Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00018
Apply for P16AS00018
- The DOI-NPS in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile Application" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 21, 2015 and posted on Dec 21, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 30, 2015. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile Application opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior, cooperative agreement focused on creating a mobile learning experience about Bering Land Bridge National Preserve for children in roughly 3rd to 4th grade. The notice is explicitly labeled a "Notice of Intent to Award," meaning it is not an open call for proposals and not a request for applications. Instead, it serves as public notice that NPS intends to make a single-source award without full and open competition based on the recipient's unique qualifications. The planned recipient is the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), led by Dr. Allison Druin, with NPS Alaska Region contact Erica Cordeiro. The underlying authority is cited as 54 USC 101702(b), and the listed CFDA number is 15.945. The anticipated award amount is $100,000 (with an award ceiling shown as $150,000), no cost share requirement, one expected award, and an anticipated period of performance of one year under a cooperative agreement instrument, reflecting substantial NPS involvement rather than a hands-off grant.
The core purpose of the project is to address the reality that Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is remote and difficult for many people to visit, especially school-age children outside the region. The project aims to create a digital educational experience that lets students nationwide explore the preserve's natural beauty, science, and human history from wherever they live. Two design constraints are emphasized throughout the announcement: first, the product should be "unique to mobile devices" (in other words, designed specifically for mobile interaction rather than simply repackaging a website), and second, it should be "non-site specific," since many intended users will never physically reach the preserve. The end product is a publicly available app released on both iOS and Android, distributed through iTunes/Apple's App Store and Google Play.
UMCP's work centers on a co-design approach that heavily involves children in the design process through the "Kids Design Team" methodology associated with UMCP's Human-Computer Interaction Lab. The project includes brainstorming and ideation, structured design and architecture work, and multiple cycles of revision and iteration. Up to six design sessions are planned at UMCP facilities, each with a defined focus (initial concept generation, design/architecture decisions, then iterative refinement). UMCP is also responsible for coordinating the app's visual architecture, artwork, and coding, including the use of subcontractors if needed, and delivering a build suitable for internal testing. After testing, UMCP must correct bugs or crashes and complete a full public launch on both major mobile platforms.
Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, NPS is expected to be actively involved rather than simply providing funding. NPS will provide a Visual Information Specialist (VIS) who serves as the main liaison between the park and the university team, helping to define goals, scope, and project activities and keeping communication tight during production. NPS also commits to supplying existing research and background materials, along with any available maps, photographs, artwork, audio, and other design elements that can support the app. NPS will also conduct a testing session, including a testing phase in Nome, Alaska, documenting issues and reporting bugs or crashes back to the UMCP development team. Administrative and attribution requirements are also spelled out: NPS expects reports and formal materials to reference the relevant task agreement and acknowledge that the work was conducted through the Alaska Region Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, and it requires appropriate credit to original creators of maps, photos, and other source materials. Likewise, NPS commits to properly acknowledging UMCP in any published or formally presented materials derived from the project, and both parties plan a roughly 60-day wrap-up period after the final product due date.
The schedule presented in the notice lays out a clear, milestone-driven timeline across seasons, culminating in publication. By March 2016, the team is expected to identify key themes and concepts and lock in dates for ideation, design, and testing sessions. By June 2016, the plan calls for up to two ideation/brainstorming sessions and up to two design sessions with the Kids Design Team. By September 2016, the work shifts toward revision/iteration sessions plus wireframing, architecture, and design. By November 2016, the application is expected to be developed, tested (including the Nome testing phase), and then published to iOS and Android app stores. The project is considered complete when the app is publicly available on both platforms. The posting indicates it was created and posted on December 21, 2015, with a closing date listed as December 30, 2015, though the notice itself is informational rather than competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile Application (NPS Notice of Intent to Award)
1) Is this an open grant competition or request for proposals?
No. This posting is explicitly labeled a "Notice of Intent to Award." It is not an open call for proposals and not a request for applications. It functions as public notice that the National Park Service (NPS) intends to make a single-source award without full and open competition.
2) Can my organization apply for this opportunity?
Based on the notice language provided, no application process is being solicited. The notice states NPS intends to make a single-source award due to the recipient's unique qualifications.
3) Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The planned recipient is the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), led by Dr. Allison Druin.
4) Who is the NPS point of contact mentioned for this project?
The notice identifies an NPS Alaska Region contact: Erica Cordeiro.
5) What is the purpose of the Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile Application project?
The project is intended to create a mobile learning experience about Bering Land Bridge National Preserve for children in roughly 3rd to 4th grade. A central motivation is that the preserve is remote and difficult for many people to visit, so the app is meant to let students nationwide explore the preserve's natural beauty, science, and human history from wherever they live.
6) Who is the primary audience for the app?
Children in approximately 3rd to 4th grade.
7) What type of agreement is being used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The instrument described is a cooperative agreement. The notice emphasizes that this reflects substantial NPS involvement rather than a hands-off grant.
8) What does "substantial NPS involvement" mean here?
The notice describes active NPS participation during production, including providing a Visual Information Specialist (VIS) to serve as the main liaison, helping define goals/scope/activities, maintaining close communication, supplying existing materials, and conducting testing (including a testing phase in Nome, Alaska) and reporting issues back to the UMCP team.
9) What is the expected award amount and is there a ceiling?
The anticipated award amount is $100,000. The notice also shows an award ceiling of $150,000.
10) How many awards does NPS expect to make?
The notice indicates one expected award.
11) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states there is no cost share requirement.
12) What is the anticipated period of performance?
The anticipated period of performance is one year, with a roughly 60-day wrap-up period after the final product due date mentioned for closeout activities.
13) What is the legal authority and program identifier listed?
The notice cites 54 USC 101702(b) as the underlying authority and lists CFDA number 15.945.
14) What exactly is being produced as the project deliverable?
The end product is a publicly available educational mobile application about Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, released on both iOS and Android and distributed through Apple's App Store (iTunes/Apple's App Store) and Google Play. The project is considered complete when the app is publicly available on both platforms.
15) Are there specific design requirements for the app?
Yes. Two constraints are highlighted: (1) the product should be "unique to mobile devices" (designed specifically for mobile interaction rather than repackaging a website), and (2) it should be "non-site specific," because many intended users will never physically visit the preserve.
16) What does "non-site specific" mean in the context of this project?
It means the educational experience should work for users who are not physically at Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. The app should support learning and exploration from anywhere.
17) What approach will UMCP use to design the application?
UMCP's work is described as using a co-design approach that heavily involves children in the design process through the "Kids Design Team" methodology associated with UMCP's Human-Computer Interaction Lab.
18) What kinds of activities are included in the UMCP work plan?
The notice describes brainstorming and ideation, structured design and architecture work, and multiple cycles of revision and iteration. It also includes coordinating visual architecture, artwork, and coding, delivering a build suitable for internal testing, fixing bugs/crashes after testing, and completing public launch on both mobile platforms.
19) How many kids co-design sessions are planned and where will they happen?
Up to six design sessions are planned at UMCP facilities. Each session has a defined focus, including initial concept generation, design/architecture decisions, and iterative refinement.
20) Will subcontractors be used for development?
The notice states UMCP is responsible for coordinating artwork and coding, including the use of subcontractors if needed.
21) What is NPS expected to provide to support development?
NPS commits to providing existing research and background materials and any available maps, photographs, artwork, audio, and other design elements that can support the app. NPS also provides a Visual Information Specialist (VIS) as the main liaison.
22) What testing is mentioned in the notice?
NPS will conduct a testing session that includes a testing phase in Nome, Alaska. NPS will document issues and report bugs or crashes back to the UMCP development team.
23) What are the attribution and acknowledgement expectations?
The notice spells out that reports and formal materials are expected to reference the relevant task agreement and acknowledge that the work was conducted through the Alaska Region Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. It also requires appropriate credit to original creators of maps, photos, and other source materials. In addition, NPS commits to properly acknowledging UMCP in published or formally presented materials derived from the project.
24) What timeline and milestones are provided?
The schedule is milestone-driven across 2016. By March 2016: identify key themes and concepts and lock in dates for ideation, design, and testing sessions. By June 2016: up to two ideation/brainstorming sessions and up to two design sessions with the Kids Design Team. By September 2016: revision/iteration sessions plus wireframing, architecture, and design. By November 2016: develop, test (including Nome testing), and publish to iOS and Android app stores.
25) When was the notice posted and what closing date is shown?
The posting indicates it was created and posted on December 21, 2015, with a closing date listed as December 30, 2015. The notice also clarifies it is informational rather than competitive.
26) What makes this a single-source award according to the notice?
The notice states NPS intends to make a single-source award without full and open competition based on the recipient's unique qualifications.
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