Opportunity Information: Apply for L16AS00138
Apply for L16AS00138
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-MT, Natural Resources Data Services and Database Development" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.238.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 27, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 18, 2016. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The BLM-MT Natural Resources Data Services and Database Development opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L16AS00138) is a Bureau of Land Management cooperative agreement intended to support ongoing, statewide management of natural resources information in Montana and adjacent western North and South Dakota. The core idea behind the grant is that field surveys and research conducted each year by multiple organizations keep producing new, valuable data about where species and habitats occur and how their conditions are changing, especially for BLM Special Status species. Because these resources and the knowledge about them are constantly shifting, the BLM is looking for sustained work that keeps databases current, accurate, and usable for day-to-day land management.
A major focus of the project is continuous data assembly and integration. That includes taking incoming survey results and other datasets, creating new database records where needed, updating existing records, and performing thorough quality control so that location, species identification, habitat descriptions, and other key attributes are reliable. The work is not limited to simply storing data; it also emphasizes dissemination. The expectation is that the finalized, quality-checked information will be delivered through web applications and internet map services that BLM Geographic Information System (GIS) staff can directly consume, along with options for data downloads where appropriate. In practical terms, the project is meant to keep BLM field offices and state office staff from working with outdated or fragmented datasets when making decisions about planning, permitting, restoration, and conservation actions.
Beyond distribution and habitat mapping, the opportunity also calls for maintaining and improving the knowledge base around species. That means routinely pulling in new information from surveys and the scientific and technical literature on taxonomy (how species are classified and named), biology, ecology, and management considerations. The goal is to make this synthesized information readily available to BLM biologists, managers, and planners so they can incorporate the best available science into environmental reviews and management plans. This component recognizes that even if a species location dataset is current, management decisions can still suffer if background information on the species status, life history, threats, or recommended practices is outdated.
Another key deliverable involves state and global conservation status ranks. As new data comes in, the recipient is expected to review whether existing ranks still reflect the current understanding of population trends, distribution, and habitat condition. When warranted, ranks should be updated to reflect changes in knowledge or real changes on the ground. Importantly, the updated ranks must be made easily accessible so they can inform the Sensitive Species and Community lists maintained by the BLM State Office. In other words, the project is tied directly to the lists and designations that often drive what gets prioritized for survey, protection, mitigation, and monitoring across BLM-managed lands.
The grant also addresses a foundational mapping need that supports both conservation and land-use planning: consolidating and maintaining datasets on conservation easements, managed areas, and conservation land designations across Montana. These layers function as a critical base map for understanding land status, protections, and management constraints, and they provide context for interpreting biological data. The opportunity explicitly states that these land conservation datasets should be made available through web applications and internet map services for local GIS users, along with data download capabilities. This indicates an emphasis on usability and interoperability, so BLM staff can bring these layers directly into their internal workflows without extensive reformatting.
The stated objectives are to continue supporting the ongoing assembly, integration, maintenance, and dissemination of statewide information on fish, wildlife, and plant habitats; Special Status plants and animals and their habitats; and public lands data for use by the public and other interested parties. A consistent theme is that the data system should be reliable at a statewide scale and comprehensive enough to cover BLM lands as well as surrounding public and private lands, since species and habitats do not follow administrative boundaries and management decisions often depend on the broader landscape context. While the opportunity acknowledges that some biological resource information is sensitive, it also emphasizes public accessibility, suggesting an intent to provide as much information as is appropriate through public-facing tools.
In terms of public benefit, the opportunity highlights that the Special Status species list is publicly available and that the information derived from it helps protect the nation’s natural, cultural, and heritage resources. Making these datasets discoverable and usable supports transparency and helps researchers, consultants, agencies, and the public make more informed decisions. It also helps reduce duplicated survey effort, improves consistency across projects and jurisdictions, and strengthens conservation planning by ensuring that planning and compliance work is based on the most current, quality-controlled information.
Administratively, the opportunity is a mandatory cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.238 (Environment) offered by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity unless further limitations are described elsewhere in the full notice. The funding details provided indicate an award ceiling of $60,000 with one expected award. The original posting date was July 27, 2016, with an original closing date of September 18, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BLM-MT Natural Resources Data Services and Database Development opportunity (L16AS00138)?
It is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) cooperative agreement intended to support ongoing, statewide management of natural resources information in Montana and adjacent western North Dakota and South Dakota. The work centers on keeping biological and related land conservation datasets current, accurate, and usable for day-to-day land management.
Which agency is offering this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
What type of award is this?
This opportunity is described as a mandatory cooperative agreement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is L16AS00138.
What is the CFDA number and program area?
The opportunity is under CFDA 15.238, identified as Environment.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The main purpose is sustained, ongoing work that keeps natural resources databases current and reliable as new field surveys and research produce new data each year. The project aims to prevent BLM staff from relying on outdated or fragmented datasets when making land management decisions.
What geographic area does the work cover?
The work is intended to support statewide information management in Montana, and it also includes adjacent western North Dakota and South Dakota.
What kinds of information are expected to be managed and maintained?
The opportunity emphasizes statewide information on fish, wildlife, and plant habitats; Special Status plants and animals and their habitats; and public lands data. It also includes datasets on conservation easements, managed areas, and conservation land designations across Montana.
What are BLM Special Status species in the context of this opportunity?
The opportunity specifically highlights BLM Special Status species as a key focus for data updates and management, including where these species and habitats occur and how conditions are changing over time.
What does “continuous data assembly and integration†mean here?
It refers to ongoing intake and processing of incoming survey results and other datasets, creating new database records when needed, updating existing records, and integrating these data into a unified system intended for regular operational use.
What kind of quality control is expected for incoming data?
The project calls for thorough quality control to ensure reliability of key attributes such as location, species identification, habitat descriptions, and other important data fields before information is finalized and disseminated.
Is the project only about storing data in a database?
No. In addition to storing and maintaining data, the opportunity emphasizes dissemination through web applications and internet map services, and providing download options where appropriate.
How is the information expected to be delivered to BLM staff?
The expectation is that finalized, quality-checked information will be delivered through web applications and internet map services that BLM GIS staff can directly use, along with appropriate options for data downloads.
What is the intended benefit for BLM field offices and the BLM State Office?
The project is intended to support planning and day-to-day decisions by ensuring BLM staff have access to current, integrated, and quality-controlled datasets for activities like planning, permitting, restoration, conservation actions, and environmental reviews.
Does the opportunity include maintaining species background information beyond location data?
Yes. It calls for maintaining and improving a knowledge base about species by routinely incorporating new information from surveys and from scientific and technical literature on taxonomy, biology, ecology, and management considerations.
Who is the species knowledge base intended to support?
It is intended to support BLM biologists, managers, and planners so they can incorporate the best available science into environmental reviews and management plans.
What are conservation status ranks, and what is required related to them?
The opportunity references state and global conservation status ranks and expects the recipient to review whether existing ranks still reflect current knowledge and conditions. When warranted, ranks should be updated and made easily accessible for use in BLM decision-making.
How do updated conservation status ranks relate to BLM lists?
The opportunity states that updated ranks should inform the Sensitive Species and Community lists maintained by the BLM State Office, linking the work directly to the lists and designations used for prioritizing survey, protection, mitigation, and monitoring.
What land conservation mapping datasets are included in this opportunity?
The project includes consolidating and maintaining datasets on conservation easements, managed areas, and conservation land designations across Montana, and making these layers available via web applications, internet map services, and data downloads.
Why does the opportunity emphasize statewide coverage and broader landscape context?
It notes that species and habitats do not follow administrative boundaries, and BLM decisions often depend on understanding conditions across the broader landscape, including surrounding public and private lands.
Is any of the biological resource information considered sensitive?
Yes. The opportunity acknowledges that some biological resource information is sensitive, while also emphasizing public accessibility and suggesting that as much information as appropriate should be provided through public-facing tools.
Who is intended to use the data products besides BLM?
The stated objectives include providing information for use by the public and other interested parties, and the opportunity highlights benefits for researchers, consultants, agencies, and the general public through improved discoverability and usability of datasets.
What public benefits are highlighted in the opportunity description?
The opportunity highlights transparency and improved decision-making, reduced duplicated survey effort, improved consistency across projects and jurisdictions, and stronger conservation planning based on the most current, quality-controlled information.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $60,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates that one award is expected.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity unless additional limitations are stated elsewhere in the full notice.
When was the opportunity originally posted?
The original posting date was July 27, 2016.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was September 18, 2016.
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