A.02.JA_FINAL YBW Mitigation_Justification_Redacted.pdf

This document is a Justification and Approval (J&A) for a sole-source contract with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. for mitigation credits related to the Yazoo Backwater Project (YBW) in Mississippi. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District seeks to procure 27,706 Average Annual Functional Units (AAFUs) of mitigation credits, totaling $98,231,660, to compensate for unavoidable environmental impacts to wetlands, streams, and wildlife habitat. The procurement is non-competitive because Ducks Unlimited is the only mitigation bank in the Yazoo Study Area (YSA) capable of meeting the Clean Water Act requirements and providing the necessary credits within the defined geographic area.

The project aims to reduce flood risk in the Yazoo Basin, with the Record of Decision signed in January 2025 outlining flood risk reduction measures and water quality efforts. Failure to award this contract would cause significant delays in project execution, potentially jeopardizing flood protection for 317,000 acres, delaying construction of a pump station, and putting 231,000 acres of cropland and 750 homes at risk of flood damage. The mitigation credits will help the project comply with environmental regulations, including Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, by purchasing credits from the only available mitigation bank in the region.