California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover Nest Monitoring | W9126G 22 2 SOI 2201

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 22 2 SOI 2201

The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, posted a cooperative agreement opportunity focused on field monitoring and research for two protected coastal bird species on Naval Base Coronado (NBC) in San Diego, California. The project is titled "California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover Nest Monitoring and Raptor Management on Naval Base Coronado" and centers on the federally endangered California Least Tern (Sternula antillarum browni) and the federally threatened Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus). Work would take place across multiple NBC components, including Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB), and the Silver Strand Training Complex South (SSTC-S), and it also includes raptor management actions tied to protecting nesting birds and improving reproductive success.

This posting is not requesting a full technical proposal or budget up front. Instead, it is a Request for Statements of Interest (SOI) intended to identify qualified investigators or organizations with demonstrated experience doing similar nest monitoring, species research, and management activities for sensitive bird populations in operational or high-use coastal environments. Applicants are expected to use the SOI to show relevant qualifications, capabilities, staffing expertise, and past performance. The government indicated that decisions on who will be invited to submit full proposals later would be based on the skills and qualifications presented in the SOI, with the detailed technical objectives referenced as being provided in an attached Statement of Objectives.

Funding is structured with a base period and potential options. For the base year, the agency expected approximately $665,667 to be available to support the work. If the project continues and conditions and needs warrant follow-on effort, additional funding could be provided in later fiscal years, with a total potential ceiling of up to $3,328,335 across the full anticipated effort. The opportunity listed one expected award, meaning the government anticipated selecting a single recipient to carry out the work.

The period of performance for the base effort is 18 months from the date of award. That 18-month window is designed to cover a full year of fieldwork (12 months) followed by 6 months dedicated to data analysis, drafting, and preparation of final reports, along with completion of final invoicing. The notice also describes four anticipated 18-month option periods. Importantly, the schedule is built with overlap: the first option period would begin 12 months after the start of the base period, creating roughly 6 months of overlap so that each cycle can maintain 12 months of continuous data collection while still allowing 6 months for analysis and reporting. This setup is meant to avoid gaps in monitoring while ensuring each year of field data is paired with a structured reporting phase.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted on Grants.gov for the required 30-day window before the government makes a decision on moving forward to request full proposals. The SOI deadline in the notice was 5:00 P.M. Central Time on May 13, 2022, and the posting information identifies it as Funding Opportunity Number W9126G 22 2 SOI 2201. The listed assistance listing (CFDA) number is 12.005, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The agency contacts provided for questions and submissions were Sandy Justman (Grants Specialist, USACE Fort Worth District) and Kathy Mitchell (Project Manager, USACE Fort Worth District), with their email addresses and phone number included in the announcement.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at securing a capable team to carry out sustained, methodical nest monitoring and management for Least Terns and Snowy Plovers on an active naval installation, paired with raptor management to reduce predation pressure and support conservation outcomes. The immediate ask is a qualifications-focused SOI rather than a full proposal, with the expectation that a single awardee could potentially support multi-year monitoring and management under the base period plus up to four option periods if funded and needed.

• The Department of Defense, Fort Worth District in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover Nest Monitoring" 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 Apr 13, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 13, 2022. (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 $3,328,335.00 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).

Apply for W9126G 22 2 SOI 2201

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