Project Information

Bid Title

Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant Application

Issuing Agency

State Government of Iowa

Location

Iowa

Published Date

Nov 17, 2025

Closing Date

Jan 16, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

Original Source

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Project Description

Bid Information

Bid Number

26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

Solicitation

Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant Application

Solicitation Type

Request for Information

County

Description

Description

This Solicitation is designed to provide Applicants with the information necessary for the preparation of competitive Applications. Successful Applicants will be expected to work with the Iowa DNR to develop a final product that includes the elements described in Section 2 with the goal of replicating the process in other watersheds throughout the state.
In order to fulfill the provisions of Iowa Code section 455B.105 and Iowa Code chapter 466B, subchapters II, the Iowa DNR is seeking Applications from Eligible Applicants. Clean Water Act Section 604(b) funding will be used to fund this Grant; therefore eligibility is limited to entities defined under Iowa Code chapter 466b, subchapter II, as Watershed Management Authorities and to entities demonstrating the characteristics of an RPCPO.
The purpose of this Solicitation is to request Applications for evaluation by Iowa DNR to award planning money to Successful Applicants. Total funding for contracts awarded by the Iowa DNR as a result of this Solicitation process is anticipated to be up to $500,000. The maximum request for award for this Solicitation should be no greater than $125,000.

Comprehensive Water Quality Management Plan
This funding is being made available to support watershed-based water quality management planning and assessment efforts. Details of the final deliverable can be found in Section 2.10 of this Solicitation. This includes, but is not limited to, a physical environment inventory and an assessment of relevant issues. The final deliverable shall include specific Goals / Objectives / Action Steps with quantifiable estimates and expected results, and should then serve the Watershed Management Authority as an implementation guide to reach the goals identified by the WMA.

ISSUING OFFICER: Colton Lullmann at procurement@dnr.iowa.gov. BID CLOSING DATE AND TIME: 01/16/2026 at 4:00 PM CST.

All proposals and questions must be submitted via email to procurement@dnr.iowa.gov.

Agency Information

Number

542

Name

Natural Resources, Dept Of

Address 1

6200 Park Ave.

Address 2

City/State/Zip

Des Moines, IA 50321

Contact Information

Contact Name

Colton Lullmann

Contact Title

Procurement Specialist

Contact Email

constructionbids@dnr.iowa.gov

Contact Phone Number

(515) 361-0743

Contact Phone Extension

Contact Other Number

Contact Fax Number

Valid Dates

From

11/16/2025 12:01:00 AM

Until

1/16/2026 4:00:00 PM

Documents/Attachments

26ESDWQBCLULL-0017 - Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant Application Solicitation

11/14/2025 3:47:57 PM

Attachment Preview

1. PROJECT

Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant Application Solicitation

Applications due by 4:30 PM, January 16, 2026

Please Send Application and Attachments Electronically to

Issuing Officer Colton Lullmann at: procurement@dnr.iowa.gov.

Project Title:

Project Watershed:

2. APPLICANT STATUS INFORMATION

Lead Entity:

28E Agreement Filing #:

3. APPLICANT CONTACT INFORMATION

Fiscal Agent:

Contact Person:

Email:

Telephone #:

Mailing Address:

City, State, ZIP:

County:

Federal UEI #:

4. DESCRIPTION & COSTS

Project Description: (Maximum of 300 words summarizing the project and use of funds)

Iowa DNR, 26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

2025 WMA Planning Grant Application – Page 1

Summary of Project Costs (Including Required 25% Match):

NEW: Water Quality Management Plan Funds Requested (max $125,000): $

OR: Watershed Management Plan Update Funds Requested (max $50,000): $

Local Share (minimum 25% of DNR request):

Cash Match:

(minimum 5% of DNR request) $

In-Kind Match: (minimum 25% of request when added to cash match) $

Total Project Cost: $

Example: WMA is requesting $100,000 from DNR; $5000 local cash match required, $20,000 in-kind required; total match

provided is $25,000 or 25% of $100,000 (minimum match values represented)

5. GRANT SOLICITATION TIMELINE

Event

Grant Solicitation announced for eligible Applicants

Grant Application due date

Grant Application evaluation by Iowa DNR and selection of the Successful

Applicant(s)

Notification of Successful Applicant and all Applicants of intent to award

Drafting of Contract, Environmental Protection Commission review, and

execution of Contract (start of Contract)

Term of Contract with the Successful Applicant (end of Contract)

Date

November 17, 2025

January 16, 2026

January 16 – January 31, 2026

January 30, 2026

No later than March 17, 2026

End no later than June 30, 2028

NOTE: The intent for this cycle is to also support watershed management plan updates as a new category of award with

a cap of $50,000 per award per watershed management authority (or similar 28E-bound watershed management

intergovernmental cooperative organized under Iowa Code Section 466B.22). For most applicants, only one type of

funding is applicable, e.g., if you have an existing watershed plan for the watershed that is the subject of your 28E

agreement, you are limited to applying for update funds. If you are outside of this example scenario, use the additional

space provided in the Project Description to outline your specific scenario and why you consider yourself eligible for

additional funds. The amount of eligible award will be determined in review by the interagency review team and

justification will be provided if any deviations are disallowed.

Each Applicant must identify the fiscal agent for any Contract resulting from this Solicitation, which can be the applying

entity if suitable, and will be responsible for any reporting requirements and work products. Each Applicant must have a

federal Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number which is available for free from: https://sam.gov/

Iowa DNR, 26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

2025 WMA Planning Grant Application – Page 2

EXAMPLE BUDGET TEMPLATE

A budget must be included with your application. Include brief narrative of what will be the primary uses of the funds

(e.g., hiring a consultant, supporting existing staff), sources of match funds, description of equipment needs, and similar.

The included table is just an example of the budget format that can be used, if providing your own budget spreadsheet

or similar, please attempt to adhere to the budget categories below or provide adequate descriptions if deviating.

Narrative:

Budget Year(s):

Budget Category

Salary & Benefits:

Total

Cost/Item

Indirect Costs:

Travel/Training:

Supplies:

Publication, distribution,

or other media costs:

Contractual:

Equipment (single items

greater than $5,000 each):

Other:

Match Information

DNR Request In-Kind Match1 Cash Match2 Total Match3

Totals:

Total FTEs (If supporting

salary with DNR funds):

Total Project Cost:

Notes:

1. In-Kind Match: Value of local contributions to planned campaign by all partners not provided as cash

2. Cash Match: Total must be at least 5% of DNR request

3. Total Match: Total of in-kind and cash must be at least 25% of DNR request

Example: Max request $125,000; Total Match required = 25% or $31,250; Minimum Cash Match required 5% of

$125,000 or $6250; remaining $25,000 match required can be provided as a combination of in-kind or cash

If using DNR grant funds for salary, please provide FTE estimates for reporting purposes.

Iowa DNR, 26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

2025 WMA Planning Grant Application – Page 3

SECTION 1:

Introduction

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this Grant Application Solicitation is to receive Applications from Responsible Applicants to provide the

services identified on the Grant cover sheet and further described in Section 2 of this document to the Iowa DNR. The

Iowa DNR intends to award a Contract(s) beginning approximately March 17, 2026, and ending roughly 24 months

following the contract start date. As a result of this Grant Application Solicitation, it is anticipated that the Iowa DNR will

notify applicants of the intent to award by January 30, 2026.

1.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this Grant Application Solicitation and the resulting Contract(s), the following terms shall mean:

“Applicant” means any Watershed Management Authority that is formed as a separate legal entity under Iowa Code

chapter 28E and that submits a Responsive Application to the Iowa DNR in response to this Solicitation. “Applicant” also

may include a local or regional entity demonstrating the characteristics of a Regional Public Comprehensive Planning

Organization (RPCPO), as described in Clean Water Act section 205, which is applying on behalf of a Watershed

Management Authority. An RPCPO Applicant shall include a narrative explanation of how it demonstrates the

characteristics of an RPCPO and its specific relationship to any WMA. For purposes of this Solicitation, an RPCPO

Applicant may consider any Iowa Code chapter 466B.22 WMA characteristics to be indicative of its capacity as an

RPCPO.

Each Applicant must identify the fiscal agent for any Contract resulting from this Solicitation, which can be the applying

entity if suitable, and will be responsible for any reporting requirements and work products. Each Applicant must have a

federal Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number which is available for free from: https://sam.gov/

“Application” or “Proposal” means the Applicant’s documentation submitted in response to the Grant Application

Solicitation as their request for consideration for grant funding.

“Contract” or “Subaward” means the subaward contract(s) entered into with the successful Applicant(s) pursuant to

this Solicitation. The “subaward” terminology specifically refers to those contracts where the primary grant recipient

passes funds through to a subrecipient or contractor, and will be interchangeable with “contract” or “subaward

contract” for the purposes of this grant application solicitation.

“Eligible Applicant” means any Applicant that is either a Watershed Management Authority or RPCPO. Applicants that

previously received funding through the Watershed Management Authority Planning Grants program are eligible for

additional funding under this Grant Application Solicitation, especially plan update funding which is new for the 2025

cycle.

“Grant” means the Water Quality Management Planning Grant established by the Iowa DNR using Section 604(b) and

Section 319 Clean Water Act for Watershed Management Authorities.

“Grant Application Solicitation” or “Solicitation” means this solicitation for Grant Applications and any attachments,

exhibits, schedules or addenda hereto.

“Hydrologic Unit Code” or “HUC” means a system by which each hydrologic unit is identified by a unique code, thus

called a hydrologic unit code (HUC) consisting of two to twelve digits based on the six levels of classification:

2-digit HUC - Region

4-digit HUC - Subregion

6-digit HUC - Accounting Unit

8-digit HUC - Cataloguing Unit

10-digit HUC - Watershed

12-digit HUC - Subwatershed

Iowa DNR, 26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

2025 WMA Planning Grant Application – Page 4

“Iowa Code Chapter 28E Agreement” or “Agreement” means an Agreement entered into by qualifying Political

Subdivisions to form a Watershed Management Authority.

“Iowa Department of Natural Resources” or “Iowa DNR” means the agency identified on the Grant Application

Solicitation cover sheet that is issuing the Solicitation.

“Responsible Applicant” means an Applicant that has the capability in all respects to perform the requirements of the

Contract. In determining whether an Applicant is a Responsible Applicant, the Iowa DNR may consider various factors

including, but not limited to, the Applicant’s capabilities and qualifications to provide the goods or services requested,

the Applicant’s integrity and reliability, the past performance of the Applicant and the best interest of the Iowa DNR and

the State, and the extent to which the Applicant complies, in DNR’s judgment, with the requirements of Iowa Code

chapters 466B and 28E and section 205 of the Clean Water Act.

“Responsive Application” means an Application that complies with the material provisions of this Grant Application

Solicitation.

“State” means the State of Iowa and all state agencies, boards, and commissions.

“Successful Applicant” means an Applicant that was recommended for funding and subsequently awarded a contract as

a result of this Solicitation.

“Watershed” means a geographic area of land, water, plants and animals within the confines of a drainage divide.

Watershed boundaries define the aerial extent of surface water drainage to a point and always follow the highest

ridgeline around the stream channels and meet at the lowest point of the land where water flows out of the watershed.

“Watershed Management Authority” or “WMA” means a watershed management authority formed in accordance with

Iowa Code Chapter 466B Subchapter II and that has completed all of its required filings with the Iowa Secretary of State

pursuant to the provisions of Iowa Code section 28E.8. Appendix A includes Subchapter II of Iowa Code chapter 466B.

1.3 Overview of the Grant Application Solicitation Process

Eligible Applicants will be required to submit their Applications in electronic format to the Issuing Officer. It is the Iowa

DNR’s intention to evaluate Applications from all Responsible Applicants that submit timely Responsive Applications in

accordance with Section 3, Evaluation of Applications.

1.4 Background Information

This Solicitation is designed to provide Applicants with the information necessary for the preparation of competitive

Applications. Successful Applicants will be expected to work with the Iowa DNR to develop a final product that includes

the elements described in Section 2 with the goal of replicating the process in other watersheds throughout the state.

In order to fulfill the provisions of Iowa Code section 455B.105 and Iowa Code chapter 466B, subchapters II, the Iowa

DNR is seeking Applications from Eligible Applicants. Clean Water Act Section 604(b) funding will be used to fund this

Grant; therefore eligibility is limited to entities defined under Iowa Code chapter 466b, subchapter II, as Watershed

Management Authorities and to entities demonstrating the characteristics of an RPCPO.

The purpose of this Solicitation is to request Applications for evaluation by Iowa DNR to award planning money to

Successful Applicants. Total funding for contracts awarded by the Iowa DNR as a result of this Solicitation process is

anticipated to be up to $500,000. The maximum request for award for this Solicitation should be no greater than

$125,000.

Iowa DNR, 26ESDWQBCLULL-0017

2025 WMA Planning Grant Application – Page 5

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541330Engineering Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services

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