Base-wide Inventory – Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish, Edwards Air Force Base, California | W9126G 21 2 SOI 5043

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 5043

This opportunity is a Department of Defense cooperative agreement request for Statements of Interest (SOIs) tied to a US Air Force-funded project at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in southern California. The project is titled "Base-wide Inventory - Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish, Edwards Air Force Base, California" and is intended to provide professional and technical natural resources support that helps EAFB carry out requirements of the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1), which guides the conservation and management of natural resources on military installations. The government is not asking for a full technical proposal or a budget at this stage; instead, it is using SOIs to identify qualified investigators and teams that can perform the work, with selections for a later request for full proposals based primarily on demonstrated qualifications, skills, and relevant certifications.

The work is set in a very large and ecologically diverse desert installation. Edwards AFB covers roughly 308,180 acres in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert. The base natural resources program emphasizes conserving desert habitat while supporting the military mission, and it manages a broad range of native wildlife across multiple habitat types. The rationale for the project is that periodic, structured wildlife surveys are needed to understand which species are present, how populations are trending, and whether species remain viable over time. The solicitation frames long-term monitoring as a core part of adaptive management, meaning the data are expected to feed back into future decisions so the base can target monitoring and management actions in a focused and cost-effective way.

Funding is expected to start with an initial base period supported at approximately $311,512. The period of performance for that base period is anticipated to be 18 months from the date of award. The structure also includes up to five optional follow-on periods, each also anticipated to be 18 months, allowing the government to extend the effort for longer-term monitoring or related follow-on tasks if funds remain available and the awardee performs well. The notice also indicates that additional funding may be available in later fiscal years for follow-on work, but that those additions are subject to the availability of funds. In the posting metadata, an overall ceiling of $1,869,072 is listed, with an expectation of one award, which aligns with the idea of a multi-period effort that could grow beyond the initial base-period amount if options are exercised.

Applicant eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full notice and attachments). The opportunity is categorized under science and technology and other research and development, carries CFDA 12.005, and is administered through the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, on behalf of the Air Force. Because it is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect closer government involvement than in a standard grant, often including coordination on methods, deliverables, access, and scheduling to meet installation needs and compliance requirements.

For evaluation at the SOI stage, the notice emphasizes personnel experience and the ability to deliver credible field data and professional reporting. Preference is explicitly stated for SOIs that show field technicians with at least five years of experience conducting point count surveys, with the ability to accurately identify riparian birds both visually and by sound, and to estimate distance and direction using common field instruments. In addition, the government highlights the importance of a principal investigator who can synthesize collected field data into a cohesive final product, including clear methods, results, statistical analysis, and practical management recommendations. Even though the project title is focused on reptiles, amphibians, and fish, this stated preference suggests the broader program may include integrated monitoring across taxa and habitats (and that the government values teams that can handle multiple standard wildlife survey approaches and translate findings into management-relevant conclusions).

The administrative timeline in the announcement indicates the SOI posting must remain open for at least 30 days before the government decides whether to request full proposals. For this specific posting, SOIs were due by 5:00 PM Central Time on August 20, 2021 (originally posted July 21, 2021). The announcement directs interested parties to consult attached documents for full project details, and it provides points of contact for questions and submissions: Sandy Justman (Grants Specialist, USACE Fort Worth District) and Margaret M. Wells (Project Manager, USACE Omaha District), with phone numbers and email addresses included in the notice.

• 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 "Base-wide Inventory – Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish, Edwards Air Force Base, California" 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 21, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 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 $1,869,072.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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