1.  My birthday is January 10.  

2.  I am generally in favor of this, but I agree with the comments in the document about inherent bias and would favor option 1.  However, I'd like to have an idea of the cost.  I'm having trouble understanding the motion presented - it starts by talking about taking bids, but then states the firm chosen will present their findings in December 2017.  If all we're doing is taking bids, and more action will be needed to actually hire a firm, how will the firm be chosen?  Will the committee choose them and forward their choice to the LNC for an up/down vote, or simply present the LNC with all the options?  In any case, I feel like I'm in the dark because I don't have a sense of the neighborhood we'd expect for those bids.

3.  I don't know what firms you have contacted, but here is a list of the usual candidates for such an endeavor: 

There are, of course, others.  

4.  Thank you for thinking of this and putting together a package.