Winter Habitat Assessment and Modeling for Rocky Mountain Elk around Dworshak Reservoir | W912EF 21 2 RFP 0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for W912EF 21 2 RFP 0002

This funding opportunity is a Department of Defense grant (issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District) focused on applied research and modeling to support winter habitat assessment for Rocky Mountain elk in the area surrounding Dworshak Reservoir. It is listed as a discretionary opportunity under CFDA 12.630 and is authorized under 10 USC 2358, which is commonly used to support research, development, testing, and evaluation activities that align with federal mission needs. The project title, "Winter Habitat Assessment and Modeling for Rocky Mountain Elk around Dworshak Reservoir," signals that the core purpose is to evaluate the quality, distribution, and drivers of elk winter habitat conditions and to translate those findings into some form of predictive or decision-support model that can be used for management actions around the reservoir.

The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which usually means the agency expects to be involved during the project period in a more hands-on way than a typical grant. In practice, that can include coordination on methods, access to relevant data, review of interim products, alignment with agency management objectives, and collaborative refinement of deliverables. The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, so proposals would be expected to emphasize defensible scientific methods, data-driven analysis, and clear outputs that can be applied in real management contexts.

The competitive process begins with a two-step timeline. Interested parties were required to submit a Statement of Interest/Qualifications by September 9, 2021 at 2:00 PM Pacific Time. Full application packages were due only if the applicant was invited to proceed, with the invited full application deadline listed as September 16, 2021 at 2:00 PM Pacific Time. This kind of down-select approach typically indicates the agency wanted to screen for relevant expertise and capacity before requesting full technical and budget details.

Financially, the estimated award ceiling is $50,000, with an estimated total program funding level of $150,000 and an expected number of awards of 1. The single-award expectation means the agency intended to select one recipient to carry out the work, rather than splitting the effort across multiple teams. Given the relatively modest ceiling, the project is likely scoped to a focused assessment and modeling effort that relies on existing datasets, targeted field verification, and efficient analytical methods, rather than extensive multi-year field campaigns.

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with a note to consult the additional eligibility text in the full announcement. In similar federal opportunities, that category can encompass a range of entities such as universities, nonprofits, research institutions, and sometimes state or local entities or qualified private organizations, depending on the specific eligibility language. The listing does not provide those details directly, but it indicates that eligibility is not limited strictly to federal agencies and may be open to multiple organizational types as long as they meet the solicitation requirements.

Overall, the opportunity is essentially a small, targeted R and D cooperative agreement intended to produce actionable insight into elk winter habitat around Dworshak Reservoir, likely helping land and wildlife managers understand where winter range is most critical, how it may be influenced by environmental variables or land management conditions, and how to use modeling to anticipate habitat suitability or prioritize conservation and management actions. The key administrative identifiers are Funding Opportunity Number W912EF-21-2-RFP-0002, agency Department of Defense (USACE Walla Walla District), CFDA 12.630, issue date August 9, 2021, and an estimated maximum award of $50,000 for one selected recipient.

• The Department of Defense, Walla Walla District in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Winter Habitat Assessment and Modeling for Rocky Mountain Elk around Dworshak Reservoir" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 09, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 16, 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 $50,000.00 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 W912EF 21 2 RFP 0002

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