Request for Qualification - National Programs Field Liaison Support

Proposal Deadline: October 2, 2026

 

OVERVIEW

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks a qualified Contractor to provide technical assistance as “field liaisons” to support grantees of the America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (AERI) and other associated NFWF national grant programs, including the Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund (Big Game) and the Healthy American Forests Initiative (HAFI). This support will help to advance the goals of AERI, Big Game, HAFI and other associated NFWF grant programs, improve grantee support and experience, and increase the quality and scale of oversight. The contractor will provide support for one-year (with the option to renew for an additional year) and report to Sydney Godbey, Program Director, National Programs.
 

BACKGROUND

The America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative is a partnership between NFWF and the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and other private funders. The purpose of the program is to support locally led, multi-jurisdictional, landscape-scale, ecosystem restoration projects that advance existing conservation plans or incorporate Indigenous Knowledge. NFWF administers the AERI as a national grants program focused on funding projects throughout the U.S. states, territories, and Native nations on public lands, Tribal lands, and working lands.

For more information about the Program, please visit our website at: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/americas-ecosystem-restoration-initiative.

The Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund aims to conserve critical winter range and migration corridors to maintain healthy populations of pronghorn, elk and mule deer, and the phenomenon of big game migration. The western United States is home to some of the largest herds of wild native ungulates in North America. However, the seasonal migrations many of these populations rely on in response to weather conditions and resource availability face significant threats.

For more information about the Program, please visit our website and review the 2026 Request for Proposals at: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/rocky-mountain-rangelands/western-big-game-seasonal-habitat-and-migration-corridors-fund.

The Healthy American Forests Initiative is a partnership with the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Native Americans in Philanthropy. This one-time funding opportunity will support watershed restoration and vegetation management projects on National Forest System lands to achieve a healthy forest ecosystem. Competitive projects must occur on National Forest System lands and projects must be carried out in accordance with a water source protection plan as developed under section 303(d)(1) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 or a watershed restoration action plan developed under section 304(a)(3) of HFRA of 2003. Applicants should discuss their project with the National Forest Unit in which the project will be implemented prior to submission and obtain a letter of support. National Forest Grants are for vegetation management or watershed restoration projects on National Forest System land. Associated activities may include the removal of vegetation, use of prescribed fire, restoration of aquatic habitat, or decommissioning of an unauthorized, temporary, or system road to enhance or restore the ecological function and health of a forest ecosystem.

For more information about the Program, please visit our website and review the Request for Proposals: https://www.nfwf.org/healthy-american-forests-initiative-request-proposals.

NFWF seeks one or two contractors to serve as “field liaisons” for AERI, Big Game, HAFI, and other associated NFWF national grant programs to: (1) assist grantees in managing large-scale implementation projects, (2) help troubleshoot grant implementation, (3) assist NFWF with grantee communication, and (4) facilitate communication and development of networks among grantees to encourage shared learning.

Contractor should be prepared to provide support to practitioners throughout the program footprints working on a conservation restoration projects; however, Offerors should highlight if they have a particular expertise in certain regions of the larger AERI, HAFI, or Big Game footprints or on specific aspects of the program(s), particularly big game seasonal habitat, stopover areas, and migration corridors. NFWF is also interested in providing specialized support to our U.S. territories and Native nation grantees, Contractors with broad conservation and restoration experience, relationships and expertise working with U.S. territories and Native nations will be prioritized.
 

QUALIFICATIONS 

To assist in the successful implementation of AERI, Big Game, HAFI, and associated programs, this RFQ is seeking one or two qualified organizations or entities to serve as independent contractor(s) to NFWF with the following qualifications:

  • Three to five years’ experience working directly to support conservation and restoration related programs or initiatives, and particular expertise in planning, designing, implementing, or evaluating that improve habitat for fish and wildlife is preferred. 
  • Experience working in a variety of jurisdictions and advising federal, state, local, territorial, or Tribal government agencies, and specific experience in priority regions and geographies is preferred.
  • Specific experience working with or engaging community stakeholder groups and/or Tribal communities especially as it pertains to capacity building.
  • Specific experience providing technical support to organizations to develop project ideas and troubleshoot implementation barriers. 
  • Strong public speaking and meeting facilitation experience, including specific experience designing and implementing effective engagement and outreach approaches, convening practitioners, and translating complex information for a variety of audiences with different skill and competency levels.
  • Understanding of federal grant requirements, including terms and conditions associated with federal funding sources.
  • Strong project management skills, including the ability to flexibly manage and adapt to changing project needs.
     

SCOPE OF WORK

NFWF seeks one or two qualified contractors to develop and implement a work plan designed to maximize the outcomes of AERI, Big Game, HAFI and associated national programs and support its grantees in the pursuit of conservation and restoration projects. The following tasks constitute the Scope of Work for this Request for Qualifications. The selected contractor(s) will be expected to work on all tasks described and participate in check-in calls every two to four weeks with NFWF staff throughout the duration of the project period of performance. Please provide time and cost quotes for each task using the Contractor Budget Template provided. NFWF anticipates level of effort not to exceed half-time, a not to exceed cost will be negotiated upon award with each selected contractor.

  • Task 1: Grantee Support and Troubleshooting – Provide technical assistance to grantees to help them troubleshoot potential challenges with project design and implementation (e.g., provide technical assistance and guidance on the development and maintenance of project management tools, partnerships, and budgets, etc.). Design and implement best management practices for consistent and frequent grantee communication and check-ins while keeping NFWF informed. Identify grantees that would benefit from in-person assistance and complete site visits as needed.
  • Task 2: Promote peer-learning and regional-scale collaboration – Assist current NFWF grantees in establishing, strengthening, and sustaining regional partnerships and collaborative approaches to advance NFWF’s goals under AERI, Big Game, HAFI, and associated national programs. Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and collaborative initiatives among grantees and other partners through workshops, webinars and through other priority conferences and events. Present on the AERI and associated programs at selected events and conferences. Support efforts to distill lessons learned and capture success stories from previous grants by reviewing project reports and assessments, engaging grantees, conducting site visits, and summarizing project case studies or other products, among other activities.

Deliverables – 

  • Quarterly written and ongoing verbal progress reports
  • Monthly reports on outreach and engagement activities
  • Written site visit and event reports
  • Final report summarizing lessons learned at contract completion
  • Other deliverables as called for by the proposed Scope or Work and contractor’s proposed technical approach

These deliverables may be expanded or refined during the contract negotiation.
 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

Proposals must be submitted under the same cover at the same time, in three distinctly labeled and separate documents: 1) Technical Proposal, 2) Budget, and 3) Evidence of Financial Stability.  Interested parties should submit proposals electronically to NFWF using the requirements below:

  1. Technical Proposal – Your description, in no more than twenty (20) pages (including resume attachments) of your and/or your organization’s qualifications should include the following elements:
  • Contact information.  Please provide a Primary Contact Person, Entity Name, Address, Phone, E-mail, Website, and EIN or SSN    
  • General Organization Description.  Please provide a general description of your organization including practice areas, geographic service areas, approximate number of clients, and length of time in business. If your application includes team members or sub-consultants, please provide the requested profile information for all key personnel and team members, and indicate the lead entity responsible for contract management and quality of deliverables.
  • Technical Approach.  Provide a general description demonstrating your understanding of the goals and objectives of AERI, Big Game, HAFI and associate national programs and administrative challenges facing grantees, including any geographic differences in risks and approaches, key stakeholders and partners engaging initiatives, and the policy landscape. Describe the technical approach and overall strategy you would take for implementing the Tasks listed in the Scope of Work. Describe how you will communicate with NFWF and program stakeholders and report on progress, results, and deliverables. 
  • Expertise and Past Experience. Please list the type(s) of services your organization provides relating to the specified Qualifications and your expertise in these areas. Please detail your experience in providing services similar to those called for in this RFQ.  List recent (last five years) projects and previous services related to the expertise you are describing.
  • Key staff.  Please provide names and brief biographies of key staff.  Please describe key staff’s training and experience to successfully implement the Tasks called for in the Scope of Work and relevant to those listed in the Qualifications section.
  • Team management and quality assurance/ quality control. Describe how the lead entity will manage the team (if applicable).  Please describe quality assurance and control procedures that will be used to ensure your team’s work meets professional standards and how invoicing will be performed to ensure contract compliance.
  • References and past performance.  Please describe three past engagements conducting similar work for NFWF or other organizations, including the specific tasks and deliverables completed and how those engagements will prepare your team to ensure delivery of quality work, on time and on budget, if awarded this contract. Include contact information (names, emails addresses, and telephone numbers) for three client references relevant to the services described. 
  • Resumes. Please attach resumes of key staff as appropriate.  Please limit attached resumes to no more than 10 one-page resumes, each a single page. Licenses and other certifications should be noted as part of your submission, but copies are not required at this time.

   2.   Budget: The budget proposal must be submitted using the following NFWF budget template.

   3.   Evidence of Financial Stability: The applicant shall provide proof of financial stability in the form of financial statements, credit ratings, a line of credit, or other financial arrangements sufficient to demonstrate the applicant’s capability to meet the requirements of this solicitation.
 

SELECTION PROCEDURE

A panel of NFWF staff will review the proposals. Offerors may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets prior to final approval of the award. One or two contracts may be made for this project. If multiple institutions are involved in one application, they should be handled through sub-awards and sub-contracts.  

Failure to include all materials outlined above may cause a submission to be deemed non-responsive. NFWF will give priority consideration to respondents that demonstrate the following in a fully responsive submission:

  1. Understanding of the Scope or Work. The proposed Technical Approach must demonstrate considerable experience working in a variety of settings and jurisdictions, with specific expertise supporting conservation and restoration initiatives to improve habitat for fish and wildlife. The proposed Technical Approach must demonstrate an understanding of the AERI, Big Game, HAFI  and associated national program’s goals and objectives, and challenges facing grantees, including any geographic differences in risks and approaches, key stakeholders and partners engaging initiatives, and the policy landscape. Preference will be given to offerors with specific expertise working with U.S. territories and Native nations. Weight: 20%
  2. Technical Approach. Offeror should clearly describe their proposed technical approach for successfully implementing the Scope of Work described in the RFQ and ensuring the success of AERI, Big Game, HAFI, and associated national program’s grant investments and overall program strategy. Weight: 20%
  3. Budget and Cost Effectiveness. Preference will be given to Offerors who can provide high quality services at an affordable cost. Weight: 20%
  4. Qualification of Proposed Personnel and Capacity to Deliver Services. Preference will be given to Offerors that bring a team with the training and experience detailed in the Qualifications section and the requisite experience necessary to successfully implement the Tasks detailed in the Scope of Work. Offerors must demonstrate they have sufficient staff and other resources, a degree of flexibility in how and where services are delivered, and an ability to tailor content and delivery methods to meet the specific needs of the AERI, Big Game, HAFI and associated national programs and key stakeholder groups. Weight: 20%
  5. Contractor’s Past Performance. Offerors must demonstrate significant expertise and experience as exhibited by delivery of multiple directly relevant projects in areas described in this RFQ, in consideration of the quality of deliverables, timeliness, cost controls, and client references.  Weight: 20%
     

SUBMISSION DEADLINES 

August 26, 2026Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released. Q&A period begins. All questions of general interest will be answered publicly and must be received by September 9, 2026.
Offerors should submit questions regarding this solicitation via email to Zoey Apelt; Zoey.Apelt@nfwf.org, Jesse Mills; Jesse.Mills@nfwf.org, and Ericka Popovich; Ericka.Popovich@nfwf.org. NFWF will post all the questions and responses to all questions so that all offerors have access to them at the same time. In order to provide equitable responses, all questions must be sent to NFWF no later than 11:00 PM [EST] on September 9, 2026.
September 9, 2026Deadline for Questions. FAQ will be posted to this site within 48 hours.
October 2, 2026Deadline for receipt by NFWF of proposals. 
Proposals must be sent electronically as an email attachment to Zoey Apelt; Zoey.Apelt@nfwf.org, Jesse Mills; Jesse.Mills@nfwf.org, and Ericka Popovich; Ericka.Popovich@nfwf.org by 11:00 PM EST on October 2, 2026.
January 2, 2027Contract anticipated start date.


COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS

NFWF is committed to operating in full compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. We continuously monitor legal and regulatory developments to ensure our policies, procedures, and operations align with current federal directives. We encourage all applicants to do the same. 
The ability and extent to which NFWF is able to make awards is contingent upon receipt of funds from federal agencies and/or other funding partners. Final funding decisions will be made based on the applications received and the level and timing of funding received by NFWF.
 

Compliance with American Security Drones Act (ASDA)

Pursuant to the American Security Drone Act (ASDA), effective December 22, 2025, applicants proposing activities funded in whole or in part with federal funds may not use, operate, or purchase any drone or uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) included on the Covered Foreign Entities (CFE) List. This prohibition applies to both new purchases and continued use of existing UAS, including certain widely used commercial platforms, such as DJI and Autel. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all proposed and existing UAS used in connection with federally funded activities comply with applicable federal law and are not included on the CFE List. Noncompliance may affect eligibility for funding.
 

ELIGIBLE CONTRACTORS

Eligible offerors include institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international organizations, and local, state and Native nations. 
 

SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS & CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the offeror warrants and represents that it does not currently have any apparent or actual conflict of interest, as described herein.  In the event an offeror currently has, will have during the life of the contemplated contract, or becomes aware of an apparent or actual conflict of interest, in the event an award is made, the offeror must notify NFWF in writing in the proposal, or in subsequent correspondence (if the issue becomes known after the submission of the proposal) of such apparent or actual conflicts of interest, including organizational conflicts of interest. 

Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the contractor, the contractor’s employees, or the contractor’s subcontractors in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests, or otherwise.  Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the offeror, the offeror’s employees, or the offeror’s future subcontractors in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the NFWF Contracting Officer will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the offeror to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies NFWF may result in the proposal not being selected for award.  

By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the Offeror warrants and represents that it is eligible for award of a Contract resulting from this solicitation and that it is not subject to any of the below circumstances:

Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an Contract with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or 

Was convicted (or had an officer or agent of such corporation acting on behalf of the corporation convicted) of a felony criminal violation under any Federal or State law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or

Is listed on the General Services Administration’s, government-wide System for Award Management Exclusions (SAM Exclusions), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 C.F.R Part 180 that implement E.O.s 12549 (3 C.F.R., 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 C.F.R., 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension, ” or intends to enter into any subaward, contract or other Contract using funds provided by NFWF with any party listed on the SAM Exclusions in accordance with Executive Orders 12549 and 12689. The SAM Exclusions instructions can be found here: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ 

REQUESTING ORGANIZATION: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), 1625 Eye Street NW, Suite 101, Washington, DC 20006
 

CONTACTS: Zoey Apelt, Zoey.Apelt@nfwf.org; Jesse Mills, Jesse.Mills@nfwf.org; and Ericka Popovich, Ericka.Popovich@nfwf.org.