Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the name and identifier of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU grant opportunity with Funding Opportunity Number G11AS20087.

Which agency and office offered this opportunity?

The award was offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK).

What was the main purpose of the project?

The core purpose was to support development of a short, highly species-specific molecular marker to detect New Zealand mud snails (NZMS). The expected end product was a diagnostic genetic tool that could distinguish NZMS from other organisms with high confidence.

What organism was the project focused on detecting?

The project focus was New Zealand mud snails (NZMS).

What type of research output was expected from the award?

The announcement emphasized producing a diagnostic molecular marker (a genetic detection tool) that is short, highly species-specific, and suitable for reliable detection work.

Was the project expected to use existing genetic data or create a new sequence library?

The work was expected to rely on publicly available genetic sequence information hosted in GenBank (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), rather than requiring creation of an entirely new sequence library from scratch.

Why did the announcement emphasize specificity and error avoidance?

A major emphasis was reducing the chance of false positive detections (a "false presence"). Because management decisions can depend on accurate presence-absence results, the marker was intended to be reliable in settings where incorrect detections could lead to misleading monitoring outcomes.

What did applicants need to do to demonstrate the marker would not cause false positives?

Applicants were expected to compare any proposed marker sequence against all available sequence data. This included comparing against sequences from closely related snail species and from non-target species commonly found in Western U.S. streams, to show the marker does not match other organisms that could be present in the same habitats.

Was the project simply about finding a marker that matches NZMS?

No. The comparative screening requirement indicated the work was not only about identifying a sequence that matches NZMS, but also about proving that the marker does not match other species that might co-occur and confuse monitoring results.

What was the funding instrument used for this opportunity?

The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

It means USGS anticipated substantial involvement or collaboration during the project, rather than a fully hands-off approach.

How was this opportunity categorized in terms of funding type?

The opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding.

What was the activity category for this award?

The activity category was Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA program was this opportunity associated with?

It was tied to CFDA 15.808, U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.

How much total funding was estimated to be available?

The estimated total funding available was $25,635.

How many awards were expected?

The announcement indicated an expectation of one award.

Was there an award ceiling or award floor listed?

No. The notice did not specify an award ceiling or floor; both were listed as 0. This typically indicates the funding amount and scope were defined by the specific announcement and any related negotiations rather than strict caps shown in summary fields.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of the award.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was restricted to partners in the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Only organizations that were already participating partners of the Great Basin CESU were eligible to apply.

What is a CESU in the context of this opportunity?

CESUs are formal partnerships designed to streamline and support research, technical assistance, and education efforts among federal agencies and participating institutions. For this opportunity, eligibility was limited to the Great Basin CESU partner network.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted and created on August 8, 2011. The original and current closing date was August 18, 2011.

Was this a short-turnaround funding opportunity?

Yes. The timeline from posting (August 8, 2011) to closing (August 18, 2011) reflects a short application window.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on November 3, 2011.

Where could applicants find additional information?

The official listing referenced Grants.gov as the additional information source.

Who was the point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?

Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Faith Graves at USGS at 703-648-7356 or by email at fgraves@usgs.gov.

What geographic or ecological context was highlighted for non-target comparisons?

The announcement specifically called out non-target species commonly found in Western U.S. streams as part of the comparative screening needed to reduce false positives.

What practical use was implied for the final molecular marker?

The intended outcome was a marker reliable for field or laboratory detection work, particularly where accurate presence-absence determinations may influence management decisions.