July 31, 2013

MDIFW Accepting RFPs for Range Improvement Grant Program

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is accepting request for proposals (RFPs) for its 2013 Maine Range Access Improvement Grant Program.

Small grants will be awarded to private non-profits and municipalities to fund firearm and archery range access improvement projects.

The Department is accepting proposals for projects that do any of the following:

?Improve public access to firearm and archery range facilities.

?Accomplish improvements at existing or develop new firearm and archery range facilities.

?Integrate Best Management Practices into physical facilities and management of ranges.

?Support firearm and archery education to learn safe and responsible practices.

Requests may be for a single project or a portion of staged projects. Requestors can ask for a maximum of $50,000 in grant money, which will serve as 70 percent of allowable costs. Projects must include a minimum of 30 percent match, cash or in-kind donations.

The selection process includes a statewide distribution of awards, which will work as follows: The highest scoring proposal in each of the seven (7) Maine Fisheries and Wildlife Regions (Regions A - G), will be the first 7 proposals selected. A state map with the Maine Fisheries and Wildlife Regions A - G indicated is included in the RFP.

Proposals must be submitted by 2 p.m. on August 14 to the State of Maine Division of Purchases, located at the Burton M. Cross Building, 111 Sewall Street, 4th Floor, 9 State House Station, Augusta.

The Maine Range Access Improvement Grant Program is funded by a $1 million grant ($750,000 federal portion, $250,000 non-federal match) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a $14,300 grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund.

To see a copy of the RFP, visit www.maine.gov/ifw/rfp.htm.