White Atterbury

The Wildlife Conservation Board is administering a grant-funded land acquisition project in San Marcos, California, to permanently protect approximately 160± acres of ecologically significant habitat critical to the survival of the federally threatened coastal California gnatcatcher. This effort supports the conservation goals of the Northwest San Diego County Multiple Habitat Conservation Program by preserving southern mixed chaparral, Diegan coastal sage scrub, Engelmann oak woodland, and emergent wetlands. Federal funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nontraditional Section 6 Grant Program are being subgranted to The Escondido Creek Conservancy, with additional support from the Wildlife Conservation Board. The project has been determined exempt under CEQA Class 13 and Class 25 categories, acknowledging its role in wildlife conservation without requiring a full environmental impact report. The acquisition is scheduled for completion with a signature date of August 28, 2025, and no formal contract clauses under the Federal Acquisition Regulation are applicable, as this transaction operates under state and federal grant mechanisms rather than traditional procurement. The Wildlife Conservation Board, through Deputy Executive Director John Walsh, serves as the lead administrative agency, with no competitive bidding process outlined, indicating a purpose-driven allocation based on conservation need rather than competitive evaluation. Submission of required documentation was to be made via physical mail to designated Sacramento addresses by the August 28, 2025 deadline, with no electronic portal or digital formatting specifications provided. No contract value, pricing details, payment instructions, inspection protocols, or delivery terms are specified, as the focus is on land preservation compliance rather than performance-based contracting.