Development of a Louisiana Waterthrush Monitoring Protocol. Part 2. (CESU) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Development of a Louisiana Waterthrush Monitoring Protocol. Part 2. (CESU)."

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is AJ4531090761.

3) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding announcement.

4) What is the main purpose of the award?

The purpose is to support applied field research and professional scientific work to create or refine a monitoring protocol for the Louisiana Waterthrush, using field studies and technical expertise to produce a practical, defensible protocol suitable for agency monitoring needs.

5) What does "Part 2" mean in the project title?

The announcement frames this work as Part 2 of a larger effort, which implies prior groundwork may already have been completed and this phase is intended to advance the protocol through additional field studies and technical work.

6) What type of award is expected?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement.

7) What does a cooperative agreement imply about NPS involvement?

A cooperative agreement typically means the National Park Service expects to remain substantially involved during the project. The description indicates this may include coordinating study priorities, approving work plans, collaborating on methods, and ensuring the resulting protocol aligns with agency monitoring needs and standards.

8) What activity category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

9) Is this funding meant for general operations or for research and development?

Based on the activity category and description, it is focused on developing standardized monitoring methods (research and development), not general operational support.

10) What kinds of work are implied by "conduct field studies" for a monitoring protocol?

While the announcement text provided is brief, it implies hands-on research such as designing and testing survey methods, determining sampling intensity and timing, evaluating detectability and observer effects, and producing guidance that can be used to track outcomes such as occupancy, abundance, or reproductive activity over time.

11) What kinds of deliverables are typically associated with a monitoring protocol (based on the description provided)?

The end product is described as a monitoring protocol. The description suggests deliverables would typically include standardized field procedures, data collection forms or data standards, recommended training needs, and an analysis plan describing how to interpret monitoring results across seasons and years.

12) Why focus on the Louisiana Waterthrush?

The description notes the Louisiana Waterthrush is often used as an indicator of high-quality stream and riparian habitat, which supports its use as a monitoring target species.

13) What is the total funding amount available?

The total funding is fixed at $117,312.

14) What are the award floor and ceiling for this opportunity?

Both the award floor and award ceiling are listed as $117,312.

15) Does the fixed award amount suggest how many awards were expected?

Yes. With the ceiling and floor both set at $117,312, the agency anticipated making one award at that specific amount rather than funding a range of awards.

16) How many awards were expected to be made?

The expected number of awards is 1.

17) Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to private institutions of higher education.

19) What does "(CESU)" indicate in the title?

The title references CESU, which generally signals involvement of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units network. The description suggests the project is intended to be carried out by a university partner capable of providing scientific field capacity, analysis, and protocol development consistent with federal resource monitoring programs.

20) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on October 23, 2009.

21) When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on October 20, 2009.

22) What was the application closing date?

The original and current closing date is October 28, 2009.

23) How long was the application window?

Based on the posted date (October 23, 2009) and closing date (October 28, 2009), the application window was very short.

24) Is this opportunity still open?

No. It was archived on November 27, 2009, meaning it is no longer open for applications.

25) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number is listed as 00.000, described as "Not Elsewhere Classified."

26) What does CFDA 00.000 "Not Elsewhere Classified" mean here?

The description indicates this sometimes appears when an opportunity is not mapped to a standard CFDA program entry or when it is categorized in a general way for administrative purposes.

27) Who is the point of contact for questions or help accessing the full announcement?

The listed contact is Cheryl Richardson, Contract Specialist at the National Park Service.

28) How can Cheryl Richardson be reached?

Phone: 404-507-5747
Email: cherylrichardson@nps.gov

29) What kind of support can the listed contact provide?

The announcement states the contact can assist with questions or help accessing the full announcement electronically.