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3 bids for land use master plan
The competitive bid process for a master plan to oversee public land use in the CNMI has received three proposals, according to Department of Public Lands Secretary Pete A. Tenorio.
In a recent email to Saipan Tribune, Tenorio said they have received three proposals ranging in cost from $100,000 to over $700,000.
“…So a decision is quite tough and we are now evaluating the pros and cons,” Tenorio said. “[We are] working with Procurement to arrive at a most fair and responsive decision regarding awarding a contract.”
The CNMI’s existing land use plan is outdated. Issues surrounding public land use are also often one of the most political and contentious issues in the Commonwealth. The updated land use plan is intended to guide DPL in making decisions consistent with other land use management elements, agencies, and stakeholders with a “planning horizon of 10 years,” according DPL’s request for proposal package.
The winning firm will consult and develop a “common vision and roadmap” for public land use in the CNMI. The firm will be tasked with understanding the current statutes, regulations and land use conditions in the CNMI; conduct public outreach and coordinate government agencies; and analyze current economics, population demographics, and socio-economic trends to forecasts future land requirements over a 10-year build out.
The firm must also develop an inventory of public and private lands and their current uses, among several other tasks.
The winning firm’s scope of work includes identifying all public lands on Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and the Northern Islands and its priority of uses, the RFP package states. The firm will also identify and reserve suitable land for homestead programs and must identify and reserve lands that contain resources deemed critical to the Commonwealth like potable springs, groundwater aquifers, current and future sites for government buildings, wetlands, potential school, hospital, and transportation corridor sites, among others.
