16/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 17/08/2024 02:31
PROPOSAL DEADLINE:September 17, 2024
OVERVIEW
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks two or three qualified Contractors to provide technical assistance as "field liaisons" to support applicants and grantees of the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) and other associated NFWF grant programs, including the Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund (Big Game). This support will help to advance the goals of the ATBC, the Big Game and other associated NFWF grant programs, improve grantee and applicant experience, and increase the quality and scale of qualified proposals. The contractor will provide support for one-year (with the option to renew for an additional year) and report to Rachel Dawson, Program Director, National Programs.
BACKGROUND
The America the Beautiful Challenge is a partnership between NFWF and the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Native Americans in Philanthropy. The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects throughout the United States. This RFP consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public, Tribal, and private lands. ATBC seeks to fund projects across the following themes:
Collectively, these themes invite applicants to develop landscape-level ATBC proposals that address conservation and public access needs with: cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, enhanced carbon sequestration and storage, benefits to and engagement with underserved communities, and protection of ecosystems through resilience-focused and nature-based solutions.
ATBC funds projects in five categories shaped largely by the primary funding partner of each category, the five categories are:
For more information about the Program, please visit our website and review the 2024 Request for Proposals at: www.nfwf.org/challenge.
The Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund aims to conserve critical winter range and migration corridors to maintain healthy populations of pronghorn, elk and mule deer, and the phenomenon of big game migration. The western United States is home to some of the largest herds of wild native ungulates in North America. However, the seasonal migrations many of these populations rely on in response to weather conditions and resource availability face significant threats. This program aims to conserve critical winter range and migration corridors through:
The Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund is a result of Interior Secretarial Order 3362 and a partnership between NFWF and the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, and ConocoPhillips.
For more information about the Program, please visit our website and review the 2023 Request for Proposals at: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/rocky-mountain-rangelands/western-big-game-seasonal-habitat-and-migration-corridors-fund.
NFWF seeks two or three contractors to serve as "field liaisons" for the ATBC, the Big Game, and other associated NFWF grant programs to: (1) assist applicants in developing high quality proposals that are aligned with NFWF's priorities, (2) help applicants and grantees design and move towards large-scale implementation projects, (3) help troubleshoot grant implementation, and (4) facilitate communication and development of networks among grantees to encourage shared learning.
The ATBC is a national program, and a contractor should be prepared to provide support to practitioners throughout the program footprint working on a conservation restoration projects; however, Offerors should highlight if they have a particular expertise in certain regions of the larger ATBC footprint or on specific aspects of the program, particularly big game seasonal habitat, stopover areas, and migration corridors within Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. NFWF is also interested in identifying projects that are informed by Indigenous Knowledge (IK), honor Tribal sovereignty, and support the priorities of Native Nations. Contractors with broad conservation and restoration experience, relationships and expertise working with U.S. territories, Native Nations, and underserved communities will be prioritized.
QUALIFICATIONS
To assist in the successful implementation of the ATBC, the Big Game, and other associated NFWF grant programs, this RFQ is seeking two or three qualified organizations or entities to serve as independent contractor(s) to NFWF with the following qualifications:
SCOPE OF WORK
NFWF seeks two or three qualified contractors to develop and implement a work plan designed to maximize the outcomes of the ATBC, the Big Game, and other associated NFWF programs and support its applicants and grantees in the pursuit of conservation and restoration projects. The following tasks constitute the Scope of Work for this Request for Quotations. The selected contractor will be expected to work on all tasks described and participate in check-in calls every month with NFWF staff throughout the duration of the project period of performance. Please provide time and cost quotes for each task using the Contractor Budget Template provided. NFWF anticipates level of effort not to exceed half-time, a not to exceed cost will be negotiated upon award with each selected contractor.
Deliverables -
These deliverables may be expanded or refined during the contract negotiation.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Proposals must be submitted under the same cover at the same time, in three distinctly labeled and separate documents: 1) Technical Proposal, 2) Budget, and 3) Evidence of Financial Stability. E-mail a Word or PDF version of your submission to NFWF (Blake Gardiner, [email protected] and Sydney Godbey, [email protected]). In the subject line, please indicate Response to RFQ for Technical Field Liaisons for the ATBC - [name of respondent].
Submissions must meet the requirements below:
2. Budget: Please provide a proposed budget with cost quotes for each Task for your proposed services, include hourly rates for proposed job classifications and, if available, audited overhead rates. The proposed budget should itemize work in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of the entire funding request. You must use the attached Contractor Budget Template . Please include the proposed budget for equipment purchase in the proposal. Please highlight any non-profit discounts on the services you provide. NFWF will not allow any markups for sub-contracts or other direct costs, although project management costs for staff to perform sub-contract management are allowable. NFWF anticipates awarding up to two contracts under this RFQ, not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
3. Evidence of Financial Stability: The applicant shall provide with the RFP response, proof of financial stability in the form of financial statements, credit ratings, a line of credit, or other financial arrangements sufficient to demonstrate the applicant's capability to meet the requirements of this RFP.
Submissions must be e-mailed no later than 11:00 p.m. EST on September 17, 2024.
SUBMISSION OUTLINE
Technical Proposal - Your description, in no more than twenty (20) pages (including resume attachments) of your and/or your organization's qualifications should include the following elements:
SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA
A panel of NFWF staff will review the full proposals. Offerors may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets prior to final approval of the award. Up to three contracts may be made for this project. If multiple institutions are involved in one application, they should be handled through sub-awards and sub-contracts.
Failure to include all materials outlined above may cause a submission to be deemed non-responsive. NFWF will give priority consideration to respondents that demonstrate the following in a fully responsive submission:
RFP DEADLINES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
August 19, 2024 | Request for Proposals (RFP) released. Q&A period begins. All questions of general interest will be answered publicly and must be received by September 2, 2024. |
September 2, 2024 | Deadline for Questions. FAQ will be posted to this site within 48 hours. |
September 17, 2024 | Proposals must be received electronically as an email attachment to Blake Gardiner, [email protected] by 11:00 PM EDT. |
October 2024 | Interviews with selected finalists as needed. |
February 1, 2025 | Contractor anticipated start date. |
ELIGIBLE CONTRACTORS
Eligible offerors include institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international organizations, and local, state and Native Nations. Small and minority businesses, and women's business enterprises are strongly encouraged to apply.
SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS & CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the offeror warrants and represents that it does not currently have any apparent or actual conflict of interest, as described herein. In the event an offeror currently has, will have during the life of the contemplated contract, or becomes aware of an apparent or actual conflict of interest, in the event an award is made, the offeror must notify NFWF in writing in the proposal, or in subsequent correspondence (if the issue becomes known after the submission of the proposal) of such apparent or actual conflicts of interest, including organizational conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the contractor, the contractor's employees, or the contractor's subcontractors in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests, or otherwise. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the offeror, the offeror's employees, or the offeror's future subcontractors in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the NFWF Contracting Officer will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the offeror to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies NFWF may result in the proposal not being selected for award.
By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the Offeror warrants and represents that it is eligible for award of a Contract resulting from this solicitation and that it is not subject to any of the below circumstances:
Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an Contract with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or
Was convicted (or had an officer or agent of such corporation acting on behalf of the corporation convicted) of a felony criminal violation under any Federal or State law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or
Is listed on the General Services Administration's, government-wide System for Award Management Exclusions (SAM Exclusions), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 C.F.R Part 180 that implement E.O.s 12549 (3 C.F.R., 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 C.F.R., 1989 Comp., p. 235), "Debarment and Suspension, " or intends to enter into any subaward, contract or other Contract using funds provided by NFWF with any party listed on the SAM Exclusions in accordance with Executive Orders 12549 and 12689. The SAM Exclusions instructions can be found here: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/
REQUESTING ORGANIZATION: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), 1625 Eye Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
CONTACTS: Blake Gardiner; [email protected]