Cost-Effective Aviation Solutions to Support Counter-Poaching and Rural Law Enforcement Operations

The purpose of this project is to: (1) identify and assess the highest priority technology needs of the Kenyan Wildlife Services (KWS) Air wing in furtherance of their counter-poaching mission; (2) purchase and deliver aircraft and supporting technologies as informed by the needs assessment; and (3) conduct an operational evaluation of the purchased and delivered aircraft and supporting technologies. This project in part fulfils and promotes the objectives of the Presidential Executive Order on Combating Wildlife Trafficking issued July 1, 2013, which calls for enhanced domestic efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and increased assistance to foreign nations in building capacity to combat wildlife trafficking. The ultimate goal of this solicitation is to (1) support and enhance the KWS’s ability to conduct aerial missions to identify poachers and related illegal activity in Kenya’s vast national parks and protected lands, and to (2) produce data and evidence-based recommendations for use in rural and tribal U.S. law enforcement agencies with comparable aerial surveillance missions, resources, operational environments, and jurisdictional challenges such as vast, undeveloped terrain.

This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

ca/ncf