Natural Resources Support – Least Tern / Snowy Plover Monitoring, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) | W9126G 24 2 SOI 0886

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 24 2 SOI 0886

This opportunity is a Department of Defense funding notice administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, for a cooperative agreement focused on natural resources support at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California. The project topic is monitoring of Least Tern and Snowy Plover, two coastal bird species that typically require careful management and monitoring where military activities overlap with sensitive habitat. The notice is specifically a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI), meaning the government is not asking for a full technical proposal or a detailed budget at this stage. Instead, they are collecting short statements to identify qualified organizations they may later invite to submit a full proposal.

The core purpose of the work is to support VSFBs environmental program, which is responsible for ensuring that mission activities remain compliant with environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The project is tied to support provided in coordination with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Installation Support Section (ISS). The broader framework is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) network, which is designed to encourage collaboration among federal agencies, universities, and partner institutions. As described in the master agreement language referenced in the notice, CESU projects emphasize interdisciplinary research and technical assistance across biological, physical, and social sciences, and they aim to address resource management issues at multiple scales (local to national) using an ecosystem context and collaborative approaches.

Funding for the base period is expected to be about $415,000. The initial period of performance is planned as 15 months from award, structured to include about 3 months for onboarding and project preparation followed by 12 months of technical support. Beyond that, the government indicates there may be additional funding for optional tasks and/or follow-on work, with up to six additional follow-on periods of 12 months each, contingent on funding availability and continued need. While the listing includes an award ceiling of $3,181,500, the more practical near-term figure for applicants is the stated base-period estimate, with the ceiling suggesting the potential total value if follow-on periods and options are exercised over time.

Eligibility is limited in an important way: this opportunity is only available through CESU units under the Californian and Desert Southwest regions. In addition, the notice specifies "SIKES AUTHORITY ONLY," referencing the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1). Under the Sikes Act, priority for projects implementing and enforcing Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans is given to federal and state agencies with responsibility for conservation or management of fish or wildlife, which signals the type of institutional partners and credentials the government expects to see. The funding opportunity is categorized under "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" (CFDA 12.005) and uses a cooperative agreement instrument, which typically implies a more collaborative federal role during performance than a standard grant.

Administratively, the RSOI must be posted on Grants.gov for 30 days before the government makes a decision about which organizations to invite for full proposals. The original closing date listed is 2024-01-06. Questions and submissions are directed to the USACE Fort Worth District contacts: Maria Lopez (Grants Specialist) at Maria.E.Lopez@usace.army.mil, 817-886-1881, and David Leptien (Project Manager) at David.B.Leptien@usace.army.mil, 402-889-5570. The opportunity number is W9126G 24 2 SOI 0886, and the title is "Natural Resources Support - Least Tern / Snowy Plover Monitoring, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)."

• The Department of Defense in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Natural Resources Support – Least Tern / Snowy Plover Monitoring, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.005.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,181,500.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W9126G 24 2 SOI 0886

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