1.0 Project Purpose:

The South Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy ("Conservancy" or "TNC") is seeking information from qualified vendors with experience in scenario planning to provide alternative business and operating models for the Conservancy's Driftwood Preserve in the Town of Awendaw, South Carolina. The project's ultimate goal is to identify a financially sustainable, income generating model that aligns with The Nature Conservancy's mission, leverages our programs, and contributes positively to the surrounding community. Financially sustainable is defined as securing or generating income and/or revenue to cover start-up costs, maintain day-to-day operations, and ensure long-term maintenance of the preserve. Those receiving this Request for Information (RFI) are referred to as "Consultant." The consultant(s) would be responsible for facilitating and leading a 6-month scenario planning process to include community engagement. More details can be found in the Project Overview.

1.1 Vendor Qualifications:

To be considered for the Project, consultants or consultant teams must have experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder planning processes, familiarity with conservation easements, agricultural and conservation properties, researching and analyzing operating scenarios or economic strategies, working knowledge of local, state and federal conservation partners and partnerships, market research, and inclusive community engagement. Familiarity with agriculture, forestry, coastal resilience, climate change, and prior experience in South Carolina is helpful but not essential.

1.2 Submission Requirements:

The RFI process will be conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner with fair treatment given to all prospective respondents. Vendor shall be responsible for any and all costs incurred by the Consultant in responding to this request. Vendor's Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) should be no longer than 20 pages. The Consultant's SOQ must contain sufficient information to allow the Project Team to evaluate the Consultant's ability to perform the required tasks, including:

1. cover letter summarizing the key elements of the respondent's SOQ and an overview of the consultant team and project manager;
2. the proposed team for the Project (including each person's full name, title, location, telephone number, email, and qualifications);
3. a description of vendor's qualifications, including examples of relevant project experience.

All submittals must be submitted via email to Sarah Hartman at shartman@tnc.org or by mail to Sarah Hartman, The Nature Conservancy, 1417 Stuart Engals Drive, Suite 100, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.

1.3 Critical Dates:

1.3.1.Questions regarding this RFI:

Any questions about this request must be submitted via email to shartman@tnc.org no later than May 17, 2023. The Conservancy will use its best efforts to answer questions by May 24, 2023. It is the policy of the Conservancy to avoid situations that (a) place it in a position where its judgment may be biased; (b) create an appearance of conflict of interest with respect to rendering an impartial, fair, technically sound, and objective decision prior to selection; or (c) give an unfair competitive advantage to competing bidders. The Consultant acknowledges that (a) answers provided by the Conservancy to any respondent inquiries will be shared with all respondents (via email or otherwise), and (b) the Conservancy is not required to supply answers that the Conservancy does not consider to be pertinent to this RFI or are considered by the Conservancy to be proprietary or confidential.

1.3.2. Submittal due date:

All SOQs must be emailed or mailed to the Conservancy by 5:00 p.m. ET on May 26, 2023.

1.4 Review of SOQs:

SOQs will be reviewed and evaluated by the Project Team based upon each vendor's qualifications and experience. All material submitted in response to this RFI will become the property of the Conservancy and may be returned only at the option of the Conservancy and at Vendor's expense.

The Conservancy shall have no obligations or liabilities whatsoever by reason of issuance of this RFI or actions by anyone relating thereto.

Driftwood Preserve RFI and Attachments