Horse Capture & Maintenance, Fort Polk, LA | W9126G202SOI1678

Opportunity Information: Apply for W9126G202SOI1678

The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort Worth District, issued a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) for a cooperative agreement project called "Horse Capture and Maintenance, Fort Polk, LA" (Funding Opportunity Number W9126G-20-2-SOI-1678). The effort was planned to begin in 2020 and is tied to Fort Polk's Range Management Program, with the broader goal of reducing encroachment issues that can interfere with military readiness and training activities on the installation's managed lands. The government expected to have about $250,000 available for the 12-month base year, with the possibility of additional funding in up to three optional 12-month periods (one expected award total). The opportunity was listed under CFDA 12.300 and categorized as science and technology/other R&D, but the work itself is very operational and field-focused around managing free-roaming horses on the installation.

This opportunity was explicitly structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard procurement contract. That means the award is intended to serve a public purpose (support or stimulation authorized under federal assistance rules) rather than simply buying services for the government, and it also means Fort Polk and USACE anticipated "substantial involvement" with the recipient during performance. The specific form of that involvement would be detailed later in a statement of objectives that would accompany a request for a full proposal, but at the RSOI stage applicants were only being screened for relevant qualifications and capacity.

The anticipated work was organized into six main objectives that together cover the full lifecycle of capturing horses, holding them safely, documenting them, taking veterinary samples, and transporting them to other facilities or adoption partners. Objective 1 focuses on capture and confinement of at-large livestock (horses) in enclosures that reasonably ensure detention. Fort Polk emphasized that captures would be limited in scope based on an Environmental Assessment, generally aiming to capture only one to three bands at a time, roughly 10 to 30 horses per capture event, and to spread capture over a longer period so partner organizations can process horses through adoption channels without being overwhelmed. While the exact capture technique was not mandated, Fort Polk set clear constraints: the preferred approach is low-stress baiting of capture pens so horses enter without being driven, with physical roundup as a secondary method if needed. The installation would not allow aircraft to be used to chase or drive horses over long distances for roundup purposes. Fort Polk also reserved the right for its own personnel to opportunistically capture horses; if that happened, the partner would still be responsible for the downstream tasks described in Objectives 2 through 6.

Fort Polk identified certain government-furnished infrastructure and materials to support capture and handling. These include two capture/holding pens made of cyclone fence enclosing a two-acre area with two gate access points, and within that area a smaller approximately 1/8-acre lot with six-foot wooden fencing. The smaller lot connects to a 30-foot enclosed wooden chute with a slat-board top that leads to a fabricated squeeze chute, providing a safer handling point for veterinary work and loading preparation. The installation also had 60 heavy-duty portable panels (10 feet by 6 feet, made with 1.5 to 2 inch tubing). These panels could be used to create temporary wing or drift fencing or otherwise support capture and handling, but Fort Polk noted that if panels are used for capture, enough should be held back to maintain flexibility for working animals after capture. Access to training and range areas is controlled through Range Control, requiring daily check-in/check-out procedures, and access could be restricted on certain days. Any alternative capture sites or use of existing infrastructure would require coordination with Range Control on a case-by-case basis.

Objective 2 addresses unique identification and ownership checks. The partner would be expected to inspect each captured horse to determine whether it has an ownership identifier, using physical or electronic methods such as scanning for microchips and checking for brands or tattoos. If a participating 501(c)(3) organization is involved and cannot provide a scanner, the co-operator must still be able to perform the inspection. The partner is also expected to make a good-faith effort to determine whether a horse may be stolen and, if so, attempt to locate the rightful owner.

Objective 3 covers blood sampling for disease testing. The partner must be able to immobilize or restrain horses sufficiently for a veterinarian and veterinary technicians to safely draw blood samples for testing for various equine diseases. Fort Polk indicated the chutes and panels referenced under capture resources would be available for this purpose, but otherwise there were no additional government-furnished materials specified for blood draw activities, implying the recipient should be prepared to provide veterinary support, consumables, and any additional handling equipment needed beyond what is on hand.

Objective 4 is the care and maintenance phase while horses are held in captivity prior to removal from the installation. The partner must provide adequate feed and water and general care for animals kept in the capture/holding pens until transport occurs. A notable practical requirement is that the co-operator must be able to transport water, suggesting that reliable on-site water supply cannot be assumed in all holding situations or that supplementary water delivery will be necessary depending on conditions and pen locations.

Objective 5 focuses on loading horses onto trailers for transport, whether those trailers are government-owned, privately owned, or provided by a nonprofit (including 501(c)(3) partners). This implies the recipient needs staff with demonstrated equine handling skills and experience safely moving horses through chutes/pens and onto trailers, minimizing stress and risk of injury to animals and personnel.

Objective 6 addresses transportation capability. The partner must be able to move horses either to other locations on Fort Polk (for example, between pens) or off-post to another facility, such as adoption partners or longer-term holding. The solicitation notes that the co-operator should provide a cost-per-mile rate for reimbursement, with distance categories specified as up to 30 miles and 30 to 250 miles, indicating the program anticipated both short local moves and longer regional transports.

At the RSOI stage, the government did not ask for a technical proposal or a budget. Instead, it requested a short qualifications package (maximum two pages, single-spaced, 12-point font) submitted by email. That package needed to include a biographical sketch, a summary of relevant past projects and clients, a description of available staff/faculty/students and their expertise, and a brief statement of capabilities such as equipment and facilities that would help ensure successful performance. Statements were to be reviewed by a board and evaluated based on how well the investigator or organization demonstrated experience and capability aligned with the work requirements. Only the most qualified respondents would be invited to submit a full proposal later, and those not selected would receive written notice.

Key administrative details include an unrestricted eligibility approach (open broadly to entity types, subject to any clarifications in the solicitation text), an original response deadline of 5:00 PM Central Time on May 6, 2020, and points of contact at USACE Fort Worth District: Alisa Marshall (Contract/Agreement Specialist) and Kathy Mitchell (Agreement Project Manager), both reachable via the listed email addresses and phone numbers.

• 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 "Horse Capture & Maintenance, Fort Polk, LA" 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 Apr 14, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 06, 2020. (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 $250,000.00 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.

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