on the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) criteria.

• An initial Areawide Market Analysis (AWMA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

• Annual AWMA Recertification of Reports for subsequent FYs (2027-2031) as option line items.

• Annual Recertification amendments for option line items.

• All AWMA must comply with NRCS instructions.

• Services are for Professional Real Property Appraisals.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price.

• Period of Performance: Approximately May 15, 2026, to May 14, 2027, for the initial period, with options extending through August 31, 2030.

• Estimated Value: Not explicitly stated, but the NAICS code is 531320 with a size standard of $9.5 million.

• Submission Method: Email quotes to chanda.sow@usda.gov and oksana.strekha@usda.gov.

• Offer Due Date: April 23, 2026, by 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.

• Evaluation Criteria: Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA).

• Quotes must include solicitation #232132FPC426Q0023 AWMA VT in the subject line.

• Incomplete quotes will not be considered.

• This acquisition is a 100% set aside for Small Business vendors.

• Questions regarding the solicitation can be submitted via email to chanda.sow@usda.gov and oksana.strekha@usda.gov.

• Invoices will be submitted through the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Land Use Categories and Identification Procedures," is an attachment (Exhibit 2) to the solicitation. It outlines the methodology for analyzing land sales, specifically defining categories and tiers for land use evaluation. This information is crucial for bidders to understand how comparable sales will be assessed, which may impact their proposal strategy and pricing.

• Land Use Tiers:
  • Tier 1: General Access (adjacent to a public right of way)
  • Tier 2: Alternate Access (non-adjacent to a public right of way)
• Land Use Categories within each tier:
  • Non-Agricultural Wetland (forested or scrub-shrub wetlands not used for agriculture)
  • Other (includes undeveloped uplands, residential/developed land, agricultural land, and agricultural use wetland)
• Identification Procedures:
  • Utilize NRCS-provided land cover data and GIS project instructions.
  • Cross-reference with the latest available aerial imagery.
• Additional Instructions:
  • Evaluate comparable sales considering the proportion of each land use category.
  • Augment MLS sales data with research of real estate sales by owner.
  • Recommends online resources like vermontrealestatesales.net and regrid.com for data collection.

Bidders should carefully review these land use categories and identification procedures. Understanding how land values are determined based on access and land type is essential for accurately assessing the scope of work, preparing competitive pricing, and developing a robust proposal, particularly if the opportunity involves real estate valuation or analysis.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "ATTACHMENT 3 - Exhibit 1 – Proposed market Areas for Vermont FY26 Areawide Market Analysis Solicitation," defines potential market areas within Vermont for the FY26 Areawide Market Analysis Solicitation. It presents two options for defining these market areas.

• Option 1: Whole State - Depicts the entire state of Vermont as a single market area.
• Option 2: Region I and Region II - Divides Vermont into two distinct regions:
  • Region 1: Includes Franklin, Grand Isle, Orleans, Lamoille, Chittenden, Washington, Addison, Windsor, Rutland, Windham, and Bennington counties.
  • Region 2: Includes Essex, Caledonia, and Orange counties.
• Decision Basis: The final determination of market areas will depend on the availability and adequacy of sales data to represent either the entire state or to split it based on historically higher and lower per-acre values.

This exhibit is crucial for bidders to understand the potential geographic scope of the market analysis. It outlines how the analysis might be segmented, which could impact resource allocation, regional expertise requirements, and the overall approach to the solicitation. Bidders should consider which market area definition is most relevant to their capabilities and strategy.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment 2 - Schedule of Items," outlines the specific items and their associated costs for the "Areawide Market Analysis" solicitation (12FPC426Q0023) by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State of Vermont. It serves as a pricing schedule for potential bidders.

• CLINs (Contract Line Item Numbers): Details specific services such as "Initial Areawide Market Survey Analysis" and "Annual AWMA Recertifications" along with optional "Annual Recertification amendments."
• Quantity: Specifies a quantity of 1 for each item.
• Pay Unit: Indicates "EA" (Each) as the unit of measure.
• Fiscal Years: The schedule covers Option Years 1 through 4, corresponding to Fiscal Years 2028 through 2031.
• Dates: Specific due dates are noted for annual recertifications (e.g., 7/15/2027, 7/15/2028, 7/15/2029, 7/15/2030).
• Amendments: Includes provisions for recertification amendments, with a note that they are due 45 days from the recertification date if required.
• Pricing: Columns for "Unit Cost" and "Total" are provided for bidders to fill in.

This attachment is critical for bidders as it defines the specific services to be priced and the structure of the contract's pricing. Bidders must use this schedule to provide their proposed costs for each CLIN, including any optional year services and potential amendments, to formulate their bid.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This document outlines the specifications for an Areawide Market Analysis (AWMA) for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE). The primary goal is to protect, restore, and enhance wetland ecosystems.

• Conduct Areawide Market Analyses (AWMA) for ACEP-WRE.

• Provide the fair market value (FMV) of land for specific land use types within identified market areas on a per-acre basis.

• The AWMA and other value reports must be USPAP compliant.

• Deliverables include written and digital products, meeting participation, and attendance at training sessions.

• The contract will cover an initial fiscal year (FY) with potential for subsequent annual recertifications or amendments for up to four additional years.

• FYs run from October 1st to September 30th.

• Market areas will be determined by the NRCS State Conservationist and identified in Exhibit 1.

• Land use types will also be determined by the NRCS State Conservationist and identified in Exhibit 2.

• Vendor Qualifications: Must be a State-certified general real property appraiser or obtain a temporary practice permit, be in good standing with licensing authorities, and demonstrate competency in USPAP for rural and agricultural property market analyses.

• Data Provision: NRCS will provide electronic maps of market areas, GIS shapefiles, and definitions of land uses.

• Coordination: Vendors will receive training and coordinate with NRCS Easement Programs Division (EPD) and the NRCS National Appraiser.

• Reporting: Reports must be clear, accurate, complete, and comply with USPAP. Sales data must be provided in a spreadsheet addendum. All submitted reports become U.S. government property.

• Conflict of Interest: Vendors must be independent and have no financial interest in the property being analyzed.

• Nondisclosure: Vendors must comply with confidentiality regulations regarding sensitive information.