B01-RSOI W9126G262SOI9383.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FORT WORTH DISTRICT

P.O. BOX 17300

FORT WORTH, TX 76102-0300

REV 18 Jun 2025

7 May 2026

REQUEST FOR STATEMENT OF INTEREST

W9126G262SOI9383

Applicants must be a member in one of the following Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Regions:

Gulf Coast, Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast, and South Florida-Caribbean

Project Title: Ecological Parameters in the Forested Wetlands of Southern Florida

A cooperative agreement is being offered ONLY to members of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program Region(s) identified above. Award will be made upon mutual agreement and acceptance of the terms and conditions contained in the request for proposal and the recipient’s CESU Joint and Cooperative Agreement (also known as the CESU Master Agreement).

NOTE: The established CESU indirect rate is 17.5%.

Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest will be used to identify potential organizations for this project.

This RSOI seeks merit-based competitive procedures to encourage participation in USACE (DoD) programs by a broad base of the most highly qualified performers and will be evaluated on Technical Merits of the proposed research and development (R&D) and the potential relationship of the proposed R&D to USACE (DoD) missions.

Approximately $575,000, including mandatory tasks and optional task 5 is expected to be available to support this project for the Base Period. Additional funding may be available to the successful recipient for optional tasks and/or follow-on work in subsequent years.

Period of Performance. The base period of the agreement will extend 12 months from date of award. Four 12-month follow-on periods are anticipated subject to availability of funds.

Description of Anticipated Work: See attached Statement of Objectives.

NOTE: At this time we are only requesting that you demonstrate available qualifications and capability for performing similar or same type of work by submitting a Statement of Interest. A full proposal and budget are NOT requested at this time.

Preparation of your Statement of Interest: Provide the following (Maximum length: 3 pages, single-spaced, 12 pt. font):

1. Name, Organization, CAGE Code, Unique Entity ID, CESU Region, and Contact Information (Email)

2. Statement of Technical Ability & Qualifications (including):

a. Biographical sketch of the Principal Investigator (PI), to include holding a PhD in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or other relevant related field of study, AND direct experience in sampling prey fish and submerged aquatic vegetation AND experience conducting sampling across large spatial scales and in remote locations AND have expert knowledge of Everglades’ ecology, and those with a working knowledge of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan will be treated preferentially AND prior experience with summarizing and quantifying trends in fish and SAV community structure, fish abundance, habitat suitability, and relating observed trends to hydrological patterns.

b. Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects.

c. Biographical sketches of personnel available to support this project, meeting qualifications in the SOO, and their areas of expertise relevant to this project’s requirements.

d. Innovative techniques and description of other capabilities to successfully complete the project: (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, subject matter experts, etc.)

3. Summary of the potential relationship of the proposed research and development to the USACE (DoD) missions.

Submission of Your Statement of Interest

• Statements of Interest (SOI) are due by Noon Central Time, on 5 June 2026 via email to the parties listed below.

• Direct questions no later than 13 May 2026 via email to the parties listed below.

Yvonne Howard Grants Specialist USACE, Fort Worth District Email: Yvonne.Howard@usace.army.mil

AND

Nicole (Niki) Baker Project Manager USACE, Fort Worth District Email: Nicole.D.Baker@usace.army.mil

Review of Statements Received:

All statements of interest received from a member of the CESU Region(s) identified above will be evaluated by a board comprised of one or more people at the receiving installation or activity to determine the which statements have the highest rated technical merit, highest capability to successfully meet the program objectives as outlined in the Statement of Objectives, and closest alignment between the proposed research and the USACE mission.

Overall Evaluation Ratings.

Good/Excellent: The SOI demonstrates a thorough understanding of the project’s goals and objectives, and has demonstrated the ability, qualifications, resources to exceed performance and capability standards and includes at least one strength. Strength is an aspect of a proposal that, when judged against the overall evaluation criterion, enhances the merit of the proposal or increases the probability of successful performance of the Assistance Award.

Acceptable: The SOI demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of the project’s goals and objectives, and has demonstrated the ability, qualifications, and resources to meet performance and capability standards. The SOI meets the overall evaluation criterion.

Unacceptable: The SOI does not demonstrate an understanding of the project’s goals and objectives, and has not demonstrated the ability, qualifications, and resources that meet the performance and capability standards. The SOI includes at least one weakness. Weakness is an aspect that increases the risk of unsuccessful performance.

Respondent SOIs receiving the highest ratings, Good/Excellent being the highest, and Acceptable the lowest, will be requested to submit a full proposal for further evaluation.

Timeline for Review of Statements of Interest: RSOIs are required to be posted on www.Grants.gov for 30 days prior to the Government making a decision and requesting full proposals.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD, THE RECIPIENT AND ANY PROPOSED

SUBRECIPIENTS AND CONTRACT VENDORS MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE NIST

SP 800-171 DOD ASSESSEMENT (PERFORMED WITHIN THE LAST 3 YEARS).

Additional details are provided as a separate attachment to this document.

Thank you for your interest in our Cooperative Agreements Program.

CHERYL R. VENDEMIA

Grants Officer

Attachment: Statement of Objectives http://www.grants.gov/

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

Ecological Parameters in the Forested Wetlands of Southern Florida for The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District

08 April 2026

1.0 PURPOSE

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 authorized Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as a framework for modifications and operational changes to the Central and Southern Florida Project needed to restore the south Florida ecosystem. Provisions within WRDA 2000 provided for specific authorization for an adaptive assessment and monitoring program. The CERP Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) was developed as a framework for measuring and understanding system responses to CERP, determining how well CERP is meeting its goals and objectives, and identifying opportunities for improving the performance of CERP, where needed.

REstoration, COordination, VERification (RECOVER) is a multidisciplinary team of agencies, tribes, and institutions responsible for implementing the CERP MAP.

Freshwater marshes and coastal mangrove wetlands of the Everglades support prey fish production that feeds important ecological indicators including wading birds such as roseate spoonbills, white ibis, and wood storks. Prey fish communities and submerged aquatic vegetation respond to changes in hydrology related to salinity and water depth, and water management practices have been implicated in some of these changes. Submerged aquatic vegetation provides both food and habitat for prey fishes and species through the trophic stages ending with top predators such as piscivorous fishes, alligators, crocodiles, and birds. Understanding submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and prey fish responses to water conditions is a key aspect in trophic hypotheses linking the relative value of the wetlands to these higher trophic levels. Submerged aquatic vegetation and prey fish in the transition zone from freshwater marshes to coastal and estuarine wetlands serve as an ecological and hydrologic indicator of ecosystem health. This project will draw upon prior monitoring conducted in the area and continue a long-term study of how CERP affects fishes in southern forested mangrove wetlands of southern Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay.

The purpose of this project is to monitor how the abundance, diversity, and distribution of mangrove forested wetland prey fishes and submerged aquatic vegetation respond spatially and temporally to changes in hydrology as a result of restoration (e.g., increased pooling of freshwater at the ecotone and a wider and seasonally extended oligohaline zone) and to continue a long-term dataset.

Proposed methodology must be statistically comparable to previous work. Annual data collected are to be integrated with previous years for the analyses.

This project will play a critical role in building the knowledge base of fish abundance, community composition, and habitat conditions in southern forested mangrove wetlands of southern Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay transitioning from freshwater marshes to mangrove estuaries as it relates to ecological and hydrological conditions including restoration. Data to be collected includes prey fishes, submerged aquatic vegetation (species composition and coverage), and water conditions such as salinity and water depth. Information gained from this project will be used to quantify the benefits of CERP. The public will benefit from the knowledge gathered by the project because it will provide a source to track restoration progress and CERP benefits.

Understanding fish community composition and habitat use provides information on the status and trends of ecologically valuable prey fish and habitat for wading birds to successfully forage and fledge nestlings, and invasive fish species that may disrupt prey-base species. Improvements in ecosystem health as result of ecological restoration and habitat management provide direct benefit to the public by improving outdoor recreation opportunities, ecotourism, and the economy of South Florida.

The data generated from this monitoring will be leveraged in future RECOVER System Status Reports, published at 5-year intervals from 2024. The RECOVER System Status Report is published online and is publicly available. The RECOVER System Status Report is intended to inform stakeholders of the progress made toward restoring the ecosystem as well as current status of key ecological indicators

2.0 AUTHORITY

2.1 In agreement with the above stated purpose, the recipient/cooperator agrees to provide the necessary personnel, equipment, and materials required to implement, in part, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)- Jacksonville District objectives pursuant to the authority 10 U.S.C. § 4001 Research and Development Projects.

2.2 In accordance with section 6305 – Using cooperative agreements of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreements Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.), all CESU projects must carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation, instead of acquiring goods or services for the exclusive direct benefit of the United States Government. Examples of carrying out a public purpose may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Project results are made available to a wide audience (including nonfederal entities)

• Project results/outputs add to the scientific literature/knowledge base, with applicability and utility beyond the scope of the project footprint/study area

• Academic and other nonfederal partner institutions (and their personnel) gain professional experience, increase knowledge, and develop skills and abilities

• Students benefit from direct interaction with federal scientists, program and technical staff, and field unit managers

2.3 In accordance with section 6305 – Using cooperative agreements of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreements Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.), substantial involvement is expected between the Department of Defense and the Recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated by the cooperative agreement. The DoD agrees to participate at a national level in support of the CESU program as accepted in the Master MOU for the establishment and continuation of the CESU program Article II 1-4 and Article VI 1-7.

2.4 The USACE will participate in study site selections, design, and project plan development. USACE will participate in field data collection efforts as appropriate, will review quarterly status reports, and will provide input to data interpretation for final reports, as well as review quarterly, annual and final reports. USACE will incorporate the data and analysis into a system-wide database that assesses and evaluates ecosystem restoration efforts in central and southern Florida. Scientific and technical information generated from the cooperative agreement will be utilized to evaluate project/restoration performance and system responses to be used in the development of assessment reports describing and interpreting those responses.

3.0 DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this project is to monitor how prey fish communities and habitat (SAV) in the transitional freshwater marshes to mangrove forested wetlands of the Florida Everglades vary through space and time and to link observed variation to environmental factors associated with the implementation of the

CERP.

Specifically, the objectives include:

1) Measure density, abundance, diversity, distribution, and biomass of prey fish and invasive fishes in the coastal forested mangrove wetlands of southern Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay.

2) Measure submerged aquatic vegetation diversity and percent cover along the coastal estuarine salinity gradient of southern Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay.

3) Analyze the relationship between fish community metrics (Objective 1) in forested mangrove wetlands to key hydrologic drivers (e.g., salinity, water depth, and freshwater overland flow) and submerged aquatic vegetation metrics (Objective 2) and invasive fishes.

4) Examine possible correlation between fish community metrics, SAV metrics, and hydrologic drivers.

3.1 PROJECT TASKS

3.1.1 Task 1 – Project Initiation Meeting, Project Plans, and Permits (Mandatory):

The Recipient and USACE will jointly conduct a Project Initiation Meeting (virtually or in person) within fifteen (15) business days of cooperative agreement (CA) award and any subsequent Follow-on Period (FOP) awards. The Recipient and USACE will coordinate the project tasks as outlined. The Recipient will provide an overview of the project, introduce the project team, and define the project chain of command. The USACE will communicate to the Recipient any methodological requirements to be used when executing and reporting tasks as outlined. These methodologies are briefly described in this CA in the activities above. The MAP Assessment Strategy (RECOVER 2006) provides guidance in assessment methodologies.

Within fifteen (15) business days following the Project Initiation Meeting, the Recipient will provide Project Initiation Meeting minutes and an electronic copy of the Draft Project Plan. The Recipient and the RECOVER Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) will collaboratively develop a Final Project Plan within (30) business days. The Final Project Plan will be updated, as necessary, at the beginning of each new FOP.

The Recipient will also begin preparations to execute field sampling following award execution. This includes acquiring and assembling any specialty equipment needed and working with USACE staff to become familiar with sampling protocols and equipment.

3.1.2 Task 2 – Prey Fish Sampling and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring

(Mandatory):

The Recipient will conduct field sampling at a minimum of 9 locations every 8 weeks representing regions where CERP influences are anticipated to occur and reference sites using a 9m2 drop net methodology for prey fish density, abundance, diversity, distribution, and biomass and transects upstream and downstream from the prey fish sampling locations for monitoring SAV and emergent herbaceous vegetation diversity and percent cover in the forested mangrove wetlands in southern Biscayne Bay and northeast Florida Bay. The number of samples collected must be sufficient to make statistically robust inferences at a regional spatial resolution. This task is necessary for the base year and each follow-on period.

3.1.3 Task 3 – Data Analyses (Mandatory):

The Recipient will summarize, analyze, and report measures of fish and submerged aquatic vegetation communities on an annual basis for inclusion in the RECOVER Annual Assessment Report and the RECOVER System Status Reports. Any additional survey data generated from optional tasks must be summarized, analyzed, and reported. This task is necessary for the base year and each follow-on period.

The Recipient will be required to submit four (4) quarterly status reports, one (1) annual report each year, and one (1) final report for all years of the agreement to the project manager. Annual Reports will include, at minimum, the following:

monitoring objectives and hypotheses addressed by monitoring activities, methods, results and statistical analyses of sampling efforts, discussion, conclusions, and lessons learned. As appropriate, the Recipient will include recommendations for further data analysis and/or collection. Data derived from the project will be provided to the USACE RECOVER TPOC with the submission of each annual report and include a file containing appropriate metadata.

3.1.4 Task 4 – Participation in RECOVER Regional Team Support (Mandatory):

The Recipient will participate in up to six (6) 2-hour virtual RECOVER meetings and up to two (2) 6-hour in-person meetings/workshops each year to provide updates on or engage in discussions regarding the sampling.

The Recipient will participate in up to four (4) RECOVER Southern Coastal Systems (SCS) Regional Coordinator (RC) meetings (no more than 1.5 hours each meeting) to discuss topics related to monitoring, findings, and/or analyses as determined by the SCS RCs. Presentations to the RECOVER SCS team may be requested by the USACE RECOVER TPOC or the Recipient. The Recipient will provide the USACE an electronic copy via email of the MS PowerPoint presentation made at the scheduled Regional Team meeting.

The Recipient will be required to provide no more than two (2) site visits (field days) with the SCS Regional Coordinators during the 5-year agreement period.

This task is necessary for the base year and each follow-on period.

3.1.5 Task 5 – Monitoring Plan Evaluation and Data Synthesis (Optional):

RECOVER will update the MAP within the duration of this 5-year Cooperative Agreement. The Recipient will conduct a statistical review and data synthesis to determine that monitoring methodology is robust and align with RECOVER’s need to assess whether the goals and objectives of CERP are being met.

This is an optional task intended when exercised to occur concurrently and in addition to the work described in the mandatory tasks above.

3.1.6 Task 6 – Prey Fish and SAV System Status Report (Optional):

The Recipient will plan up to ten (10) days to work with the RECOVER Southern Coastal Systems (SCS) Regional Coordinator(s) to assist in the development of the System Status Report (SSR) as applicable. Most information provided will be drawn from submitted Annual Reports. The Recipient will contribute to the RECOVER System Status Report with an assessment, including status determination, of prey fish density, abundance, diversity, distribution, and biomass and SAV diversity and percent cover in the forested mangrove wetlands in the context of CERP implementation and other factors that influence prey fish and SAV. The USACE RECOVER TPOC will provide clear and concise recommendations to guide development of the SSR.

This is an optional task to be completed in preparation of the release of the SSR, and when exercised this optional task is intended to occur concurrently and in

3.1.7 Task 7 – Wading Bird Indicator Species Review (Optional):

The Recipient will convene Everglades wading bird Subject Matter Experts to reevaluate indicator species appropriate to determine CERP influences. Indicator species are subject to environmental factors outside of CERP such as sea-level rise and climate conditions. This task will inform refinement of monitoring metrics and spatial monitoring extent to ensure indicator species reporting and assessment aligns with CERP and the changing conditions in the coastal estuaries.

3.1.8 Task 8 – Spatial Expansion of Prey Fish and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring (Optional):

The Recipient will expand the spatial extent or spatial resolution of field sampling in the forested mangrove estuaries of Florida Bay to provide prey fish and SAV analyses and summaries of abundance, community composition, and invasive species. The support of this task would be directed by the USACE in collaboration with the Recipient. The results of any expansion in effort will be appropriately incorporated into the Annual Report.

4.0 CONSIDERATION

Services are not required to be performed on the following Federally observed holidays:

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day Washington’s Birthday Veteran’s Day

Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Juneteenth National Independence Day Christmas Day Independence Day

5.0 QUALIFICATIONS

Biographical sketches are required for each of the personnel supporting this project. The NFE will coordinate with USACE before any key personnel (e.g., the primary Private Investigator) changes or hiring.

Successful applicants should hold a PhD in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or other relevant related field of study and should have direct experience in sampling prey fish and submerged aquatic vegetation. Applicants should have experience conducting sampling across large spatial scales and in remote locations. Applicants should have expert knowledge of Everglades’ ecology, and those with a working knowledge of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan will be treated preferentially. The applicant should have prior experience with summarizing and quantifying trends in fish and SAV community structure, fish abundance, habitat suitability, and relating observed trends to hydrological patterns.

6.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED MATERIALS OR PROPERTY

6.1 Government furnished materials or property is governed by 2 C.F.R. Part 200.312(a) which states: Title to Federally owned property remains vested in the Federal Government. The recipient or subrecipient must submit an inventory listing of Federally owned property in its custody to the Federal agency or pass-through entity on an annual basis. The recipient or subrecipient must request disposition instructions from the Federal agency or pass-through entity upon completion of the Federal award or when the property is no longer needed.

7.0 REQUIREMENTS

7.1 The Recipient is responsible for all scientific and technical reporting to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) repository required by 2 CFR 1134.140(b)(3).

7.2 This project will take place within Department of Interior (DOI) and State of Florida land and waters. The Recipient should be aware and acknowledge the permit requirements associated with all applicable federal and state agencies along with tribal lands, including the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the State of Florida, and federally recognized Tribes. Permits are required to be submitted to the USACE RECOVER TPOC.

8.0 FOLLOW-ON PERIODS

8.1 In addition to the 12-month Base Year, four (4), 12-month Follow-on Periods

(FOP) are anticipated subject to availability of funds.

9.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

9.1 The period of performance will be 12 months from the date of award.

10.0 COORDINATION

Niki Baker Project Manager Regional Planning and Environmental Center Fort Worth District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nicole.D.Baker@usace.army.mil

Stephanie Verhulst, Ph.D.

RECOVER Technical Point of Contact Jacksonville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 701 San Marco Blvd.

Jacksonville, FL 32207 Stephanie.A.Verhulst@usace.army.mil

Javier Cortes Customer Financial Point of Contact Jacksonville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 701 San Marco Blvd.

Jacksonville, FL 32207 Javier.Cortes@usace.army.mil

Michael Collis RECOVER Project Manager Planning and Policy Division Jacksonville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 701 San Marco Blvd.

Jacksonville, FL 32207 Michael.J.Collis@usace.army.mil

11.0 DELIVERABLES

Detailed descriptions of any required deliverables required and formats. Provide delivery schedules. At a minimum these deliverables should include:

11.1 Permits

mailto:Nicole.D.Baker@usace.army.mil mailto:Stephanie.A.Verhulst@usace.army.mil mailto:Javier.Cortes@usace.army.mil

11.1.1 Any and all permits associated with or required to support the Tasks will be submitted to the USACE RECOVER TPOC.

11.2 Four (4) Quarterly Status Reports (QSR) or Progress Reports (PR) will be submitted for every three-month period, or quarter, following the award of the CA and any subsequent Follow-on Periods. These QSRs will summarize progress made on all executed Tasks, provide an update on the budget status of each Task, point out any problems or challenges that may have arisen during the previous three months.

11.2.1 Electronic copy (email attachment in Microsoft [MS] Word format) of the QSR every quarter from award of CA and subsequent Follow-on Periods.

11.3 Annual Reports will be submitted within 30 days from the end of the twelve months after the award of the CA and any subsequent Follow-on Periods. Each Annual Report will summarize activities from all executed Tasks, including all executed Optional Tasks, within each Period.

The Annual Reports will summarize results to date, provide the information needed to develop the System Status Report (SSR), and include an assessment and/or analysis of the data as it relates to CERP hypotheses from the MAP.

Annual Reports will be comprised of an introduction placing monitoring into the context of CERP and Everglades restoration, summaries of all executed Tasks within the existing Base or Follow-on Periods, results of any analyses and assessments conducted, discussion of results, and conclusions presented within the context of CERP and Everglades restoration. In particular, the Annual Reports will integrate information regarding prey fish patterns and relationships to hydrological conditions and habitat suitability.

The Draft Annual Report will be reviewed by the USACE RECOVER Technical POC and the RECOVER Southern Coastal Systems Regional Coordinators within fifteen (15) days upon submission. Comments will be provided for the Recipient to address in the Final Annual Report. A data file (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet or CSV file) of all quality assured raw data will accompany each Annual Report.

11.3.1 Electronic copy (email attachment in MS Word format) of a Draft Annual Report will be submitted no later than 15 days prior to the end of the period of performance each year.

11.3.2 Electronic copy (email attachment in MS Word format) of a Final Annual Report will be submitted by the end of the period of performance of each year.

11.3.3 Electronic copy of all data collected and quality assured submitted as a Microsoft Excel or CSV file.

11.4 Final Project Report shall be submitted no later than one month before end of the project. At a minimum, the report will contain an introduction section and one section for each executed Task. For each Task, the report will summarize work accomplished and cumulative summaries of results and analyses, to date.

Results will be described as relating to CERP hypotheses from the MAP and conclusions presented within the context of CERP and Everglades restoration.

The Final Project report should also describe the information needed to develop the next System Status Report (SSR).

Electronic copy of a draft final report shall be submitted no later than one month before end of the project. USACE TPOC staff will review and provide comments, if any, within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt. Final Project Report, incorporating USACE TPOC review comments on the draft, if any, shall be provided to the USACE TPOC no later than 15 days after the receipt of the USACE TPOC comments.

11.4.1 Electronic copy (email attachment in MS Word format) of Draft Final Project Report will be submitted in May of the final year of the CA.

11.4.2 Electronic copy (email attachment in MS Word format) of Final Project Report will be submitted before the end of the project period of performance.

11.4.3 All data gathered for project Tasks will be submitted with the Final Project Report as a Microsoft Excel or Comma Separated Value (CSV) file.

11.5 Task 5 Deliverable: Monitoring Plan Evaluation and Data Synthesis - Upon the completion of Task 5 (Optional), the Recipient will submit a separate report to summarize methods and results of a statistical review of monitoring methodology and a discussion of its alignment with RECOVER’s need to assess whether the goals and objectives of CERP are being met. The Recipient will also submit all datasets and statistical code developed to conduct analyses used to examine the monitoring methodology. An electronic copy of the report (email attachment in MS Word format) and supporting files used for the statistical review will be submitted at the completion of the Optional Task of the CA.

11.6 Task 6 Deliverable: Recipient Contribution to the System Status Report (SSR) – Upon execution of Task 6 (Optional), results of the work performed under this proposed CA will be used to develop the cumulative annual findings outlined in the System Status Report (SSR). The SSR provides a system-wide assessment of whether the goals and purposes of CERP are being achieved. The Recipient of this proposed CA will work with the Southern Coastal Systems Regional Coordinator(s) in developing the SSR and their participation will be included as a Task (Task 6) in this work breakdown structure.

11.7 Task 7 Deliverable: Wading Bird Species Review – Upon execution of Task 7

(Optional), the Recipient led review of the science to determine appropriate wading bird indicator species in the Southern Coastal Systems will be used to inform MAP monitoring and system-wide assessment of CERP. The Recipient will submit all meeting/workshop summaries, and presentations developed from executing the Task will accompany a report with results and conclusions for wading bird species in the Southern Coastal Systems. An electronic copy of the report (email attachment in MS Word format) and supporting files will be submitted at the completion of the Optional Task of the CA.

11.8 Annual Inventory – Federally owned property - an annual inventory listing

Federal property (to include description of the property and a serial number or other identification number) that is in the custody of the Recipient; Copies to be sent to the USACE Fort Worth PM and USACE customer POC.

11.9 Annual Inventory – Acquired Property purchased with funding from award -property records must be maintained that includes description of the property, serial number or other identification number, source of funding, who holds title, acquisition date, cost of property, percentage of Federal participation in project costs, location, use and condition of property, and ultimate disposition including date of disposal and sale price. A physical inventory must be taken, and results reconciled every two years. Electronic copies of the inventory must be sent annually to the USACE Fort Worth PM and USACE customer POC.

12.0 POST AWARD AND INVOICE PROCESS

12.1 Payment Requests and Progress Reports (Invoice Package):

Submit Payment Request and additional required documents to:

swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil. Carbon Copy the assigned USACE Project Manager as well as your organization’s point of contacts (POCs) for the additional required documents and for delinquent accounts.

12.2 Frequency: Quarterly plus 30-day grace period (except for the final invoice package noted below). If the coverage dates are not quarterly or preapproved by the PM (or the first/last submittal), the invoice package will be rejected.

Quarters: Invoice pkgs due No Later Than:

Q1: Oct-Dec Q1: 31 Jan Q2: Jan-Mar Q2: 30 Apr Q3: Apr-Jun Q3: 30 Jul Q4: Jul-Sep Q4: 31 Oct

12.3 Payment Requests must be submitted on form SF270 Request for Advance or

Reimbursement with the accompanying Standard Form-Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR), otherwise the SF270 will be rejected.

mailto:swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil

12.4 SF270 Request for Advance or Reimbursement

12.4.1 Block 9, Recipient Organization. For successful set up of Electronic Transfer of Funds (EFT), the Recipient’s name and address shall reflect the exact name and physical address that appears in the System for Award Management (SAM), https://sam.gov/.

12.4.2 Blocks 11, (a), (b), & (c) are for the description of funds. Preferred description is:

CLIN/POP Type, POP start and end dates, amount awarded (see example below); at minimum include the CLIN. If the description or the minimum CLIN information is missing, the SF270 and SF-PPR will be rejected.

Example:

CLIN 0001 / Base

22SEP23 – 21SEP24

$100,000.00

Funding must be separated as specified on the Award document. Sub-CLINs that specify “for funding only” (e.g., numbered 000101, 000102, etc.) may be rolled into the primary CLIN (e.g., 0001) unless otherwise instructed. All others required PM approval.

The SF270 may have multiple pages. An SF270 in Excel format may be requested at: swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil, however, must be submitted in pdf format otherwise will be rejected.

12.5 SF-PPR Standard Form-Performance Progress Report: The Recipient shall tailor the SF-PPR to include, at minimum, the following information:

• Separate details by CLIN as applicable

• Achievements (must detail work during quarter associated with the invoice)

• Percent Completion

• Project Status

• Problems encountered and impact of activities and personnel on schedule.

• Anticipated work in next reporting period.

If the SF-PPR is incomplete, the SF-PPR and SF270 will be rejected.

A tailored SF-PPR form may be requested at: swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil

12.6 The Final invoice package is due no later than 90 days from final (funded/exercised) POP end date and must include the following documents: If any of the required information below is missing, the final invoice package will be rejected:

• Final SF270 https://sam.gov/

• SF-PPR

• Final SF425

• DD882

• SF428 plus attachment B (C&S if applicable)

• SF298

• Final Report

Forms may be requested from the district office at swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil or found at https://www.grants.gov/forms.

13.0 This cooperative agreement may be administered through a CESU only upon mutual agreement and official authorization by both parties of the acceptance of the application of the CESU Network Indirect Cost Rate (17.5%).

Any resulting cooperative agreement will be subject to, and Recipient shall comply with 2 CFR 200.313 “Equipment”, 200.314 “Supplies”, and 200.315 “Intangible Property” which includes use of research data.

14.0 REFERENCES

Monitoring and Assessment Plan (Part 2), Assessment Strategy for the Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP), December 2006.

END OF STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

mailto:swf-cesu-invoice@usace.army.mil https://www.grants.gov/forms