Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Rocky Mountain CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 10HQPA0049)?

This opportunity is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) funding call under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Rocky Mountain CESU. It supports applied wildlife disease research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), focused on brucellosis in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) bison.

Which federal agency is offering this funding?

The funding call is issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK).

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

The core purpose is to develop and use epidemiological modeling to better understand how brucellosis spreads and persists in Yellowstone-area bison, and then use the model to test disease management strategies intended to control or potentially eliminate brucellosis.

What species and location are the focus of the work?

The work focuses on bison in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).

What disease is being studied?

The opportunity is centered on brucellosis and its transmission and persistence in Yellowstone-area bison.

What kind of modeling approach is required?

The technical centerpiece is a stochastic, individual-based SEIR model. SEIR refers to Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, and Recovered disease states, and the announcement emphasizes using an individual-based approach rather than only an aggregate (population-level) SEIR framework.

What does "stochastic, individual-based SEIR model" mean in this context?

It means the model should simulate disease transmission and progression at the level of individual animals, while incorporating randomness (stochasticity) to reflect real-world uncertainty and chance events. This approach can represent differences among animals and groups, such as heterogeneous contact patterns, variation in infection risk, and different outcomes across age or social groups.

Is the modeling intended to be purely academic, or tied to management decisions?

The opportunity is framed as decision-support science. The expected outcomes are meant to be discussed with and used by natural resource managers responsible for real-world policy and operational decisions in and around Yellowstone.

What management strategies is the model expected to evaluate?

The model is intended to evaluate vaccination strategy effectiveness and how vaccination performs when paired with additional interventions. The announcement explicitly mentions combined programs that include vaccination alongside management removals (such as culling or other population reduction approaches) and/or contraception.

What are the stated research objectives?

The objectives are: (1) develop and run epidemiological modeling to assess potential effectiveness of combined management programs; (2) communicate findings to natural resource managers within the GYE after preliminary analyses are completed; and (3) publish the research results so the methods and conclusions are available to the broader community.

What are the expected deliverables based on the description?

Based on the information provided, expected deliverables include: a developed and executed stochastic, individual-based SEIR model for brucellosis in YNP bison; decision-support outputs comparing intervention scenarios (especially vaccination alone and vaccination combined with removals and/or contraception); communication of preliminary findings to GYE natural resource managers; and a publication of results.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project, rather than a completely hands-off award structure.

What is the activity category listed for this opportunity?

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

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount is $76,751.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided information.

What is the CFDA program number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA program number provided is 15.808, described as U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.

The listing shows an award ceiling and floor of 0. What does that indicate?

The award ceiling and floor are listed as 0 in the source data, which is often a placeholder in postings. In this opportunity, the estimated total funding amount of $76,751 is the best indicator of the intended project scale based on the information provided.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted to partners within the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Only organizations that are participating partners of the Rocky Mountain CESU are eligible to apply under this announcement.

What is a CESU, as described in the opportunity?

CESUs are collaborative partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with universities, tribes, and other organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and education relevant to ecosystem management.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted and created on April 20, 2010. The original and current closing date listed is April 29, 2010.

Is this opportunity currently open?

No. The archive date is May 29, 2010, and the closing date is April 29, 2010, indicating the opportunity is historical rather than open based on the provided information.

How long was the application window?

Based on the posted date (April 20, 2010) and closing date (April 29, 2010), the submission window was short (roughly nine days) at the time it was active.

Who was the point of contact for this opportunity?

The listed point of contact is Faith Graves, Contract Specialist. The phone number provided is 703-648-7356.

What broader mission context is provided for NOROCK?

NOROCK’s mission context, as described, is producing and sharing unbiased scientific information to support natural resource decision-making across the mountains and plains of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho, in collaboration with federal and state agencies, Native American tribes, academic institutions, and other organizations.

Why does the decision-support focus matter for applicants?

Because the work is positioned to inform real management decisions, the project is expected to produce outputs that can be communicated clearly to managers and used in discussions about policy and operational choices related to brucellosis management in Yellowstone-area bison, in addition to producing a publishable scientific product.