BLM-WO, National Seed Strategy Assessment | L17AS00007

Opportunity Information: Apply for L17AS00007

The BLM-WO National Seed Strategy Assessment grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00007) is a Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management cooperative agreement designed to move forward a key piece of the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration. The Seed Strategy is a federal framework focused on improving how native plant seed is sourced, developed, and purchased for restoring and rehabilitating public lands, with a strong emphasis on using genetically appropriate material (meaning seed that matches the ecology and provenance of the place being restored). This opportunity is centered on Seed Strategy Objective 1.1: completing a national assessment of (1) the native seed needs of federal agencies and (2) the capacity of both private and federal producers to supply that demand. A main driver for the project is that, while the objective exists, the practical details of how the assessment should be carried out and who needs to be involved had not been clearly defined, creating a gap the BLM wants to fill through a partner-led effort.

At its core, the project aims to help BLM and other federal agencies understand where the native seed supply chain is falling short and what can be done about it. The opportunity highlights three specific reasons this assessment matters. First, it is meant to help identify deficiencies in the current market and production system, including limited species availability, inadequate or mismatched provenance, and problems with the quality and quantity of commercially available native seed. Second, it is intended to pinpoint ways federal procurement practices can be improved so agencies buy native seed more effectively and efficiently, which can include everything from forecasting demand earlier to standardizing specifications and improving contracting approaches. Third, it seeks to identify private-sector constraints that limit native seed availability, such as production risk, limited grow-out capacity, weak incentives to produce less common species, gaps in cleaning and storage infrastructure, and the challenge of responding to sudden surges in post-disturbance demand (for example, after large wildfires).

The main objective for the funded work is to partner with a recipient to plan and begin implementing an interagency assessment of federal native seed needs and the capacity of the public and private sectors to meet them. Practically, that means the recipient will work closely with BLM to develop a strategy for carrying out a coordinated, interagency native seed need and capacity assessment and to start the preplanning work required to make that assessment feasible and credible. While the notice does not spell out a fixed methodology, the emphasis is on building an approach that clarifies how the assessment will be conducted, what data will be gathered, how supply and demand will be measured, and which agencies, producers, and other stakeholders should be engaged so the results are useful across the federal landscape restoration community.

Deliverables from the project are intended to be public-facing and decision-relevant. The resulting materials will be made available to the public and will be used by BLM to inform management decisions on BLM-administered lands. Because the assessment is interagency in nature and addresses broader market capacity, the outputs are also expected to benefit other public and private land managers by improving shared understanding of native seed needs, production limitations, and opportunities to strengthen the supply chain. In other words, the work is positioned as a planning and coordination effort that sets the stage for smarter investments and more reliable availability of the right seed for the right place.

The stated public benefit is tied to both improved ecological outcomes and better use of public funds. By improving the effectiveness and efficiency of native seed procurement, the public can benefit from lower costs, better matching of seed genetics to restoration sites, and broader availability of species needed for diverse, resilient plant communities. The BLM also expects broader economic benefits through stimulation of the commercial native seed sector, driven by clearer demand signals and improved government purchasing practices that reduce uncertainty for growers and suppliers. Over time, procuring genetically appropriate native seed is expected to improve restoration success, conserve ecosystem function, and support overall land health, especially in landscapes that require repeated or large-scale rehabilitation efforts. The notice frames this as directly in the public interest because better information allows BLM to target actions where they will have the greatest benefit and to spend restoration dollars more efficiently.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity under the natural resources activity category, using a cooperative agreement mechanism (which typically implies substantial involvement and collaboration with the agency during the project rather than a hands-off grant). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a broad range of applicant types subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement. The opportunity anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $100,000. The posting lists a creation date of December 21, 2016, and an original closing date of January 21, 2017 (noting these dates reflect the original solicitation timeline). The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.231.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-WO, National Seed Strategy Assessment" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.231.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 21, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 21, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for L17AS00007

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