Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS IA 10 02
Apply for USDA NRCS IA 10 02
- The USDA NRCS Iowa State Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WETLAND RESTORATION ASSISTANCE" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.072 Wetlands Reserve Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 16, 2010 and posted on Jul 7, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 23, 2010 EXTENDING CLOSING DATE TO AUGUST 23, 2010 AT 430 P.M.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Individuals County governments Special district governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) City or township governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The WETLAND RESTORATION ASSISTANCE opportunity is a competitive funding announcement from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa State Office to support on-the-ground implementation of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) restoration work across Iowa. WRP is a voluntary conservation program focused on conserving, protecting, enhancing, and managing wetland ecosystems and adjacent uplands. The central goal is to restore degraded wetlands in ways that maximize wildlife habitat while also delivering broader environmental benefits like improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, and reduced flooding impacts, including habitat support for threatened and endangered species.
Under this opportunity, NRCS is seeking qualified government or non-government organizations, tribes, and individuals that can provide specialized technical and implementation assistance to help NRCS and participating landowners carry out approved WRP restoration plans. The funded partner(s) would work closely with NRCS staff, including the WRP Specialist, District Conservationists, and Area Engineers. Typical responsibilities described in the notice include construction management for wetland restoration, enhancement, and creation projects; vegetative and hydrology restoration; site layout and staking based on NRCS-provided designs; and providing inspection and quality control to ensure the work meets NRCS standards and specifications. Awardees are also expected to submit monthly status reports and maintain required documentation in line with NRCS guidance. NRCS references its Field Office Technical Guide and engineering handbooks/manuals as the governing technical standards. At the time of the announcement, NRCS indicated that roughly 20 sites were ready for restoration, with 39 additional sites expected to become ready within about six months of award, signaling an ongoing pipeline of projects statewide.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, specifically because NRCS anticipates substantial federal involvement in planning, prioritization, and oversight. NRCS commits to actions such as conducting an initial briefing before award, assigning a liaison, prioritizing work assignments, providing technical coordination and quality assurance, offering access to NRCS tools where possible, completing permitting and compliance tasks (including cultural resources review and NEPA compliance), and approving any new or innovative practices before they are applied. NRCS also reserves the right to monitor progress closely and suspend work if conservation plan requirements or NRCS standards are not being met.
Funding for FY2010 was anticipated at approximately $3.0 million total, with an expectation of about two awards, although the notice makes clear that amounts are subject to congressional appropriations and may vary over time. Agreements are structured with one base year plus up to four additional one-year amendment periods, for a potential total performance window of about five years. Work is ordered on an as-needed basis, and NRCS may make multiple awards and assign projects by easement areas, ecozones, geography, statewide coverage, or combinations of these. Importantly, there is no guaranteed minimum amount of work or reimbursement, and no fixed minimum or maximum price per project. Instead, funding is expected to be determined site-by-site: NRCS develops the engineering, survey, design, and seeding plans used to create a government estimate, then sends conservation plan materials to the awardee(s) and requests a cost proposal for that specific restoration; NRCS may negotiate costs if they are not considered fair and reasonable.
Applications were required to be submitted through grants.gov using the standard federal forms (SF-424, including SF-424A and SF-424B) along with a narrative proposal. The proposal narrative needed to explain the applicant organization and capabilities, relevant staff qualifications and availability (with resumes for key personnel), equipment and resource commitments, past experience implementing wetland and upland restoration work (especially in Iowa or similar ecosystems), and the ability to work credibly with private landowners. The notice explicitly discourages including letters of support or endorsement and states that incomplete applications would not be reviewed. The deadline in the announcement was August 23, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time, with hand-delivery and courier submissions directed to the NRCS Contracting Section in Des Moines (ATTN: Matthew Harvey).
Selection is primarily capability-based rather than cost-based. Applications are screened for compliance, then scored against evaluation criteria weighted toward specialized experience and technical competence (45 points), professional qualifications (25), capacity to accomplish the work (15), and past performance (15). NRCS also notes it may hold discussions with applicants about experience and operational methods, may package restorations into groups to obtain best value, and may cancel the solicitation if insufficient qualified applicants are available. The resulting cooperative agreement would set out the purpose, objectives, deliverables, reporting requirements, budget and reimbursement terms, and any additional conditions needed to protect federal interests, and it clarifies that an award does not imply federal endorsement or an obligation for future support.
Wetland Restoration Assistance (USDA NRCS Iowa) - FAQs
1) What is the Wetland Restoration Assistance opportunity?
Wetland Restoration Assistance is a competitive funding announcement from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa State Office. It is intended to support on-the-ground implementation of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) restoration work across Iowa.
2) What is the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)?
WRP is described as a voluntary conservation program focused on conserving, protecting, enhancing, and managing wetland ecosystems and adjacent uplands. The opportunity emphasizes restoring degraded wetlands to maximize wildlife habitat and provide broader benefits such as improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, and reduced flooding impacts, including support for threatened and endangered species habitat.
3) Who is eligible to apply under this opportunity?
NRCS is seeking qualified government or non-government organizations, tribes, and individuals that can provide specialized technical and implementation assistance to help NRCS and participating landowners carry out approved WRP restoration plans.
4) What kinds of work are awardees expected to perform?
Typical responsibilities listed in the notice include construction management for wetland restoration, enhancement, and creation projects; vegetative and hydrology restoration; site layout and staking based on NRCS-provided designs; and inspection and quality control to ensure work meets NRCS standards and specifications.
5) Will awardees work independently or in coordination with NRCS?
Awardees are expected to work closely with NRCS staff, including the WRP Specialist, District Conservationists, and Area Engineers. The notice also indicates substantial federal involvement in planning, prioritization, and oversight.
6) What is the funding instrument (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. NRCS states this is because it anticipates substantial federal involvement in planning, prioritization, coordination, and oversight of the restoration work.
7) What does "substantial federal involvement" mean in this announcement?
NRCS indicates it will conduct an initial briefing before award, assign a liaison, prioritize work assignments, provide technical coordination and quality assurance, and offer access to NRCS tools where possible. NRCS also states it will complete permitting and compliance tasks (including cultural resources review and NEPA compliance), approve new or innovative practices before they are applied, and monitor progress closely (including suspending work if plan requirements or standards are not met).
8) What technical standards govern the restoration work?
NRCS references its Field Office Technical Guide and NRCS engineering handbooks/manuals as the governing technical standards. Awardees are expected to meet NRCS standards and specifications, supported by inspection and quality control.
9) How many restoration sites were expected to be available?
At the time of the announcement, NRCS indicated roughly 20 sites were ready for restoration, with 39 additional sites expected to become ready within about six months of award. This suggests an ongoing pipeline of projects statewide.
10) How much funding was anticipated, and how many awards were expected?
For FY2010, funding was anticipated at approximately $3.0 million total, with an expectation of about two awards. The notice also states that amounts are subject to congressional appropriations and may vary over time.
11) What is the period of performance?
Agreements are structured with one base year plus up to four additional one-year amendment periods, for a potential total performance window of about five years.
12) Is there guaranteed work or guaranteed reimbursement under the agreement?
No. The notice states there is no guaranteed minimum amount of work or reimbursement. Work is ordered on an as-needed basis, and there is no fixed minimum or maximum price per project.
13) How are projects assigned under this cooperative agreement?
NRCS may make multiple awards and assign projects by easement areas, ecozones, geography, statewide coverage, or combinations of these. The notice also indicates NRCS may package restorations into groups to obtain best value.
14) How is site-by-site pricing determined?
Funding is expected to be determined site-by-site. NRCS develops the engineering, survey, design, and seeding plans used to create a government estimate, then sends conservation plan materials to the awardee(s) and requests a cost proposal for that specific restoration. NRCS may negotiate costs if they are not considered fair and reasonable.
15) What reporting or documentation is required from awardees?
Awardees are expected to submit monthly status reports and maintain required documentation in line with NRCS guidance. The cooperative agreement is expected to include deliverables, reporting requirements, and other conditions needed to protect federal interests.
16) How do applicants apply?
Applications were required to be submitted through grants.gov using standard federal forms (SF-424, including SF-424A and SF-424B) along with a narrative proposal.
17) What needed to be included in the narrative proposal?
The narrative needed to explain the applicant organization and capabilities; relevant staff qualifications and availability (including resumes for key personnel); equipment and resource commitments; past experience implementing wetland and upland restoration work (especially in Iowa or similar ecosystems); and the ability to work credibly with private landowners.
18) Are letters of support or endorsement recommended?
No. The notice explicitly discourages including letters of support or endorsement.
19) What happens if an application is incomplete?
The notice states that incomplete applications would not be reviewed.
20) What was the application deadline listed in the announcement?
The deadline in the announcement was August 23, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
21) Where were hand-delivered or courier submissions directed?
Hand-delivery and courier submissions were directed to the NRCS Contracting Section in Des Moines (ATTN: Matthew Harvey).
22) How are applications evaluated and selected?
Selection is described as primarily capability-based rather than cost-based. Applications are screened for compliance and then scored using evaluation criteria weighted toward specialized experience and technical competence (45 points), professional qualifications (25 points), capacity to accomplish the work (15 points), and past performance (15 points).
23) Can NRCS communicate with applicants during the review process?
Yes. NRCS notes it may hold discussions with applicants about experience and operational methods.
24) Can NRCS cancel the solicitation?
Yes. NRCS notes it may cancel the solicitation if insufficient qualified applicants are available.
25) Does receiving an award imply federal endorsement or guarantee future support?
No. The notice clarifies that an award does not imply federal endorsement or an obligation for future support.
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