Tribal Protocols Guidebook DoD | W9126G 21 2 SOI 4607

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 4607

The Tribal Protocols Guidebook DoD opportunity (W9126G-21-2-SOI-4607) is a Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program project run through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. It is set up as a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI), meaning the government is first looking to identify qualified investigators before inviting selected respondents to submit a full proposal. The project is planned to start in 2021, with an anticipated 12-month period of performance from the date of award, and an estimated funding level of about $125,000 for a single base period (no option years). The award instrument is expected to be a CESU cooperative agreement, which also implies close collaboration between the federal partner and the recipient during project execution, rather than a simple deliverable-only grant.

Eligibility is limited to applicants that are members of a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) region, and membership in any CESU region nationwide is acceptable. The program expects that the CESU Network indirect cost rate (17.5%) may be used, but only by mutual agreement and with proper authorization. Since this is a cooperative agreement under the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreements Act, the work must support a public purpose and involve substantial federal participation, with the exact nature of that involvement to be clarified later in the statement of objectives issued with the request for a full proposal.

The core purpose of the project is to improve how DoD installations carry out government-to-government tribal consultation by giving installation staff practical reference materials they can actually use. Specifically, the project will collect existing tribal consultation protocols already developed for federally recognized tribes by other federal agencies, then use that collection to build a DoD-focused guidebook that helps installations create or improve their own consultation protocols. The opportunity emphasizes a real operational gap: many cultural resources staff and other installation personnel are expected to consult with tribes, but often do not have concrete examples, templates, or easy-to-follow guidance for doing this in a way that respects tribal expectations and avoids missteps.

The content envisioned for the protocol collection and guidebook goes well beyond generic consultation checklists. It is meant to capture the kinds of tribe-specific rules and preferences that shape appropriate communication and engagement, such as the correct titles and forms of address for tribal leaders; expectations around gifts or other leader-to-leader courtesies; seasonal or ceremonial periods when consultation is not appropriate or not possible (noting that many tribes have ceremonial seasons that often fall in the fall or mid-winter, sometimes tied to Winter Solstice observances, and may also relate to planting or harvest cycles); election cycles and leadership transitions; whether and how a Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) represents the tribe or its leadership in consultation; appropriate circumstances for visiting tribal lands; and sensitivities around intertribal dynamics, including situations where certain tribes may refuse to meet together. The announcement also signals that the work should be done with entities recognized by tribes and could lead to follow-on efforts to expand or tailor the products regionally.

The anticipated work is organized into six mandatory tasks. First, the awardee must identify and organize a diverse stakeholder group to participate and review materials. This is expected to include organizations and roles such as the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, individual THPOs, other tribal representatives, and DoD installation or regional cultural resources managers, with a deliberate effort to cover different geographies and organizational perspectives. This stakeholder identification effort is to be coordinated with key DoD bodies involved in consultation and cultural resources, including the DoD Cultural Resources Program, DoD Native American Affairs, the Military Services, the Native American Integrated Product Team, and the DoD Historic Preservation Work Group (HPWG).

Second, the project requires research and document review. That includes reviewing relevant laws, regulations, and DoD and Military Service policies, along with identifying and collecting existing tribal protocols from other federal agencies. It also includes taking a hard look at prior DoD Legacy Program products related to tribal consultation, gathering stakeholder feedback on those products, and diagnosing why useful tools may have been underused in practice (for example, problems with outreach, distribution, discoverability, or general awareness among DoD personnel).

Third, the project calls for active consultation and feedback loops during development, not just at the end. The awardee will coordinate with the same DoD offices and working groups, plus the identified stakeholders, to shape what goes into the collection and guidebook. This includes discussing sample or example consultation protocols, evaluating what works and what does not, and using that critique to improve the final guidance so it is realistic for installations while still respectful of tribal expectations.

Fourth, the main production task is developing the actual collection and the guidebook. The end product is expected to be both a curated compilation of existing protocols and a practical guide that helps installations create region-specific consultation protocols that align with current legal requirements and DoD/Military policies. The guidebook is expected to include a template that installations can adapt, which is a key feature because it turns the project from a reference library into an implementation tool.

Fifth, formal review and iterative drafting are built into the schedule. Stakeholders are expected to review the collection and guidebook, with specific review checkpoints at 50% and 85% completion. The awardee must also present initial findings and recommendations to the DoD Historic Preservation Work Group at the 50% draft stage, reinforcing that the government expects to shape and steer the work midstream rather than simply receive a final report.

Sixth, the opportunity places strong emphasis on outreach and practical adoption across DoD. The awardee must host three webinars for DoD cultural resources personnel: two aimed at providing an overview of the project and teaching installation cultural resources managers how to use the guidebook, plus a third webinar focused on how to conduct tribal consultation for senior leaders and installation commanders (a different audience with different needs and decision-making roles). Additional outreach deliverables include a fact sheet and a handout explaining how to use the guidebook, an article for the DoD Cultural Resources Update Newsletter explaining the final products and their application, and the standard fact sheet required for all DoD Legacy Resource Management Program projects.

For this RSOI phase, the government is not asking for a full technical proposal or budget. Instead, respondents must submit a short qualifications package (maximum two pages, single-spaced, 12-point font) that includes basic organizational identifiers and contact information (including CAGE code and DUNS number, as listed in the notice), plus a concise statement of qualifications. That qualifications statement should include a biographical sketch, brief descriptions of relevant past projects and clients, the staff/faculty/students available and their expertise, and any additional capabilities that would support successful performance. Submissions are evaluated by a review board at the receiving installation or activity, and the strongest matches to the objectives and required experience will be invited to submit a full proposal later.

The timeline in the posting notes that the RSOI must remain open at least 30 days before the government makes a decision on inviting full proposals. Responses were due by 5:00 PM Central Time on July 19, 2021. Points of contact listed for questions and submissions are Alisa Marshall (Grants Specialist, USACE Fort Worth District) and J. Grant Harrison (Project Manager, USACE Fort Worth District), with their emails and phone numbers provided in the notice.

• The Department of Defense, Fort Worth District in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tribal Protocols Guidebook DoD" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 21, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 19, 2021. (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 $125,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W9126G 21 2 SOI 4607

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: