September 13, 2016


RE:  Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract
     TLO 10-17-912
     Process Assistance with a Federal Land Exchange

This notice is provided pursuant to AS 36.30.300, AS 36.30.315 and 2 AAC 12.410.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office (TLO) provides notice of our intent to award a single source professional services contract to Western Land Group, Inc.  The single source contract is funded 100 percent by mental health earned revenues; has the potential (with optional renewal periods) to last five years and will be funded at $500,000.00.

The services under this single source contract are to begin October 1, 2016.

Following seven years of working directly with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), in August 2013, the TLO competitively solicited a large procurement (>$100,000) following State of Alaska Procurement Code AS 36.30.  Following 24 days of public notice, the TLO received one proposal.  The proposal was determined to be responsive and responsible and a contract was issued to Western Land Group, Inc. (WLG) for a three-year period and $110,000.  (Tasks and Deliverables from that contract are attached.)

WLG and the TLO worked consistently for three years completing many of the required processes (see attached Federal Land Exchange Process Flow Chart). 

The administrative land exchange project received support from many in state government including U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski who introduced Senate Bill 3006 into Congress earlier this year thereby changing the land exchange from an administrative process to a legislative process.  The senator’s office along with TLO staff and WLG have worked diligently to bring the senate bill to a second vote, which will occur this month, September 2016. 

We have multiple processes left to work through to ensure the success of the legislative land exchange.  The last three years, in particular, the last four months have been very intense and productive.  We would not have achieved this level of success without the professional experience and assistance of WLG.  The next four to six months will require even more hard work if there is any hope to having S.3006 passed and signed into law.  We do not have the time nor the funding to hire a new contractor and bring them up to speed with all aspects of this land exchange.

Following an intensive web search and consulting with other land managers, including the Western States Land Commissioners Association, the TLO has become aware of only one firm in the United States who completes work of a similar nature to WLG.  This firm, Abbey, Stubbs & Ford, LLC has been contacted with an email stating our interest in receiving their project advice and their possible interest in our project.    

If your firm is qualified, interested, and available, please respond to the addressee listed below not later than 4:00 p.m. Alaska Time on Friday September 16, 2016.

Leann McGinnis
Business Manager
Trust Land Office
2600 Cordova Street, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK  99503

Email:  leann.mcginnis@alaska.gov

FAX:  907-269-8659

Attachments:  Federal Land Exchange Flow Chart
                      Tasks and Deliverables