USDA FOREST SERVICE P.O. BOX 96090 WASHINGTON, DC 20090-6090

R -- TIMBER INDICES SOL WO-96-11 DUE 121096 POC H. Laurie Lewandowski The Forest Service seeks proposals for a contractor to provide lumber price indices beginning in May 1997. The Forest Service uses the stumpage rate adjustment procedure to adjust timber sale contract tentative rates (bid rates) on most timber sales held in the western states, except for Alaska. The Forest Service currently contracts with the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) to obtain the indices used for this process. The contract with WWPA ends March 31, 1997. This contract is a follow on to the contract with WWPA. The contract purpose is to provide indices, based on index logs, that are representative of the lumber market for 10 species groups of lumber. Deliverables to be provided under this contract include two monthly Coast (Douglas Fir and Hemlock Fir) and seven Inland (Coast-Inland North Ponderosa Pine, Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, White Fir (Hem - Fir), Douglas Fir - Larch, White Woods, and Inland Red Cedar) lumber price indices used for escalating contract rates during the life of the monthly indices and initial historical data to enable the Government to change from the current contract index to the new contract index. Payment will be on a monthly basis upon receipt of the deliverables. Contract award estimated in early January. RFP will be available October 25, 1996. Closing date for receipt of proposals is December 10, 1996. (0282)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0058 19961009\R-0007.SOL)