As part of its ongoing effort to reform the Wild Horse and Burro Program, the Bureau of Land Management announced today that it is soliciting proposals for private-public partnerships to establish wild horse “ecosanctuaries” on non-BLM managed land. The ecosanctuaries would help the BLM feed and care for excess wild horses that have been removed from Western public rangelands.
The official notice of solicitation can be found at www.grants.gov [1]. A separate request for applications for partnerships relating to ecosanctuaries located on both private and BLM-managed lands will be posted at a later time.
To submit an application, an applicant must first obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number. This can be obtained by going to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/index.jsp [2]. After receiving a DUNS number, the applicant may proceed to the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) page and register. The CCR registration Website is located at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx [3]. Completing this registration process can take up to two weeks, so applicants should work on their proposals while they are waiting for their registration confirmation. Individuals that intend to submit a proposal for ecosanctuaries located on a mix of private and BLM-managed land are encouraged to register with CCR and receive a DUNS number at this time.
The BLM manages more land – over 245 million acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.