Opportunity Information: Apply for N62473 21 2 0015
The Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) Protected Activity Center (PAC) Thinning Project is a U.S. Navy-funded cooperative agreement, administered through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program and authorized under the Sikes Act, focused on protecting the mission and long-term operational resilience of Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) in Flagstaff, Arizona. The core purpose is to prevent "encroachment" from undermining military readiness, where encroachment in this context includes environmental and land-management conditions that could restrict or interfere with current or future military activities. The Navy views encroachment prevention as a cost-effective way to avoid incompatible land uses and, at the same time, strengthen local conservation outcomes. This specific proposal was submitted by Navy Region Southwest to address resiliency and encroachment risks affecting NOFS, validated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and elevated as a priority project for the U.S. Navy.
The on-the-ground problem the funding is meant to address is the elevated risk of stand-replacing wildfire in and around the NOFS Military Influence Area (MIA), particularly in fire-adapted ponderosa pine ecosystems that have become unnaturally dense and fuel-loaded over time. The project targets fuels reduction and forest thinning within Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers, with the dual goal of lowering the probability of severe, high-intensity fire and reducing the chance of fire-driven habitat loss for the Mexican spotted owl, which is federally listed under the Endangered Species Act. By treating fuels and improving forest structure, the work is intended to support an "ecosystem fire improvement program" that makes these landscapes more resilient to wildfire while maintaining or improving habitat conditions important to the owl.
The effort is also explicitly designed to align with and advance the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), a large, multi-stakeholder restoration strategy across northern Arizona forests. In practical terms, that means the project contributes to broader 4FRI goals such as restoring the structure, pattern, composition, and overall health of ponderosa pine forests; reducing hazardous fuels and the risk of unnaturally severe wildfires; and sustaining wildlife habitat and plant diversity. While the thinning work occurs off the NOFS installation itself, it is still directly tied to protecting the installation because it occurs within the NOFS MIA, where conditions on surrounding lands can affect the station, its operations, and its assets.
From a mission-protection standpoint, the Navy frames the benefits in several concrete ways. Reducing the likelihood of catastrophic wildfire helps protect water resources and limits the operational impacts of erratic, unpredictable fire behavior. It also safeguards major, long-term federal investments in high-value scientific and defense-related infrastructure, including the telescopes at NOFS and the Naval Precision Optical Interferometer at Anderson Mesa. In addition to physical risk from fire, the project addresses indirect impacts that matter to an observatory mission: smoke and particulate matter can obscure the night sky, degrade observing conditions, and potentially harm sensitive optical equipment. In that sense, fuels reduction around the installation is treated not only as environmental stewardship but also as a practical readiness measure that helps keep the observatory functioning as intended.
The project is structured as a voluntary partnership between NOFS and the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to plan and implement the fuels-reduction work on surrounding lands. The funding is categorized as natural resources support intended to maintain and improve natural resources off of a military installation specifically to relieve or eliminate current or anticipated constraints on military operations. The opportunity was issued by Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.300, with an award ceiling of $500,000. It was listed as an earmark opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number N62473 21 2 0015), created on August 16, 2021, with an original closing date of September 16, 2021.
Finally, the notice makes clear that the award is intended to be sole source under DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS), Part 33, Subpart C, citing the rationale that the National Forest Foundation is uniquely qualified due to its national charter under the National Forest Act. The NFF is positioned to accept and manage the funding consistent with the Sikes Act and under the established stewardship agreement framework, specifically the Stewardship Agreement Supplemental Project Agreement #20-SA-11030400-190 with the USDA Forest Service, Coconino National Forest, tiered to the Master Stewardship Agreement #20-SA-11031600-058. In short, the grant opportunity funds targeted thinning and fuels work in MSO habitat areas near NOFS to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, protect a listed species, and ensure the observatory can continue its mission with fewer disruptions and less risk to critical assets.Apply for N62473 21 2 0015
- The NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) Protected Activity Center (PAC) Thinning Project Sikes Act Cooperative Agreement via the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program in support of Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS), Flagstaff, AZ" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-08-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-16. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) Protected Activity Center (PAC) Thinning Project?
The MSO PAC Thinning Project is a U.S. Navy-funded cooperative agreement focused on forest thinning and fuels reduction in and around Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers near Flagstaff, Arizona. The work is intended to reduce the risk of severe wildfire and to support both military mission resilience and conservation outcomes.
Who is funding this project?
The project is funded by the U.S. Navy. It is administered through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program and is authorized under the Sikes Act.
Which Navy organization submitted and prioritized the proposal?
The proposal was submitted by Navy Region Southwest. It was validated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and elevated as a priority project for the U.S. Navy.
What is the main purpose of the grant?
The core purpose is to prevent "encroachment" from undermining military readiness by reducing environmental and land-management risks that could restrict or interfere with current or future military activities. In this project, the key encroachment-related risk is catastrophic, stand-replacing wildfire.
What does "encroachment" mean in this opportunity?
In this context, encroachment includes environmental and land-management conditions that could restrict, interfere with, or otherwise undermine current or future military activities. The Navy describes encroachment prevention as a cost-effective way to avoid incompatible land uses while strengthening conservation outcomes.
Where will the project work take place?
The thinning and fuels-reduction work occurs off the Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) installation, but within the NOFS Military Influence Area (MIA). The surrounding landscape conditions in the MIA can affect the station, its operations, and its assets.
What installation is this project designed to protect?
The project is designed to protect the mission and long-term operational resilience of the Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) in Flagstaff, Arizona.
What problem is the project trying to solve on the ground?
The funding targets an elevated risk of stand-replacing wildfire in and around the NOFS MIA, particularly in fire-adapted ponderosa pine ecosystems that have become unnaturally dense and fuel-loaded over time.
What types of activities are funded?
The project funds fuels reduction and forest thinning within Mexican spotted owl protected activity centers. The intent is to lower the probability of severe, high-intensity fire and reduce the chance of fire-driven habitat loss for the owl, while improving forest structure and wildfire resilience.
How does this work relate to the Mexican spotted owl and the Endangered Species Act?
The Mexican spotted owl is federally listed under the Endangered Species Act. This project targets thinning and fuels treatments in protected activity centers with a stated goal of reducing the risk of wildfire-driven habitat loss while maintaining or improving habitat conditions important to the species.
What is meant by an "ecosystem fire improvement program" in the description?
The project description frames the thinning and fuels work as part of an ecosystem-oriented approach to improving wildfire resilience. By treating fuels and improving forest structure, the landscapes are expected to be better able to withstand wildfire while supporting habitat needs.
How does the project align with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI)?
The project is explicitly designed to align with and advance 4FRI, a multi-stakeholder restoration strategy across northern Arizona forests. The work contributes to broader 4FRI goals such as restoring ponderosa pine forest structure and health, reducing hazardous fuels and the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire, and sustaining wildlife habitat and plant diversity.
Why is wildfire risk considered a military readiness issue for NOFS?
The Navy frames wildfire risk as a readiness and resilience concern because catastrophic wildfire can damage infrastructure and resources, disrupt operations, and create unpredictable operational impacts. For an observatory mission, wildfire also creates smoke and particulate matter that can obscure night skies, degrade observing conditions, and potentially harm sensitive optical equipment.
What assets are specifically mentioned as being protected by reducing wildfire risk?
The description highlights protection of high-value scientific and defense-related infrastructure, including the telescopes at NOFS and the Naval Precision Optical Interferometer at Anderson Mesa.
How can smoke and particulate matter affect the observatory mission?
According to the opportunity description, smoke and particulate matter can obscure the night sky, degrade observing conditions, and potentially harm sensitive optical equipment. Fuels reduction near the installation is treated as a practical measure to reduce these impacts.
Who are the partners involved in planning and implementing the work?
The project is structured as a voluntary partnership between NOFS and the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to plan and implement fuels-reduction work on surrounding lands.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The opportunity is issued by Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) as a cooperative agreement. It is categorized as natural resources support intended to maintain and improve natural resources off a military installation to relieve or eliminate current or anticipated constraints on military operations.
What program and legal authorities are referenced for this opportunity?
The funding is administered through the REPI Program and authorized under the Sikes Act. The notice also references DoD Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARS), Part 33, Subpart C, and cites the National Forest Act in describing the National Forest Foundation's charter.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The notice lists CFDA 12.300.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed for the cooperative agreement is $500,000.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The notice identifies the Funding Opportunity Number as N62473 21 2 0015.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on August 16, 2021, with an original closing date of September 16, 2021.
Is this a competitive opportunity?
The notice states the award is intended to be sole source under DoDGARS, Part 33, Subpart C. The rationale given is that the National Forest Foundation is uniquely qualified due to its national charter under the National Forest Act.
Who is intended to receive the sole source award?
The notice indicates the National Forest Foundation (NFF) is the intended sole source recipient, citing its unique qualification and ability to accept and manage the funding consistent with the Sikes Act and the established stewardship agreement framework.
What stewardship agreement framework is referenced?
The description references Stewardship Agreement Supplemental Project Agreement #20-SA-11030400-190 with the USDA Forest Service, Coconino National Forest, tiered to the Master Stewardship Agreement #20-SA-11031600-058.
Why does the Navy describe encroachment prevention as cost-effective?
Based on the description, the Navy views encroachment prevention as a way to avoid future restrictions or conflicts (including those driven by environmental conditions like wildfire risk) before they undermine operations, while also delivering local conservation benefits.
Does the project occur on the NOFS installation itself?
No. The thinning work occurs off the NOFS installation, but it is still considered directly tied to installation protection because it occurs within the NOFS Military Influence Area where surrounding conditions can affect station operations and assets.
What outcomes does the project aim to achieve for forests and habitat?
The project aims to reduce hazardous fuels, lower the likelihood of high-intensity fire, and improve forest structure in ponderosa pine ecosystems. It is also intended to maintain or improve habitat conditions important to the Mexican spotted owl and to support broader forest health and plant diversity objectives consistent with 4FRI.
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