SDBOC ELIPS Phase IID | BOR PN 17 N013

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR PN 17 N013

The SDBOC ELIPS Phase IID opportunity is a Bureau of Reclamation discretionary grant notice tied to the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Conservation Program. It supports a specific water conservation construction effort in Washington State led by the Sunnyside Division Board of Control/Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SDBOC/SVID). Rather than being a competitive grant round, the announcement functions as public notice that Reclamation intends to fund identified project activities without full and open competition, meaning it is essentially a planned, directed award rather than an open solicitation for new applicants.

The core purpose of the funding is to cost share Phase IID of the ELIPS lateral lining work, as defined in a Feasibility Investigation completed by SVID in March 2007 and based on a longer-term Water Conservation Plan originally adopted by the District in 1998. That plan focuses on rehabilitating irrigation conveyance infrastructure over time, including canal and lateral lining, replacement of aging check structures, and conversion of open ditches to piped laterals. Phase IID continues that multi-phase modernization strategy, targeting reduced seepage and operational losses in the delivery system so that less water needs to be diverted from the Yakima River to serve the same irrigation demand.

The program is jointly funded by federal and state partners with a defined cost share structure. Washington State Department of Ecology funding comes from Agricultural Water Supply Facilities Referendum 38 (Chapter 43.99E RCW, November 1980) and is described as covering 17.5 percent of eligible implementation costs for approved conservation measures. Federal funding through the Bureau of Reclamation is authorized under the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe Water Settlement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-434), specifically Title XII related to the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, and covers 65 percent of implementation costs. The recipient (SDBOC/SVID) is responsible for the remaining 17.5 percent, effectively serving as the required local match to complete the full project budget.

From a benefits standpoint, the project is positioned as a voluntary conservation measure that advances YRBWEP goals: improving reliability and availability of water supplies for irrigation while also protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife resources (including wetlands) and improving water quality in the Yakima River basin. In practical terms, lining laterals and upgrading conveyance systems typically reduces seepage, prevents operational spills, improves flow control, and can reduce return flows that may carry sediment or other contaminants, all of which supports both agricultural efficiency and aquatic habitat objectives.

The announcement also lays out several key recipient obligations that shape how the work must be delivered. Construction must follow the plan approved under Referendum 38 and Title XII authority, and must match the agreed Scope of Work unless written modifications are approved by the recipient, Ecology, and Reclamation. The recipient must prepare and/or follow detailed designs, specifications, estimates, and engineering standards, with Ecology and Reclamation reviewing and approving them to protect state and federal interests. The recipient also agrees to cover any increased operation and maintenance costs resulting from the improvements, using reserves, tax revenues, and/or assessments as needed, which is common for infrastructure upgrades that may add new assets to maintain. Finally, construction is expected to be completed within a maximum of seven years, although the schedule may be extended if federal or state funds are unavailable, but only with written approval from both Ecology and Reclamation.

Administratively, the listing identifies the opportunity as a grant in the natural resources category under CFDA 15.531, with eligibility limited to special district governments, consistent with an irrigation district-led implementation. The funding opportunity number is BOR PN 17 N013, the posting date is 2017-08-25, and the original closing date shown is 2017-09-08, though the text makes clear it is not a request for applications. The award ceiling is listed as $7,300,000, indicating the maximum anticipated federal funding amount for the described effort. Reclamation notes that it does not anticipate substantial involvement in day-to-day project execution; its role is expected to be standard federal stewardship such as performance monitoring and providing technical assistance if requested.

• The Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SDBOC ELIPS Phase IID" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.531.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-09-08. (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 $7,300,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Special district governments.

Apply for BOR PN 17 N013

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