Oak Tree Mitigation Siting Plan Support at Fort Hunter Liggett, CA | W9126G 21 2 SOI 4824

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 4824

The Oak Tree Mitigation Siting Plan Support at Fort Hunter Liggett, CA is a Department of Defense opportunity (administered through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District) intended to line up a qualified non-federal partner to help Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) carry out its Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and support compliance with the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1). The government is using a Request for Statements of Interest (SOI) to identify potential investigators before requesting full proposals. About $49,000 is expected to be available for the base effort, with the possibility of additional funds in later fiscal years for follow-on tasks if the initial work goes well. The planned period of performance is 12 months from award.

At the center of the work is development of an Oak Tree Mitigation Siting Plan (OTMSP). The plan is meant to be very specific and implementation-ready, spelling out exactly where native oak mitigation plantings should occur within the cantonment area and at certain important locations and facilities in training areas (to be identified by the installation). It is not just a general habitat recommendation; the deliverable is expected to prescribe precise planting locations and clearly indicate which oak species should be planted at each spot. The siting decisions are expected to be grounded in oak ecology and site suitability factors such as soils, rainfall patterns, slope, aspect, and other environmental constraints, while also aligning with FHLs current master planning documents so that plantings fit within long-term installation development and operations.

The anticipated scope starts with background research and compilation of existing information. The partner is expected to review and analyze materials that FHL provides and other public data sources necessary to build the plan. Examples listed in the notice include recent Installation Master Plans, the INRMP and related component plans, relevant NEPA documents, FHLs Oak Management Plan, FHLs GIS database, the 2014 Military Training Habitat Map report and its GIS data, available soils datasets, topographic GIS layers (elevation, slope, aspect), and current and historical aerial imagery. This desk-based work is intended to ensure the final siting plan is consistent with existing environmental commitments and integrates well with prior planning and mapping.

A key expectation is early and ongoing coordination with installation stakeholders to integrate oak mitigation planning with long-term development, training, and safety needs. The opportunity calls out coordination with multiple directorates and functional areas, including Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (and ITAM functions), the Directorate of Public Works (including Master Planning), Cultural Resources Management, Natural Resources Management, and Emergency Services such as the Fire Department and conservation law enforcement. The idea is to avoid proposing planting sites that conflict with training operations, infrastructure expansion, fire management, access needs, or cultural resource considerations, and to ensure the plan reflects the practical realities of managing land on an active military installation.

Fieldwork is also required. The cooperator is expected to conduct a site visit early in the planning process for interviews and on-the-ground assessment. Using master planning documents and staff input, the partner will identify general candidate locations for mitigation plantings and then verify conditions in person. During field surveys, the partner will assess site conditions and confirm which areas have the ecological characteristics needed for different oak species, helping translate GIS-based suitability assumptions into workable, defensible planting prescriptions.

The mapping and GIS component is one of the most concrete deliverables. The partner must produce detailed maps and create GIS layer(s) that show the precise locations for future oak plantings, consistent with the installations Oak Tree Management Plan. The notice specifies that individual trees should be represented as point features, not just polygons or generalized areas. Each point is expected to carry attributes with site- and species-specific planting instructions, which may include soil amendments, irrigation or watering schedules, and other establishment guidance. All GIS products must be compatible with FHLs Master GIS Database and use the same coordinate system/projection so installation staff can ingest and use the data without extra conversion work.

The final written OTMSP is expected to lean heavily on mapped information and be written so it can be implemented by personnel who may not be forestry specialists. The plan should identify mitigation planting locations using inputs such as master planning documents, interviews, and viewshed protection considerations for historic resources (an example given is Mission San Antonio De Padua). It must specify exactly where trees go and which species goes where, and include detailed, species- and site-specific care, monitoring, and establishment criteria. That includes guidance like whether soil amendments are needed, how watering should be handled if required, and a defined growth threshold or endpoint for when active care can stop because the tree is considered independently established. The plan should incorporate the 2019 FHL Oak Management Plan by reference rather than repeating it, and it should describe methods in enough detail that the mapping and siting approach could be replicated later.

From an application standpoint, this notice is not requesting a full technical proposal or a budget yet. It is strictly an SOI stage focused on qualifications, skills, and team capability to perform similar work. Eligibility has an important restriction: applicants must be non-federal partners in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program to be considered, with the Californian or Colorado Plateau CESU regions suggested as the most relevant. The project team should demonstrate competence in natural resources, forestry, and oak ecology, with military land-use familiarity preferred. Biologists are expected to have at least a bachelors degree in a relevant field (biology, ecology, wildlife management, rangeland management, forestry, or similar), and at least one team member must be a Certified Forester or Arborist (or equivalent) credentialed by a recognized professional or educational institution such as the Society of American Foresters. Experience with California Central Coast ecosystems is specifically emphasized.

Administratively, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, with one anticipated award. The opportunity information lists CFDA 12.005 and categorizes the activity under science and technology and other research and development. The posting date was July 7, 2021, with an original closing date of August 6, 2021, and the government indicated SOI review would begin on August 6, 2021 after the minimum posting period on Grants.gov. Points of contact provided for questions and submissions include Sandra Justman (Contract Specialist) and Brian Hesford (Project Manager), both with email and phone details in the notice.

• The Department of Defense, Fort Worth District in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Oak Tree Mitigation Siting Plan Support at Fort Hunter Liggett, CA" 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 Jul 07, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 06, 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 $49,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 4824

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