Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS CA 12 0001
Apply for USDA NRCS CA 12 0001
- The California State Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Water Quality Improvements Lake Tahoe Basin El Dorado or Placer County, CA" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902 Soil and Water Conservation.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 19, 2011 and posted on Dec 14, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 20, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $350,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Individuals Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments Small businesses City or township governments County governments State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This NRCS funding opportunity (USDA NRCS CA 12 0001) is a discretionary cooperative agreement focused on improving water quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin on the California side, specifically in El Dorado or Placer County. The core problem it targets is Lake Tahoe's long-term loss of clarity, driven in large part by fine sediment and nutrients entering the lake through stormwater runoff. The announcement highlights that a large share of the fine sediment entering the lake is believed to originate from urban runoff, and it points to single-family residential parcels as a key source because impervious surfaces like roofs, driveways, roads, and compacted areas speed up runoff and transport pollutants. The program is designed to help property owners meet local requirements to retrofit existing residential properties with Best Management Practices (BMPs) capable of infiltrating runoff from a 20-year storm event (approximately 1 inch per hour) on-site. Examples of eligible BMP-style treatments include paving driveways/parking pads where appropriate, installing infiltration trenches or dry wells, improving vegetation cover, and stabilizing slopes.
NRCS planned to make two awards total (one for California and one for Nevada), with up to $350,000 available for the California side in the fiscal year referenced. For this California opportunity, the estimated total funding and the award ceiling are both listed as $350,000, with an award floor of $250,000, and there is no cost-share or matching requirement. The agreement structure includes a one-year base period, with work expected to run roughly from January 30, 2012 through February 28, 2013. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning NRCS expects to be substantially involved in implementation, including participating in planning and management, coordinating activities, providing oversight, and, as needed, providing agency software, forms, and other technical resources.
The selected applicant is expected to deliver hands-on technical assistance through the Community Watershed Partnership program and to produce a high volume of site-specific planning deliverables for homeowners. A central workload requirement is completing at least 233 Site Evaluation Plans and providing 266 unique APN technical assistance instances (APN refers to Assessor's Parcel Numbers, effectively unique parcels). While the effort will focus on selected watersheds, at least 25 percent of the work must be available to address basin-wide requests. Site Evaluation Plans are the practical, property-level planning documents that guide homeowners toward BMP retrofits compliant with local and state regulations. They are built from field visits and inventory/evaluation, measurements and calculations, data analysis, and the selection of appropriate conservation practices (with alternatives where feasible), culminating in a documented decision by the property owner.
The Site Evaluation Plans must follow an NRCS-provided standard format and be managed digitally in a computer database. Deliverables must be provided electronically to NRCS, and the electronic version must be compatible with Microsoft Access. Homeowners must also receive copies of their plans, and when legal provisions allow, plan data will be forwarded to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The announcement is specific about what a Site Evaluation includes: customer contact information; GIS-derived environmental data; technical assistance notes; a site map capturing relevant property features used to analyze stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; a list of recommended treatments; a site drawing showing recommended BMP treatments; photographs documenting pre-installation conditions; and the runoff calculations used to size the recommended practices. A homeowner letter is also generated to explain recommendations and outline the steps for completing the retrofit project.
Beyond individual parcel technical assistance, the awardee must run a community-facing education and outreach component in at least two target areas, with an outreach plan that matches the number and diversity of stakeholders. This outreach plan must be approved by NRCS and can include workshops, media articles, public events, and direct meetings with individual clients. The awardee must also collect and analyze community input to shape program direction, using tools such as surveys and personal contact. Community engagement is described as a vital program element, and the awardee is expected to work with NRCS to host community forums, develop website content, and develop and process community surveys, as well as to participate in interagency coordination meetings as needed.
Reporting and documentation requirements are also a major part of the scope. The awardee must submit quarterly progress reports tracking performance across all tasks and a final year-end report documenting accomplishments. In addition, the awardee must produce a public-facing report for each targeted watershed or area, summarizing accomplishments and laying out goals and conservation strategies for that watershed or community area. All technical services related to conservation planning, practice application or verification, and other assistance must comply with USDA NRCS standards and specifications.
Eligibility for applicants is broad and includes individuals, federally recognized tribal governments, special district governments, small businesses, city/township governments, county governments, state governments, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education under that category as listed). Proposals are evaluated using criteria listed in descending order of importance: first, organizational capabilities (resources, relevant experience, and staff capacity to deliver the work professionally and represent NRCS well); second, knowledge of Lake Tahoe Basin conservation issues and NRCS practice standards/specifications; third, ability to work effectively with NRCS and watershed stakeholders; and fourth, knowledge of local and state ordinances and regulations that affect conservation practice implementation in the basin. NRCS noted it may hold discussions with applicants about experience and work plans, and that final selection would be followed by negotiations on costs and the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement.
Key administrative details from the posting include a posted date of December 14, 2011, a closing date of January 20, 2012, CFDA number 10.902 (Soil and Water Conservation), and management through the USDA NRCS California State Office. A point of contact was listed as Kim Pedersen, Grants Management Specialist, at 530-792-5678.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) discretionary cooperative agreement (USDA NRCS CA 12 0001) focused on improving water quality in the Lake Tahoe Basin on the California side by reducing fine sediment and nutrient runoff that contributes to Lake Tahoe's long-term loss of clarity.
Where will the work take place?
The work is specific to the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin, and is focused in El Dorado County or Placer County.
What problem is the program trying to solve?
The program targets Lake Tahoe's declining water clarity, which the announcement links to fine sediment and nutrients entering the lake through stormwater runoff. A large share of the fine sediment is believed to originate from urban runoff, and single-family residential parcels are highlighted as a key source due to impervious surfaces and compacted areas that speed runoff and transport pollutants.
What kinds of properties are emphasized in this program?
The announcement emphasizes existing single-family residential parcels, noting that features like roofs, driveways, roads, and compacted areas increase runoff and pollutant transport. The program is designed to help property owners retrofit existing residential properties with BMPs.
What is the main on-site stormwater performance goal for the recommended BMPs?
The program is designed to help property owners meet local requirements to retrofit existing residential properties with Best Management Practices (BMPs) capable of infiltrating runoff from a 20-year storm event (approximately 1 inch per hour) on-site.
What are examples of eligible BMP-style treatments mentioned in the announcement?
Examples listed include paving driveways/parking pads where appropriate, installing infiltration trenches or dry wells, improving vegetation cover, and stabilizing slopes.
How many awards did NRCS plan to make under this opportunity?
NRCS planned to make two awards total: one for California and one for Nevada.
How much funding is available for the California award?
For the California side, the estimated total funding is $350,000 and the award ceiling is $350,000.
What is the minimum (floor) award amount?
The award floor is listed as $250,000.
Is a cost-share or matching contribution required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-share or matching requirement.
What type of funding instrument is this?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement. NRCS expects to be substantially involved in implementation, including participating in planning and management, coordinating activities, providing oversight, and providing agency software, forms, and other technical resources as needed.
What is the expected project period?
The agreement structure includes a one-year base period, with work expected to run roughly from January 30, 2012 through February 28, 2013.
What program is the awardee expected to support?
The selected applicant is expected to deliver hands-on technical assistance through the Community Watershed Partnership program and produce a high volume of site-specific planning deliverables for homeowners.
What are the required production targets for homeowner assistance?
A central workload requirement includes completing at least 233 Site Evaluation Plans and providing 266 unique APN technical assistance instances. APN refers to Assessor's Parcel Numbers, which effectively represent unique parcels.
What is a Site Evaluation Plan in this program?
Site Evaluation Plans are property-level planning documents that guide homeowners toward BMP retrofits compliant with local and state regulations. They are developed through field visits and inventory/evaluation, measurements and calculations, data analysis, and selection of appropriate conservation practices (with alternatives where feasible), culminating in a documented decision by the property owner.
What specific elements must be included in a Site Evaluation?
The announcement specifies that a Site Evaluation includes: customer contact information; GIS-derived environmental data; technical assistance notes; a site map capturing relevant property features used to analyze stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; a list of recommended treatments; a site drawing showing recommended BMP treatments; photographs documenting pre-installation conditions; and the runoff calculations used to size the recommended practices. A homeowner letter is also generated to explain recommendations and outline the steps for completing the retrofit project.
Does NRCS require a specific format for Site Evaluation Plans?
Yes. The plans must follow an NRCS-provided standard format.
Are Site Evaluation Plans required to be stored and delivered digitally?
Yes. Plans must be managed digitally in a computer database, and deliverables must be provided electronically to NRCS. The electronic version must be compatible with Microsoft Access.
Do homeowners receive copies of their Site Evaluation Plans?
Yes. Homeowners must receive copies of their plans.
Will plan data be shared with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA)?
When legal provisions allow, plan data will be forwarded to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
Is the awardee required to serve only selected watersheds, or also the broader basin?
While the effort will focus on selected watersheds, at least 25 percent of the work must be available to address basin-wide requests.
What education and outreach activities are required?
The awardee must run a community-facing education and outreach component in at least two target areas. The outreach plan must match the number and diversity of stakeholders, must be approved by NRCS, and may include workshops, media articles, public events, and direct meetings with individual clients.
Is community input part of the required scope of work?
Yes. The awardee must collect and analyze community input to shape program direction using tools such as surveys and personal contact. The awardee is expected to work with NRCS to host community forums, develop website content, and develop and process community surveys, and to participate in interagency coordination meetings as needed.
What reporting is required during the project?
The awardee must submit quarterly progress reports tracking performance across all tasks and a final year-end report documenting accomplishments.
Are there any public-facing reporting deliverables?
Yes. The awardee must produce a public-facing report for each targeted watershed or area, summarizing accomplishments and laying out goals and conservation strategies for that watershed or community area.
What standards must technical services follow?
All technical services related to conservation planning, practice application or verification, and other assistance must comply with USDA NRCS standards and specifications.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes individuals; federally recognized tribal governments; special district governments; small businesses; city/township governments; county governments; state governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education under that nonprofit category as listed).
How will proposals be evaluated?
Proposals are evaluated using criteria listed in descending order of importance: (1) organizational capabilities (resources, relevant experience, and staff capacity to deliver the work professionally and represent NRCS well); (2) knowledge of Lake Tahoe Basin conservation issues and NRCS practice standards/specifications; (3) ability to work effectively with NRCS and watershed stakeholders; and (4) knowledge of local and state ordinances and regulations affecting conservation practice implementation in the basin.
Can NRCS discuss the proposal with applicants before selection?
NRCS noted it may hold discussions with applicants about experience and work plans.
What happens after selection?
The announcement states that final selection would be followed by negotiations on costs and the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
The posted date is December 14, 2011, and the closing date is January 20, 2012.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 10.902 (Soil and Water Conservation).
Which NRCS office manages this opportunity?
The opportunity is managed through the USDA NRCS California State Office.
Who is the point of contact listed in the announcement?
The listed point of contact is Kim Pedersen, Grants Management Specialist, at 530-792-5678.
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