oppBOR-MP-18-N023-cfda15.532-instructions.doc

Bureau of Reclamation Form, RF-102 02-2016 Bureau of Reclamation Form, RF-102 12-2011

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the Bureau of Reclamation’s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT

Funding Announcement

BOR-MP-18-N023

Principal Investigator / Program Manager

TR Adult Assessments: Mary Clair Kier, CDFW

Anticipated Federal Amount $5,433,034.30/ FY18 Obligation: $1,434,944.00

Anticipated Non-Federal Amount $0.00

Award Instrument

Cooperative Agreement

Single Source Justification Criteria Cited

(4) Unique Qualifications

Reclamation Point of Contact

Derek Rupert, .Teresa E. Brown

OVERVIEW

In December 2000, the Secretary of the Interior signed a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Trinity River Fishery Restoration Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report. This decision recognized that restoration and maintenance of the Trinity River’s fishery resources requires rehabilitating the river itself, and restoring the dynamic alluvial processes that maintain aquatic habitat.

The ROD included five components to ensure long-term restoration and maintenance of the Trinity River: (a) Variable annual instream flows ranging from 369,000 acre-feet (af) in critically dry years to 815,000 af in extremely wet years; (b) Physical channel rehabilitation, including the removal of riparian berms and the establishment of side channel habitat; (c) Sediment management, including the supplementation of spawning gravels below Lewiston Dam and reduction in fine sediments which degrade fish habitats; (d) Watershed restoration projects to reduce fine sediment production in the Basin and its subsequent delivery to Trinity River aquatic resources; and (e) Infrastructure improvements or modifications, including rebuilding or fortifying bridges and addressing other structures affected by peak instream flows provided by the ROD. These activities combined improve and provide more fish habitat and the success of these activities is measured by changes in the various fishery resource metrics reported annually through the CVPIA.

Restoration of the Trinity River’s anadromous fishery resources described in the ROD is the focus of the current rehabilitation efforts. The TRRP requires an estimation of spawner escapement and run size for hatchery and natural Coho, Chinook and fall steelhead in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the rehabilitation actions on anadromous fisheries resources. The services proposed include ongoing monitoring activities and data compilation that will provide TRRP Partners and stakeholders with biological data that form the scientific basis for evaluating restoration of the Trinity River.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

CDFW would provide the time, staffing, and expertise necessary to perform monitoring of Trinity River anadromous fish, analyze the monitoring data and report findings. Trinity River adult salmon and steelhead assessments (adult assessments) have been conducted by the CDFW and funded through Reclamation since 1978. Trinity River adult assessments are needed to develop management plans and regulations that that dictate harvest and escapement goals on the Trinity River, monitor restoration effectiveness and hatchery genetics management plan compliance, and ensure long-term viability of the fisheries resources. Adult assessments involve operating multiple collection facilities, spawning surveys, and creel surveys (angler catch) throughout the river basin. The CDFW also provides technical assistance and participates in the TRRP management as a partner of the California Natural Resource Agency on the Trinity Management Council. The proposed activities also includes participation in management actions of the Trinity River Restoration Program to work towards restoration of the anadromous fisheries through Trinity Management Council (TMC), TRRP Workgroup participation, and restoration projects’ design and implementation.

Objective 1 - Operate Junction City fish weir.

Objective 2 - TRRP - Operate Willow Creek fish weir.

Objective 3 - TRRP - Operate Willow Creek weir video monitoring.

Objective 4 - TRRP - Perform Lower Klamath River creel surveys.

Objective 5 - Monitor the Lower Trinity River and South Fork Trinity River sub-population of Coho Salmon in the Trinity River basin.

Objective 6 - TRRP - Monitor redd distribution and abundance.

Objective 7 - TRRP - Analyze adult returns data and report on findings.

Objective 8 - TRRP - Full participation in Trinity Management Council (TMC).

Objective 9 - TRRP - Technical Assistance and Work Group Participation.

Objective 10 - TRRP - Implementation and Design Support.

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, Reclamation will be responsible for the following:

· Work closely with Recipient to develop data sets for evaluating in river flows, ocean conditions, ocean harvest of trinity Stock, comparisons with other river systems, performance measures writing, and numerous other components of the program.

· TRRP will provide available data as needed, clarify policy, communicate any reporting requirements, and review and approve required reports and submittals.

· Work closely with Recipient to provide analyses of the data; communicate any data requirements, and submit all analyses and presentations for review.

· Work together closely with Recipient to derive the data needed to analyze the effect of our management actions on adult returns.

· Collaborate on analyses of the in-river run size data with the Recipient.

· Present results of these collaborative efforts at regional and National meetings.

· Present results to the TMC, Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) and TRRP Fish, Wildlife and Riparian, and Flow Work Groups meetings.

· Work closely with Recipient on all aspects of the TRRP, including flow scheduling, fall flows, wildlife, and predictions of run size response to management actions.

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.

In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Unsolicited Proposal – The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives;

(2) Continuation – The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;

(3) Legislative intent – The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress’ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;

(4) Unique Qualifications – The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications;

(5) Emergencies – Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

Reclamation did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

(4) Unique Qualifications

Single Source Justification Description:

The CDFW has performed the Adult Salmon assessments and TRRP tasks for at least the past 5 years through a prior Financial Assistance Agreement with Reclamation. This work is key to fisheries management of the Klamath-Trinity basin. CDFW will continue to perform the conservation, protection, and management of Trinity River salmonid and steelhead.

The CDFW is the principal resource agency for the State of California whose basic mission is to manage the state’s biological resources. Throughout the state, CDFW conducts monitoring programs which provide information to evaluate fish stock ocean and in-river harvest rates, straying rates, cohort performance, proportion of natural influence (PNI), annual run trimming, and other metrics which are the invaluable in assessment and management of hatchery produced stocks.

Additionally, the State of California has formally granted CDFW jurisdiction over the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, native plants and habitat necessary for biologically sustainable populations of those species (Ca Code 1802).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

SECTION 3406 (b) FISH AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES - The Secretary, immediately upon the enactment of this title, shall operate the Central Valley Project to meet all obligations under State and Federal law, including but not limited to the Federal Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq., and all decisions of the California State Water Resources Control Board establishing conditions on applicable licenses and permits for the project. The Secretary, in consultation with other State and Federal agencies, Indian tribes, and affected interests, is further authorized and directed to: (1) develop within three years of enactment and implement a program which makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that, by the year 2002, natural production of anadromous fish in Central Valley rivers and streams will be sustainable, on a long-term basis, at levels not less than twice the average levels attained during the period of 1967-1991; Provided, That this goal shall not apply to the San Joaquin River between Friant Dam and the Mendota Pool, for which a separate program is authorized under subsection 3406(c) of this title; Provided further, That the programs and activities authorized by this section shall, when fully implemented, be deemed to meet the mitigation, protection, restoration, and enhancement purposes established by subsection 3406(a) of this title; And provided further, That in the course of developing and implementing this program the Secretary shall make all reasonable efforts consistent with the requirements of this section to address other identified adverse environmental impacts of the Central Valley Project not specifically enumerated in this section

(23) In order to meet Federal trust responsibilities to protect the fishery resources of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, and to meet the fishery restoration goals of the Act of October 24, 1984, Pub. L. 98-541, provide through the Trinity River Division, for water years 1992 through 1996, an instream release of water to the Trinity River of not less than 340,000 acre-feet per year for the purposes of fishery restoration, propagation, and maintenance and,

(A) By September 30, 1996, the Secretary, after consultation with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, shall complete the Trinity River Flow Evaluation Study currently being conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the mandate of the Secretarial Decision of January 14, 1981, in a manner which insures the development of recommendations, based on the best available scientific data, regarding permanent instream fishery flow requirements and Trinity River Division operating criteria and procedures for the restoration and maintenance of the Trinity River fishery; and

Section 3407. RESTORATION FUND

(e) FUNDING TO NON-FEDERAL ENTITIES - If the Secretary determines that the State of California or an agency or subdivision thereof, an Indian tribe, or a nonprofit entity concerned with restoration, protection, or enhancement of fish, wildlife, habitat, or environmental values is able to assist in implementing any action authorized by this title in an efficient, timely, and cost effective manner, the Secretary is authorized to provide funding to such entity on such terms and conditions as he deems necessary to assist in implementing the identified action.

�THIS DOCUMENT IS USBR’s TEMPLATE FOR SINGLE SOURCE ANNOUNCMENTS – Comment Balloons provide guidance. Remove all comments prior to Posting.

�FOA Number on Grants.gov

�Recipient’s PI or Program Manager - Must be indicated in every NOI

�Grant or Cooperative Agreement

�Fill in with number in parenthesis and short title – such as (4) Unique Qualifications

�Should match Synopsis POC

�The overview should be succinct (1-2 paragraphs) and provide the reader a summary of the proposed project – including such information as location, if part of a larger project or effort – a brief background, need / problem this project is designed to address, etc.

�This section should provide a summary of the recipient’s activities to be funded by the award. It must be detailed enough for the public to understand, yet CANNOT include any proprietary information.

�This section must communicate Reclamation’s responsibilities under the award. If the proposed award is a cooperative agreement, then this section should explain, in sufficient detail, Reclamation’s substantial involvement. If a grant – may just state technical assistance when requested and federal stewardship responsibilities such as monitoring project performance, etc

�Required Language. Immediately following this statement, the NOI must indicate the number and short title of the criterion or criteria (In all caps, Blue Font and Bold)

�This award-specific explanation should be comprehensive and specific. The written justification must specifically address the criterion or criteria indicated above as well as provide enough information to clearly explain why Reclamation chose not to allow all eligible applicants to compete for this award. Inclusion of additional detail outside that which meets the criteria is highly suggested as well.

Further, the justification must dispel any concerns related to a possible appearance of impropriety.

�This section must cite the statutory authority as well as provide the language from the particular section cited.

PAGE