Helium Resource Management
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.240
- Agency
-
Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 3 $49,370,947 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance type
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Eligible applicants
-
- Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
- Other public institution/organization
- Profit organization
- Beneficiaries
-
- Anyone/general public
- Treasury accounts
-
- 14-4053-0-1-306
- 14-4053-0-1-000
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management operates the Helium Resource Management program (CFDA 15.240) to fund the upgrade, compression, and delivery of crude helium from underground storage into a government conservation pipeline that supplies private helium refineries and federal agencies. The most recent grant award was issued in July 2016.
Grant activity has been sparse and declining. Three cooperative agreements totaling $49.4 million have been awarded since 2009, with the most recent award occurring a decade ago. The 2009–2016 awards funded the crude helium enrichment unit project and associated compressor station infrastructure in New Mexico; the program has posted no grant opportunities since October 2015. Given the ten-year gap since the last award and the absence of recent solicitations, the program appears inactive for new funding pursuits.
All awards under this program have been Cooperative Agreements, exclusively, and all three were issued by the Bureau of Land Management. The two 2009 awards funded the enrichment unit ($34.1 million) and compressor station ($3.6 million); the 2016 award continued enrichment unit operations ($11.7 million through early 2018).
Eligibility was restricted to entities with direct involvement in implementing the Helium Privatization Act of 1996. The program description indicates that helium sales now benefit the U.S. Treasury general fund after the original helium debt was repaid, shifting the rationale from debt recovery to revenue generation. Applicants must submit Standard Forms 424, 424A, and 424B along with a written proposal including title, objectives, timeframe, and budget breakdown; awards are anticipated within 90 days of announcement closure. The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office administers projects and the State Director provides final approval.
Unless the program posts a new solicitation, this program does not warrant active pursuit at present.
Objective and description
- Objective
To meet the requirements of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996, Section 8, a crude helium enrichment unit was designed, constructed, and is now operated to ensure that the U.S. Government can upgrade and deliver crude helium from an underground storage field, by upgrading the gas to pipeline quality, compressing the gas and transmitting via the governments conservation pipeline which supplies helium to private helium plants located along the governments pipeline. Private plants refine the helium, supply private industry, government agencies and research projects. To pay back the helium debt, the cost that was incurred by purchasing the helium, and to ensure that the U.S. Government can redeliver crude helium into the conservation pipeline system in order to meet private and Government customer needs, as defined in the Helium Privatization Act.
Eligibility
- Uses of assistance
Projects are limited to entities that have a direct involvement with the implementation of the Helium Privatization Act and projects related to the elimination of the Helium Debt.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Projects are awarded for a one to five year period and funded on a year-by-year basis. Continuing funding will be re-evaluated each year based on performance, merit, and funding availability.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Coordinate cooperative project proposals with the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office for more information and requirements. No State plan is required.
- Application procedure
A Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, Standard Form 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, and a written proposal should be submitted through Grants.gov or via hardcopy to the project office and include: a title, objectives, timeframe, and a budget breakdown as specified in the funding opportunity announcement.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
General criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their direct relationship to helium projects and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness.
- Award procedure
Projects are reviewed at the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office. Final approvals rest with the State Director.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Awards are anticipated within 90 days or less after the announcement closes. Further information will be available for the project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the point of contact listed in the funding opportunity announcement.
- Appeals
None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal. The Bureau of Land Management will provide all unsuccessful applicants with information on why their proposal was not selected for award.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLM New Mexico - Crude Helium Enrichment Unit Project | Closed |
Grant awards
| Award | Recipient | Federal obligations | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLM new mexico crude helium enrichment unit project | Cliffside Refiners L P | $11,656,548 | |
| Crude helium enrichment unit | Cliffside Refiners L P | $34,124,749 | |
| Crude helium compressor station - compressor #1 | Cliffside Refiners L P | $3,589,651 |
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cliffside Refiners L P | $49,370,947 | 100% |
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2018 | $55,478 |
| FY2017 | -$314,007 |
| FY2016 | $13,958,807 |
| FY2014 | $9,025,000 |
| FY2013 | $6,696,000 |
| FY2012 | $13,229,670 |
| FY2011 | $6,720,000 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.240?
Assistance Listing 15.240 is Helium Resource Management, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Land Management (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Helium Resource Management?
Its CFDA number is 15.240: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.240 awarded?
3 grant awards under 15.240 have obligated $49,370,947 in federal funds to 1 recipient.
Who receives the most funding from 15.240?
The recipients obligated the most under Helium Resource Management are Cliffside Refiners L P ($49,370,947).
Are there open grant opportunities under 15.240?
No opportunity listed under 15.240 is open now. The latest, BLM New Mexico - Crude Helium Enrichment Unit Project, was posted on August 17, 2015.
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