Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Pacific Northwest CESU | Apply Online

FAQs: Pacific Northwest CESU (Funding Opportunity Number 10HQPA0017)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Pacific Northwest CESU. It is issued as a cooperative agreement focused on applied research related to ecosystem services valuation for land management decisions.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 10HQPA0017.

Which federal program and CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with the U.S. Geological Survey program area described as research and data collection. The CFDA number listed is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection).

What is the main purpose of the project?

The project aims to move ecosystem services valuation from primarily academic or conceptual use into something that land management agencies can apply in day-to-day planning and management decisions. The work emphasizes practicality and decision usefulness, not just producing dollar estimates.

What are the two main objectives described in the opportunity?

First, the project asks researchers to determine which ecosystem services valuation methods, if any, are suitable for routine, operational use by land managers. Second, it calls for exploring how an ecosystem services valuation framework fits into land use decision making more broadly, including how valuation affects how choices are framed, compared, justified, and documented.

What does "operational use" mean in the context of this grant?

"Operational use" implies methods that can realistically be used in routine land management work. The opportunity highlights practical constraints and considerations such as cost, time, data requirements, transparency, repeatability, ease of communication to non-economists, and the ability to integrate into existing planning processes.

Where is the research expected to be conducted or applied?

The research is anchored in an interagency collaborative project in the San Pedro River Basin in southeastern Arizona, where ecosystem services are being assessed and valued in a real-world management setting.

Why is the San Pedro River Basin specifically mentioned?

The opportunity is designed to be grounded in an ongoing, interagency collaborative effort in that basin. This signals an expectation of coordination across organizations and production of outputs that can support multiple stakeholders and jurisdictions working in the area.

Does the opportunity specify which ecosystem services must be valued?

No. The description does not prescribe a fixed list of ecosystem services that must be valued. It indicates the project should be responsive to management needs in the San Pedro River Basin, and it suggests likely service categories common to arid and riparian systems.

What types of ecosystem services are implied by the basin context?

While not mandated, the description suggests services commonly associated with arid and riparian systems, such as water-related services, habitat and biodiversity benefits, recreation, cultural values, and services tied to land cover and watershed function.

What kinds of valuation approaches does the announcement encourage?

The opportunity encourages using and assessing multiple valuation pathways rather than relying on one method. It specifically notes (1) valuation procedures designed for the project (including stated preference and revealed preference methods), (2) use of existing ecosystem service valuation tools, and (3) economic benefit transfer from other studies or locations adapted to the San Pedro Basin context.

What is meant by "stated preference" methods in this opportunity?

Stated preference methods are described as survey-based approaches that elicit willingness to pay for nonmarket goods (for example, benefits that are not bought and sold in traditional markets).

What is meant by "revealed preference" methods in this opportunity?

Revealed preference methods are described as approaches that use observed behaviors in related markets to infer values for nonmarket benefits (for example, using real-world choices people make to estimate implicit values).

What does "benefit transfer" mean here?

Economic benefit transfer refers to adapting valuation estimates from other studies or locations to the San Pedro River Basin context, rather than generating all values from entirely new primary data collection.

Is the project expected to compare methods rather than pick a single technique?

Yes. The opportunity signals an expectation to compare approaches, document tradeoffs, and identify which methods provide values that are credible, defensible, and usable under typical management constraints.

What is the award instrument type?

The award is a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement generally indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project, rather than a hands-off arrangement where funds are provided and only final deliverables are reviewed.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

How many awards are expected?

The expected number of awards is one.

What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount is $60,000.

Is there a cost-sharing or match requirement?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Applicants must be participating members of that specific CESU network to apply.

What is a CESU in the context of this grant?

CESUs are structured partnerships intended to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, and other organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. This opportunity is limited to members of the Pacific Northwest CESU.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on November 4, 2009, and the closing date was November 16, 2009.

What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?

The listing indicates it was archived on December 16, 2009, meaning it is not an active, open solicitation based on the dates provided.

Who is the point of contact listed for access issues?

The listed point of contact for access issues is Faith Graves, Contract Specialist, at 703-648-7356.

What is the opportunity trying to produce for land managers?

It is trying to produce evidence about which valuation methods and frameworks are feasible and helpful in real planning contexts, including guidance on practicality (cost, time, data needs), credibility and defensibility, and how easily results can be communicated and incorporated into agency decision processes.

Is the focus only on calculating dollar values?

No. The opportunity explicitly emphasizes that the work is not only about calculating dollar values, but also about testing how valuation frameworks fit into land use decision making and whether they change (or fail to change) how decisions are evaluated and documented.