Mgt, Species, CIBW Prey - Salmon Monitoring (Weirs) (RAM Number: FXSBA53257119) and Mgt, Invasive Species, eDNA Multi Species (RAM Number: FXSBA53256121) | W911KB 25 2 0008

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911KB 25 2 0008

This funding opportunity (W911KB 25 2 0008) is a discretionary cooperative agreement being offered through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, under CFDA 12.005 (Natural Resources). It combines two closely related natural resource management efforts at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska: (1) management of species and Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (CIBW) prey through salmon monitoring using weir systems (RAM: FXSBA53257119), and (2) invasive species management using multi-species environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches (RAM: FXSBA53256121). The overall purpose is to deliver technical expertise and on-the-ground implementation work that supports Sikes Act requirements and JBER's Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP), with an emphasis on sustaining functional ecosystems, conserving native biodiversity, and supporting compliance-driven stewardship on a military installation.

A central focus of the project is long-term monitoring of salmon productivity and related freshwater ecosystem conditions in waterways connected to JBER. The work is explicitly tied to supporting Critical Habitat enhancement for the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale, a federally protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and additionally protected under the Endangered Species Act. Because belugas depend on prey availability and healthy ecosystems, the grant frames salmon monitoring and habitat work as a key input to broader marine ecology and marine mammal management programs at JBER, helping managers understand prey dynamics and make better-informed decisions that contribute to beluga recovery and ecosystem resilience.

On the salmon side, the project calls for monitoring anadromous fish at established weir systems in specific locations on or associated with JBER, including the Eagle River, the Otter Lake System, and the Sixmile Lake Fishery. The intent is to continue and strengthen long-term datasets, particularly around salmon escapement (how many fish successfully reach spawning areas) and lake productivity. Beyond pure monitoring, the opportunity also anticipates practical improvements to conditions on the ground, such as enhancing spawning habitat and improving passageways for migratory salmon, which can directly affect survival and reproductive success and, by extension, prey availability for higher trophic levels like belugas.

The invasive species component is represented in the title by a multi-species eDNA effort. While the description is more detailed about salmon weir monitoring, the inclusion of the eDNA element signals an additional set of activities aimed at detecting, tracking, or managing invasive species presence using modern molecular monitoring tools. In practice, eDNA work often supports early detection and rapid response by identifying species from genetic material in water samples, which can be especially valuable in complex or remote aquatic systems where traditional sampling is difficult or where early detection materially improves the odds of preventing establishment and spread.

This award will be made under the Sikes Act authority (16 U.S.C. 670), which is the primary federal framework for natural resource conservation and INRMP implementation on Department of Defense lands. The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the government typically expects substantial involvement or coordination during performance rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal interaction. The project is positioned as a way to help Air Force installations meet natural resource obligations laid out in their INRMPs, while also supporting broader goals such as protecting endangered and native species, maintaining ecological communities, and sustaining natural diversity and functional ecosystem processes on the installation.

Key administrative details include an anticipated single award with an award ceiling of $350,000. The posting lists an original closing date of 2025-07-08 and a creation date of 2025-06-05. Eligible applicants are broadly defined but limited to the categories authorized under 16 U.S.C. 670c-1(a): state governments, local governments (including county and city/township), federally recognized tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. In other words, it is open competition within those eligible entity types, with the expectation that the recipient can credibly carry out technical field monitoring (weirs and fisheries work), data collection and equipment reporting, and associated habitat or passage enhancement actions that feed directly into JBER's INRMP-driven management decisions and conservation outcomes.

• The Alaska District in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mgt, Species, CIBW Prey - Salmon Monitoring (Weirs) (RAM Number: FXSBA53257119) and Mgt, Invasive Species, eDNA Multi Species (RAM Number: FXSBA53256121)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.005.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-08. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Individuals, Others.

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