N624732520002 NOFO km rev 1.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Funding Agency: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW)

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: N62473-25-2-0002

Assistance Listing Number: 12.005

Program Authority: 16 U.S.C. 670c-1 Sikes Act

Issue Date: 4/2/2025 Application Due Date: 5/2/2025 5/16/2025

Contents of Full Text Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information

I. Funding Opportunity Description

The Department of the Navy (DON) manages, trains, and operates on over 4.5 million acres of land that spans the nation and the globe from coastal and island installations to forests, grasslands, and deserts. DON leverages the power of nature to protect our ability to train and test, to preserve our infrastructure and capabilities, to empower our Sailors and Marines and civilian workforce. Navy and Marine Corps training and testing ranges across the Southwest are experiencing severe drought, fire, and flooding impacts that threaten infrastructure, water supplies, and training and testing ranges.

The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms is the Marine Corps’ largest combined-arms, live-fire training facility, encompassing 1,102 square miles of mostly public lands in the Mojave Desert, California. The Combat Center is divided into 27 range training area management units, each of which may contain training areas, landing fields, targetry, main supply routes, fixed ranges, support areas, expeditionary areas, and safety buffer zones. Armed forces use the Combat Center to train troops and test equipment. MCAGCC annually provides training to one-third of the Fleet Marine Force and Reserves Units. MCAGCC is the southern anchor of the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape (> 3,500,000 acres) in Southern California. This recent designation creates a location-specific opportunity for coordinated investment in solutions for landscape resilience.

The Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape (Figure 1) was designated in 2024 and covers around 3.5 million acres in the space between MCAGCC, National Training Center Fort Irwin (NTC Ft. Irwin), Edwards Air Force Base (Edwards AFB), Naval Weapons Station China Lake (NAWSCL), and Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow (MCLBB). The military lands are not within the landscape and comprise of an additional 2.8 million adjacent acres. The landscape unites state, Federal, tribal, county, local, and non-governmental partners to tackle challenges from incompatible development and resource vulnerability. Key objectives include recovering threatened, endangered, and sensitive species; restoring habitat and ecosystem function; and managing watersheds.

Sentinel Landscape Resilience

DoD is interested in demonstrating and partnering on watershed scale actions that positively impact: storm water infiltration, groundwater recharge, soil health, habitat, wildland fire risk reduction, and heat mitigation on installations in the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape.

MCAGCC aims to develop and implement innovative solutions that improve watershed function to reduce current and projected resilience degradation, and as well as the associated monitoring (e.g. sampling, imagery, and data analysis) capabilities that complement the solutions and focus investments.

Recovery and Sustainment Partnership (RASP)

Significant natural resources and wildlife exist on MCAGCC. Such wildlife often inhabit areas on MCAGCC property that are in close proximity to military training and facilities maintenance activities. Of particular note is the Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and is common but declining across much of the installation.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) serves as an important partner in assisting the Marine Corps with conserving desert tortoise in and around MCAGCC, including monitoring populations, issuing take permits, guiding mitigation measures, and seeking conservation solutions for recovery of the species. In 2018, the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Interior (DOI, which includes USFWS), entered into the Recovery and Sustainment Partnership (RASP) Initiative. The purposes of the partnership are to support recovery of the ESA-listed species and to increase flexibility for military mission activities. The desert tortoise is one of the species identified for focus in this partnership, and MCAGCC has the DoD lead for desert tortoise.

MCAGCC and the Palm Springs USFWS Office have jointly developed a voluntary, tiered approach for DoD/USFWS to implement the RASP for desert tortoise. MCAGCC has elected to participate at a level that would allow broad mission flexibility aboard the installation in return for providing sustained financial support for a robust off-base population-recovery program. USFWS and MCAGCC entered into a RASP Biological Opinion through ESA Section 7 consultation that provides MCAGCC with greater operational flexibility in exchange for investments in tortoise conservation off-base. MCAGCC and USFWS partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to coordinate RASP investments through the Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery Implementation Plan (May 2022).

Brief Description of the Anticipated Work:

The Navy is seeking statements of interest that establish a funding framework between USFWS and MCAGCC for drought, fire, and flood encroachment resistance activities within the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape and for desert tortoise conservation under the Sentinel Landscape program and RASP.

Please see enclosure 1 for full statement of objectives and enclosure 2 for applicable terms and conditions.

Estimated Total Funding: $9,000,000.00 Estimated Number of Awards: (1)

Item Anticipated Period of Performance

Anticipated Award Date

Anticipated Amount

Base Period 60 Months from Date of Award Spring 2025 $8,000,000.00 Option 1 Concurrent with Base Period FY 2025 $1,000,000.00

Total Anticipated Funding $9,000,000.00

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. For assistance with the requirements of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, please contact Duc Le duc.t.le4.civ and Kevin Magennis kevin.e.magennis.civ@us.navy.mil .

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.

II. Award Information This Funding Opportunity Announcement is a sole sourced, multiyear cooperative agreement.

The period of performance is 60 months from the date of award with a base period of 60 months, Option 1 may be unilaterally exercised within the same fiscal year as the base Cooperative Agreement.

Item Period of Performance Anticipated Award Date Base Period 60 Months from Date of Award April June 2025

Significant Dates and Times

Event Date Time * Full Applications Due May 16, 2025 2:00 PM

Notification of Selection for Award May 30, 2025** 4:00 PM

Start Date of Cooperative Agreement June 6, 2025** 8:00 AM

**Dates subject to change

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

This Cooperative Agreement is intended to be sole sourced to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in accordance with Section 101(d)(2) of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. §670a(d)(2)).

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing [ ] is or [ x ] is not required.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application packages can be obtained electronically at Grants.gov as detailed below or by contacting the individual listed in Section VII Agency Contact(s).

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select "Apply for Grants", and then select "Download Grant Application Package”. Enter the funding opportunity number (N62473-25-2-0002).

NOTE: You will not be able to download the Application Package unless you have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe Reader is available for free to download from the Download Software page http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Applicants shall submit applications electronically. The applicant shall complete the mandatory and applicable forms by accessing the forms as noted in noted in IV, 1 “Address to Request Application Package”.

Content and Form of Application

FORM: SF 424 (R&R)

Completion of SF-424 Fields First. The Adobe Reader forms are designed to fill in common required fields such as the applicant name and address, UEI number, etc., on all Adobe Reader forms. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first.

Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms. You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms (e.g., SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.

Files that are attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) unless otherwise specified in this announcement.

FORM: RESEARCH & RELATED SENIOR/KEY PERSONNEL (EXPANDED)

Complete all the required fields in accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form.

Biographical Sketch: Attach resume(s) of key personnel. The Applicant shall provide type written resumes, not to exceed 3 pages, single spaced with 12pt font for the project manager(s) and field assistants proposed for this project. Resumes must state qualifications, experience with this type of project, professional registration and certificates. See Section V. Application Review Information for detailed information required per resume and minimum qualifications required.

FORM: RESEARCH AND RELATED BUDGET

Complete the Research and Related Budget form in accordance with the instructions on the form.

You must provide a detailed cost breakdown of all costs, by cost category, by the funding periods described below, and by task/sub-task corresponding to the task number in the proposed Statement of Objectives. The Option must be separately priced. The form will generate a http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp cumulative budget for the total project period. You must complete all the mandatory information on the form before the NEXT PERIOD button is activated. You may request funds under any of the categories listed as long as the item and amount are necessary to perform the proposed work and meet all the criteria for allowability under the applicable Federal cost principles. The budget should adhere to the following guidelines:

The budget should be driven by program requirements. Elements of the budget should include:

Direct Labor - Individual labor category or person, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates.

Indirect Costs - Fringe benefits, overhead, G&A, COM, etc. (must show base amount and rate).

Travel - Number of trips, destination, duration, etc., all travel must be substantiated and explained.

Subcontract/subaward - A cost proposal as detailed as the applicant's cost proposal will be required to be submitted by the subcontractor. If applicable, include in Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment Form.

Consultant - Provide consultant agreement or other document that verifies the proposed loaded daily/hourly rate. Include a description of the nature of and the need for any consultant's participation. Strong justification must be provided, and consultants are to be used only under exceptional circumstances where no equivalent expertise can be found at a participating university. Provide budget justification.

Materials - Specifically itemized with costs or estimated costs. An explanation of any estimating factors, including their derivation and application, shall be provided. Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.).

Other Direct Costs - Particularly any proposed items of equipment or facilities. Equipment and facilities generally must be furnished by the contractor/Applicant (justifications must be provided when Government funding for such items is sought). Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.).

Budget Justification: Provide the required supporting information for the cost elements as shown above (see Research & Related Budget instructions) and listed as follows: indirect cost, travel, consultant, materials, and other direct costs. Provide any other information you wish to submit to justify your budget request.

FORM: SF-LLL DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

If applicable, complete SF- LLL. Applicability: If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the grant/cooperative agreement, you must complete and submit Standard Form - LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying.”

3. Submission Dates and Times

Timeline for Review:

We request that submissions be submitted by May 16, 2025 2:00 PM PDT. This opportunity will remain until an investigator team is selected. Submissions received after May 16, 2025 2:00 PM PDT will be deemed “late” and may or may not be considered. Please submit requests for information/questions no later than April 25, 2025 2:00 PM PDT.

For applications submitted through Grants.gov and handling of late applications:

After an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive a series of three e-mails. It is extremely important that the AOR watch for and save each of the e-mails. You will know that your application has reached NAVFAC SW when the AOR receives e-mail Number 3. You will need the Submission Receipt Number (e-mail Number 1) to track a submission. The three e-mails are:

Number 1 – The applicant will receive a confirmation page upon completing the submission to Grants.gov. This confirmation page is a record of the time and date stamp for the submission.

Number 2 – The applicant will receive an e-mail indicating that the application has been validated by Grants.gov within a few hours of submission. (This means that all of the required fields have been completed.)

Number 3 – The third notice is an acknowledgment of receipt in e-mail form from the designated agency within ten days from the application due date. For applications the e-mail is sent to the authorized representative for the institution. The e-mail for applications notes that the application has been received and provides the assigned tracking number. Hard copy submissions will receive only e-mail number 3.

Late Applications may be accepted.

4. Funding Restrictions Reimbursement of pre-award cost will [ ] or will not [ x ] be allowed.

5. Other Submission Requirements Applications may be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (see note 1 below) or direct email to: Duc Le duc.t.le4.civ and Kevin Magennis kevin.e.magennis.civ@us.navy.mil

NOTE 1 - Registration Requirements for Grants.gov: There are several one-time actions an organization must complete in order to submit an application through Grants.gov (e.g., obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number, register with the credential provider, and register with Grants.gov). See http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp to begin this process. Applicants, who are not registered with Grants.gov, should allow at least 21 days to complete these requirements. It is suggested that the process be started as soon as possible.

Customer Support: Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518- 4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays, to address Grants.gov technology issues.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission it is best to call the customer support desk and get a case number. The case number will assist the NAVFAC SW with tracking your issue and provide background information on the issue.

http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp mailto:support@grants.gov

VERY IMPORTANT – Download Adobe Acrobat Reader: Adobe Reader is available for free to download from the Download Software page http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp .

V. Application Review Information All requirements listed are minimum requirements. Information provided must be recent (within last seven (7) years) and relevant. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to adhere to the listed requirements, follow directions, comply with restrictions and provide quality control on their submittals. All page limits refer to 12 point font and single spaced one-sided pages.

Factor 1 - Credentials of Key Personnel

1. The Recipient shall be able to issue contracts, agreements, and grants, to other entities for specific projects related to landscape resiliency and desert tortoise conservation in the Mojave Desert.

2. The Recipient shall function in coordination with USFWS to conduct conservation work on their behalf, according to their Congressionally-chartered mandate.

3. The Recipient shall provide a Program Manager capable and qualified to meet the requirements of the Scope of Work. This person shall have, at the minimum:

• A Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, natural resources management, ecology, or similar field of study

• Three years of professional experience managing a funding/granting program for conservation actions, or two years in such a capacity plus at least one year working on conservation actions in the southwest.

Any change to the Program Manager after award of Cooperative Agreement, shall require approval by the CAA

4. The Government reserves the right, during the term of this Cooperative Agreement, to review work histories of any Recipient’s employee for the purposes of verifying compliance with the above requirements. The Government may, in its sole discretion, determine that an employee is noncompliant and require substitution of a compliant employee and such requirement shall not be grounds for equitable adjustment or claim. The Government may, in its sole discretion, reject a proposed employee.

5. If the Program Manager is unable to conduct the duties as described in this Scope of Work, including for reasons unrelated to this project, the Recipient shall replace the individual without any loss in service provided to the Government. The Government may, in its sole discretion, reject the proposed replacement employee.

6. Personnel assigned to, or utilized by, the Recipient in performance of work shall be fully capable of performing the contemplated functions of the respective labor categories in an efficient, reliable, and professional manner.

Factor 2 – Scientific Approach

Not to exceed 4 pages, the Offeror shall develop an outline for their approach to addressing the anticipated work stated above. The Offeror shall be evaluated as to the soundness of the overall approach and use of any innovative techniques to accomplish project objectives.

http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp

Factor 3 - Reasonableness of Cost

After technical evaluation of the proposal, the Offers shall be analyzed to determine whether they are materially/mathematically balanced with respect to prices or separately priced items, and for fair and reasonable pricing. A clear cost breakdown of work elements to be accomplished detailing quantities for the various work items, unit, unit prices and extended prices will be required and will be evaluated. Evaluation will include an analysis to determine the Offeror’s comprehension of the requirements of the proposed agreement as well as to assess the validity of the Offeror’s approach. Please be sure to provide a proposal for Option 1 as listed within the statement of objectives (SOO).

Please provide your proposed budget on the provided pdf titled, “Research and Related Budget” form* (Enclosure 5). Please submit one budget form for the base year of work and separate budget form for Option 1 as specified in the Statement of Objectives.

*Form: RESEARCH AND RELATED BUDGET

Complete the Research and Related Budget form in accordance with the instructions on the form.

You must provide a detailed cost breakdown of all costs, by cost category, by the funding periods described below, and by task/sub-task corresponding to the task number in the proposed Statement of Objectives. You may request funds under any of the categories listed as long as the item and amount are necessary to perform the proposed work and meet all the criteria for allowability under the applicable Federal cost principles. The budget should adhere to the following guidelines:

The budget should be driven by program requirements. Elements of the budget shall include:

Direct Labor - Individual labor category or person, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates.

Indirect Costs - Fringe benefits, overhead, G&A, COM, etc. (must show base amount and rate).

Justify in Field L.

Travel - Number of trips, destination, duration, etc. Justify in Field L (on the form).

Subcontract - A cost proposal as detailed as the applicant's cost proposal will be required to be submitted by the subcontractor. If applicable, include in Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment Form.

Consultant - Provide consultant agreement or other document that verifies the proposed loaded daily/hourly rate. Include a description of the nature of and the need for any consultant's participation. Strong justification must be provided, and consultants are to be used only under exceptional circumstances where no equivalent expertise can be found at a participating university. Provide budget justification in Field L.

Materials - Specifically itemized with costs or estimated costs. An explanation of any estimating factors, including their derivation and application, shall be provided. Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.). Justify in Field L.

Other Directs Costs - Particularly any proposed items of equipment or facilities. Equipment and facilities generally must be furnished by the cooperator/recipient (justifications must be provided when Government funding for such items is sought). Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.). Justify in Field L.

Please provide your proposed budget on the provided pdf titled, “Research and Related Budget” form*(Enclosure 5).

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF EVALUATION FACTORS – All factors are of equal importance.

4. Review and Selection Process Subject to the availability of funds, if the proposal meets the requirements stated above, the Government will proceed with award. NOTE: Every deviation from the scope of work requirement must be identified. You must identify the paragraph in the scope of work that is applicable and provide sufficient information to justify why the deviation is in the best interest of the government.

All requirements listed are minimum requirements. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to adhere to the listed requirements, completeness of responses, follow directions, comply with restrictions and provide quality control on their submittals. All page limits refer to 12 point font and single spaced one-sided pages.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices The notice of award addressed to the successful applicant and signed by the Grants Officer (or equivalent) will be forwarded via electronic transmission. Original copies of the Agreement will be enclosed for the successful applicant’s signature and return for the Grants Officer’s counter signature.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements The Terms and Conditions are posted as a separate document.

3. Reporting Reports/submittal information including frequency and means of submission are contained in the Statement of Objectives, posted as a separate document

VII. Agency Contact(s) All questions relating to this announcement shall be referred to:

Duc Le, Contract Specialist Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest Environmental Conservation and Compliance Acquisition 750 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92132 Email: duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil Phone Office: 619-705-5663

Kevin Magennis, Grants Officer mailto:kevin.e.magennis.civ@us.navy.mil

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest Environmental Conservation and Compliance Acquisition 750 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92132 Email: kevin.e.magennis.civ@us.navy.mil Phone Office: 619-705-5566

VIII. Other Information The cost of preparing applications and/or proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any award made under this funding opportunity. The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this announcement. Only the Grants Officer can bind the Government to the expenditure of funds.

mailto:kevin.e.magennis.civ@us.navy.mil