New England Cottontail Restoration Planning

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This is a Notice of Intent to award a Cooperative Agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Management Institute to conduct New England Cottontail Restoration Planning in New England, to educate agencies, landowners, municipalities and decision makers on New England Cottontail (NEC) restoration efforts, and to build innovative partnerships to restore NEC populations and habitat. Many State, Federal and non-government organizations are working together to restore New England Cottontail. An overall restoration plan involving all agencies and NGOs involved in NEC restoration is needed to guide and coordinate efforts to ensure effective successful implementation and restoration. The goal of this effort will be a restoration plan that identifies priority focus areas where NEC conservation efforts will be implemented, appropriate conservation tools used, a large number of partners working together on NEC restoration and the mechanisms for tracking and communicating the status of on the ground habitat conservation efforts. The completed restoration plan will guide agencies, NGOs, municipalities and landowners to effectively target sites and apply the appropriate tools to implement and monitor New England Cottontail restoration efforts. This Single Source Award is being made in accordance with Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4), which allows for award without competition to an applicant who is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based on technical expertise. Substantial involvement on the part of the USFWS is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded. In particular, the USFWS will work closely with the Recipient to ensure that the implementation and monitoring are consistent with the terms of the Scope of Work; participate in relevant meetings and conservation planning actions; and review and provide comments on interim and final reports. In accordance with 505 DM 2.9 B the Service will be substantially involved.

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