Opportunity Information: Apply for R15AN20014
Apply for R15AN20014
- The Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Open Space Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.524 Recreation Resources Management.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 13, 2015 and posted on Apr 13, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 23, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $49,755.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $49,755.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Open Space Management" grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number R15AN20014) is a Bureau of Reclamation notice of intent to award, meaning it is not an open solicitation and is not requesting applications. Instead, it serves as public notice that Reclamation planned to make a single award without full and open competition to the Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD), a special district government. The funding falls under CFDA 15.524 (Recreation Resources Management) and is framed as a new grant award with an anticipated federal amount of $49,755, paired with a 50 percent cost share requirement. The anticipated period of performance runs from the date of execution through December 31, 2019, and the announcement indicates the work would support activities considered important to protecting the integrity of Lake Casitas as a drinking water reservoir where body contact is not allowed.
At a practical level, the grant is designed to support ongoing management of federal "Open Space" lands that Reclamation acquired around Lake Casitas to help safeguard water quality and address broader watershed protection concerns. Reclamation and CMWD have existing management agreements that emphasize keeping these lands maintained and, where possible, in a natural condition. The funded activities are broadly described as whatever tasks are needed to preserve that natural state and reduce threats to the watershed and reservoir, with examples including fence repair, trespass prevention, security patrols, and related watershed protection work around the lake.
The project work is organized into three main objectives. First is fence repair and improvements: the open space perimeter includes roughly 13 miles of four-strand barbed wire fencing that is routinely damaged by weather, falling branches, vehicle impacts, vandalism, and normal wear. Repairs may require materials like wire and stakes and the use of hand tools. The intent is to maintain effective barriers that prevent public intrusion onto protected lands and reduce risks such as dumping along the boundary, which can become both a public safety issue and a water quality concern. Second is waterway maintenance: several seasonal creeks and a diversion canal cross or enter the reservoir through the open space area, and they need to remain clear of trash, debris, and obstructions so natural flows can reach Lake Casitas. CMWD would monitor conditions through patrols and communication and respond to issues like downed trees, channel or creek-bed problems, high-flow damage, and vandalism that could impede flows. This objective also references CMWD's responsibility for the Robles Canal under a separate existing Reclamation contract related to Safety of Dams; the canal diverts contract water from the Ventura River under certain flow conditions and is required to remain an open channel. Third is security patrol: the grant is meant to supplement an existing Reclamation grant with the U.S. Forest Service for open space protection by adding occasional ranger patrols to deter trespassing on federal lands, reduce vandalism, support fire prevention, and discourage dumping, poaching, and other prohibited activities, with coordination closely tied to Forest Service efforts.
Reclamation’s role is described as limited and typical for a grant-making agency, with no substantial programmatic involvement anticipated in carrying out the work. Oversight is expected to be the standard federal stewardship functions such as monitoring performance and providing technical assistance if requested by the recipient, rather than day-to-day operational control.
A key feature of this announcement is that it justifies a non-competitive, single-source award based on "Unique Qualifications" under Department of the Interior policy (505 DM 2). The rationale is that CMWD already operates and manages the project and surrounding Reclamation lands under long-standing agreements, and it has the on-site equipment, staff, and management structure needed to run the Lake Casitas Recreation Area and manage the open space lands. The notice points to an Interim Agreement between Reclamation and CMWD and references additional contracts and agreements under which CMWD manages land around Lake Casitas and Casitas Dam. It also cites Reclamation’s 2010 Final Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, which states that implementing resource management plan actions is primarily the responsibility of the "managing partner," a role CMWD has held since 1956. In other words, the agency position is that competition is impracticable because this recipient is already the established managing entity with the operational footprint and institutional knowledge to perform the work effectively.
The statutory authority cited is primarily the Federal Water Project Recreation Act (Public Law 89-72, codified in part at 16 USC 460l-15, including Section 3(c)(1)), which supports federal water projects being planned, operated, and maintained with consideration for recreation as well as fish and wildlife enhancement, and encourages non-federal public bodies to administer project lands for those purposes under agreements that typically require non-federal cost sharing. Additional legal citations included in the announcement reference authorities related to land and water area administration, expansion or modification of recreation facilities with cost-share limits, and broader soil and water conservation cooperation provisions (including 16 USC 590a). The opportunity details list one expected award, total estimated funding equal to the award amount ($49,755), and both the award ceiling and floor set at $49,755, reinforcing that this was a pre-identified, fixed-amount intended award rather than a competitive pool.
For reference, the Reclamation point of contact listed for the opportunity is Jason Kirby (jkirby@usbr.gov), and the grants officer contact for access issues is Beverly Breen (BBreen@usbr.gov). The announcement was posted April 13, 2015, with an original and current closing date of April 23, 2015, and an archive date of May 23, 2015, which aligns with its function as a notice of intent to award rather than an open application window.
Open Space Management Grant (R15AN20014) - FAQs
Is this a grant that organizations can apply for?
No. This is a Bureau of Reclamation notice of intent to award, not an open solicitation. The notice states Reclamation planned to make a single award without full and open competition and is not requesting applications.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is R15AN20014.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The notice identifies the Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD) as the planned recipient. CMWD is described as a special district government.
How many awards does Reclamation expect to make under this opportunity?
The opportunity lists one expected award, consistent with the notice being a single-source, non-competitive intended award.
What is the CFDA number and program name associated with this funding?
The funding is listed under CFDA 15.524, Recreation Resources Management.
How much federal funding is anticipated?
The anticipated federal award amount is $49,755.
Is there a cost share requirement?
Yes. The notice states there is a 50 percent cost share requirement.
Is there a funding range or multiple funding tiers?
No. The award ceiling and award floor are both listed as $49,755, and total estimated funding is also $49,755, indicating a fixed intended award amount rather than a competitive pool with a range.
What is the anticipated period of performance?
The anticipated period of performance runs from the date of execution through December 31, 2019.
What is the overall purpose of the Open Space Management grant?
The grant is designed to support ongoing management of federal "Open Space" lands acquired by Reclamation around Lake Casitas, with a focus on safeguarding water quality and supporting broader watershed protection. The work is framed as supporting activities important to protecting the integrity of Lake Casitas as a drinking water reservoir.
Why is the work tied to Lake Casitas being a drinking water reservoir?
The announcement emphasizes protecting the integrity of Lake Casitas as a drinking water reservoir and notes that body contact is not allowed. The funded management activities are intended to reduce threats to the watershed and reservoir and support water quality protection.
What types of activities are expected to be supported?
The notice describes the funded work broadly as tasks needed to preserve the natural state of the open space lands and reduce threats to the watershed and reservoir. Examples given include fence repair, trespass prevention, security patrols, and related watershed protection work around the lake.
How is the project work organized?
The work is organized into three main objectives: (1) fence repair and improvements, (2) waterway maintenance, and (3) security patrol.
What does the fence repair and improvements objective cover?
The open space perimeter includes about 13 miles of four-strand barbed wire fencing that is routinely damaged by weather, falling branches, vehicle impacts, vandalism, and normal wear. The objective covers repairing and improving fencing to maintain effective barriers that deter public intrusion and reduce risks such as boundary dumping that can create public safety and water quality concerns.
What materials or tools are mentioned for fence repairs?
The notice mentions that repairs may require materials such as wire and stakes and the use of hand tools.
Why is maintaining the fence considered important?
The fence is intended to prevent public intrusion onto protected lands and to reduce risks like dumping along the boundary, which is described as both a public safety issue and a water quality concern.
What does the waterway maintenance objective involve?
Several seasonal creeks and a diversion canal cross or enter the reservoir through the open space area. This objective focuses on keeping waterways clear of trash, debris, and obstructions so natural flows can reach Lake Casitas. It includes monitoring through patrols and communication and responding to issues such as downed trees, channel or creek-bed problems, high-flow damage, and vandalism that could impede flows.
Does the notice mention any specific canal responsibilities?
Yes. The notice references CMWD's responsibility for the Robles Canal under a separate existing Reclamation contract related to Safety of Dams. The canal diverts contract water from the Ventura River under certain flow conditions and is required to remain an open channel.
What does the security patrol objective include?
The grant is intended to supplement an existing Reclamation grant with the U.S. Forest Service for open space protection by adding occasional ranger patrols. The patrols are described as helping deter trespassing on federal lands, reduce vandalism, support fire prevention, and discourage dumping, poaching, and other prohibited activities, with coordination closely tied to Forest Service efforts.
What is Reclamation's role in carrying out the work?
Reclamation's role is described as limited and typical for a grant-making agency, with no substantial programmatic involvement anticipated. Oversight is expected to consist of standard federal stewardship functions such as monitoring performance and providing technical assistance if requested by the recipient, rather than day-to-day operational control.
Why is this described as a non-competitive, single-source award?
The notice justifies a non-competitive, single-source award under "Unique Qualifications" (citing Department of the Interior policy 505 DM 2). The rationale is that CMWD already operates and manages the project and surrounding Reclamation lands under long-standing agreements and has the on-site equipment, staff, and management structure needed to manage the Lake Casitas Recreation Area and the open space lands.
What agreements or planning documents are referenced to support CMWD's role?
The notice references an Interim Agreement between Reclamation and CMWD, as well as additional contracts and agreements under which CMWD manages land around Lake Casitas and Casitas Dam. It also cites Reclamation's 2010 Final Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, which states that implementing resource management plan actions is primarily the responsibility of the "managing partner," a role CMWD has held since 1956.
What statutory authority is cited for this opportunity?
The primary statutory authority cited is the Federal Water Project Recreation Act (Public Law 89-72, codified in part at 16 USC 460l-15, including Section 3(c)(1)). The notice also references additional authorities related to land and water area administration, expansion or modification of recreation facilities with cost-share limits, and broader soil and water conservation cooperation provisions (including 16 USC 590a).
When was this notice posted and what are the listed dates?
The notice was posted April 13, 2015. The original and current closing date listed is April 23, 2015, and the archive date is May 23, 2015. The dates align with the notice functioning as a public notice of intent to award rather than an open application window.
Who is the Reclamation point of contact listed for this opportunity?
The Reclamation point of contact listed is Jason Kirby (jkirby@usbr.gov).
Who is the grants officer contact for access issues?
The grants officer contact for access issues is Beverly Breen (BBreen@usbr.gov).
What does "new grant award" mean in this notice?
The opportunity is framed as a new grant award with an anticipated federal amount of $49,755 and a 50 percent cost share requirement. The notice presents it as a planned, single award rather than a competitive program round.
Are body contact activities allowed in Lake Casitas under this notice?
No. The notice describes Lake Casitas as a drinking water reservoir where body contact is not allowed.
Is the focus on recreation facilities or on land and watershed protection?
Based on the activities described (fence repair, trespass prevention, waterway maintenance, and security patrols), the focus is on managing and protecting open space lands around the reservoir to support watershed protection and water quality, rather than on building or expanding recreation facilities.
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