Opportunity Information: Apply for L15AS00054
Apply for L15AS00054
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM OR/WA, Eastern Oregon Sage Grouse Monitoring" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.231 Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 23, 2015 and posted on Mar 23, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 22, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $320,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $320,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The BLM OR/WA, Eastern Oregon Sage Grouse Monitoring grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L15AS00054) is a Bureau of Land Management cooperative agreement focused on improving how greater sage-grouse populations are tracked across eastern Oregon. The program is built around lek counts, which are the standard way wildlife agencies monitor sage-grouse population trends over time. Because male sage-grouse gather at leks during the breeding season and can be counted with repeatable methods, these counts are widely used to estimate annual minimum population levels and to detect long-term increases or declines. The problem the grant aims to address is coverage: Oregon has 733 known lek complexes, yet the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), with support from Oregon BLM, typically surveys only about 36 percent of them each year. Remote locations, difficult access, and other logistical barriers mean many leks are consistently under-surveyed, which can weaken confidence in population estimates and trend analysis.
The opportunity is intended to help ODFW and BLM close those monitoring gaps and develop a more efficient, statistically defensible approach to estimating sage-grouse population size when only a subset of leks can realistically be visited. The need for improved monitoring and estimation methods is tied directly to Oregon's planning framework, specifically the 2011 Greater Sage Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon, which highlights the importance of trend monitoring and better population estimation in areas where complete lek coverage is impractical. More complete and accurate population data is expected to support better habitat management decisions in eastern Oregon, since management actions often depend on understanding where populations are stable, declining, or responding to habitat conditions.
Work under the award is centered on collaboration between the recipient and BLM to meet three core objectives. First, the project must survey a statistically valid sample of leks or lek complexes, with a target of achieving at least two annually monitored "trend" leks/complexes per stratum within each Oregon PAC (Priority Area for Conservation). This reflects a move toward a structured sampling design rather than opportunistic coverage, so that results can be used confidently to infer broader conditions across priority landscapes. Second, the recipient is expected to evaluate and, where appropriate, integrate newer survey methods alongside existing sage-grouse monitoring data. The announcement specifically mentions approaches like transect-based surveys and infrared surveys, which can potentially improve detection, expand coverage, or reduce field constraints in hard-to-access areas. Third, the project includes an annual assessment of BLM adaptive management triggers related to sage-grouse population, meaning the monitoring results are meant to feed directly into the decision points BLM uses to determine whether management changes are needed based on population signals.
Administratively, this was posted March 23, 2015 as a discretionary funding opportunity under CFDA 15.231 (Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management). It anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $320,000, and the ceiling was also $320,000 (with an award floor listed as $1). The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement in the project compared to a standard grant. Cost sharing or matching is required. Eligibility is limited to state governments, aligning with the primary partner role of ODFW. The original and current closing date listed was May 22, 2015, and the opportunity archive date was March 22, 2016. For access issues or questions, the contact listed in the announcement was Jessica Clark at BLM (503-808-6226, j1clark@blm.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BLM OR/WA, Eastern Oregon Sage Grouse Monitoring opportunity?
This is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L15AS00054) to support improved monitoring of greater sage-grouse populations across eastern Oregon. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement focused on strengthening how population trends and minimum population levels are estimated using lek-based monitoring and improved sampling approaches.
Which agency is offering the funding?
The funding is offered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), specifically the OR/WA BLM program context referenced in the opportunity title.
What is the purpose of the grant?
The purpose is to address monitoring coverage gaps and improve the statistical defensibility of population estimates for greater sage-grouse in eastern Oregon. The project aims to help ensure monitoring results are reliable even when only a subset of leks can be visited each year due to access and logistical constraints.
What problem is this grant trying to solve?
Oregon has 733 known lek complexes, but the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), with Oregon BLM support, typically surveys only about 36 percent annually. Many leks are remote or difficult to access, so they are repeatedly under-surveyed. This can reduce confidence in population estimates and long-term trend analysis.
What are lek counts, and why are they central to this program?
Lek counts are a standard wildlife monitoring method for sage-grouse. During the breeding season, male sage-grouse gather at leks where they can be counted using repeatable field methods. These counts are widely used to estimate annual minimum population levels and to detect long-term increases or declines.
How does the opportunity propose improving monitoring if not all leks can be surveyed?
The opportunity emphasizes a more efficient, statistically defensible approach to estimating population size and trends when only a subset of leks is surveyed. It specifically calls for surveying a statistically valid sample of leks or lek complexes, rather than relying on opportunistic or inconsistent coverage.
What are the core project objectives under this award?
The award is built around collaboration between the recipient and BLM to meet three core objectives: (1) survey a statistically valid sample of leks/lek complexes with a target sampling structure tied to Oregon PACs and strata, (2) evaluate and potentially integrate newer survey methods with existing monitoring data, and (3) conduct an annual assessment of BLM adaptive management triggers related to sage-grouse population.
What does "statistically valid sample" mean in the context of this announcement?
Based on the announcement language, it means designing surveys around a structured sampling framework so results can be used to infer broader conditions across priority landscapes, rather than only describing the subset of leks that happened to be visited.
What is the target survey coverage described in the objectives?
The target described is achieving at least two annually monitored "trend" leks or lek complexes per stratum within each Oregon PAC (Priority Area for Conservation).
What are Oregon PACs and how do they relate to the work?
Oregon PACs are Priority Areas for Conservation. The sampling goal in the announcement is tied to these PACs by requiring monitoring targets (trend leks/complexes) within each PAC and within each stratum.
What is meant by "trend" leks or lek complexes?
The opportunity uses the term "trend" leks/complexes to describe leks or lek complexes that are monitored annually to support year-to-year comparisons and long-term trend tracking within a structured sampling design.
What newer survey methods are mentioned in the announcement?
The announcement specifically mentions transect-based surveys and infrared surveys as examples of approaches that may be evaluated and, where appropriate, integrated alongside existing sage-grouse monitoring data.
Why does the announcement mention transect-based and infrared surveys?
These approaches are cited as potential ways to improve detection, expand monitoring coverage, or reduce field constraints in hard-to-access areas, while still supporting sage-grouse population assessment.
What is the "annual assessment of BLM adaptive management triggers"?
The project includes an annual assessment tied to BLM adaptive management triggers related to sage-grouse population. In practical terms, this means monitoring results are intended to feed into BLM decision points used to determine whether management changes are needed based on population signals.
How does this grant connect to Oregon's sage-grouse planning framework?
The need for improved monitoring and estimation methods is tied directly to Oregon's planning framework, specifically the 2011 Greater Sage Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon, which highlights the importance of trend monitoring and improved population estimation where full lek coverage is impractical.
What outcomes does the announcement expect from improved monitoring?
More complete and accurate population data is expected to support better habitat management decisions in eastern Oregon, since management actions often depend on understanding where populations are stable, declining, or responding to habitat conditions.
What type of funding instrument is this?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument type. The announcement notes that cooperative agreements typically involve substantial federal involvement compared to a standard grant.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The announcement states that cost sharing or matching is required.
What is the CFDA number and program name associated with this opportunity?
The announcement lists CFDA 15.231, Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management.
How much funding was anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $320,000.
What is the minimum and maximum award amount listed?
The award ceiling is listed as $320,000, and the award floor is listed as $1.
How many awards were expected?
The announcement anticipated a single award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to state governments. The announcement frames this as aligning with the primary partner role of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 23, 2015.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed in the announcement was May 22, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The announcement lists an archive date of March 22, 2016, and the closing date was May 22, 2015.
Who was the point of contact for questions or access issues?
The contact listed in the announcement was Jessica Clark at BLM. Phone: 503-808-6226. Email: j1clark@blm.gov.
What geographic area does the opportunity focus on?
The focus is eastern Oregon, with monitoring structured around Oregon PACs (Priority Areas for Conservation) and strata within those priority areas.
What species is the monitoring effort focused on?
The effort is focused on greater sage-grouse.
Why is collaboration with BLM emphasized?
The award is a cooperative agreement and the work is described as centered on collaboration between the recipient and BLM to achieve the stated objectives, including survey design, evaluation of methods, and annual assessments tied to adaptive management triggers.
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