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Conservation Internships (FWS-R5-RW-09-004) FAQs

1) What is the Conservation Internships funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a discretionary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 5 cooperative agreement to support paid internship placements at two New Jersey national wildlife refuges: Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Wallkill River NWR.

2) What is the main goal of this program?

The core goal is to provide college students and recent graduates who are interested in natural resources careers with full-time, hands-on refuge experience over a 12 to 16 week term.

3) Who is the funding intended to support: students or an administering organization?

The funding is not intended to fund individual students directly. Instead, the refuges are seeking proposals from qualified organizations that can help administer the internship program (including paying interns and managing related administrative requirements).

4) Which refuges will host the interns?

Interns will be placed at Great Swamp NWR and Wallkill River NWR in New Jersey.

5) When do internships typically take place?

Internships are typically during the summer, but they may also occur in spring, fall, or winter if there is a suitable applicant and a refuge need.

6) How long is each internship term?

Each internship term is expected to run 12 to 16 weeks.

7) How many interns are expected each year?

Across both refuges, the program generally expects to host between 4 and 12 interns per year. Often, Wallkill River NWR hosts around 3 to 4 interns and Great Swamp NWR hosts around 6 to 8 interns, though these numbers can shift.

8) Is housing provided for interns?

Free on-site housing may be provided when it is available. This housing support is an in-kind contribution from the refuges.

9) What kind of agreement will be awarded?

The selected partner would enter into a two-year cooperative agreement covering 2009 and 2010, with an expectation of one award.

10) How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

11) What is the estimated total funding amount and award limits?

The opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $50,000, an award ceiling of $50,000, and an award floor of $4,000.

12) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.649 (Service Training and Technical Assistance, Generic Training).

13) How is federal funding structured with respect to intern pay?

Federal reimbursement for compensating interns is capped at $4,000 per intern per year. The cooperating recipient is responsible for paying interns and then being reimbursed under the cooperative agreement up to the stated cap.

14) What is the minimum pay rate required for interns?

Each intern must be paid at least $250 per week by the cooperating recipient for the duration of the 12 to 16 week internship.

15) How often must interns be paid?

Interns must be paid on a schedule that is no less frequent than biweekly.

16) Can intern pay be reduced if an intern does not complete the full term?

Yes. Reduced pay is only allowed if an intern does not complete the full term, and any reduction is limited so that it cannot exceed $6.25 per unfulfilled on-site hour.

17) Are there costs that are not covered by the federal reimbursement cap for intern compensation?

Yes. Applicants are asked to describe what additional resources they can bring (cash or in-kind) to cover reasonable and necessary program costs above the refuge reimbursement limits.

18) Are medical insurance and workers compensation covered by the federal reimbursement?

No. Medical insurance and workers compensation insurance are not covered by the federal intern compensation reimbursement and must be addressed by the recipient organization and/or the students, depending on what the proposal stipulates.

19) Are food and incidental living expenses covered?

No. Food and other incidental living expenses are not covered by the federal intern compensation reimbursement and must be addressed by the recipient and/or students, depending on what the proposal stipulates.

20) Are any internship-triggered expenses reimbursable?

Yes. Vaccinations and other documented expenses incurred as a direct result of the internship will be reimbursed to the recipient through the cooperative agreement.

21) Are interns treated as USFWS employees?

No. While interns are stationed at the refuges, they are treated as volunteers rather than USFWS employees for purposes such as payroll, liability insurance, and benefits administration.

22) What responsibilities remain with refuge staff rather than the recipient organization?

Refuge staff determine internship start and end dates, provide intern oversight and training, handle required USFWS agreements and forms, and keep final authority over intern selection, retention, and day-to-day work assignments.

23) What responsibilities may the recipient organization take on?

The recipient organization may take on recruitment and advertising for the internships and is expected to establish and manage the internship administration process, including administering payments and addressing any required coverage (such as insurance) as appropriate.

24) Who is eligible to apply for the cooperative agreement?

Eligibility is focused on higher education institutions, including private institutions of higher education and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education.

25) Are there restrictions related to the Federal Excluded Parties List System (EPLS)?

Yes. Applicants cannot be listed on the Federal Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), and excluded parties may not otherwise participate in the internship program.

26) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No mandatory cost-sharing or matching requirement is specified. However, applicants are encouraged to describe what they can contribute beyond federal reimbursement, either in cash or in-kind contributions.

27) How will proposals be evaluated?

Proposals are evaluated based on how well they meet the stated requirements, the applicant's responsibility and demonstrated ability to administer payments and benefits, the organization’s financial capacity to run the program (including any willingness or ability to subsidize costs above the refuge reimbursement limits), and the overhead costs associated with administering payments and benefits.

28) What application forms were required?

An authorized official of the applicant organization had to submit SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B, along with a narrative explaining the organization’s ability and willingness to establish and manage the internship administration process.

29) What was the application deadline?

Applications were due by close of business on March 31, 2009.

30) When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?

The posting date was March 11, 2009, and it was archived on April 30, 2009.

31) Where were applications submitted?

Submissions were directed to Mike Johnson, Administrative Officer, Great Swamp NWR, at 241 Pleasant Plains Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, or via email at MichaelWJohnson@fws.gov.

32) Who can be contacted with questions about the opportunity?

Questions could be directed to Mike Johnson at 973-425-1222 x18.

33) Who was listed for help with electronic access issues?

Assistance for electronic access issues was referenced through Christal Cutler, Contract Specialist, at 413-253-8233.

34) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is FWS-R5-RW-09-004.

35) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the description provided, the refuges retain substantial involvement in program operations, including setting internship dates, providing oversight and training, handling required USFWS forms, and making final decisions on intern selection, retention, and work assignments, while the recipient manages administrative functions such as intern payment and potentially recruitment/advertising.