Description
Section 2391(d) of Title 10, United States Code, authorizes the Secretary of Defense to “make grants, conclude cooperative agreements, and supplement funds available under federal programs administered by agencies other than the Department of Defense to assist State governments, local governments, and not-for-profit, member-owned utility services to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of a military installation.” Community Infrastructure projects are transportation projects, community support facilities ( e.g. schools; hospitals; police, fire, or emergency response), and utility infrastructure projects (e.g., water, wastewater, telecommunications, electric and natural gas facilities) that are located off of a military installation of on property under the jurisdiction of a Secretary of a military department that is subject to a real estate agreement (including a lease or easement), and are owned by a state or local government or a not-for-profit, member-owned utility service. This Notice identifies the criteria established for selection of community infrastructure projects. Proposals will be competitively scored across these criteria, identified in Section 6.B of this Notice. Program funding at $90 million is available and will expire if not obligated prior to the close of business on September 30, 2025. Project proposals must include a letter of support from the local installation commander representing the installation benefitting from the proposed project. Letter of support must, at a minimum, indicate the benefitting installation’s need for the project, willingness to support the civilian execution of the project to the extent practicable, including assisting the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation with technical review and execution of any required National Environmental Policy Act documentation for the proposed project, and were applicable, indicate if the proposed project is defense-related critical infrastructure. For proposals for projects that will contribute to the training of cadets enrolled in an independent program at a covered educational institution, the letter of support must include the support of an installation commander for an installation benefitting from the proposed project, regardless of the distance between the covered educational institution and the installation benefitting from the project.