Cooperative Agreement between NAVFAC and Student Conservation Organization | N624702420003

Opportunity Information: Apply for N624702420003

This funding opportunity is a NAVFAC Atlantic cooperative agreement intended to partner with a U.S.-based nonprofit conservation organization that can recruit, place, and support conservation management interns on Department of the Navy and Marine Corps installations. The overall purpose is to help complete work tied to Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMPs) and Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plans (ICRMPs). Interns must be at least 18 years old and be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, an accredited natural resource or conservation-related program. The internships are structured so interns work directly alongside Navy natural and cultural resources managers, building practical skills while contributing to on-the-ground conservation and cultural resource management needs. The specific tasks and deliverables are not fully defined in the announcement itself because they will be set through individual work orders, each with its own Performance Work Statement.

The award instrument is a cooperative agreement (rather than a standard grant), which typically signals that NAVFAC expects substantial involvement in the project execution and oversight. The opportunity is listed as a continuation and anticipates a single award (Expected Awards: 1). It falls under the Natural Resources funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 12.630. The posting lists an original closing date of June 21, 2024, and the opportunity was created on May 22, 2024. An award ceiling is not stated in the provided text.

Eligibility is aimed at nonprofit conservation organizations, and applicants must be able to demonstrate nonprofit status (for example, with a 501(c)(3) certificate or equivalent documentation). The recipient organization is expected to be capable of operating an internship placement program at scale and to handle the practical requirements that come with placing interns in professional settings on military installations, including coordinating with installation staff and meeting any risk management and liability requirements.

The application package is centered on a narrative response and a cost proposal, with several supporting items required to demonstrate organizational capability. The narrative is especially important because NAVFAC will only evaluate applications that directly address every responsibility and evaluation factor identified in Section 3.1 of the Statement of Work (SOW). Applicants are instructed to label the evaluation factors within the narrative itself, and the narrative should clearly explain how the organization will meet the cooperative agreement goals and manage the internship program effectively. A proposed Cost Schedule is also required, and it must use the provided template (Attachment A). Applicants are told not to deviate from the basic format of the template, although they may adjust rows and columns to account for additional cost elements not already shown. Beyond that, applicants must include a summary of past experience with cooperative agreements related to conservation projects (if applicable), including the partner organization or agency, dates, and the type of work performed. Applicants must also provide copies or summaries of recruitment strategies and materials, along with information related to the diversity of past interns, if available and not already covered in the narrative.

Additional required materials include basic identification and staffing documentation: the name and affiliation of the applicant organization and a point of contact, plus a description of credentials and roles for key personnel who would manage or oversee the work. Applicants must also provide proof of liability coverage and documentation of nonprofit status. These items collectively indicate NAVFAC is looking not just for conservation expertise, but also for an organization with established administrative systems for recruiting interns, supervising placements, managing costs, and operating in a compliance-focused federal environment.

Submissions can be made electronically through grants.gov or by email to the listed NAVFAC contact (Elizabeth.s.eliason-carey.civ@us.navy.mil). File format requirements are specific: the narrative and most attachments should be submitted as PDF or MS Word documents, while the Cost Schedule template (Attachment A) must be submitted as an MS Excel file. The total page limit for all documentation is 40 pages, which means applicants need to be selective and well-organized when presenting qualifications, plans, and past performance. The announcement also flags an administrative detail for standard federal application forms: applicants should complete the SF-424 fields first because the Adobe Reader form package is designed to auto-populate common information across the other forms once SF-424 is filled out. The opportunity references a Statement of Work and attachments located in an attachment folder, indicating that key requirements, responsibilities, and evaluation criteria are likely defined in those documents and should be treated as the primary guide for shaping a compliant application.

• The NAVFAC Atlantic in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement between NAVFAC and Student Conservation Organization" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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