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DEM Bones (Project DEM Bones) Grant Opportunity FAQs

1) What is the DEM Bones grant opportunity?

The DEM Bones opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P11AT30886) is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award funding for a specific project titled "Project DEM Bones" (Distinctive Education in Motion, Biodiversity Of Nature and Environmental Stewardship). It was posted to publicly document NPS plans to fund a defined set of activities with a specific partner, rather than to solicit proposals from multiple applicants.

2) Is this an open grant competition where organizations can apply?

No. This is not an open call for proposals. It is a notice of intent to award (a single-recipient situation), meaning NPS was not inviting applications from multiple organizations.

3) Who was eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Eligibility was restricted. Applications were only accepted from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), because the posting functioned as public disclosure of a planned single-recipient award.

4) Who is the intended award recipient?

The intended recipient is the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), specifically the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

5) Who is listed as the principal investigator for the project?

Dr. Shannon Atkinson is listed as the principal investigator.

6) What federal program area does this fall under?

The project sits under CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs for Resources of the National Park System.

7) What is the purpose of Project DEM Bones?

Project DEM Bones is an experiential marine science education effort aimed at youth in Juneau, Alaska. The central hands-on activity involves students participating in the scientifically rigorous preparation and articulation (assembly) of a marine mammal skeleton as part of a lab course focused on marine mammals. The project also produces a tangible deliverable: a completed, articulated skeleton intended for display and long-term educational and outreach use.

8) Who is the target audience for the education component?

The project is aimed at youth in Juneau, Alaska, with an emphasis on education and outreach connections between the community and nearby southeast Alaska national park units.

9) What are the key hands-on activities students would do?

Students would participate in preparation and articulation of a marine mammal skeleton. This includes working with bones that have been prepared for safe and effective student use and learning how to assemble the skeleton in a scientifically rigorous way as part of a marine mammal lab course.

10) What deliverables are expected from the project?

The posting describes two major outcomes: (1) an educational experience centered on marine mammal science and stewardship, and (2) a completed, articulated marine mammal skeleton that can be displayed and used as a lasting teaching and outreach tool.

11) What is the anticipated total award amount?

The anticipated total award amount is $25,000.

12) Is there a cost share or matching requirement?

No. The notice states there is no cost share or matching requirement.

13) What type of funding instrument is planned?

The award instrument is a cooperative agreement. This reflects that NPS staff were expected to have substantial involvement in shaping and implementing the work, rather than simply issuing funds without ongoing participation.

14) What does "substantial involvement" by NPS mean in this project?

Based on the posting, NPS anticipated active participation through an education specialist role (referenced as OASLC) working closely with the principal investigator. The described involvement includes coordination on species selection and scheduling, securing any needed permits, supporting classroom exercises and learning opportunities, developing outreach materials to interpret the final display for visitors, and publicizing opportunities for the public to view the completed specimen.

15) What is the anticipated project length and period of performance?

The announcement lists an anticipated agreement length of four years, with an anticipated period of performance from September 20, 2011 through September 30, 2014.

16) Why do some dates suggest the work occurs mainly in FY11 to FY13?

The work plan narrative describes active work occurring primarily across late FY11, FY12, and FY13, with a closeout and documentation period extending through calendar year 2013, even though the broader anticipated period of performance is listed through September 30, 2014.

17) What are the main phases of work described in the scope?

The scope is laid out in phases that include: obtaining an appropriate skeleton; preparing it for student use (including dismembering it into functional parts and cooking/cleaning bones); providing direct instruction and assistance to students for preparation and articulation; consulting and using travel funds to bring in additional expertise for articulation or display planning; and a deliberate closeout period to ensure educational value is captured, documented, and shared between partners.

18) What role does UAF play versus NPS in the early technical preparation?

UAF provides technical support, including preparing the skeleton for student use (dismembering into functional parts and cooking/cleaning bones). NPS involvement during early work includes coordination around species selection and scheduling.

19) What is the purpose of the consultation and travel component?

The scope includes consultation and travel funds intended to bring in additional expertise to help with the articulation process or to support planning for the eventual display of the articulated skeleton.

20) What is included in the project closeout period?

The posting describes a deliberate closeout period intended to ensure the educational value is captured, documented, and shared between partners, along with documentation extending through calendar year 2013.

21) Why was the award planned as a single-source (non-competitive) agreement?

The posting justifies awarding without full and open competition by stating this work is a task agreement under an existing Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) cooperative agreement that had already been awarded through a competitive process, making new competition impractical. It also states the required service is not available from a commercial provider, the project depends on iterative collaboration between the cooperator and NPS, and the arrangement is mutually beneficial for NPS, UAF, and local schools.

22) What justification category is emphasized for single-source selection?

The formal justification category emphasizes "unique qualifications."

23) What unique qualifications are attributed to UAF and the project lead?

The notice points to UAF's regional research role and sustained commitment to education, and it highlights Dr. Atkinson's demonstrated experience with marine mammals and with primary school educational partners.

24) What market research was described, and what did it conclude?

Market research is described as outreach to relevant science and education experts (including NPS staff and the Alaska SeaLife Center). The posting states this outreach did not identify suitable commercial providers with the needed geographic focus and audience fit, and those contacts recommended UAF due to proximity, logistics, and established capacity.

25) How does this project align with NPS goals?

NPS frames the project as aligned with its mandate to partner with others to preserve and protect park resources and to connect communities, including gateway communities that may be underserved, with natural and cultural resources represented in nearby southeast Alaska national park units.

26) Did the notice say this type of service had been purchased previously by Kenai Fjords National Park?

No. The announcement notes that this type of service had not been purchased previously for Kenai Fjords National Park.

27) Does the posting commit to future competitive opportunities for similar work?

No specific future competitive pathway is promised. The notice states that future similar acquisitions would follow standard Department of the Interior and NPS policies, without committing to a particular new solicitation approach beyond normal procedures.

28) When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted on September 19, 2011. The original and current closing date listed is September 30, 2011.

29) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date listed is October 30, 2011.

30) What does the closing date mean if this was not an open competition?

Based on the posting, the closing date functioned as an administrative deadline associated with the public notice, but eligibility and application acceptance were restricted to UAF because the notice was not intended to invite proposals from multiple organizations.