WWB-Eurasia Single Source ANO Ekosentr Zapovedniki

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the US Fish & Wildlife Service's intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition. In accordance with Department of the Interior guidance (505 DM 2.14) the Fish and Wildlife Service Division of International Conservation provides notice of its intent to make a single-source award in the amount of $242,000.00 via a cooperative agreement with ANO Ekosentr Zapovedniki. This Single Source Award is being made in accordance with Department of Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(1), which allows for award without competition to an applicant who is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based on a number of criteria. The purpose of this award is to cooperatively manage a small-grants competition open to all parks and natural reserves in Russia. The grants will be used to increase capacity in law enforcement, visitor center services, reserve management, and biodiversity conservation. ANO Ekotsentr Zapovedniki's (ANO) has a close working relationship with Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as well as the extensive Russian nature reserve and parks system. This relationship ensures that all nature reserves and parks will have an equal opportunity to participate in the small-grants competition that will be administered by this organization. ANO's location and technical expertise also ensure that all local and federal laws will be adhered to in the administration of this project. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has a long history of working with ANO on small-grants competitions within Russia. This is the seventh small-grants competition to be co-managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and ANO, and in all past awards the recipient has demonstrated exceptional administrative and technical performance. ANO is also uniquely qualified to manage the receipt and distribution of grant funds within Russia. ANO Ekotsentr Zapovedniki has collaborated with USFWS in the past, receiving $894,340 in grants since 2003. ANO Ekotsentr Zapovedniki will contribute $10,000 in matching funds to perform the project.