Notice of Intent to Award to Arizona Game and Fish Dept. | BOR LC 21 N004

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR LC 21 N004

This grant opportunity, titled "Notice of Intent to Award to Arizona Game and Fish Dept." (Funding Opportunity Number: BOR LC 21 N004), is a discretionary grant issued by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. It is focused on environmental work under CFDA 15.517 and is structured as a single expected award with a funding ceiling of $54,900. The notice was created on August 12, 2021, with an original closing date of August 26, 2021, and it indicates an intent to award connected to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), reflecting the agency's established role and specialized capability at the project site.

The core purpose of the agreement is to support ongoing protection and recovery efforts for two species of high conservation concern in Arizona: the Gila Chub, which was federally listed as endangered in 2005, and the Northern Mexican Gartersnake, which was listed as threatened in 2014. The project is designed around a practical habitat protection strategy in Indian Creek, tied to the Agua Fria River system. By creating infrastructure to block or control fish movement and then removing an invasive or harmful fish species from the area, the project aims to preserve and improve long-term habitat conditions that these native species depend on, while also safeguarding any existing populations already present in the creek.

A central problem the project is addressing is the impact of non-native fish, specifically Green Sunfish, which can prey on or compete with native aquatic species and disrupt ecological balance. The proposed approach is to first establish a fish passage barrier or fish screen at a targeted location, and then carry out removal of Green Sunfish upstream or within the protected reach. The barrier is intended to prevent reinvasion and make the benefits of removal lasting rather than temporary. In effect, the project combines physical infrastructure with active species management to create durable conservation outcomes.

AGFD is identified as essential to accomplishing this work because of its extensive experience at the location and its broader familiarity with the Agua Fria River watershed. The notice emphasizes that AGFD's direct involvement and expertise are necessary for successful implementation, which is consistent with a "notice of intent to award" style opportunity where the awarding agency signals a strong justification for working with a specific entity that has unique knowledge, history, and operational presence in the area.

The project activities are mainly focused on the design phase for the fish screen or barrier and are described as a sequence of technical tasks carried out by a contractor in coordination with AGFD. First, the contractor will perform a site survey at the proposed fish screen location to evaluate on-the-ground conditions, identify constraints, and clarify design needs. Second, the contractor will conduct research and develop multiple design alternatives, which will be provided to AGFD (referred to as AZGFD in the description) for review and approval. Third, after a preferred alternative is selected, the contractor will develop final design plans, including quantity estimates and engineering-level construction cost estimates to support budgeting and implementation planning. Finally, the contractor will submit the completed final design package to AGFD, and AGFD will then provide those final design plans to the Bureau of Reclamation for review and use in moving the project forward.

Overall, the opportunity is a targeted, relatively small-dollar award aimed at advancing a specific conservation action in Indian Creek: designing a fish screen or barrier that enables effective removal of Green Sunfish and protects habitat for the Gila Chub and Northern Mexican Gartersnake over the long term. The work products are primarily professional design deliverables (survey results, alternatives analysis, final engineering design, and cost estimates) that lay the groundwork for construction and subsequent on-the-ground ecological management.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent to Award to Arizona Game and Fish Dept." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.517.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 12, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 26, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $54,900.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BOR LC 21 N004

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