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| 15.233 FORESTS AND WOODLANDS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1737,(b), Public Law 94-579, as amended; and Stewardship End Result Contracting Projects, 16 U.S.C. 2104, Public Law 108-7, Consolidated Appropriation Resolution, 2003, Division F, Title III, Section 323 as amended Public Law 105-277, Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, Division A, Section 101(e), Title III, Section 347, as amended Public Law 106-113, Making Consolidated Appropriations For the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2000, and For Other Purposes, Division B, Section 1000(a)(3), Title III, Section 341 and Public Law 107-63, Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, Title III, Section 332. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| To provide financial assistance, through grants or cooperative agreements, to public or private organizations for the improvement of forests on public lands. Improvements will include the maintenance of forest health, forest regeneration, restoration, rehabilitation, insect and disease control, forest development, implementation of stewardship projects and providing for biomass utilization of public lands. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements); Advisory Services and Counseling; Training. |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| Projects are limited to forestry projects on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management located mostly in the Western United States and Alaska. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| Anyone/General public. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| Anyone/General public. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| None. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| Coordinate cooperative forestry project proposals with Bureau of Land Management local State or District office for more information and local requirements. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. |
| Application Procedure |
| A Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, Standard Form 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, and a written proposal should be submitted through Grants.gov or via hardcopy to the project office and include: a title, objectives, timeframe, and a budget breakdown as specified in the funding opportunity announcement. No State plan is required with this application. |
| Award Procedure |
| Projects are reviewed at the Bureau of Land Management State and District Office level and funding recommendations are made through the State's annual work plan. Final budget approvals rest with the State Director. |
| Deadlines |
| The deadline will be published in the Grants.gov announcement for each project. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| Award time varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Most awards are anticipated within 90 days or less after the announcement closes. Further information will be available for each project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the point of contact listed in the funding opportunity announcement. |
| Appeals |
| None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Land Management will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals was not selected for award. |
| Renewals |
| Not applicable. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| This program has no statutory formula requirements. However, applicant's matching funds are encouraged and those projects are more likely to be funded. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| No specific restrictions for most projects, however, most projects are awarded for a five year period and funded on a year-by-year basis and funds are expended during a particular fiscal year. |
| Reports |
| Recipients of funding are required to submit quarterly financial status reports using form Standard Form 269, Financial Status Report, and quarterly, semi-annual, or annual performance reports 30 days following the end of the reporting period. Final performance and financial status reports are due 120 days after the end date of grant performance. |
| Audits |
| In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonproft Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance $500,000 (for fiscal years ending December 1, 2003) or more a year in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 (for fiscal years ending after December 1, 2003) a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. |
| Records |
| State, local and Indian Tribal governments shall maintain project records in accordance with 43 CFR 12.82. All other recipients shall maintain project records in accordance with 43 CFR 12.953. |
| Account Identification |
| 14-1109-0-1-302. |
| Obligations |
| FY 07 $45,000; FY 08 est. $500,000; and FY 09 est. $1,000,000. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| Past partnership projects have run between $10,000 to $250,000. Average amounts run about $100,000 or less. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| BLM continues to maintain and expand partnerships to include funding for continued support of collaborative efforts to build community capacity and support for ecological restoration efforts in forest and woodlands. The public and BLM benefit from its support with partners in heightening public understanding of the social and economic, as well as environmental, aspects of ecosystem restoration and maintenance. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| BLM's Forestry program is generally guided by provisions in 43 CFR Part 5000. A variety of public interest publications on these programs are available free of charge by contacting the appropriate State Office. Manuals providing basic program operational guidance for Forestry are found in BLM Manuals 500 series and may be obtained by contacting the Washington Office. |
| Regional or Local Office |
| See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses of Bureau of Land Mangement State Offices. |
| Headquarters Office |
| Division Chief, Forest and Woodland Management, Bureau of Land Management (WO 270), 1849 C St., N.W, 204 LS, Washington, DC 20240. Telephone: (202)452-0316. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/forests_and_woodland.html |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| None. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| Stewardship projects that removed vegetation to promote healthy forest stands and reduced fire hazards. Projects that promoted an integrated approach that included local community participation in developing strategies for biomass utilization, recognizing the connections beetween biomass utilization and forest restoration, and encouraged sustainable development through a variety of enterprises at different and appropriate scales. Projects that cooperatively supported common goals and interests in managing, developing and protecting federal and private land and water resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| General criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their direct relationship to Federal lands and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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