USFWS Region 6 Aquatic Invasive Species Program 2017 | F17AS00080

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00080

The USFWS Region 6 Aquatic Invasive Species Program 2017 (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00080) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. It is focused specifically on aquatic invasive species work in USFWS Region 6, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The program sits under CFDA 15.608 and is categorized under information and statistics as well as natural resources, reflecting an emphasis on both on-the-ground management actions and the coordination, tracking, and programmatic work that supports effective invasive species prevention and response.

This opportunity is narrowly targeted in what it will fund. Proposals are not broadly open to new, unrelated projects; instead, the announcement states that applications will only be considered if they are either extensions of previously funded grant projects or projects that align with specific regional priorities. The central priority is management and/or control efforts for quagga and zebra mussels, with particular attention to work connected to the 100th Meridian Initiative and to coordination with the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species. In practical terms, this means the program is looking for projects that directly help prevent the spread of these invasive mussels, contain or manage existing infestations, improve inspection and decontamination practices, strengthen monitoring and response capacity, and support regional coordination strategies that reduce mussel movement across state lines and watersheds.

The notice also ties eligible work to a specific policy and coordination framework in the western United States. Projects are expected to support the goals laid out in "An Action Plan to Implement Legal and Regulatory Efforts to Minimize Expansion of Invasive Mussels Through Watercraft Movements in the Western United States" and to align with the 2010 Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters. A major theme running through these documents is reducing the risk of mussel spread through watercraft movement, which is one of the most common pathways for quagga and zebra mussels to reach new water bodies. The opportunity further notes support for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANSTF) boat industry partnership, signaling an interest in projects that coordinate with or complement industry-facing efforts, outreach, compliance approaches, and practical measures that involve boaters, marinas, manufacturers, or other parts of the watercraft sector. Another stated expectation is that projects be coordinated in part by Region 6 Fish and Aquatic Conservation, indicating that alignment and collaboration with the regional program office is an important feature of competitive proposals.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on December 21, 2016, with an original application deadline of February 24, 2017. The USFWS Project Officer is responsible for reviewing submissions, including confirming that applications are complete and submitted on time, which highlights the importance of meeting required components and deadlines without exceptions. The maximum award amount listed is $100,000, and the agency anticipated making about six awards, suggesting a relatively competitive process with a limited number of grants and modest per-award funding intended to advance targeted, high-priority actions rather than fund large, multi-year infrastructure-scale projects.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with clarification referenced in the full announcement’s additional eligibility information. While the summary data does not spell out exactly which entity types qualify, this label typically implies that eligibility may extend beyond state agencies to include partners such as local governments, tribes, non-profits, academic institutions, or other organizations, depending on the specific terms in the complete notice. Regardless of applicant type, the key practical filter in this program is not just organizational eligibility but whether the proposed work clearly fits the Region 6 invasive mussel priorities and, especially, whether it is a continuation/extension of previously funded work or tightly tied to the western mussel action plan and 100th Meridian coordination goals.

Overall, this grant opportunity is designed to strengthen the western U.S. defense against quagga and zebra mussels by funding projects in Region 6 states that are coordinated, policy-aligned, and focused on measurable prevention, control, and management outcomes, particularly those that reduce spread via watercraft movements and that integrate with established regional and interagency invasive species initiatives.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the information and statistics, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USFWS Region 6 Aquatic Invasive Species Program 2017" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 21, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 24, 2017 Region 6 covers the states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The USFWS Project Officer will review submissions to include determining if applications are complete and submitted on time.. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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