FOR THE MONITORING OF FEDERALLY LISTED BEACH-NESTING BIRDS ON MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA | N62473 26 2 0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for N62473 26 2 0002

This funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number N62473 26 2 0002) is a discretionary cooperative agreement being offered by Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest to support required monitoring of two federally listed beach-nesting birds on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (MCBCP) in California: the California least tern (LETE) and the western snowy plover (SNPL). The work is driven by compliance obligations under the Riparian and Estuarian/Beach Biological Opinion, meaning the installation must document nesting activity, reproductive outcomes, and factors affecting these species so MCBCP can evaluate and adjust its management practices while balancing military training needs.

At its core, the project funds hands-on field monitoring across all existing and potential breeding sites on MCBCP. The selected partner is expected to conduct systematic surveys by foot, vehicle, and/or visual observation to track nesting activity and nesting success, while also identifying and documenting foraging and roosting areas used by adults and young. Surveys must occur at least twice per week throughout the breeding window, beginning March 1 and continuing through September 15, or longer if breeding is still underway. The scope anticipates that some fieldwork may need to happen during low-disturbance, high-activity periods for birds, including early mornings (0530 to 0900) and evenings (1700 to 2100), reflecting typical patterns for detecting courtship, nesting behaviors, and movements on beaches and estuaries.

A major deliverable is detailed biological data collection that goes beyond simple presence-absence. Monitors are expected to record arrival and departure timing at sites, counts of adults, chicks/fledglings, and nests, and the breeding status of individuals and nests when determinable. The project also calls for documenting unusual behavior, interactions with other species, and band observations when possible. Predator presence and activity, both mammalian and avian, must be noted because predation pressure can strongly influence nest success and is directly relevant to management actions such as predator control, habitat/fence design, and training area restrictions. Chick banding is explicitly included, with banding conducted on as many tern and plover chicks as needed to meet the project objectives, supporting more robust survival and movement tracking.

The opportunity also emphasizes improving or validating how reproductive success is measured, not just reporting raw counts. The partner must conduct fledgling counts and is encouraged, where necessary, to use alternate or more rigorous approaches such as telemetry or mark-recapture methods to estimate reproductive success and survival. The agreement expects the cooperator to provide methods or analyses that help estimate breeding population size, daily fledgling survival rates, how vegetation density affects site selection, and nest success outcomes, including documenting causes of nest failure when they can be determined (for example, predation, flooding, disturbance, or other site-specific factors). This focus ties directly to MCBCP decision-making around vegetation management, predator management, and how military training activities may be scheduled or buffered to reduce impacts.

Reporting requirements are substantial and analytical rather than purely descriptive. The cooperator must produce a report that summarizes and analyzes the season(s) of data to assess population trends and breeding success rates. The report must include documenting photographs covering sites, methods, techniques, and any significant events during the monitoring period. In addition to biological monitoring, the partner has a practical site-management task: maintaining or reestablishing the census grid used for tern colonies (with a grid unit scale of 15 m, 25 m, or 30 m depending on colony size) and performing minor fence maintenance. These infrastructure elements matter because standardized grids improve the consistency of nest mapping and monitoring over time, and fencing often plays a role in limiting disturbance or managing predator/human access.

Financially, the total potential value is estimated at $1,645,849 if the base period plus all option years and option items are awarded, with one expected award. The base period for least tern work is described as 14 months with anticipated funding of $265,769. The agreement includes multiple option years for additional field seasons (labeled 2027 through 2030) with incremental increases each year for LETE monitoring: $271,178 (Option Year 1), $276,685 (Option Year 2), $282,285 (Option Year 3), and $288,019 (Option Year 4). Separate option items cover snowy plover monitoring for one field season at a time, beginning with $50,319 in the base period option item, then $51,304, $52,331, $53,381, and $54,578 across option years 1 through 4. The funding structure signals a multi-year monitoring program where continued support is possible but dependent on the government exercising options, with least tern monitoring forming the main funding component and snowy plover monitoring handled as add-on seasonal items.

Eligibility is limited to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Californian cooperative partners who qualify under Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs) Part 34 or under 2 CFR 200. The CFDA (assistance listing) number is 12.005, and the opportunity is categorized under Natural Resources. The application deadline listed is January 22, 2026, and the award ceiling matches the stated total potential value ($1,645,849), reinforcing that the full amount is tied to the base plus all options rather than guaranteed upfront.

• The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FOR THE MONITORING OF FEDERALLY LISTED BEACH-NESTING BIRDS ON MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.005.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-22. (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 $1,645,849.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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