NCO Community Action Agency And

NCO Community Action Agency and

Willits Unified School District

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

For Development of Brookside Farm

DEADLINE: AUGUST 30, 2013

North Coast Opportunities

Community Action Agency

413 North State Street

Ukiah, California 95482

Phone: 707.467.3238 • Fax: 707.467-3213

E-mail:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

In January of 2006, Willits Unified School District (WUSD) began working with a local Farmer and North Coast Opportunities (NCO) to develop Brookside Farm as an on-site demonstration farm and center for education in sustainable agricultureat Brookside Elementary School. Brookside Farm has been lauded on the local, state, and even national level for its innovative approach to healthy local food production on school district property. Over the years the farm has included a Children’s Garden, a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and farmers market sales, and provided fresh produce for Willits school cafeterias. However, a combination of loss of personnel and loss of grant funding caused the farm to go fallow in January 2012.

The District, per WUSD Wellness Policy Board 5030, recognizes the link between student health and learning and desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for District students. WUSD recognizes that there is a valuable educational benefit to having an on-site farm that provides learning experiences for children while producing fresh fruits and vegetables that can be purchased by schools and incorporated into school meals. The District has determined that licensing the farmto an experienced Farmer to develop and manage Brookside Farm will be mutually beneficial to the school district and to the Farmer, who will have the opportunity to take on a turn-key operation that offers access to the school district as a ready market for farm production.

NCOis workingin partnership with WUSD to manage this RFP process at WUSD’s request.

PURPOSE OF RFP

WUSDis seeking an experienced Farmer to manage, develop, and conduct agricultural operations at Brookside Farm, including growing food for the schools and the community while maintaining access to the farm for educational purposes. The selected applicant will enter into a three-year License Agreement with WUSD, available upon request, with opportunity for renewal upon mutual agreement.

NCO and WUSD reserve the right to reject any or all offers and discontinue this RFP process without obligation or liability. Final acceptance of any proposal will be conditional upon satisfactory negotiation and execution of the license. Acceptance of a proposal will not create any rights on the proposer’s part, including and without limitation, rights of enforcement, equity, or reimbursement.

ELIGIBILITY

This RFP is open to experienced Farmers and/or public or private community groups or businesses.

TIMELINE

Event / Date
1. RFP Release Date / July 15, 2013
2. Proposal Due Date / August 30, 2013
3. Proposal Review and Interview Period / September, 2013
4. Notification and Award Date / September 30, 2013
5. Agricultural Activities Begin / November 1, 2013
6. First Crops Produced / Winter-Spring 2014

CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NCO

WUSD is the owner of the property and will play a significant role purchasing produce for school meals andinterfacing with the Farmer to develop educational opportunities for students. NCO is the owner of the infrastructure and equipment and will provide limited support services as needed. Because Brookside Farm has been developed and farmed, the following items are already in place and will be available to the selected applicant (see photos in Attachment B):

Approximately 1 acre of fully fenced arable land
20’x65’hoophouse, in excellent condition with brand new, never-used plastic
8’x15’ propagation greenhouse with shelving
10’x15’ propagation hoop with shade cloth, misters, tables and plastic pots
6’x18’ locking shed
Rain water catchment system with 12,000 gallon water tower storage, plumbed with backflow
Complete irrigation system with city water hookup. Municipal water provided by WUSD.
6’ Peripheral fencing with fully functional access gates
1 7HP Briggs & Stratton “Magnatron” rototiller
Potato washer
4 wheelbarrows
2 4’x8’ solid wood work tables
10’x18’ open-sided shelter with brand new stainless steel three-compartment vegetable washing station, handwashing sink, white board, and solar drying racks
4’x6’ storage locker with hoses and tubing for irrigation
Solar energy system with 12 35w solar panels @ 12volt dc, with charging battery and AC inverter outlet
Established orchard and vineyard with drip irrigation system
Miscellaneous garden tools and equipment
100+ wire tomato cages, additional fencing, trellises, trash cans, hoses, plastic mesh, etc.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF SELECTED FARMER

The selected Farmer will:

Commit to a 3-year license at a rental rate of $450/year, which includes water. A security deposit of $500 will also be required.
Commit to operating the farm using organic farming practices (certification is not required).
Successfully pass LiveScanfingerprinting and background check.
Have a minimum of 3 years demonstrable experience with market farming.
Have excellent communication skills and be comfortable and skilled in interfacing with children, the school, community partners and the public.
Be able to work closely with school administrators, teaching staff, and students.
Cooperate with the school in the development of educational opportunities for students.
Devote 15% of production space to growing crops specifically for the school district, to be sold to the school food services at the going wholesale market price for like product.
Carry an agricultural comprehensive general liability insurance policy as specified in the license agreement.
Have the physical capacity to carry out farming and marketing operations.
Be responsible for expenses associated with farm operation.
Be capable of meeting the requirements of the license agreement.

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Proposals in response to this RFP will be incorporated into the license agreement between WUSD and the successful applicant. Applications will be scored as noted for each application section below. The submitted proposals must include each of the following sections assembled in the order in which they are listed. Please do not include any attachments or documents other than those listed below.

For all documents, use 1-inch margins.
For narrative, use 12-point font, single-spaced.
For forms or tables, use a minimum of 10-point font.

COMPONENT / INSTRUCTIONS / PAGE LIMIT / 100 points

Narrative

/ Provide brief responsesfor each section. / 3 pages / 80 points

Business Plan

/ Complete all sections of the table. / 1-2 pages / 20 points

Résumé

/ Attach a current résumé. / 1-2 pages / Not scored

SCORING CRITERIA

Recommendations for selection of an applicant will be made by NCO, with the final decision made by WUSD. The following elements will considered in evaluating proposals:

Completion of all required responses in the correct format.
The extent to which the proposal fulfills WUSD’s stated requirements as set out in this RFP.
An assessment of the applicant’s ability to deliver the proposed service in accordance with the specifications set out in this RFP.
The applicant’s experience, skills, and past performance in delivering similar services.
Products produced (priority will be given to plans for production of fruits and vegetables).
Extent to which the proposal proposes a business plan that will generate sufficient income to support the farm and the Farmer.
Extent to which the project demonstrates school involvement and support for the project.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Any questions concerning Brookside Farm or RFP requirements may be directed to:

Name

/ Susan Lightfoot

Phone

/ (707) 467-3238

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Submit one copy of the proposal assembled in the order listed below. Proposals must be received by 4pm on Friday, August 30, 2013. Submit by mail:

Susan Lightfoot

NCO Community Action Agency

413 North State Street

Ukiah, CA 95482

Or by email (with all documents merged into a single PDF document) to:

Brookside Farm

Request for Proposals

Applicant Name

Mailing Address
Phone / Fax / E-mail
Relevant licenses or certifications
Professional Reference (name, phone, and email / 1. / 2.
Personal Reference (name, phone, and email / 1. / 2.

Narrative (3 pages maximum: 80 Possible Points)

Use up to 3 pages to respond to the following questions

1. Experience and Qualifications (20 Possible Points)

Describe your relevant experience and qualifications that have prepared you to develop and operate Brookside Farm and to ensure financial solvency. Providedetails of your qualifications and experience, including experience with market farming, wholesale farming, and organic farming.

2. Operational Plans (40 Possible Points)

Describe your plans for operating Brookside Farm—when and how you will begin, what your priorities will be, production plans (type and quantity of produce), whether you intend to hire employees, and any other details you fill will contribute to our understanding of your capacity to operate the Farm.
Briefly describe your planned agricultural practices, covering composting, fertilization, irrigation, tilling, crop rotation, integrated pest management, etc.
Describe any improvements, semi-permanent structures, or perennial plantings you envision.
Describe how you will incorporate educational programming for students into your farm operations (field trips, classroom presentations, cafeteria demonstrations, etc.)
Describe how you will know you are successful, using quantifiable measures.

3. Marketing and Business Plan (20Possible Points)

Describe your plans for marketing your produceto the school.
Describe the avenues through which you anticipate distributing and selling your produce in the community.

Business Plan(1-2 Pages: 20 Possible Points)

Component

/ Response
Vision and Goals:Describe your long-term vision for the Brookside Farm and at least 3 goals to be achieved by the end of the 3-year contract periods
Operations Plan: List and describe your plans for developing the farm, growing produce, marketing produce, and assessing your success.
Year 1 Action Steps: Provide a list of the steps you will take during the first year to initiate your management of the Farm.
Financial Assumptions: Describe in detail your estimated costs, income, and profit margin.
Expansion Potential: Describe opportunities for expanding and growing the Farm beyond the initial 3-year contract period.