RF-102-Notice-of-Intent-To-Award BioPark.pdf

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

R14SS00015

Project Title Operation and Maintenance of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Program in the Aquatic Conservation Facility

Recipient New Mexico BioPark Society

Principal

Investigator /

Program Manager

Holly Casman, Aquarium Manager, and Kathy Lang, Curator of Aquatic

Conservation Facility

City of Albuquerque

ABQ BioPark

2601 Central Ave NE

Albuquerque, NM 87104

505-848-7176

Anticipated Federal

Amount $743,285.00

Cost Share none

Total Anticipated

Award Amount $743,285.00

New Award or

Continuation?

Continuation of work historically performed on behalf of the

Collaborative Program

Anticipated Period of Performance 1 October 2013 – 30 September 2018

Award Instrument Grant

Statutory Authority P.L. 111-8, Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009

CFDA # and Title 15.537 Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program

Single Source

Justification

Criteria Cited

(2) Continuation

(4) Unique Qualifications

Reclamation Point of Contact

Ann Demint, Middle Rio Grande Project Manager/Biologist

Bureau of Reclamation

555 Broadway NE Suite 100 (ALB-910)

Albuquerque, NM 87102

505-462-3654

OVERVIEW

The primary purpose of this grant is for the City of Albuquerque BioPark Aquatic Conservation

Facility to continue Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (RGSM) propagation activities, to include monitoring for and collecting RGSM eggs; to continue maintaining RGSM broodstock, and to continue spawning, rearing, tagging, and distributing juvenile and adult RGSM for augmentation efforts. These actions specifically address the Recovery Goals and Objectives in the revised U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) RGSM Recovery Plan and are necessary for the prevention of extinction of RGSM in the Middle Rio Grande and the reestablishment of self-sustaining populations within the species’ historical range. Also, these activities are in direct support of, and in accordance with, the USFWS 2003 Biological Opinion. The principal place of performance will be the BioPark at 2601 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM. The Principal

Investigators will be Holly Casman and Kathy Lang.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The recipient will accomplish the following activities:

1. Continue monitoring for and collecting RGSM eggs in the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) from natural spawning events.

2. Maintain a refuge and broodstock of juvenile and adult RGSM.

3. Continue captive propagation in an effort to rear juvenile RGSM for augmentation and reintroduction efforts.

4. Continue to cooperate and collaborate with the USFWS’s Southwestern Native Aquatic

Resources and Recovery Center, Los Lunas RGSM Refugium, and USFWS.

5. Continue cooperation with ongoing genetic studies performed by the University of New

Mexico by providing fin clips from RGSM lots reared at the BioPark and stocked in the

MRG.

6. Continue to mark fish with visible implanted elastomer tags prior to release in the MRG.

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

No substantial involvement on the part of Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. It is anticipated that Reclamation’s involvement will consist of standard federal stewardship responsibilities such as monitoring project performance, technical assistance at the request of the recipient, etc.

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:

(2) CONTINUATION

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

Single Source Justification Description:

The BioPark has historically performed work necessary for the prevention of extinction of

RGSM in the Middle Rio Grande. The facilities are property of the City of Albuquerque and are partially funded by the City of Albuquerque, who is a signatory on the Middle Rio Grande

Endangered Species Collaborative Program. This grant is a continuation of work historically performed on behalf of the Collaborative Program, in direct support of, and in accordance with, the USFWS 2003 Biological Opinion. Furthermore, the 2003 Biological Opinion specifies that one of two required breeding facilities must be located in the Cochiti or Angostura Reach.

Failure to fund this activity at the BioPark facility, which is already partially directly funded by other Collaborative Program participants, would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity of this activity.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This activity is in accordance with P.L. 111-8, Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Sec. 206 (b) and (c):

“(b) The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish and maintain an Executive Committee of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species

Collaborative Program (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Executive Committee’’) consistent with the bylaws of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program adopted on October 2, 2006.

(c) Hereafter, in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws, the Secretary (acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation), in collaboration with the Executive Committee, may enter into any grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, interagency agreements, or other agreements that the Secretary determines to be necessary to comply with the 2003 Biological

Opinion described in section 205(b) of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–447; 118 Stat. 2949) as amended by section 121(b) of the Energy and

Water Development Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–103; 119 Stat. 2256) or any related subsequent biological opinion or in furtherance of the objectives set forth in the collaborative program long-term plan.”