FOA W911KB-25-2-0010 TSA-AK- SRP Studies.pdf

1.0 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA)

Funding Agency:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District PO Box 6898

JBER AK 99506

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity No: W911KB-25-2-0010 CFDA No: 12.005

Program Title: SUSTAINABLE RANGE STUDY

RICHARDSON TRAINING AREA, FORT

WAINWRIGHT AND DONNELLY TRAINING

AREA, ALASKA (SOW 25-101)

Issue Date: 10 July 2025 Application Due Date: 08 September 2025

Overview:

This project is intended to provide Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) implementation support to Range and Training Land Assessment (RTLA) support the 11th Airborne Division (11th ABN DIV) Training Support Activity - Alaska (TSA-AK) Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) Sustainable Range Program (SRP) at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson (JBER) Richardson Training Area, Fort Wainwright and Donnelly Training Area, Alaska. Tasks include performing RTLA assessments to evaluate the capability of training lands to meet multiple use demands on a sustainable basis, performing missionscape readiness evaluations and monitoring, and military exercise monitoring for the ITAM program. The objectives of the program are to provide optimal management of training lands, to minimize restrictions to the military mission due to natural resource related constraints, sustain the land to provide for optimal military training while protecting natural resources, soil, water, vegetation, and wildlife in a healthy and diverse state.

This project implements both the USAG Alaska and JBER INRMPs with the objective of providing healthy and resilient environments that are sustainable settings for military training while protecting and enhancing biological diversity and ecological health on all USAG Alaska lands, and to ensure compliance with all environmental laws and regulations. Some of the benefits to the natural resources include sustainable use, wetland protection, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement on public lands, prevent damage and rehabilitate soils, educate land users and provide sustainable hunting and fishing opportunities for the public.

This cooperative agreement will be awarded pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 670 (Sikes Act).

The Recipient for this cooperative agreement must be a qualified State, local government, Indian tribe, non-governmental organization, or individual pursuant to the authority of 16 U.S.C.

670c-1(a).

Estimated Total Funding: $5,663,110.00 Estimated Number of Awards: 1 (one)

Contents of Full Text Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description V. Application Review Information

II. Award Information VI. Award Administration Information

III. Eligibility Information VII. Agency Contacts

IV. Application Information VIII. Other Information

Contact Information: Questions relating to Grants.gov including the registration process and system requirements should be directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726.

Applicant Questions and Comments: For assistance with the requirements of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, please contact the Grants Specialist, pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil, no later than 10 calendar days prior to the Application Due Date.

Instructions to Applicants:

The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov.

Applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement shall be submitted by the application due date. Applications may be submitted electronically via email or through Grants.gov.

Applicants shall have a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number, registration with the System of Award Management (SAM), and registration with Grants.gov, if submitting application through Grants.gov.

See Section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete application submission information.

mailto:pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil

SUSTAINABLE RANGE STUDY

RICHARDSON TRAINING AREA, FORT WAINWRIGHT,

AND DONNELLY TRAINING AREA, ALASKA

(SOW 25-101)

26 June 2025

Project Ceiling $1,093,729.00

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to provide details of work to be performed by a

Recipient in support of the 11th Airborne Division (11th ABN DIV) Training Support Activity -

Alaska (TSA-AK) Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) Sustainable Range Program through a Cooperative Agreement (CA) created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to meet goals and objectives of both the United States Army Garrison (USAG) Integrated

Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER)

INRMP.

Tasks provided for execution under this CA, by USACE, do not include any functions to be performed that are inherently governmental. This determination is made with the assessment that places emphasis on the degree to which conditions and facts restrict the discretionary authority, decision-making responsibility, or accountability of Government officials using

Recipient services or work products.

The described study is supported through Sikes Act criteria and the following documents: Public

Law (PL) 101-511, Sec 8120, delegation to Army by memorandum dated 21 April 1994; Title 32

– National Defense, Chapter 1 – Office of the Secretary of Defense, Part 21 – Department of

Defense (DoD) Grants and Agreements (32CFR21.100-315); Title 32 – National Defense, Chapter 1 – Office of the Secretary of Defense, Part 22 – DoD Grants and Agreements – Award and Administrations (32CFR22.100-825); the Sikes Act (16 USC 670 a through f), National

Environmental Policy Act (42 USC 4321, 4331 through 4335, and 4341 through 4347), PL 74-

46, 16 USC 590a., Army Regulation (AR) 200-1, AR 37-27, AR 350-4, and 40 CFR Subpart

265.

2.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this project is to assist JBER Richardson Training Area (RTA), Fort

Wainwright (FWA), and Donnelly Training Area (DTA) with the optimal management of training lands in accordance with the USAG Alaska and JBER INRMPs. These documents detail internal integration between the conservation programs and ITAM outlining coordination supporting the additional objectives to minimize restrictions to the military mission due to natural and cultural resource related constraints, to protect and enhance biological diversity and ecological health on all Army lands in Alaska, and to ensure compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

Under the philosophy of ecosystem management, the focus of these INRMPs is to maintain or restore native ecosystem types across their natural range, including the suite of plants and animals that inhabit them in a healthy, functioning state. This landscape-level, ecological approach will blend the needs of the military mission with the health of the environment to ensure that ecosystems provide a landscape to support realistic military training and are diverse, productive, and economically sustainable.

Natural Resources Mission Statement: Support the military mission and enhance readiness by sustaining natural environments for training, minimizing conflicts between mission requirements and land and the natural resources it supports. Serve as stewards of the land by maintaining natural landscape features and ecosystem integrity at a broad landscape scale with the primary objective of the natural resources program to sustain, restore, and modernize natural infrastructure to ensure operational capability and no net loss in the capability of the land to support the military mission of the installation.

Several of the thirteen criteria points required by the Sikes Act apply to Sustainable Range and

ITAM programs as detailed in the INRMPs.

• No net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation.

• Integration of and consistency among the various activities conducted under the plan.

• Fish and wildlife management in accord with Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, land management, forest management, and fish and wildlife-oriented recreation.

• Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or modification.

• Wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration, where necessary for support of fish and wildlife.

Applicable USAG Alaska INRMP Goals and Objectives

Goal 1. No net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation. Objective 1a. Maintain quality training lands through damage minimization, mitigation, and restoration. Objective 1b. Enable the mission through characterization, monitoring, compliance, and continuing oversight of natural resources. Objective 1c. Implement projects that help preserve, maintain, repair, and improve natural resources for sustaining mission requirements.

Goal 3. Integration of, and consistency among, the various activities conducted under the plan.

Objective 3b. Ensure that natural resources management is integrated with USARAK Mission plans (i.e. Range Complex Master Plan), organizations, and activities. Objective 3d. Provide

USAG Alaska and mission commanders with information needed to make decisions, which include natural resources-related values.

Goal 4. Provide for fish and wildlife management, land management, forest management, and fish and wildlife-oriented recreation. Objective 4a. Protect, conserve, and restore native fauna and flora with an emphasis on biodiversity enhancement. Objective 4c. Manage forest resources to support ecosystem values, mission-scape, and forest products as appropriate. Objective 4e.

Implement migratory bird protection and conservation in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Objective 4h. Develop, update, and manage spatial and tabular data containing natural resource planning level surveys, species, habitat, populations, etc.

Goal 5. Provide for fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or modification. Objective 5a. Enhance wildlife habitat away from mission activities when possible. 5b. Identify, prioritize, monitor, and control for invasive species. 5c. Rehabilitate altered or degraded landscapes and associated habitats. 5d. Maintain or restore remaining native ecosystem types across their natural range of variation.

Goal 6. Wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration where necessary for support of fish and wildlife. Objective 6a. Protect, restore, maintain, or enhance wetlands and unique areas.

Objective 6b. Ensure no net loss of size, function, and value of wetlands, and preserve the natural and beneficial values of wetlands in carrying out activities in accordance with E.O. 11990.

Objective 6c. Use a watershed-based approach to manage operations, activities, and lands to avoid or minimize impacts to wetlands, ground water, and surface waters on or adjacent to

USAG Alaska.

Goal 11. Provide a benefit to the species in the plan. Objective 11d. Maintain ecological processes, such as disturbance regimes, hydrological processes, and nutrient cycles, to the extent practicable.

USAG Alaska INRMP Chapter 4.15 is the ITAM chapter. ITAM maintains the live maneuver training environment and sustains the Army’s live training capability by repairing maneuver damage and creating a resilient and resistant training land base. ITAM fundamentally supports installation compliance with the Sikes Act and is a critical component of installation natural resource management. USAG Alaska’s ITAM planning process generates land management projects from Senior Commander’s requirements by integrating mission analysis and maneuver training tasks with terrain capability assessments, land condition requirements, and sustainable range awareness.

Applicable JBER INRMP Goals and Objectives

Goal 1. Minimize conflicts between military mission, wildlife, natural resources and land use.

Objective 1.1 Achieving no-net loss of military training through coordination and management of federally protected species (e.g., Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act) or their habitats, and state protected species and sensitive resources when practicable. Objective 1.2 Provide habitat or management modification recommendations annually, if needed, to airfields and surrounding airfield environment, and appropriate drop zones. Objective 1.4 Utilize the principles of adaptive management; work with Range Control to integrate land management efforts and monitor results of management and military activities. Ensure the Integrated Natural Resources Management

Plan and ITAM management plans are complementary.

Goal 2 Manage natural resources under the guidelines and principles of adaptive ecosystem management which aim to maintain functional ecosystems and natural diversity including sustainable populations, native species, and ecological communities. Objective 2.1 Inventory and monitor JBER’s natural resources, including soil, water, wetlands, flora, and fauna, to provide baseline information on ecosystem integrity and health, status of renewable resources, and status of threatened or sensitive species or communities. Objective 2.3 Maintain or improve native vegetation patterns, ecological successional stages, and ecosystem integrity and function.

Objective 2.5 Identify and map essential/critical habitats for species at risk and species of special concern that are most likely to become candidate species. Objective 2.6 Identify risks to biodiversity and ecosystem health from habitat fragmentation and reduced connectivity.

Objective 2.7 Establish/sustain functional partnerships with land management agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and the public to fulfill natural resource objectives.

Goal 3 Manage human use of resources for long-term sustainability by offering products and services at levels compatible with the military mission and ecosystem diversity, health, and productivity, placing equal emphasis on consumptive and non-consumptive use and conservation and preservation of natural resources consistent with Sikes Act requirements. Objective 3.1

Evaluate JBER forest, wildlife, and fisheries resources and develop recommendations for sustained yield.

ITAM Objectives supporting both INRMP’s goals and objectives: (a) To collect Range and

Training Land Assessment (RTLA) data necessary for the sound management of military lands.

The land must be maintained in a condition to provide for optimal military training experiences and to protect cultural resource sites and maintain soil, water, vegetation, and wildlife resources in a healthy and diverse state. (b) To assemble, edit, summarize, analyze, interpret, and apply

RTLA data to the management of Alaska Army range and training lands using the Training

Requirements Integration (TRI) model of analysis. This is accomplished most efficiently with state-of-the-art computer analyses, using geospatial and technical expertise. (c) To contribute to sound and balanced decision-making and planning regarding land use and resource management on public lands and military installations by the provision of the best research, data, and analytical tools available.

3.0 MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

The Recipient shall provide Sustainable Range Program (SRP) Support. SRP support will include five tasks (Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 below) distributed across Alaska Army range and training lands. The USAG Alaska and JBER INRMPs both discuss the importance of the Range and Training Land Assessment (RTLA) and the Training Requirements Integration

(TRI) components as core elements of the Sustainable Range and ITAM programs. Additionally, the various sections of the INRMP requirements depict the cohesive integration between the

ITAM programs and the Natural Resources programs working together towards common goals across the natural resource and training landscapes (Table 1). The ITAM program as a whole is managed under these INRMPs and updated annually.

Table 1. Major requirements (tasks) and related INRMP sections.

Task JBER INRMP Section (RTA) USAG Alaska INRMP

Section (FWA and DTA)

1. RTLA Monitoring Plan Section 2.4.2, Section 7.17 Section 4.1, Section 4.15

2. Conduct RTLA

Assessments

Section 2.4.2, Section 7.8 Section 4.1, Section 4.4, Section 4.10

3. Report RTLA

Assessment Results

Section 2.4.2, Section 7.8 Section 4.1, Section 4.4, Section 4.10

4. Military Maneuver

Exercise Monitoring and

Reporting

Section 2.4.2, Section 7.6, Section 7.8, Section 7.9

Section 4.1, Section 4.4, Section 4.6, Section 4.10, Section 4.15

5. Training Requirements

Integration Support

Section 2.4.2, Section 7.6, Section 7.8, Section 7.9, Section

7.17

Section 4.1, Section 4.4, Section 4.6, Section 4.10, Section 6.2.

3.1 TASK 1. Land Condition: Range and Training Land Assessment (RTLA) Monitoring

Plan

The Sikes Act requires no net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation. SRP and ITAM are key programs used to meet this goal. The

Recipient shall provide RTLA assessments as a baseline for evaluating this metric and are conducted on all Army training lands in Alaska. The Recipient shall provide field sampling data to be used to evaluate the capability of training lands to meet multiple use demands on a sustainable basis. The Recipient shall utilize relational databases and spatial data for land use planning decision processes including location and timing of military training events, natural resources management, and prioritizing land rehabilitation and restoration efforts. The Recipient shall meet the RTLA objectives are listed below:

• Determine land condition in response to training activities.

• Determine training land capability to support multiple use training.

• Identify and recommend land rehabilitation and maintenance priorities.

• Recommend protocols, procedures and methodologies for gathering information and assessing land condition trends.

• Provide information that may affect force structure and stationing decisions at MACOM and DA levels.

3.1(a) Description

The Recipient shall provide the RTLA Monitoring Plan which outlines the who, what, where, why and how of the following fiscal year's monitoring plans. The plan will present monitoring methods, monitoring locations, maps, and rationale behind the monitoring efforts.

Monitoring of Ranges and Training Lands by the Recipient is accomplished using targeted assessments to determine Land Condition. Land Condition is broken down into two interrelated parts: Training Land Sustainability and Missionscape Readiness.

3.1(b) RTLA Monitoring Plan Components

3.1(b)(1) Training Land Sustainability Monitoring Objectives

TSA-AK RTLA conducts training land sustainability assessments to monitor impacts of training on landscape and quantify natural resource status. Land Condition, in this sense, is a measure of vegetation and soil resource availability and the health of biological systems that support continued realistic training.

Monitoring of this nature has occurred on Alaska Army training lands since 1994 and has evolved to meet training needs and to fit landscape conditions in Alaska. The current model is a random sampling scheme stratified by training use that encompasses numerous assessments tailored to specific information needs. At the core of these needs are measures of vegetation disturbance, ground cover, and erosion. The Recipient shall conduct monitoring objectives developed under the RTLA methodology to include the following:

Monitoring Objective 1): Estimate percent of exposed mineral and organic soils to within

10% of the actual value with 90% confidence.

Monitoring objective 2): Estimate percent cover of damaged vegetative ground cover to within 10% of the actual value with 90% confidence.

Monitoring objective 3): Estimate percent vegetative cover by species to within 10% of the actual value with 90% confidence.

3.1(b)(2) Missionscape Readiness Monitoring Objectives

The Recipient shall provide Missionscape readiness by maintaining training area assets in a state that promotes realistic training that is sustainable and available to soldiers in terms of physical structures on the landscape. The Sikes Act requires establishment of specific natural resource management goals and objectives with timeframes for proposed action. These assessments are needed to make sound management decisions pursuant to this requirement. The Recipient shall provide Missionscape readiness which includes conducting assessments at a landscape and site-specific scale to look at physical obstructions/vegetation density, tactical concealment, safety hazard potential and accessibility with respect to standards defined in Training Circular (TC) 25-

1 (Attachment 1) Appendix A, Table A-1, Acceptable Landscape Conditions. The Recipient shall conduct monitoring objectives developed under the RTLA methodology to include the following:

Monitoring Objective 1): Estimate basal area/trees per acre at a 90% confidence interval with

90% accuracy for forested areas

Monitoring Objective 2): Estimate tactical concealment, both vertical and horizontal, at a

90% confidence interval with 90% accuracy

Monitoring Objective 3): Estimate hazards to soldiers and/or equipment which may include ruts, hazard trees, large rocks/boulders etc. at a 90% confidence interval and 90% accuracy

Monitoring Objective 4): Survey maneuver trails (vehicular and foot) for frequency of ruts over 6 inches deep, ponding water, erosion, and damaged/non-functional drainage features to include culverts, water bars and ditches.

3.1(c) Requirements

The Recipient shall develop a monitoring plan that achieves monitoring objectives in sections

3.1(b)(1) and 3.1(b)(2). The Recipient shall provide assessments using quantitative collection methods should be statistically defensible and may use pilot data to verify rigor and/or literature reviews. Qualitative assessment methods shall be clearly documented by the Recipient. The

Recipient shall collaborate with ITAM and 11th ABN DIV G3 staff to develop Land Condition data collection methods.

3.1(d) Deliverables

• The Recipient shall submit monitoring plan for approval to the ITAM coordinator.

• The Recipient shall submit data collection timeline, and survey area maps.

3.2 TASK 2. Conduct Range and Training Land Sustainability Assessments

3.2(a) Training Land Sustainability

3.2(a)(1) Description

TSA-AK RTLA conducts training land sustainability assessments to monitor impacts of training on landscape, quantify natural resource status and assess land condition as a measure of vegetation and soil resource availability and the health of biological systems that support continued realistic training.

3.2(a)(2) Requirements

The Recipient will provide support to conduct data collection and Quality Assurance

(QA)/Quality Control (QC) in accordance with the approved RTLA Monitoring Plan. Sampling goals across the various Alaska Army training lands are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. RTLA Assessment acreage goal requirement for Alaska Army training lands.

Acres to Survey

Training Lands Road or Trail Accessible

Training Lands

Remote Access

Training Lands

Richardson Training Area (RTA) 1,500 0

Tanana Flats Training Area (TFTA) 10 90

Yukon Training Area (YTA) 940 10

Local Training Areas (FWA Main Post) 450 0

Donnelly Training Area East 1,500 0

Donnelly Training Area West 0 100

All geospatial field data collection and spatial data development must be compliant with the current version of the Spatial Data Systems for Facilities, Infrastructure and Environment

(SDSFIE) and must be accompanied by metadata conforming to the Federal Geographic Data

Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM). Geospatial data obtained from federal sources such as the USGS are not required to be converted to the

SDSFIE.

3.2(a)(3) Deliverables

The Recipient shall submit to the ITAM Coordinator at the end of the Period of Performance:

• Submit periodic (weekly during summer, monthly during winter) reports (e-mail or verbal) to ITAM Coordinator on land condition as input to the Land Rehabilitation and

Maintenance (LRAM) and the sustainable range requirements integration and planning decision process.

• Submit geospatial data.

• Submit error checked RTLA data.

• Submit analyzed RTLA data.

3.2(b) Missionscape Readiness Monitoring

3.2(b)(1) Description

Missionscape readiness monitoring is conducted to assess the ability of training lands to provide realistic training opportunities in terms of physical structure on the landscape. Variables monitored include vegetation diversity and structure, micro and macro-topography, impediments to training such as adverse terrain, low strength soils, and barriers to maneuver and soldier safety hazards. Monitoring of this nature has occurred on Alaska Army training lands and ranges since the mid 2000’s.

3.2(b)(2) Requirements

The Recipient will provide support to conduct data collection and QA/QC in accordance with the approved RTLA Monitoring Plan. Sampling goals across the various Alaska Army training lands are listed in Table 3.

Table 3. Missionscape Readiness Monitoring Acreage Goals and requirements for Alaska Army training lands.

Acres to Survey Miles to Survey

Training Lands

Road or Trail

Accessible

Training

Lands

Remote Access

Training

Lands

Road Accessible

Maneuver Trails

Richardson Training Area (RTA) 1,500 0 10

Tanana Flats Training Area

(TFTA)

10 90 3

Yukon Training Area (YTA) 940 10 10

Local Training Areas (FWA Main

Post) 450 0 10

Donnelly Training Area East 1,500 0 10

Donnelly Training Area West 0 100 3

Collect required data to support regulatory permitting, such as mitigation monitoring for USACE

Alaska District Regulatory wetland permits or vegetation recovery to show final stabilization for

Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) Notice of Termination submittals to

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) (average 2-3 of this type of permit monitoring per year).

Analyze data to identify areas with high value to training and/or resources at risk. Input missionscape readiness map layers into a geospatial system and update using species cover, fire history data, construction and land clearing overlays, aerial photos, and ground truth plot information. Input assessment data into a relational database to support the overall ITAM and the sustainable range requirements integration and planning process.

3.2(b)(3) Deliverables

Prior to the end of the Period of Performance, the Recipient shall:

• Submit error checked RTLA data to the ITAM Coordinator.

• Submit analyzed RTLA data to the ITAM Coordinator.

• Submit geospatial RTLA data to the ITAM Coordinator.

3.3 TASK 3. Final Range and Training Land Assessment (RTLA) Report

3.3(a) Description

The Recipient shall provide a final RTLA report provides land condition assessments of training land sustainability and missionscape readiness monitoring as well as training load distribution recommendations, training area reconfiguration recommendations, an environmental limitations inventory and status of regulatory permit mitigation projects.

3.3(b) Requirements

The Recipient will provide final RTLA reports (1 each) for RTA, FWA, and DTA that include

(1) installation wide and training area specific summaries of land use, disturbance, erosion, plant cover, vegetation communities and missionscape readiness; (2) training load distribution recommendations; (3) training area reconfiguration, maintenance and repair recommendations;

(4) summary of status of regulatory permit mitigation projects including rehabilitation and/or restoration site progress (average 2 permit mitigations ongoing at any one time); and (5) suggestions for follow on monitoring of recommended rehabilitation, maintenance, and reconfiguration projects.

Compile land condition data and classify areas into red/poor, amber/moderate, or green/good rating for primary use designations. Data analysis includes a weighted average of land sustainability inputs corresponding to vegetative disturbance, ground cover, species composition, and erosion status as per the approved methodology for each polygon surveyed. Results shall be summarized by training area and included in a geodatabase.

All assessment methods used shall be submitted to the ITAM Coordinators. The Recipient will also enter data into relational databases and spatial layers for use by ITAM, LRAM, military trainers, range planners, range managers, and natural resources personnel.

These reports are forwarded on to the appropriate ITAM Coordinator for review and further dissemination to Range and LRAM as needed.

Analyze data from RTLA surveys, geospatial data collection, and other natural resources data/information sources and relate to management recommendations on land use to meet the following requirements:

• Identify existing and projected training land facility resources o Identify, update, and maintain range facility inventory o Identify, update, and maintain terrain capability information o Identify sources for planning level survey data/information o Identify land use constraints and management priorities in the INRMP

• Optimize training land management recommendations to ITAM and Range Control staff by coordinating mission requirements and land maintenance activities with training and testing land carrying capacity.

o Identify mission training requirements o Recommend training load distribution to Range Control to optimize available resources and minimize impact on the environment o Recommend training area reconfiguration to ITAM Coordinator to optimize accessible and available land resources and minimize impact on the environment o Recommend training area maintenance and repair to ITAM Coordinator to optimize capable land resources and minimize impact on the environment

3.3(c) Deliverables

The Recipient shall:

• Submit quarterly progress reports to USACE (March, June, September, December).

• Submit SRP geospatial data layers quarterly to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine

Command (TRADOC) Proponent Office Ranges (March, June, September, December).

• Present accomplishments as part of the In Progress Review briefing to ITAM and Range staff.

• Submit final report to USACE and ITAM Coordinator at the completion of the period of performance.

3.4 TASK 4. Military Maneuver Exercise Monitoring and Reporting

3.4(a) Description

Military exercise monitoring is baseline information needed for Training Requirements

Integration (TRI) and documents size and type of military exercise, location, duration and impact to training lands. Monitoring of training exercises is prioritized based on 1) potential impacts to the environment, 2) ecological sensitivity of the site, and 3) size of the field exercise. Data gathered targets sources of environmental impacts, i.e. Petroleum Oil and Lubrication (POL) products, trash, snow plowing, cross country maneuvering, and erosion sources. RTLA staff will patrol an area at the beginning of an exercise to address immediate concerns and then a follow up survey after the exercise is over. All monitoring is coordinated with Range Control. Coordination with Range Control on times and areas of major training events is crucial to this monitoring assessment. Use of Range Facility Management Support System (RFMSS) data and scheduling can help in planning; however, range staff is in the position to advise on when specific activities take place. Geospatial data is collected on the area of disturbance or concern, then observations are made and recorded describing the unit(s) occupying the site, type of training event, equipment on site, the commanding officer, and any environmental issues.

3.4(b) Requirements

The Recipient will provide support to (1) determine monitoring scheme by obtaining schedule of training events from the RFMSS database at least once per month; (2) gather information on unit size, location and specific activity; (3) classify training events according to potential impacts

(severity of damage/type of training); (4) assist the ITAM coordinator in planning for digging events with Combat Engineer units, including location approvals, mapping, and on-site verification of locations prior to digging, and clearance of final back-filling and smoothing; (5) coordinate with range inspectors during high impact events 4-5 times per week (average 2-3 weeks per event) and conduct in person inspections of occupied areas as needed during the event and to document damage after the event concludes; (6) coordinate with range inspectors during moderate and low impact events to determine if field inspections are needed during or after each event (average 4-6 exercises in each category per year, each averaging 1-2 weeks per event); and

(7) prepare monitoring reports for each exercise.

3.4(c) Deliverables

The Recipient shall submit exercise monitoring inspection reports to the ITAM Coordinator within 2 weeks of the completion of each exercise that include:

• Amount of damage

• Maps showing location and extent of new and cumulative damaged areas and/or changes in land use (obtained from GPS points)

• Photos of training activity/damage

• Methods/results/comments

3.5 TASK 5. Training Requirements Integration Support

3.5(a) Description

The Recipient shall maintain training area assets in a state that promotes realistic training and that is sustainable and available to soldiers in terms of physical structures on the landscape. This task is one of the outcomes of RTLA, which directly supports TRI, and the Recipient shall maintain basal area of trees that enables maneuver but does not detract from concealment, maintaining vegetative or placed ground cover, and removing hazardous trees. The Recipient shall provide TRI support which includes developing geospatial data that incorporates natural resources data, performing geospatial analysis, and creating training support cartographic products in support of unit training that promote avoidance of damage to training land resources.

3.5(b) Requirements

Recipient shall provide landscape and site-specific scale efforts to maintain vegetation cover percentage, physical obstructions/vegetation density, tactical concealment, hazard potential and accessibility with respect to standards defined in Training Circular (TC) 25-1 Appendix A, Table

A-1, Acceptable Landscape Conditions. Coordinate training area vegetation maintenance tasks, in accordance with both the USAG Alaska and JBER INRMPs to optimize available training site resources and minimize training and testing impact on the environment. Coordinate with installation environmental staff on invasive vascular plant species management.

The Recipient shall provide support to (1) develop, maintain, and update Military Installation

Maps (MIMs) with the required geospatial data layers in accordance with MIM Production

Guidance Documentation (MPGD) to support mission requirements; (2) provide standard and customized maps to support unit training; and (3) develop daily planning maps as an overlay that reflects training footprints and training facilities to assist in identifying suitable ranges and maneuver lands required for scheduling.

3.5(c) Deliverables

The Recipient shall:

• Submit periodic (weekly during summer, monthly during winter) status reports (e-mail or verbal) to the ITAM Coordinator on LRAM crew task list status.

• Submit quarterly geospatial representations of work accomplished to the ITAM

Coordinator.

4.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements are common to all tasks listed above in Section 3.0.

4.1 Services

Provide services to include professional report preparation and printing which present study findings for future planning activities.

4.2 Supplies and Equipment

The Recipient shall provide supplies and materials as necessary to conduct surveys, studies, and land management, and to prepare reports. The Recipient shall provide tablet computers for field mapping and data collection. The Recipient shall provide desktop/laptop computers to analyze and report on data collected during monitoring and evaluation activities. The Recipient shall provide plotters and laminators and necessary supplies to support map product distribution. The

Recipient shall provide software for high quality imagery and mapping. The Recipient shall provide LiDAR data and aerial imagery as needed to cover specific locations that have undergone ground disturbance and/or vegetation management for integration into the larger existing LiDAR and imagery datasets. For safety reasons, cellular phones are required for

Recipient to operate in the field, which may include cellular phone stipends. The Recipient shall provide professional level editing, printing, and production of all awareness products. The

Recipient shall provide equipment necessary to complete surveys/sampling and study requirements to include field sampling equipment, and data loggers. The Recipient shall provide shotguns and training for protection at remotes sites. The Recipient shall provide tents, bear-safe food barrels, cook stove/fuel, generator for re-charging electronics, and assorted camp gear for work at remote sites.

4.3 Transportation

4.3 (a) The Recipient shall provide 4x4 vehicle, aquatic, and air (rotary or fixed wing) support as necessary to complete surveys and monitoring studies.

4.3 (b) The Recipient shall provide an over-the-snow capable tracked vehicle to support survey and monitoring studies where 11 ABN DIV (Arctic-focused) units are training in austere and remote locations only accessible by helicopter otherwise. This same vehicle would have a low ground pressure to allow for travel across boggy areas in summer where wheeled vehicles cannot access, or should not access in consideration of sustainable practices. In addition, the Recipient shall provide snowmachines for winter access and/or all-terrain vehicles with trailers to gain access into remote training sites for summer access to support surveys and monitoring studies of military training and LRAM projects.

4.3 (c) The Recipient shall provide appropriate maintenance for the vehicle described in 4.3 (b).

4.4 Travel

Travel is required by the Recipient to accomplish survey, evaluation, and reporting requirements.

In addition, travel is required by the Recipient to attend the annual ITAM workshop, and to meet with various consulting agencies and stakeholders. Travel by the Recipient, as necessary, within and outside of Alaska to meet study objectives. Recipient personnel may be required to travel on government-provided rotary or fixed wing aircraft during execution of their studies on Alaska

Army range and training lands.

5.0 Government Furnished Material

5.1 Recipient Employee Government Information System Access Requirements

All Recipient employees with access to a government information system must be registered in the ATCTS (Army Training Certification Tracking System) at commencement of services and must successfully complete the DOD Information Assurance Awareness prior to access to the information system and annually thereafter.

5.2 Access and General Protection Policy and Procedures

Recipient and all associated sub-Recipient employees shall provide all information required for background checks to meet installation access requirements to be accomplished by installation

Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Recipient workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification as directed by DoD, HQDA and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this cooperative agreement, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may require changes in Recipient security matters or processes.

5.2a. For Recipients requiring Common Access Card (CAC). Before CAC issuance, the

Recipient employee requires, at a minimum, a favorably adjudicated National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) or an equivalent or higher investigation in accordance with Army

Directive 2014-05. The Recipient employee will be issued a CAC only if duties involve one of the following: (1) Both physical access to a DoD facility and access, via logon, to DoD networks on-site or remotely; (2) Remote access, via logon, to a DoD network using DoD-approved remote access procedures; or (3) Physical access to multiple DoD facilities or multiple non-DoD federally controlled facilities on behalf of the DoD on a recurring basis for a period of 6 months or more. At the discretion of the sponsoring activity, an initial CAC may be issued based on a favorable review of the FBI fingerprint check and a successfully scheduled NACI at the Office of Personnel Management.

5.2b. For Recipients that do not require CAC but require access to a DoD facility or installation. Recipient and all associated sub-Recipients employees shall comply with adjudication standards and procedures using the National Crime Information Center Interstate

Identification Index (NCIC-III) and Terrorist Screening Database (Army Directive 2014-05/AR

190-13); applicable installation, facility, and area commander installation and facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by government representative).

5.3 iWATCH Training

The Recipient and all associated sub-Recipients shall brief all employees on the local iWATCH

Army program (training standards provided by the requiring activity ATO). This locally developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the Technical Representative (TR). This training shall be completed within 60 calendar days of cooperative agreement award and within

60 calendar days of new employees commencing performance, with the results reported to the

TR no later than (NLT) 90 calendar days after cooperative agreement award.

5.4 AT Level l Training

All Recipient employees, to include sub-Recipient employees, requiring access to Army installations, facilities and controlled access areas shall complete AT Level l awareness training within 60 calendar days after start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement, whichever is applicable. The Recipient shall submit certificates of completion for each affected

Recipient employee and sub-Recipient employee, to the TR or to the grants officer representative

(GOR), if a TR is not assigned, within 60 calendar days after completion of training by all employees and sub-Recipient personnel. AT Level I awareness training is available at the following website: http://jko.jten.mil.

5.5 Operations Security (OPSEC)

Per AR 530-1 Operations Security, the Recipient employees must complete Level 1 OPSEC

Awareness training. New employees must be trained within 30 calendar days of their reporting for duty and annually thereafter.

5.6 Information Assurance (IA)/Information Technology (IT)

All Recipient employees and associated sub-Recipient employees must complete the DoD IA awareness training before issuance of network access and annually thereafter.

6.0 Meetings, Reviews, and Coordination

6.1 Post Award Planning Meeting shall take place within 1 month of award between the

Technical POC and Recipient technical POC.

6.2 Technical Coordination Meetings shall take place twice. The first meeting shall take place within a month of award and the second meeting shall take place at the completion of the projects for review and acceptance.

6.3 The Recipient shall provide quarterly progress reports to the Project Manager with USACE -

Alaska District.

7.0 Points of Contact

Technical Points of Contact for this study are: TBD

The QA/QC Technical Representative for this project is: TBD

The POC for USACE Project Management is TBD. Cooperative Agreement questions should be addressed to Grants Officer Michelle Mandel.

http://jko.jten.mil/

Correspondence should be addressed as follows:

USACE Project Management

TBD

Michelle R. Mandel

Grants Officer

Contracting Division

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District

ATTN: CEPOA-CT (Michelle Mandel)

P.O. Box 6898

JBER, AK 99506-0898

Phone: (907) 753-2502

Email: michelle.r.mandel@usace.army.mil

8.0 Period of Performance and Place of Service

The projects will be completed on RTA, FWA, and DTA. The time of service for this work is 12 months from date of award for the base period of performance. Four additional option periods of performance of 12 months each are available, subject to availability of funding.

Attachment:

Attachment 1 Training Circular (TC) 25-1 Training Land (July 2020)

Section II: Award Information

1. Type of Award: This Funding Opportunity Announcement is for a competed cooperative agreement.

2. Funding: The funded total Project Cost Ceiling for this requirement is $1,093,729.00 (initial 12 month period of performance) The Project Cost Ceiling including unfunded optional periods is $5,663,110.00.

3. Period of Performance: The period of performance is 12 months from date of award.

Four additional option periods of performance of 12 months each are available, subject to availability of funding. This does not obligate the Government to extend this agreement beyond the initial period of performance.

4. Substantial involvement. The Recipient will work directly with the Government to coordinate and implement the project requirements on the Army installations and training areas. This project will provide technical support for natural resource management, site specific project planning, and land best management practices development. The Government will routinely collaborate with the Recipient, via in-person meetings or virtual meetings, to ensure compliance and timely execution of the Statement of Work (SOW) requirements. The Recipient will collaborate with the Government on the maneuver trail improvements planning, forest management activities, project implementation and progress reports for all activities completed during the period of performance.

Section III: Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants – Open to all that meet the criteria of this announcement. Award shall be limited to States, local governments, Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations, and individuals, pursuant to the authority of 16 U.S.C. 670c-1(a).

2. Cost Sharing – This action will be 100% funded by USACE.

3. Other Information –

Use of the System for Award Management (SAM) and the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS): To protect the public interest, the Federal Government ensures the integrity of Federal programs by striving to conduct business only with responsible organizations. The Government uses the “Exclusions” within the Performance Information functional area of the SAM and data from FAPIIS, a component within SAM, to verify that an organization is eligible to receive Federal awards. More information about SAM and FAPIIS is available at https://sam.gov/.

Review of Risk: The following areas may be reviewed in evaluating the risk posed by an applicant: financial stability; quality of management systems and operational controls; history of performance; reports and findings from audits; ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on recipients of Federal awards.

https://sam.gov/

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package:

The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov. USACE is not responsible for any loss of internet connectivity or for an applicant’s inability to access documents posted at the referenced website.

The administrative point of contact is the Grants Specialist, Pamela Iverson pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission:

All mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms must be completed in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.

a. SF 424 - Application for Federal Assistance

b. SF 424 A – Budget Information for Non-construction Programs

c. SF 424 B – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

d. Program Narrative – Brief program description illustrating applicant’s ability to meet the goals and objectives described in Section I of this announcement. Refer to Section V for narrative requirements.

e. A current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) or a statement stating the applicant is eligible and electing to use the de minimis rate – If Applicable.

f. Evidence of Eligibility per Section III of the opportunity instructions – Required if not checked in SAM.gov.

3. Application shall be submitted NO LATER THAN 08 SEP 2025; 2:00 PM (Alaska Time) via email or through Grants.gov.

4. Submission Instructions:

Applications may be submitted by email or via the internet through Grants.gov. Choose ONE (1) of the following submission methods:

a. Email:

Format all documents to print on Letter (8 ½ x 11”) paper. E-mail proposal to the Grants Specialist, Pamela Iverson, at pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil.

b. Internet:

Applicants are not required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. However, if applications are submitted via the internet, applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety and within the date and time required.

The Government bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission of conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. The Government will bear no responsibility for delays in submissions due to technical difficulties at or with the Grants.gov website.

All applicants choosing to use Grants.gov to submit proposals must be registered and have an account with Grants.gov. It may take up to three (3) weeks to complete Grants.gov registration.

For more information on registration, go to http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants.

mailto:pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil mailto:pamela.iverson@usace.army.mil http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants

Section V: Application Review Information

Application Submission Evaluation Criteria and Basis of Award

SUSTAINABLE RANGE STUDY

RICHARDSON TRAINING AREA, FORT WAINWRIGHT,

AND DONNELLY TRAINING AREA, ALASKA

(SOW 25-101)

July 2025

INITIAL REVIEW: The Government will perform an initial review to determine that the applicant is (1) eligible in accordance with Section…