Wildlife Response Program at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California | N62473 19 2 0005

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Wildlife Response Program at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms?

The Wildlife Response Program is a Department of Defense funding opportunity supporting day-to-day, on-the-ground wildlife protection and environmental compliance work at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in Twentynine Palms, California. The work is based within MCAGCC Environmental Affairs and focuses on rapid response, monitoring, data management, and outreach involving protected and sensitive wildlife species affected by training, construction, and other base operations.

Which agency is issuing this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is issued by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) as a Department of Defense funding opportunity.

What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement. In practice, that means the recipient is expected to coordinate closely with the government rather than operating entirely independently.

What is the main purpose of the funded work?

The overall goal is to provide operationally responsive wildlife handling and clearance capabilities while also delivering structured biomonitoring, GIS-based data stewardship, and practical education and interpretation tailored to an active desert training installation.

What is the Wildlife Call Program and what does it do?

The Wildlife Call Program is designed to ensure timely response when base personnel report wildlife issues. It covers situations where animals are injured, trapped, or creating a safety hazard, with an expectation that responders can safely handle, transport, and move wildlife out of harm's way while following applicable handling protocols and wildlife protection requirements.

Why is rapid wildlife response important on an active military installation?

At MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, training areas overlap habitat for protected desert species. Rapid response helps protect wildlife, but it also supports readiness and safety by reducing delays, incidents, and environmental compliance problems tied to base operations.

What role does the program play in desert tortoise protection?

A major emphasis is a desert tortoise rapid-response clearance program. This component provides quick, qualified support to survey, clear, and protect desert tortoises in and around emergent operational areas so that time-sensitive ground-disturbing activities can proceed while minimizing harm and meeting environmental obligations.

What kinds of situations trigger desert tortoise rapid-response clearance?

The clearance program is intended for sudden, time-sensitive ground-disturbing footprints related to military training or emergency facilities operations. The aim is to support rapid surveys and clearance actions aligned with operational schedules.

What capabilities are implied for the desert tortoise clearance work?

The described work typically requires trained biologists or technicians, established procedures for avoidance and relocation when authorized, and tight coordination with base operational timelines.

What is biomonitoring in this opportunity?

Biomonitoring refers to collecting field observations and data on species such as desert tortoise, migratory birds, and other protected wildlife. The monitoring focuses on understanding presence, movement, nesting or breeding activity, and potential impacts from ongoing or planned base activities.

How does biomonitoring support base decision-making?

Monitoring data helps MCAGCC document conditions, track changes over time, and make defensible decisions about mitigation, timing restrictions, and operational best practices.

Is migratory bird work included, and what does that imply?

Yes. Migratory birds are specifically mentioned as part of biomonitoring. This likely includes attention to nesting seasons and avoidance measures tied to federal protections, as well as documenting nesting or breeding activity relevant to base operations.

What is the Land Acquisition project connection mentioned in the opportunity?

The opportunity calls for biomonitoring support for base activities, including support related to a Land Acquisition project. Based on the description, that support would involve collecting and managing wildlife observations and related data to inform activities associated with that effort.

What education and interpretation deliverables are expected?

The recipient is expected to produce and distribute educational and interpretive materials for both public visitors and on-base personnel. These materials are intended to reduce wildlife conflicts and improve compliance by explaining how to report wildlife issues, what to do (and not do) when encountering wildlife, and why certain species and habitats require special protection.

Who is the outreach intended for?

Outreach is intended for two audiences: public visitors and on-base personnel. The goal is to improve awareness and behavior across a large and diverse base population.

What GIS and data management work is included?

The program includes maintaining associated GIS layers, managing a geodatabase, and analyzing wildlife data trends. This supports mapping sensitive habitat areas, tracking incident locations, logging call responses, and integrating monitoring results into spatial datasets that can be used for planning and operational decision-making.

What reporting is expected under this program?

The solicitation expects analysis of wildlife data trends and publication of results in an annual report. The annual report is described as a recurring, formal summary of response activities, monitoring outcomes, spatial patterns, and notable changes or emerging issues relevant to MCAGCC operations.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity was posted as a discretionary funding opportunity under CFDA 12.300 (Department of Defense).

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is N62473-19-2-0005.

Who is eligible to apply?

The eligibility statement is unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility language contained in the full solicitation package.

How many awards were anticipated?

NAVFAC anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).

What was the maximum (ceiling) amount for the award?

The award ceiling listed for the opportunity was $213,850.

When was the opportunity posted and when was it originally due?

The posting date was April 4, 2019, and the original closing date was May 6, 2019.

Where will the work take place?

The work is tied to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California, and is designed to support wildlife protection and compliance needs on that active military installation.