Natural Resource Support, BMGR & Luke AFB | W9126G 21 2 SOI 4915

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 4915

The Natural Resource Support, BMGR and Luke AFB opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W9126G-21-2-SOI-4915) is a Department of Defense effort, administered through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Fort Worth District/Omaha District roles are referenced), to line up qualified partners to support U.S. Air Force natural resources compliance and planning work in Arizona. The work is tied directly to implementation of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and the requirements of the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1), which is the main statute guiding how military installations plan for and manage natural resources while still supporting mission needs. The government is not asking for a full proposal yet; it is first requesting short Statements of Interest (SOIs) so it can identify the best-qualified investigators/teams and then invite selected parties to submit a complete technical proposal and budget later.

Eligibility is narrow and is the first major screen. Interested parties must be non-federal partners in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) National Network, specifically affiliated with the Desert Southwest CESU or the Colorado Plateau CESU. This is expected to be awarded as a cooperative agreement under the CESU program, and the announcement notes that use of the CESU Network indirect cost rate (IDC) of 17.5 percent would require mutual agreement and official authorization. In practical terms, the announcement is aimed at universities and other eligible non-federal research or technical organizations already participating in those CESU units, and it is designed to move quickly from a qualifications review into an invitation-only proposal stage.

Funding for the base year is expected to be about $144,239, with the possibility of additional follow-on funding in later fiscal years if funds are available and performance supports continuation. The overall period of performance described is 18 months from award, structured as roughly 12 months for field and technical work followed by about 6 months focused on administration and report completion (with no new field work during that final reporting window). The government also signals potential longevity through four additional 18-month option periods, again dependent on funding availability. Only one award is anticipated.

The project itself is framed as professional and technical natural resource support across the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) and Luke Air Force Base (Luke AFB), with deliverables routed to multiple government points of contact, including a USACE Omaha Project Manager, AFCEC Installation Support Section contacts, and the installation/range natural resource staff. The background section emphasizes that BMGR and Luke environmental programs must keep mission activities compliant with environmental laws and policies, and that CESU partnerships are used to bring interdisciplinary expertise (biological, physical, and social sciences) to real-world land management issues at multiple scales, with strong collaboration between agencies and universities.

The anticipated scope is divided into four major tasks. Task 1 is development of an Avian Protection Plan (APP) for BMGR East and the Gila Bend Auxiliary Field, including an avian risk assessment. This work is expected to follow the most current guidance from APLIC (Avian Power Line Interaction Committee) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The task includes reviewing existing literature and studies, compiling and organizing relevant GIS layers with the range geographer (such as topography, hydrology, land use, avian use patterns, power line locations, and vegetation), conducting field investigations as needed, producing avian risk maps focused on electrocution risk on the BMGR system, and delivering draft and final APP documents in a format approved early in the project with government managers. The plan is also expected to include specialized training for Air Force power line maintenance personnel and to provide technical support related to selecting and purchasing bird protection hardware for power poles.

Task 2 focuses on migratory birds through Sonoran Desert breeding bird surveys on BMGR East. The announcement is explicit that the partner must be able to administer both the technical fieldwork and the associated administrative requirements, and must have substantial experience with Sonoran Desert birds in the southwestern United States. The field reality of a live training range is built into the requirement: access restrictions and mission activities may push fieldwork into weekends and holidays, and surveys must still be completed during biologically appropriate seasons (with some flexibility if required by wildlife agencies and approved by natural resource management staff). The selected team would review and build from earlier survey efforts (2012-2014), determine how many plots can be covered per breeding season under available funding, and then conduct plot-based area surveys following the protocol described in Corman et al. (2018). The approach described includes rapid surveys (two visits) during February through May, beginning 30 minutes before sunrise and running roughly 3.5 to 4.5 hours to cover plots thoroughly; classifying detections by habitat zones (desert versus wash) and by status (breeding versus incidental/migrant); and potentially conducting more intensive multi-visit surveys on a subset of plots. Data management expectations include updating the Arizona Game and Fish Department Coordinated Bird Monitoring database and providing results to the Heritage Data Management System, culminating in a technical report summarizing multi-year survey results.

Task 3 is a habitat-focused GIS and field effort to finalize vegetation community mapping for BMGR East. The goal is to complete a comprehensive vegetation map and GIS database by revisiting and revalidating areas where prior mapping is missing, incomplete, or needs confirmation. The work includes targeted field data collection, synthesis of new and prior vegetation association datasets (including earlier University of Arizona efforts and adjacent lands data), and delivery of seamless GIS shapefiles that depict the completed set of vegetation associations and associated attributes. A key deliverable is also a detailed written synthesis that documents field methods, field data, GIS techniques, and an overall summary of efforts covered under the statement of objectives.

Task 4 addresses invasive plant species management on Luke AFB lands (the main installation and Fort Tuthill Recreation Area) and on Arizona state lands used under Luke’s special land use permit (Auxiliary Field 1). The task is motivated by both ecological and operational concerns: invasive plants can degrade habitat, alter soil and resource availability, and most urgently in desert systems, change fire regimes in ways native vegetation is not adapted to handle. The announcement highlights fire risk and infrastructure impacts (such as invasive plants blocking culverts and drainage pathways), and notes that installations are particularly vulnerable due to heavy vehicle traffic, disturbed ground from operations, and continual introduction pathways. Target species named include globe chamomile/stink net (Oncosiphon piluliferum), fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus), Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii), and salt cedar (Tamarix spp.). Luke AFB is especially concerned about preventing further spread of stink net toward BMGR-East. The partner is expected to provide qualified biology staff experienced with southwestern habitats, rare plants, and noxious/invasive species identification, and must be able to meet installation access requirements (including obtaining clearance and occasionally working under escort). Reporting of management actions and results is required to the designated USACE and Air Force natural resource points of contact.

On the application side, this is a two-step process and the current step is strictly a qualifications submission. The SOI must be no more than two pages, single-spaced, in 12-point font, and submitted by email attachment. Required contents include basic organizational identifiers and contacts (name, organization, CAGE code, DUNS number, and email contacts), plus a concise qualifications package: a biographical sketch, brief descriptions of relevant past projects and clients, identification of staff/faculty/students available and their expertise, and any additional capabilities that support successful performance (for example, field equipment, lab capacity, greenhouse or field facilities, and GIS capabilities). The announcement repeatedly notes that a full technical proposal and budget are not requested at this stage.

Selection is described as a board review by one or more representatives at the receiving installation/activity, focusing on how well the submitted qualifications match the program objectives and the specific technical needs of the tasks. The most competitive SOIs will lead to an invitation to submit a full proposal. The SOI deadline in the notice is 5:00 PM Central Time on August 9, 2021, and the posting was expected to remain open for 30 days before the government decides who to invite for full proposals. Points of contact for submissions and questions are Alisa Marshall (Agreement/Contract Specialist, USACE Fort Worth District) and Kali Evans (Project Manager, USACE Omaha District), with emails provided in the announcement.

• The Department of Defense, Fort Worth District in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Natural Resource Support, BMGR & Luke AFB" 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 Jul 09, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 09, 2021. (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 $144,239.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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