Antelope Lake Conservation Easement

The Wildlife Conservation Board of California is acquiring a permanent conservation easement over 197± acres of land near Benton in Mono County to protect and preserve critical wildlife habitat, water quality and quantity, habitat connectivity, and to support wildlife-oriented education and research. The project is governed by the California Environmental Quality Act with categorical exemptions under Sections 15313 and 15325, confirming compliance with state environmental review standards without requiring a full environmental impact report. The easement will legally restrict land use to ensure long-term conservation of natural resources, with the parcel identified by specific APNs and located within a region of ecological significance. The acquisition is intended to be permanent, with no specified term, and the responsibility for implementation, verification, and long-term stewardship rests with the Wildlife Conservation Board. The point of contact for the project is John Walsh, Deputy Executive Director, who serves as the primary agency representative, though no formal contracting officer, COR, or COTR roles are designated in the documentation. The contract was issued under solicitation number 2024092 with a signing date of August 28, 2025, and posted on September 2, 2025. No contract value, pricing structure, or payment terms are provided, and no standard federal acquisition regulation clauses, invoice mechanisms, or delivery schedules are included, reflecting the non-commercial nature of the transaction. The place of performance is the conservation parcel itself, and acceptance criteria are based on the fulfillment of conservation objectives mandated under the California Public Resources Code, with inspection conducted at the site to verify compliance. The agency’s remit-to address is in Sacramento, but no federal accounting codes, UEI, CAGE, or small business certifications apply, as the state agency is the contracting entity rather than a commercial vendor. The procurement follows a streamlined, non-competitive process typical of state conservation funding, with no evaluation factors, offeror representations, or technical proposal requirements specified, and submission was directed to the WCB’s Sacramento address by the August 28, 2025 deadline.