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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Rocky Mountain CESU brucellosis grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00109)?

It is a US Geological Survey (USGS) funding opportunity administered through the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Rocky Mountain CESU. The opportunity supports applied science and data-driven research focused on brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, specifically to improve understanding and management of elk-to-cattle disease transmission risk.

Which federal agency is offering this funding?

The funding call is from the US Geological Survey (USGS), administered through the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK).

What type of award is this: grant or cooperative agreement?

This award is offered as a cooperative agreement. That means the project is expected to involve collaboration with USGS, rather than operating as a fully independent, no-contact grant.

What is the main purpose of the project described in the opportunity?

The project is intended to combine several existing and ongoing datasets that have largely been analyzed separately and integrate them into a single quantitative framework. The overall goal is to estimate how the risk of elk-to-cattle transmission varies across space and time within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

What specific problem area does the research focus on?

The focus is brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with a practical emphasis on improving how agencies and livestock producers understand and manage the risk of disease transmission from elk to cattle.

What does the opportunity mean by making risk "spatially and temporally explicit"?

It means estimating risk in a way that varies by location and by time (for example, different places and different parts of the season), rather than treating the entire region or an entire season as having the same risk level.

What data sources or variables are expected to be integrated?

The description highlights integrating elk space use during spring and summer with elk brucellosis seroprevalence (proportion testing positive for exposure), elk abundance, and the timing of abortion events.

Why are elk abortion events a central part of the risk analysis?

The opportunity notes that abortions and associated birthing materials are a major pathway for environmental contamination and subsequent exposure risk to other animals. Estimating the expected number of elk abortions in different locations helps connect elk movement and infection indicators to on-the-ground transmission risk.

What does "seroprevalence" mean in this context?

Seroprevalence is described as the proportion of elk testing positive for exposure to brucellosis (based on serological testing).

Is the project expected to generate predictions about future brucellosis spread?

Yes. A major objective is forward-looking: using the combined datasets to help predict the future spread of brucellosis across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem by translating observed patterns into projections of where risk is likely to increase or shift over time.

Does the opportunity require a specific modeling method?

No single modeling method is prescribed. However, the opportunity clearly prioritizes synthesis and integration of disparate data sources into a quantitative framework that accounts for space and time.

How much funding is available under this opportunity?

The estimated total funding amount is $59,991.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity indicates an expectation of one award.

Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated in the opportunity information provided.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under CFDA 15.808 (USGS Research and Data Collection).

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are official partners in the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Applicants generally must already be part of the Rocky Mountain CESU consortium to be eligible for this cooperative agreement.

What is a CESU in the context of this opportunity?

CESUs are formal partnership networks designed to connect federal agencies with universities and other research and technical organizations to provide research, technical assistance, and education. This opportunity is tied specifically to the Rocky Mountain CESU.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The original posting date was June 29, 2015, and the final closing date was July 31, 2015.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. The opportunity was archived on September 29, 2015, and the closing date listed is July 31, 2015.

Where can applicants find the full announcement details?

The opportunity references Grants.gov for administrative access and full announcement details.

Who is the USGS contact for assistance?

The listed USGS contact is Faith Graves. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.

What geographic area does the project address?

The work is focused on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

What is the practical management goal tied to the research?

The practical goal is to improve how agencies and livestock producers understand and manage the risk of disease transmission from elk to cattle.

What is the intended analytical approach described at a high level?

The intended approach is to bring multiple existing datasets into a single quantitative framework that links elk movement and habitat use patterns with infection indicators and the timing of abortion events, producing spatially and temporally varying estimates of risk and supporting future spread projections.