Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (CIBW) Prey, Salmon Productivity Monitoring at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER).

The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District, is seeking a Non-Federal Entity to establish an environmental DNA monitoring program to assess prey availability for the endangered Cook Inlet Beluga Whale at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. This cooperative agreement, conducted under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units program, focuses on characterizing fish communities, specifically Pacific salmon and non-salmonid species, in the Eagle River and Knik Arm areas. The project supports federal mandates including the Endangered Species Act, Sikes Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act. The base period of performance is 18 months from the date of award, with the potential for six additional 18-month follow-on periods based on funding availability. The estimated base funding is 167,897.16 dollars, with a total potential value of approximately 1,007,382.96 dollars across all periods. Eligible applicants must be members of the CESU network and maintain a current NIST SP 800-171 DoD assessment completed within the last three years. The project requires a Principal Investigator with expertise in eDNA monitoring, bioinformatics, and aquatic ecosystems. Key deliverables include a work plan, quarterly progress reports, a long-term prey species monitoring protocol, and a final comprehensive report. All generated data and equipment are considered government property and must be managed according to Controlled Unclassified Information and AFI 33-322 records management standards. Interested parties must submit a Statement of Interest not exceeding two pages by noon Central Time on September 10, 2026, via email to the designated Grants Specialist and Project Manager. Award selection will be based on a trade-off process emphasizing technical capability, PI qualifications, and relevant past experience.