Title II, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control

To provide financial and technical assistance to: (1) identify salt source areas; (2) develop project plans to carry out conservation practices to reduce salt loads; (3) install conversation practices to reduce salinity levels; (4) carry out research, education, and demonstration activities; (5) carry out monitoring and devaluation activities; and (6) to decrease salt concentration and salt loading which causes increased salinity levels within the Colorado River and to enhance the supply and quality of water available for use in the United States and the Republic of Mexico. Such programs shall consist of cost-effective measures and associated works to reduce salinity from saline springs, leaking wells, irrigation sources, industrial sources, erosion of public and private land, or other sources.

Any legal entity that is the owner or operator of the features to be replaced and/or to be constructed and capable of contracting with Reclamation.

Any person who uses or reuses Colorado River water for irrigation, domestic, municipal or industrial water supply, or for fish and wildlife habitat will benefit.

Funding opportunity announcements for this program, along with registration procedures, application packages and instructions, SF-424 forms and any other forms to be used to submit application information, points of contact, and procedures for submitting applications will be available on www.grants.gov.

Reclamation will solicit proposals and award funding through a Notice of Funding Opportunity process. The NOFO will request proposals from public and private sectors that would control salinity based on cost per ton. The proposals will be ranked based on their cost effectiveness for preventing salt from entering the Colorado River system. The ranking would consider risk factors that might affect the project's performance. Upon receipt of applications/proposals by the date identified in the announcement(s), the applications will be reviewed to determine if application/proposal(s) are consistent with requirements identified in the announcements. The application/proposal(s) are reviewed against identified criteria by a Federal technical team of experts, that may include representatives of states as advisors. Based on the review, a ranking will be defined. Negotiations will be conducted and/or awards will be made based on recommendations from the technical experts. Award will be based on those applications best meeting the needs of the program, including cost and risk factors.

Approximately 90 days.