BLM-Alaska, Fortymile Caribou Herd Monitoring | L16AS00206

Opportunity Information: Apply for L16AS00206

The BLM-Alaska, Fortymile Caribou Herd Monitoring opportunity is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) cooperative agreement intended to support continued joint monitoring of the Fortymile Caribou Herd (FCH) in partnership with the State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). The focus is on collecting population and harvest data that can be used to manage the herd more consistently across the complicated mix of land ownership and regulatory authority in Alaska, where a single migratory herd can move across state lands, federal public lands, Native lands, and other public areas. Because the Fortymile Caribou Herd is an important subsistence resource throughout its range, the monitoring effort is positioned as a practical, on-the-ground way to support both conservation and public use, especially for rural residents who rely on subsistence harvest.

The grant is rooted in Alaska's dual management structure for wildlife and subsistence that emerged after the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980, particularly Title VIII. While the State of Alaska generally has authority to manage fish and wildlife populations, federal agencies became responsible for managing subsistence uses on federal public lands beginning July 1, 1990, as ANILCA requires a preference for subsistence uses by rural residents over other uses on those federal lands. This split in authority can lead to conflicting mandates, different management policies, and mismatched hunting seasons and bag limits that apply to the same herd depending on where the animals are at a given time. The opportunity emphasizes that coordinated data collection between BLM and ADF&G is essential to reduce those practical conflicts and support more cohesive management decisions that reflect the herd's movements and the needs of the people who depend on it.

In terms of project continuity, the notice explains that BLM and ADF&G have worked together on Fortymile Caribou Herd monitoring for years, using cooperative agreements dating back to around 2003. This opportunity continues that established partnership, aiming to maintain consistent monitoring of herd population status and harvest levels. The broader purpose is stewardship: ensuring that management actions are informed by reliable data and aligned as much as possible across agencies, given that decision-making responsibilities are shared and sometimes overlap.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement under the Natural Resources funding activity category (CFDA 15.231). Eligibility is limited to state governments, reflecting that ADF&G is the intended partner for this work. The opportunity number is L16AS00206, with an anticipated single award and an award ceiling of $200,000. The posting lists a creation date of June 21, 2016, and an original closing date of August 21, 2016.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-Alaska, Fortymile Caribou Herd Monitoring" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.231.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-06-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-08-21. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for L16AS00206

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