Conservation and Forestry Program Support (2026-2031) for Environmental Natural Resources Management Division, Directorate of Public Works, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana

The Department of the Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, is soliciting cooperative agreement proposals for conservation and forestry program support at Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana, with proposals due by 12:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time on September 14, 2026. Eligibility is restricted to members of Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) in the Great Plains, Gulf Coast, or Great Rivers regions. This is a single award opportunity.

Maximum funding available is $1,250,000 for a base performance period of approximately 10 months, with meaningful work commencing by September 30, 2026. Optional follow-on periods extend performance through 2031, up to five years total. The indirect cost rate is capped at 17.5% on Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) basis or the recipient's federally negotiated indirect cost rate, whichever applies.

Work will be performed onsite at Fort Polk with no hybrid or remote scheduling permitted. The agreement supports the Environmental Natural Resources Management Division with up to 20 full-time equivalent personnel providing oversight and technical expertise across Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan implementation, NEPA compliance, threatened and endangered species management, invasive species control, forestry operations, and maneuver damage assessment. Twenty mandatory basic tasks must be included in the base period and any follow-on periods; 12 optional tasks are available for selection.

All personnel must obtain security clearance, pass background investigation, and provide U.S. citizenship proof. Applicants and all subrecipients and contract vendors must provide evidence of active NIST SP 800-171 DoD assessment (within three years). Proposals must comply with 2 CFR 200 and CESU Master Agreement terms and include four sections: Administrative Information, Technical Approach (limited to 25 pages), Experience and Qualifications, and detailed Budget. Evaluation weights Technical Approach and Experience and Qualifications equally using adjectival scales (Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Marginal, Poor); Budget is reviewed but not rated. The award is authorized under 16 USC 670c-1 (Sikes Act) with priority to Federal and State agencies responsible for fish or wildlife conservation or management. Technical questions must be submitted by August 31, 2026. The CFDA number is 12.005.