BOTANY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT NAVAL AUXILIARY LANDING FIELD SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA | N62473 24 2 0010

Opportunity Information: Apply for N62473 24 2 0010

The BOTANY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island (SCI), California is a Navy-funded cooperative agreement focused on protecting and restoring the island's unique plant resources while keeping the island fully functional for military training. SCI is described as an irreplaceable training asset because it supports integrated training and is close to southern California, which helps sailors and Marines train nearer to family support networks. At the same time, the Navy must manage its lands using ecosystem-based stewardship under the Sikes Act (16 USC 670a, as amended) and DoD Instruction 4715.03, and it must meet obligations tied to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Federal Noxious Weed Act. The island contains many endemic species, including plants that are endangered or threatened, so the program is structured to conserve sensitive botanical resources in ways that support compliance and reduce the risk that additional species become ESA-listed, without shutting down present or future training opportunities.

The anticipated work is organized into five main tasks. First is native grassland restoration. SCI grasslands have been heavily altered by historic grazing from non-native ungulates, widespread invasion by non-native plants, and major shifts in the island's fire regime, and these stressors can be compounded by training activity. Because large-scale restoration has proven difficult on SCI due to access limitations, site selection issues, and restrictions on ground disturbance, this task emphasizes figuring out practical, efficient methods that can deliver durable results at smaller scales. The work includes studying and refining restoration approaches, continuing long-term monitoring of past restoration efforts to judge how well they hold up over time, and aligning grassland work with broader habitat management needs for other sensitive native species.

The second task targets habitat restoration and population strengthening for Poa thomasii, a rare annual grass known from only three of the California Channel Islands. It was not recorded on SCI after a 1903 collection and was once presumed extinct, then rediscovered on Catalina Island in 2005 and later found again on SCI in 2010 at two sites in boxthorn habitat at the island's northern end. These SCI occurrences sit in active training areas and can be affected by occasional fires, making them vulnerable. Even though it is not currently ESA-listed (in part because it was thought extinct), the SCI Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) sets an objective to manage the species specifically to prevent it from needing ESA listing. The work therefore focuses on increasing abundance and resilience through propagation and outplanting, habitat restoration actions, seed bulking to build reliable seed supply, and monitoring both natural populations and previous outplanting sites to track trends and evaluate success.

The third task is population augmentation for Malva assurgentiflora ssp. glabra, a perennial shrub native to the Channel Islands that was heavily impacted on SCI by non-native herbivores. The opportunity notes that without earlier Navy action (propagation and outplanting), the SCI population likely would have been federally listed under ESA. New genetic research may lead to reclassification of the SCI taxon as a distinct species endemic to the island, which would raise the conservation stakes and make it even more important to manage numbers and genetic health. This task continues and expands propagation, outplanting, habitat restoration, and seed bulking, while monitoring natural and planted occurrences to evaluate population trajectory and protect genetic integrity.

The fourth task covers annual rare plant surveys. These surveys are framed as essential for documenting current status, distribution, and long-term trends for species of conservation concern. Keeping the rare plant database updated each year supports compliance with conservation measures, helps the Navy avoid situations where species become candidates for ESA listing, and improves decision-making for land use changes and infrastructure maintenance or construction. The deliverable is updated monitoring information that can be used to assess trends and inform management and mission planning.

The fifth task is preparation of a draft and final technical report in scientific format, submitted on the schedule described in the agreement. The report must include standard components such as title and subtitle pages with required contacts and citation information, table of contents, abstract or executive summary, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions. The conclusions section is expected to synthesize findings with previous work and provide recommendations for future study. The report must also include legible copies of field notes, data forms, and other supporting documentation, signaling that careful data management and transparent reporting are central expectations of the program.

Administratively, this is a discretionary opportunity issued by Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest under Funding Opportunity Number N62473 24 2 0010, using a cooperative agreement funding instrument (CFDA 12.300). The anticipated award ceiling is $1,681,005 with one expected award, and the original closing date listed is 2024-07-22. Eligibility is limited to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) California cooperative partners that qualify under DoDGARS Part 34 or 2 CFR 200, meaning applicants generally need to be part of that CESU network and meet the federal assistance and cost principles/administrative requirements referenced. Overall, the program is designed to produce measurable, trackable improvements in SCI plant conservation through restoration, propagation, monitoring, and rigorous reporting, while aligning conservation outcomes with ongoing military training requirements on the island.

• The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BOTANY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT NAVAL AUXILIARY LANDING FIELD SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-22. (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 $1,681,005.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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