WOODLANDS PARTNERSHIP IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY &
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Rebecca Tepper, SECRETARY
GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT
 
WOODLANDS PARTNERSHIP  
IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS
ENV 24DCS 04
 
BID #: BD-24-1042-ENV-ENV01-89558
DATED: June 5, 2023
RESPONSES DUE: July 10, 2023
 
 
OVERVIEW AND GOALS:  In support of Section 91 of Chapter 209 of the Acts of 2018, which established the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP) and called for partnership and collaboration among state, regional, and local governments to advance the goals of the MTWP, the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs (EEA) hereby offers grants to communities that have voted to participate in the MTWP (by Select Board or Town Meeting votes) and to regional organizations which work in the region to engage in activities and programs to advance the goals of the MTWP. The Board of the MTWP voted in October, 2022 to change its name to the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts (WP) .
 
 
PROPOSALS SOUGHT FOR:
Activities and programs that advance the goals of the Woodlands Partnership 

TYPE OF PROCUREMENT: 
Grant

CONTACT PERSON:        
Bob O’Connor                                       
Executive Office of Energy and                                             
Environmental Affairs
Robert.OConnor@mass.gov 
617-626-1170

RESPONSE DUE DATE: 
July 10, 2023 at 5:00p.m.

SUBMIT RESPONSES TO:
Bob O’Connor (see above)

MULTIPLE CONTRACTS:
Each community may submit or participate in only one application with the exception that a Regional Planning Agency or a community may apply on behalf of more than one community for a regional grant.  A community may apply for a municipal grant and also participate in a regional application. Multiple applicants may be selected for funding.

BIDDERS CONFERENCE:   
A bidder’s conference will be held virtually at 10:00 a.m. on June 19, 2023.  A meeting link can be obtained by emailing Robert O’Connor at robert.oconnor@mass.gov.   

In addition, questions will be accepted through June 23, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. and should be directed to Robert O’Connor at robert.oconnor@mass.gov.  Answers will be posted on COMM-BUYS. 
     
SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS MAY CONTRACT UNDER THIS BID: All contracts awarded under this BID will be utilized solely by EEA.
 
TOTAL ANTICIPATED DURATION OF CONTRACT(S):  The contract period will end by June 30, 2024, and deliverables for these contracts must be received, along with final billing, by July 31, 2024 (exceptions and contract extensions will be handled on a case-by-case basis and addressed in individual contracts). 
 
ANTICIPATED BUDGET: Up to $25,000 per municipal proposal will be available, though exceptions may be made at the Secretary’s discretion.  If Regional Planning Agencies, regional organization, or a community apply on behalf of more than one community, each community may seek up to $25,000 for their share of such a regional grant.  Proposals are expected to vary in the amount of funding requested based on the anticipated activity.  Regional grant proposals may seek up to $75,000 for regional projects in the WP region.
 
REGULATIONS, STATUTES, OR AUTHORIZION GOVERNING THIS GRANT PROGRAM:  This BID is issued in support of Chapter 209 of the Acts of 2018, Section 91, which created the Woodlands Partnership, established a process for communities in the region to opt into the WP, called for partnership and collaboration among state, regional, and local governments to advance the WP, and specified purposes for the WP. Such purposes are compatible with those of EEA and with funding authorized in line item 20007072 of Section 2 of Chapter 209 of the Acts of 2018 for activities to be funded via this procurement that include providing funding and establishing programs for natural resource conservation, recreation, landscape-scale land conservation, climate resilience, and local and regional land use planning and management.   
 
MATCH REQUIREMENT: A match in the form of volunteer or municipal staff time or additional municipal or regional planning agency funds is encouraged, but not required.
  
PREVAILING WAGE APPLICABLE: No
 
IDENTIFICATION OF CONTRACTS WITH COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES OR SUBDIVISIONS: Yes
 
IDENTIFICATION OF FINANCIALLY INTERESTED PARTIES: No 
BID DISTRIBUTION (Comm-Buys):   This BID has been distributed electronically using the COMM-BUYS system, and is also posted on the website of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs at https://www.mass.gov/grant-programs-offered-by-the-division-ofconservation-services.  Proposals are to be submitted directly to EEA to the attention of Bob O’Connor at the email address provided on the first page of this procurement. It is the responsibility of every Respondent to check for any addenda or modifications to a BID to which they intend to respond.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its subdivisions accept no liability and will provide no accommodations to Respondents who fail to check for amended BIDs and submit inadequate or incorrect responses.  Potential Respondents are advised to check the “last change” field on the summary page of BIDs for which they intend to submit a response to ensure they have the most recent BID files.
 
Respondents may not alter BID language, or any BID component files.  Those submitting a proposal must respond in accordance with the BID directions and complete only those sections that prompt a Respondent for a response.  Modifications to the body of this BID, specifications, terms and conditions, or which change the intent of this BID are prohibited.  Any unauthorized alterations will disqualify response.  
 
RESPONDENT ELIGIBILITY: This BID is open to: 

• Municipalities that have officially voted (by Select Board, Town Meeting, City Council or Signature of the Mayor) to join the Woodlands Partnership on or before a contract is signed with EEA (individually or as a group for a multi-jurisdictional project with an identified lead community or regional planning agency or regional organization with whom the state will contract). Municipalities with representatives that are on the WP Board will receive preference for funding.
• Municipalities are expected, subject to EEA approval and following public procurement laws, to sub-contract with a non-profit, planning consultant, regional planning agency, a construction firm, or other appropriate vendor to complete approved proposals. 
• Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) or regional environmental, cultural or economic development organizations named as WP Board members or working in the WP region may apply for regional projects. The support of towns served by a regional project is encouraged. Regional organizations may, with EEA approval, sub-contract with a vendor appropriate to the proposed activity. A regional organization named as an WP Board member or working in the WP region may apply for a regional project on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Board with the Committee’s approval.

 
 
PROJECT DEFINITION:  EEA seeks to further two of the goals of the Woodlands Partnership as created in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 209, Section 91 of the Acts of 2018 for municipalities that have officially voted to join the Woodland  Partnership.  These goals are to: 1) increase economic development related to sustainable forestry and natural resource-based tourism in the municipalities and 2) increase forest conservation and sustainable forestry on private and municipal lands.
 
Responses can be for a project within a single municipality or for a planning or implementation activity across municipal boundaries or for the entire Woodland  Partnership region.  For example, five communities interested in forest stewardship for municipal lands may submit a regional application. Regional responses will require the endorsement, via a letter of support, from any community that is to be the subject of a proposal.  
 
Tasks suitable for funding under this BID include but are not limited to: 

• Completion of studies or inventories required to prepare a forest carbon credit market project or forest stewardship planning activities needed to supplement funding provided by the DCR Working Forest Initiative;
• Completion of studies or implementation projects, such as signage, tourism facilities or woods roads or trail repairs, to support natural resource-based tourism related to hiking, bicycling, rafting, hunting, fishing or other outdoor recreational activities;
• Completion of studies or implementation projects, such as educational exhibits about sustainable forestry to support local sustainable forestry projects or natural resource-based tourism;
• Planning and implementation of demonstration or research forests;
• Technical assistance or education projects to assist businesses or landowners and support sustainable forestry or natural resource-based tourism;
• Design, planning or other activities to prepare the community to apply for other grants or funding to further the above two goals;
• Acquisition of trail easements, river protection easements or municipal forest or conservation land or conservation restrictions, especially when needed to supplement other funding sources; or
• Other innovative projects to support local sustainable forestry, forest conservation or natural resource-based tourism including those outlined in the Woodland Partnership 2022 Plan.
• Projects that seek to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples with Homelands in the Partnership Region on projects related to the above goals of the Partnership.
• Implementation of projects or programs (including staffing support) proposed by the Board and its sub-committees to further the above goals of the Partnership.

 
Up to $75,000 would be available in grants for Regional Grants.  
 
The following activities are ineligible:

• Funding of maintenance activities or activities already funded by municipalities and their staff; and
• Funding of projects that do not directly support the sustainable forestry and natural resource-based tourism goals listed above.

 
GRANT REQUIREMENTS: As a condition of funding assistance contracts executed under this BID will include a clause noting that grant recipients agree to share the end product of the funded activities with EEA and with other communities in the Commonwealth through reports, meetings, workshops, and to highlight these activities in print, on the web or other media outlets. EEA must be credited for project funding.
 
All contracts resulting from this BID will require a brief project update about halfway through the project.  This update will include a summary of tasks achieved.  A final report is also required.  This final report must include a copy of the completed tasks as contracted. An electronic copy of all deliverables must be sent to EEA at the above email address.
 
 
INVOICING:  Granted funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis.  Grantees may submit invoices for costs incurred by applicants or their contractors during the grant. Grantees must prepare a final report and invoice upon project completion that details all costs incurred and matching funds provided.  Only work completed during the period of the executed contract will be eligible for reimbursement.  Upon receipt of all required deliverables the community will be reimbursed for the balance of any grant funds outstanding.  
 
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:   Submit an electronic copy of the proposal on appropriate media to EEA to the attention of Bob O’Connor at the email address provided on the first page of this procurement (no paper mailing is required).  Each proposal must clearly indicate that it is an application to the Woodland Partnership Grant Program on the title page. Failure to provide any of the materials listed below may result in the disqualification of the Proposal. Electronic proposals must be submitted via email on or before July 10 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
 
Project proposals must include the following:

• Projects must be focused on furthering one or both of the two goals listed above in the Project Definition Section;
• A task-by-task description of each major element of the proposed project including means of accomplishment, projected budget, a timeline indicating anticipated initiation and completion dates; any product to be delivered or outcome to be realized, and proposed measures of success;
• Explanation as to how proposed activities meet the evaluation criteria;
• A letter(s) committing to participate if a multi-jurisdictional application;
• If a proposed task is implementing a recommendation from the WP Plan, a Master Plan or other plan, Climate Vulnerability Assessment, or other document, include a copy of relevant pages; 

 
If selected, the Respondent will be required to submit the following forms to complete a contract: 

• Commonwealth Standard Contract Form
• W-9 Form
• Commonwealth Terms and Conditions filled out and signed by the Respondent
• Authorized Signatory Listing Form
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) set-up form 

 
Respondents are encouraged to review these forms prior to submission of a proposal.  They are available at: http://www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/oversightagencies/osd/osd-forms.html  
 
 
EVALUATION CRITERIA: Each Response will be scored using the following measures:

• Advances one or both of the goals outlined in the Project Definition Section; (20 Points)
• Utilizes funding efficiently and provides it where it is most needed; (20 Points)
• Provides a product that is readily usable (whether a plan, design or physical structure) to further the above goals; (15 Points)
• Contains a component to gather input from the community or an educational or technical assistant component, if applicable; (15 Points)
• Involves more than one municipality collaborating regionally on similar and related tasks or the product can be used by other communities in the WP; (10 Points)
• Provides a match in the form of volunteer time or staff time or donated services or materials (although this is not required, it is encouraged); (10 Points) and
• Considers and incorporates resilience to or mitigation of climate change into the project (10 Points).

 
NOTE:  EEA reserves the option to interview some or all of those submitting a proposal for the purpose of clarifying a proposal prior to making a final award.
 
PROJECT TERMS: A final contract is subject to successful negotiation of a Final Scope of Services.  Please note that EEA does not guarantee that any contract may result from this BID or that any particular funding level will be awarded.  It is anticipated that projects could commence immediately upon contract execution. The awarded contract will be reviewed during its course and, upon request by the Respondent, may be extended at the sole discretion of EEA for up to one additional year.   Any extension granted will not necessarily change, or increase, the monetary value of the contract.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appendix A
Woodlands Partnership Implementation Grant Application Form Fiscal Year 2024
                                                                                                                                                                     

1. Municipality: ________________________________ 

1. Project Name:

______________________________________________________________________

1. Contact

Person:_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Zip:____________________________
Telephone: ________________________  
Email: ____________________________
Please note:  the contact person is the official representative for this project, usually not the chief municipal officer.

1. Briefly describe the project and tasks planned to complete the project on TWO or less attached pages. Use the Evaluation Criteria as an outline for the description to ensure the maximum score possible for your project.  Also explain how the site will be maintained (if appropriate for the project type) or next steps the municipality plans to take once this grant is completed based on the completed project. (how will the project help further projects that meet the WP goals).

 

1. Proposed Funding:

The WP Implementation Grant Program is a reimbursement program.  Grant recipients are reimbursed after invoices have been received from the municipality, regional organization or their contactors and work has been completed.    Costs incurred prior to grant approval and contract execution are ineligible.  Municipal account labor, volunteer hours, and donations are also ineligible for reimbursement.  
 
Attach a one-page description of the proposed project budget including:
The source of all local funding including donations and municipal funds and other funding sources.  
 
If any permits are required, the permit or application for the permit must be submitted. Should the project be selected for funding, the permit will be required as part of the final contract.