More federal money is set to land in Guam, whether through grants, or through military construction awards.
The Northern Mariana Islands will also benefit from the latest round of grant funding.
VSolvit LLC, of Ventura, Calif., designated a small business, was awarded an $8.99 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, according to a Sept. 18 release from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The contract is a Small Business Technology Transfer Phase III “for the procurement of telecommunication decision support system services along with an associated communication decision support system in support of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam mission critical systems and equipment.”
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $47,49 million. Work will be performed in Guam, 95%; and Ventura, Calif., 5% and is expected to be completed by September 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2029, according to the release. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Corona, Calif., made the award.
According to its website, VSolvit utilizes the latest technologies, such as geographic information systems, business intelligence systems, and cloud-based infrastructure to develop and deliver custom tools and services to each of our clients.
VSolvit “is proud to develop interactive web mapping applications, powerful business intelligence dashboards and applications, and robust data warehouses for such clients as the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the company said on its website.”
Phase 3 of the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded Ecosystem Restoration Program will award the U.S. territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands with thousands of dollars each year for five years.
So far for this fiscal year, the Office of Insular Affairs at DOI has announced the following, with potentially more to come by the end of the year, according to a Sept. 20 release, CHamoru Standard Time:
Enhancing Biosecurity and Mitigating Invasive Species Impacts
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$497,846 to the Government of Guam to establish a Marine Biosecurity Coordinator position and develop a surveillance and response plan for marine invasive species in Apra Harbor.
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$422,162 to the American Samoa Government for the development of fumigation and incineration capacity on-island to address critical biosecurity gaps. Funds will also support on-island biosecurity training, featuring national and international experts.
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$71,417 to the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources for on-island biosecurity training in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
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$50,000 to the University of Guam for on-island biosecurity training and a workshop focused on emergency response planning and invasive species management.
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$48,866 will be provided for invasive species experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide biosecurity training to the territories.