The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, is offering a cooperative agreement through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program to study fish dynamics and habitat use in the Shark River Slough region of the Florida Everglades. This opportunity is specifically available to members of the South Florida-Caribbean and Gulf Coast CESU regions. The initiative is part of a broader effort aligned with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) authorized by the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000. The project is aimed at monitoring ecological responses to hydrologic restoration and contributes to the CERP Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP), which is implemented by a multidisciplinary team under the RECOVER initiative.

The objective of this agreement is to enhance scientific understanding of fish movement and community structure within the marsh-mangrove ecotone of the Everglades. The data will inform ecosystem health assessments, restoration performance evaluations, and support recreational and commercial fishery management. Research will build upon a long-term study and must employ methodologies consistent with prior efforts to ensure statistical comparability. Collected data will be integrated into annual RECOVER system reports and contribute to public knowledge and policy planning for ecological restoration in South Florida.

Approximately $155,000 is expected to be available for the base period, with additional funding possible for optional tasks and up to four subsequent one-year option periods. The base agreement covers a 12-month performance period, with additional optional tasks such as monitoring plan evaluation and performance measure development extending the total potential term up to five years. Mandatory tasks include kickoff meetings, field sampling, data analysis and reporting, RECOVER meeting participation, and quarterly and annual deliverables.

Eligibility is limited to members of the specified CESU regions, and applicants must demonstrate experience in Everglades ecology and fish habitat monitoring. Required qualifications include a record of relevant research, expertise in hydrological and ecological analysis, and familiarity with coastal riverine systems. Applicants must also have an active NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment within the last three years.

The submission process begins with a Statement of Interest (SOI), not a full proposal. The SOI must include a summary of qualifications, relevant projects, staff expertise, and available facilities. The deadline to submit SOIs is April 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM Central Time. Questions must be submitted by March 31, 2025, at noon Central Time. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals following a 30-day Grants.gov posting period. Deliverables include detailed work plans, quarterly reports, annual reports, inventory tracking for equipment, and contributions to the RECOVER System Status Report.

For questions and submissions, applicants may contact Yvonne Howard at yvonne.howard@usace.army.mil (817-751-9737) and Chanley Jenkins at chanley.r.jenkins@usace.army.mil (918-671-9132).