Marine and Mammal Habitat Monitoring: Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (CIBW) Prey Salmon Monitoring for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, in collaboration with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), is soliciting Statements of Interest for a cooperative agreement under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program. This funding opportunity supports the Marine and Mammal Habitat Monitoring program, with a specific focus on Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (CIBW) prey—salmon monitoring activities at JBER in Alaska. Only CESU partner institutions in the Alaska or Colorado Plateau Regions are eligible to apply. The program is authorized under the Sikes Act (16 USC 670c-1), which prioritizes agreements with federal and state wildlife management agencies for implementing Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMPs). The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to enhance the long-term conservation and recovery efforts for the endangered Cook Inlet Beluga Whale by monitoring its primary prey, the Pacific salmon species. This project supports Goal 4 of the 2021 JBER INRMP: the conservation and recovery of the CIBW by maintaining data collection and monitoring across key waterways that influence prey availability. The three main task areas are salmon productivity monitoring in the Eagle River and Otter Lake systems, salmon monitoring in the Sixmile Lake system, and invasive species surveillance using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect northern pike, an invasive predator of juvenile salmon. Approximately $355,000 is expected to be available to support the initial 18-month base period of this project, with the possibility of follow-on funding for up to six additional 18-month periods based on performance and funding availability. The CESU indirect rate of 17.5% applies. No formal proposal or budget is required at this stage; applicants are instead required to submit a two-page Statement of Interest by April 17, 2026, demonstrating relevant qualifications, experience, and capabilities. This includes a biographical sketch of the Principal Investigator, summaries of related projects, and a list of available personnel and resources. Key deliverables during the cooperative agreement include quarterly progress reports, a detailed work plan, draft and final technical reports for each monitoring task, raw and processed data sets, and annual inventories of federally owned and acquired property. Coordination is critical, with regular communication expected between the non-federal entity (NFE), JBER, AFCEC ISS, and the USACE Project Manager. A kickoff meeting is required within 30 days of award to finalize the work plan and schedule. Applicants must have recent field experience in Alaska, including capabilities in identifying all five Pacific salmon species, operating sonar systems, analyzing sonar data, and conducting fieldwork in glacial rivers. All personnel must meet minimum educational requirements and demonstrate competence in cold-weather fieldwork and safety protocols such as swiftwater rescue. Additional requirements include active NIST SP 800-171 DoD assessments completed within the last three years. Questions regarding this funding opportunity must be submitted no later than March 27, 2026. Completed Statements of Interest should be submitted via email to Cheryl Vendemia ([email protected]) and David Leptien ([email protected]). Full proposals will be requested only from those whose Statements of Interest are determined to best meet the program objectives. This opportunity will remain open for 30 days from the official posting date on Grants.gov.