Tangled Bank Conservation

Tangled Bank Conservation is a minority-owned, self-certified small disadvantaged business located in Asheville, North Carolina, specializing in advanced environmental genetic research and conservation services for endangered and imperiled species. Registered in SAM.gov since January 2017, the organization provides sophisticated genomic analysis, population genetics research, and habitat restoration services primarily to federal agencies focusing on wildlife conservation. The company leverages cutting-edge genetic sequencing, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, and ecological monitoring techniques to support comprehensive conservation efforts for various species across different ecosystems.

Through federal contract awards, Tangled Bank Conservation has performed specialized environmental genetic research services, including targeted species detection and monitoring. The organization has secured contract awards from agencies like the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service Research Southern Research Station. Their contract work involves precise scientific tasks such as processing high-volume environmental DNA samples, conducting genomic sequencing, and developing novel detection methodologies. For instance, they completed a $59,702 contract with Great Smoky Mountains National Park to analyze eastern hellbender salamander populations and a $7,425 Blanket Purchase Agreement with the Forest Service to conduct alligator snapping turtle eDNA analysis from filtered water samples.

The organization's federal grant awards demonstrate a robust portfolio of conservation-focused genetic research across multiple species and regions. Grant awards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have supported critical projects including comprehensive genetic population studies of Blanding's turtles in the Great Lakes region, hybridization threat assessments for Alabama red-bellied turtles, and genetic analysis of gopher frog populations. Their grants also include habitat restoration projects for bog turtles on private lands in Western North Carolina and genomic monitoring of imperiled species on Department of Defense lands. These grants typically range from $115,000 to $367,000 and involve sophisticated genetic sequencing, population modeling, and conservation strategy development.

Tangled Bank Conservation holds a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with the U.S. Forest Service Research Service Southern Research Station, which represents their primary federal contract indefinite delivery vehicle (IDV). This single-award BPA, valued at $50,000 with a completion date of September 22, 2029, allows for environmental DNA analysis tasks, specifically focused on species detection through filtered water sample analysis. The BPA enables the organization to provide specialized scientific services across multiple potential task orders, with a particular emphasis on wildlife and aquatic species monitoring through advanced genetic techniques.