Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) International Secretariat

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The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Headquarters Region 7 intends to award a single source Cooperative Agreement as authorized by 505 DM 2.14 (B) to the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). This notice is not a request for proposals and the Government does not intend to accept proposals. The award will be made available January 1, 2012. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Cooperative Agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the CAFF International Secretariat is to establish ongoing U.S. voluntary participation in the financial support for the CAFF International Secretariat to ensure continuity and coordination of activities of the CAFF working Group members from the eight Arctic nations. OBJECTIVES: The main goals of CAFF are to conserve Arctic flora and fauna, including endangered and threatened species, their diversity and habitats; to protect the Arctic ecosystem from threats; to improve conservation management, laws, regulations, and practices for the Arctic; and to integrate Arctic interests into global conservation flora. BACKGROUND The CAFF International Secretariat, located in Akureyri, Iceland, was established by the Arctic Council as a body through which the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna program is coordinated and administered. CAFF is staffed by an Executive Secretary and one assistant. Through its annual work plans and strategic plans, the CAFF Secretariat provides an administrative and advisory function to the Arctic nations, and has overall responsibility to ensure that the Work Plan implementation is well coordinated and timely and that there is adequate and ongoing liaison with other organizations important to the CAFF program, especially the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program, the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, and the Joint CAFF-AMAP Monitoring Program. REASON FOR SINGLE SOURCE: (1) Continuation � The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the lead agency of the United States Government for implementation and support of the CAFF program. Under this responsibility, the Service has worked to foster international cooperation among the eight Arctic countries: Canada, Finland, Greenland/Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The Service has actively provided leadership and conservation expertise on issues such as habitat protection, flora and fauna conservation, modern human impact, and integration of traditional ecological knowledge from the inception of CAFF is 1991. (2) Unique Qualifications � This announcement provides for public awareness of this program. This Cooperative Agreement is directed specifically to the CAFF International Secretariat in Iceland. It is the only entity of its kind established for this specific purpose. CAFF was formed in 1992 to discuss and address circumpolar arctic conservation issues, and advise the arctic governments (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway , Russia, Sweden and the U.S.) on conservation matters and sustainable use issues of international significance and common concern. The CAFF working group is a very active forum that establishes and sponsors a variety of monitoring and conservation efforts important to arctic fish and wildlife resources. The Service is the lead U.S. agency on the Arctic Council's Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group, and this responsibility has been delegated to the Assistant Regional Director of the Alaska Region's International Conservation program.

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