Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR UC 16 N011
Apply for BOR UC 16 N011
- The DOI-BOR in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project PERs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.519.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 05, 2016 and posted on May 05, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 19, 2016. (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 $499,985.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project PERs opportunity is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (DOI-BOR) cooperative agreement intended to help move critical drinking water connections for Navajo Nation communities from concept to fundable, build-ready plans. The broader Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP) is designed to deliver a reliable municipal, industrial, and domestic water supply to Navajo Nation communities in New Mexico, the City of Gallup (New Mexico), Window Rock and Fort Defiance (Arizona), the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, and part of the Jicarilla Apache Nation. These areas have been relying on groundwater sources that are both declining and often poor in quality, creating an urgent need for a more dependable long-term supply system.
A central issue the grant addresses is that earlier NGWSP planning (including the 2009 Planning Report/Final Environmental Impact Statement) and the project Construction Cost Estimate accounted for major trunkline features such as tanks and booster stations at turnout locations, but did not include the full cost and details needed to connect those turnouts into existing public water systems. In response, the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources (NNDWR), working with the NGWSP Project Construction Committee, developed a prioritized list of connection plans that focus on getting water from the NGWSP trunkline to the nearest Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) public water system supply points. Because it is not clear that the NGWSP construction budget can cover design and construction for every desired connection, the parties identified a need to produce high-quality planning documents that can firm up costs, evaluate feasible alternatives, and support applications to other funding sources.
Funding under this opportunity supports development of a second group of five Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) for the next set of highest-priority connection plans. PERs are a standard planning requirement used across many state and federal infrastructure programs, including USDA Rural Utilities Service programs, and they are specifically described in USDA RUS Bulletin 1780-2 and referenced in federal requirements for water and waste disposal assistance (7 CFR 1780.33(c) and 1780.55). In practical terms, each PER is expected to lay out the engineering basis for a proposed connection, document existing conditions and system needs, analyze multiple alternatives, recommend a preferred approach, and develop credible cost information. The intent is not to fund final design or construction through this award, but to fund the detailed planning work that makes later design and construction funding more achievable and less risky.
The five connections covered by this second PER group distribute water to Navajo Nation Chapters (including community houses and businesses) from the San Juan Lateral portion of the NGWSP. The PERs are organized around these specific reaches and communities: (1) Twin Lakes (Reach 12.5), (2) Pinedale (Reach 14.3a, including a Water Age Study), (3) Mariano Lake (Reach 14.4a, including a Water Age Study), (4) Red Rock/Baahaali/Chichiltah (Reaches 14.6b, 14.7b, 14.8b, Water Age Study only), and (5) Tsayatoh/Rock Springs (Reaches 12.4 and 12.6). The connection plans were prioritized using factors such as the number and percentage of water haulers in a community, groundwater shortage severity, cost per acre-foot delivered, and construction sequencing considerations. Producing PERs for these priority connections is meant to sharpen total cost estimates and help leverage additional funds for eventual implementation.
A notable technical focus within this work is water quality feasibility through Water Age Studies for certain remote or hydraulically challenging connections. The opportunity highlights concerns about chlorine decay and the potential formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) as water travels long distances and spends more time in pipelines and storage. If water age is too high, delivered water could approach regulatory non-compliance by the time it reaches chapter houses, which would directly affect whether a connection is practical without added measures (for example, rechlorination, operational changes, or storage modifications). By requiring Water Age Studies in selected PERs (and exclusively for the Red Rock/Baahaali/Chichiltah set), the grant aims to ensure the resulting planning documents reflect real-world operability and compliance risk rather than only conceptual routing and capacity.
The Navajo Nation (as Recipient) is responsible for producing the PERs using NNDWR staff and a professional engineering consultant, and for handling the on-the-ground steps needed to support that work. This includes furnishing materials and labor (either in-house or via contracts), securing rights-of-way and land access permissions, obtaining permits, and completing any regulatory compliance work tied to design data collection or investigations for the PERs. The Recipient must also provide Reclamation with information copies of contract and subcontract award documents and give advance notice of contract actions involving funding changes or disputes so Reclamation can concur in writing before awards or modifications proceed. Standard administrative requirements also apply, including formal transmittals for submittals, completion of financial and performance reporting, allowing inspection of work and records with reasonable notice, and protecting Reclamation from claims tied to payments owed by the Recipient to contractors or consultants. The agreement also clarifies the Recipient is not acting as an agent of the U.S. Government.
Reclamation’s role is characterized as substantial involvement, which is consistent with the cooperative agreement instrument. Reclamation is expected to provide technical review throughout the PER development process, including review of draft and final PERs and any required Water Age Studies, and to provide comments, recommendations, and concurrence on submittals. This structure is meant to improve technical quality and alignment with NGWSP program needs while still leaving the primary responsibility for producing the PERs with the Recipient and its consultants.
Key funding and administrative details from the notice include: the opportunity is discretionary, uses a cooperative agreement, falls under the Natural Resources activity category, and is listed under CFDA 15.519. Eligible applicants are federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The funding opportunity number is BOR UC 16 N011. The posted and creation dates were May 5, 2016, with an application closing date of May 19, 2016. The award ceiling was $499,985, with one expected award.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project PERs Opportunity
What is the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project PERs opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (DOI-BOR) discretionary cooperative agreement intended to fund development of Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) for high-priority drinking water connection plans associated with the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP).
What problem is this funding trying to solve?
Earlier NGWSP planning and construction cost estimating covered major trunkline features (such as tanks and booster stations at turnout locations) but did not include the full cost and detailed planning needed to connect those turnouts into existing public water systems. This grant supports planning work to create fundable, build-ready connection plans with credible cost estimates and feasible alternatives, helping communities pursue later funding and implementation.
What is the larger Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP) designed to do?
The broader NGWSP is designed to deliver a reliable municipal, industrial, and domestic water supply to Navajo Nation communities in New Mexico, the City of Gallup (New Mexico), Window Rock and Fort Defiance (Arizona), the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, and part of the Jicarilla Apache Nation.
Why is a new water supply system needed in the areas served by NGWSP?
The notice explains that these areas have relied on groundwater sources that are declining and often poor in quality, creating an urgent need for a more dependable long-term supply system.
What is being funded under this specific opportunity?
The funding supports development of a second group of five Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) for the next set of highest-priority connection plans from the NGWSP trunkline to the nearest Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) public water system supply points.
Is this grant intended to pay for final design or construction?
No. The intent described is to fund detailed planning (PERs and associated studies) rather than final design or construction. The purpose is to make later design and construction funding more achievable and less risky by producing high-quality, fundable planning documents.
What is a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) in this context?
A PER is a standard infrastructure planning document used across many state and federal programs. In practical terms, each PER is expected to document existing conditions and needs, analyze multiple alternatives, recommend a preferred approach, and develop credible cost information and an engineering basis for the proposed connection.
Are PERs tied to any specific federal guidance or requirements?
Yes. PERs are specifically described in USDA Rural Utilities Service Bulletin 1780-2 and referenced in federal requirements for water and waste disposal assistance (7 CFR 1780.33(c) and 7 CFR 1780.55).
Which five connections are included in this second group of PERs?
The five connections distribute water to Navajo Nation Chapters (including community houses and businesses) from the San Juan Lateral portion of the NGWSP. The PERs are organized around these specific reaches and communities:
- Twin Lakes (Reach 12.5)
- Pinedale (Reach 14.3a, including a Water Age Study)
- Mariano Lake (Reach 14.4a, including a Water Age Study)
- Red Rock/Baahaali/Chichiltah (Reaches 14.6b, 14.7b, 14.8b; Water Age Study only)
- Tsayatoh/Rock Springs (Reaches 12.4 and 12.6)
How were these connection plans prioritized?
The connection plans were prioritized using factors including the number and percentage of water haulers in a community, groundwater shortage severity, cost per acre-foot delivered, and construction sequencing considerations.
What is the purpose of producing PERs for these priority connections?
The stated goal is to sharpen total cost estimates, evaluate feasible alternatives, and produce planning documents strong enough to support applications to other funding sources for eventual implementation.
What are Water Age Studies, and why are they included?
Water Age Studies are included to evaluate water quality feasibility for certain remote or hydraulically challenging connections where water may travel long distances and spend more time in pipelines and storage. The opportunity highlights concerns that high water age can lead to chlorine decay and potential formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), which could create operability issues and risk approaching regulatory non-compliance at delivery points such as chapter houses.
Which PERs specifically include a Water Age Study requirement?
Water Age Studies are included for Pinedale and Mariano Lake, and the Red Rock/Baahaali/Chichiltah effort is described as a Water Age Study only.
What kinds of issues could a Water Age Study reveal?
The notice points to issues such as insufficient chlorine residual due to chlorine decay, increased potential for disinfection by-products (DBPs), and overall concerns that delivered water quality could be close to regulatory non-compliance by the time it reaches remote endpoints.
If water age is too high, does the notice mention potential mitigation measures?
Yes. Examples mentioned include rechlorination, operational changes, or storage modifications as measures that might be needed if water age creates a compliance or operability risk.
Who is the Recipient responsible for producing the PERs?
The Navajo Nation is identified as the Recipient and is responsible for producing the PERs using Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources (NNDWR) staff and a professional engineering consultant.
What responsibilities does the Recipient have for on-the-ground support work?
The Recipient is responsible for steps needed to support PER development, including furnishing materials and labor (in-house or via contracts), securing rights-of-way and land access permissions, obtaining permits, and completing any regulatory compliance work tied to design data collection or investigations for the PERs.
What contract and subcontract documentation must be provided to Reclamation?
The Recipient must provide Reclamation with information copies of contract and subcontract award documents. The Recipient must also provide advance notice of contract actions involving funding changes or disputes so Reclamation can concur in writing before awards or modifications proceed.
What ongoing administrative requirements are described for the agreement?
The notice describes standard administrative requirements including formal transmittals for submittals, completion of financial and performance reporting, allowing inspection of work and records with reasonable notice, and protecting Reclamation from claims tied to payments owed by the Recipient to contractors or consultants.
Does the agreement make the Recipient an agent of the U.S. Government?
No. The agreement clarifies that the Recipient is not acting as an agent of the U.S. Government.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a typical grant?
The notice describes Reclamation having "substantial involvement," which is consistent with a cooperative agreement. Reclamation is expected to provide technical review during PER development, including review of drafts and finals (and any required Water Age Studies), and to provide comments, recommendations, and concurrence on submittals.
What is Reclamation's role in the PER development process?
Reclamation is expected to provide technical review throughout the process, review draft and final PERs and required Water Age Studies, and provide comments, recommendations, and concurrence on submittals to improve technical quality and alignment with NGWSP program needs.
What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The notice lists the activity category as Natural Resources.
Is this opportunity discretionary or formula-based?
The notice identifies the opportunity as discretionary.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.519.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is BOR UC 16 N011.
What were the posted and closing dates for applications?
The posted and creation dates were May 5, 2016, and the application closing date was May 19, 2016.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed in the notice was $499,985.
How many awards were expected?
The notice indicates one expected award.
Why might additional funding be needed beyond the NGWSP construction budget?
The notice states it is not clear that the NGWSP construction budget can cover design and construction for every desired connection. The PERs are intended to help firm up costs and support applications to other funding sources for implementation.
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