Sources Sought
SILVAH software coding
Department of Agriculture · Forest Service
More open Forest Service contracts
AI summaryThe USDA Forest Service (solicitation 12760426Q0195) is running a sources sought (market research) to find small businesses that can repair SILVAH version 8, a forestry decision tool written in C++ code, and help build SILVAH version 9. Responses go by email, due November 11, 2026, 3:00 PM Eastern. This is not a solicitation and no award is promised. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells Forest Service who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
The USDA Forest Service (solicitation 12760426Q0195) is running a sources sought (market research) to find small businesses that can repair SILVAH version 8, a forestry decision tool written in C++ code, and help build SILVAH version 9. Responses go by email, due November 11, 2026, 3:00 PM Eastern. This is not a solicitation and no award is promised.
Who can bid
- Small business status: the SAM.gov set-aside is Small Business Set Aside - Total, and respondents are asked to state whether they qualify as a small business and under what categories (for example 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone).
How to submit: Email to the contracting officer at Brandon.Newland@usda.gov, subject line: RFI-2026-001 Response – [Your Company Name]. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch
From the version posted Oct 22, 2026.
- Worth checking: Specific forestry and C++ experience asked for. The agency wants proof of forestry application experience and skill rewriting existing C++ code, so a firm without both is a weak fit.
- Minor: Market research only, not a solicitation. Responding does not lead to an award and nobody is paid for a response, but it can help the agency decide to set the work aside for small businesses.
- Minor: Questions due November 4, 2026. Questions about the RFI must reach the contracting officer by 3:00 PM EST on November 4, 2026, a week before responses are due.
Read from the notice and 1 attachment. Show which files.
- RFI_Silvah_12760426Q0195.pdf (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Repair the C++ code of SILVAH version 8
- Work with scientific staff to produce a new SILVAH version 9
- Bring some features from SILVAH 7 and 8 into version 9
- Place of performance
- Parsons, WV, USA
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- November 11, 2026, 3:00 PM Eastern
- How to submit
- Email to the contracting officer at Brandon.Newland@usda.gov, subject line: RFI-2026-001 Response – [Your Company Name]
What to include when you submit
- Include company name, address and unique entity ID (UEI)
- Include a point of contact with name, phone and email
- Include a capability statement
- Answer the five requests: forestry and C++ experience, staffing levels with labor categories and certifications, service level agreement (SLA) capabilities with past response and resolution times, similar past or current contract awards, and small business status and categories
- Optional: give feedback on the background and requested information
Not in the notice text
- Contract type, contract length, budget and estimated value are not given.
- No planned solicitation date or evaluation method is given; this is market research only.
- The place of performance is Parsons, WV per SAM.gov; the RFI does not say whether work must be done on site.
Eligibility and how to respond
- If it goes ahead as planned: set aside for small businesses: only a business that counts as small under this notice's NAICS code can bid as the prime contractor. More open small business set-asides under NAICS 541511
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 22, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM
- Product/service code
- DA01 · IT and Telecom – Business Application/Application Development Support Services (labor)
- Business type
- IT, software & telecom (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541511)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice, Set-aside
Full notice text from SAM.gov
Similar open opportunities
- Meteorological and Weather Forecasting SoftwareThe U.S. Air Force is asking industry (a Request for Information, not a purchase yet) about weather radar display and analysis software for Air Force and Army weather forecasters.
- Strategy Execution Software, Installation and TrainingThe Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), under the Navy's Commanding Officer, is doing market research to find businesses that can supply commercial…
- N6852027R1003: Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Depot Maintenance System (NDMS) IT Program/Project Functional Requirements and Software Lifecycle Support (ITPSS) Request for Proposal (RFP)
- Foms Software Development
- Open Source Software: MOOSE: The Multiphysics Simulation Powerhouse