AGRICULTURAL WATER CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY GRANTS

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The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Mid-Pacific Region, intends to issue Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Grants, Fostering District/Farmer Partnerships, for Grant Agreement(s) pursuant to the authority of Public Law 111-11 (42 USC 10364) Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Subtitle F, Secure Water, Section 9504 (a) Water Management Improvement. The objective of this FOA is to invite Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts and other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the state of California to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on projects that save water, improve water management, improve energy efficiency, and benefit endangered species. Water conservation and water use efficiency are critical elements of any plan to address these resource issues. Projects that achieve this by directly enabling on-farm water conservation or water use efficiency projects that can be undertaken by farmers and ranchers remain a high priority for this program. Reclamation and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are encouraging water suppliers to work with farmers to identify roles suppliers play to facilitate and/or assist with on-farm improvements. Under this funding opportunity announcement, additional consideration will be given under Section IV.D.4.e.(4) Category 6 – NRCS Collaboration for proposals that describe on-farm efficiency work that is anticipated to be completed in collaboration with NRCS in the area (e.g., with a direct connection to the district’s water supply). Please contact your state NRCS office for more information regarding NRCS assistance. You can find the contact information for your state NRCS office on the United Stated Department of Agriculture’s website: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/ca/contact/local/ In coordination with NRCS, Reclamation will select applicants for funding under this FOA. Successful applicants will enter into a financial assistance agreement with Reclamation. Period of Performance is a two year period from the date of issuance. BOR-MP-18-F003 can be found on the Grants.gov website, www.grants.gov, on or about January 3, 2018. The date for receipt of proposals is March 6, 2018, no later than 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). The FOA must be downloaded from www.grants.gov. No paper copy of this announcement will be distributed. All Inquiries regarding this FOA shall be directed to Leanne Henderson at lhenderson@usbr.gov.

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