Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife

Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife is a state government agency responsible for the conservation of all species of fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the people of Vermont. The department manages approximately 135,000 acres across 101 Wildlife Management Areas and maintains nearly 200 public fishing access areas that are open 24/7 for recreational activities including boating, fishing, hunting, and trapping. Through its federal contract and grant awards, Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife delivers comprehensive wildlife conservation, habitat management, fisheries restoration, hunter and angler education, and public access programs that support both ecological integrity and outdoor recreation across the state.

Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife has received a limited number of federal contract awards, all of which were Purchase Order contracts with no set-aside designations. The contracts primarily involved specialized services rather than goods procurement. Notable contract awards included $2,500 for recovery services of Northeastern bulrush for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6, $14,000 for youth conservation camp services to the Vermont Army National Guard, and a terminated contract valued at $0.00 for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work on endangered Jessup's milk-vetch recovery in New Hampshire. These contracts were funded by the Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service and the Vermont National Guard, demonstrating the department's role in providing specialized conservation and educational services at both state and federal levels.

Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife has been the prime recipient of substantial federal grant funding, primarily from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service through multiple grant programs. The department has received Formula Grants under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education program (CFDA 15.611), Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605), State Wildlife Grants (CFDA 15.634), and other specialized programs including the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act (CFDA 15.622) and the National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements program (CFDA 15.654). Major grant initiatives have funded wildlife research and management for game species including deer, black bear, moose, turkeys, and waterfowl; fish population surveys and management in Lake Champlain and inland waters; hunter education programs offered statewide through schools, fish and game clubs, and conservation camps; aquatic resource education programs and fishing access area maintenance; habitat development and conservation on Wildlife Management Areas; technical assistance for endangered species protection particularly for bats affected by white-nose syndrome; and specialized projects addressing invasive species, rare plant protection, and wetland conservation. Additionally, the department has received Project Grants for specific initiatives such as boat ramp construction at VanEverest Access Area on Lake Champlain, the Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas, white-nose syndrome management, Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat habitat conservation, spotted turtle population assessment, and wetland mapping and rare plant inventory work. Funding partners have included the EPA Region 1 for wetland protection work, the National Resources Conservation Service for farm bill technical assistance, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for wildlife disease surveillance, and the Department of Public Safety as a prime grantee for recreational boating safety programs where Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife served as a sub-recipient. The department has also administered sub-grants to entities such as the Department of Environmental Conservation for Lake Champlain Basin Program wetland acquisition and aquatic organism passage projects, demonstrating its role as both a direct federal grantee and grant administrator within Vermont's conservation infrastructure.