Opportunity Information: Apply for F12AS00203

  • The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Evaluation of IEP Gear Efficiency and Smelt Distributions" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.657 Endangered Species Conservation Recovery Implementation Funds.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 8, 2012 and posted on Jun 8, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 2012 This funding announcement is a Notice of Intent to Award PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. Federal regulations require that all opportunities be posted. This is intended to comply with those regulations and is a single source opportunity. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $495,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $495,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments.
Apply for F12AS00203

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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Evaluation of IEP Gear Efficiency and Smelt Distributions" (Funding Opportunity Number F12AS00203) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posting that appears on Grants.gov primarily to satisfy federal transparency and posting requirements. It is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent to Award (NOI), meaning the agency has already identified the intended recipient and the listing is not open for competitive applications. The announcement repeatedly states "PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY" and emphasizes that it is a single-source action, not a general call for proposals.

The underlying purpose of the award is scientific and management-focused, centered on delta smelt monitoring in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project has two main objectives. First, it aims to estimate the efficiency of sampling gears used in Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) surveys. Gear efficiency is critical because survey catches do not perfectly reflect the number of fish in the environment; catch rates depend on how effectively a net or sampling method captures fish under real-world conditions. By producing defensible gear efficiency estimates, the project supports improved calculations of absolute delta smelt abundance across defined time intervals, rather than relying only on relative indices that can be harder to interpret for population status and trend assessments. Second, the project is intended to support population dynamics modeling for smelt by integrating multiple data sources, including the newly developed gear efficiency estimates and data from several existing IEP surveys. In practice, this kind of integrated modeling can help managers and scientists better understand population changes over time and how those changes relate to environmental conditions, monitoring methods, and management actions.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary environmental award and uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project period (for example, collaboration on study design, data integration, or technical review). The listing anticipates a single award with a total estimated funding amount of $495,000, and both the award ceiling and floor are also set at $495,000, reinforcing that this is a predefined, single-source award rather than a variable budget competition. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated. The eligible applicant category is listed as state governments, consistent with IEP-related work often being conducted in collaboration with state agencies and partner institutions.

Key dates show the opportunity was posted and created on June 8, 2012, with an original and current closing date of June 22, 2012. Those dates function more as formal posting and administrative deadlines than as a true submission window because the notice is not soliciting applications. The CFDA number provided is 15.657, described as "Endangered Species Conservation Recovery Implementation Funds," which aligns with the delta smelt being a listed species and with the project purpose of improving monitoring and analytical tools that inform conservation and recovery actions.

For anyone needing access assistance or clarification about the posting, the announcement provides a contact: John Ridilla at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (phone 916-930-5624, email JohnRidilla@fws.gov). The listing also references Grants.gov as the platform where the announcement is hosted, with an additional information link directing back to the Grants.gov page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Evaluation of IEP Gear Efficiency and Smelt Distributions."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is F12AS00203.

Which federal agency is associated with this posting?

This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posting that appears on Grants.gov.

Is this opportunity open for competitive applications?

No. It is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent to Award (NOI), meaning the agency has already identified the intended recipient and the listing is not open for competitive applications.

Should applicants submit an application through Grants.gov?

No. The announcement repeatedly states "PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY" and emphasizes that it is a single-source action rather than a general call for proposals.

Why is the opportunity posted on Grants.gov if it is not open for applications?

It appears on Grants.gov primarily to satisfy federal transparency and posting requirements, even though it is not soliciting competitive proposals.

What is the purpose of the award?

The award is scientific and management-focused and centers on delta smelt monitoring in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It supports improvements to monitoring interpretation and analytical approaches used for understanding delta smelt status and trends.

What are the main project objectives?

The project has two main objectives: (1) estimate the efficiency of sampling gears used in Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) surveys, and (2) support population dynamics modeling for smelt by integrating multiple data sources, including the new gear efficiency estimates and data from several existing IEP surveys.

What does "gear efficiency" mean in the context of this project?

Gear efficiency refers to how effectively a sampling gear (such as a net or other survey method) captures fish under real-world conditions. Because survey catches do not perfectly reflect the number of fish in the environment, estimating gear efficiency helps interpret catch data more accurately.

Why are gear efficiency estimates important for delta smelt monitoring?

Defensible gear efficiency estimates can support improved calculations of absolute delta smelt abundance across defined time intervals, rather than relying only on relative indices that can be harder to interpret for population status and trend assessments.

What is meant by "absolute abundance" versus "relative indices"?

As described in the posting, relative indices are catch-based measures that can track changes but may be harder to interpret as actual population size. Absolute abundance aims to estimate the number of fish in the environment for specific time intervals, and gear efficiency estimates help enable that kind of calculation.

How will the project support population dynamics modeling?

The project is intended to integrate multiple data sources, including newly developed gear efficiency estimates and data from several existing IEP surveys. This integrated modeling approach can help managers and scientists better understand population changes over time and how those changes relate to environmental conditions, monitoring methods, and management actions.

What type of funding instrument is planned?

The listing uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument.

What does a cooperative agreement imply?

A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project period, such as collaboration on study design, data integration, or technical review.

How is this opportunity categorized administratively?

It is categorized as a discretionary environmental award.

What is the total estimated funding amount?

The total estimated funding amount is $495,000.

What are the award ceiling and award floor?

Both the award ceiling and the award floor are set at $495,000, which reinforces that this is a predefined, single-source award rather than a variable budget competition.

How many awards are anticipated?

The listing anticipates a single award.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

Who is listed as eligible to apply?

The eligible applicant category is listed as state governments.

Does eligibility mean state agencies can apply competitively?

No. Even though "state governments" are listed as eligible, the announcement is a Notice of Intent to Award and repeatedly states that it is not open for competitive applications.

What are the key posting dates for this opportunity?

The opportunity was posted and created on June 8, 2012.

What is the closing date listed on the announcement?

The original and current closing date is June 22, 2012.

Do the posted dates function like a typical application window?

Based on the posting details provided, these dates function more as formal posting and administrative deadlines than as a true submission window because the notice is not soliciting applications.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 15.657.

What is the CFDA 15.657 program description shown for this posting?

It is described as "Endangered Species Conservation Recovery Implementation Funds."

How does the CFDA program relate to the project?

The CFDA description aligns with the delta smelt being a listed species and with the project purpose of improving monitoring and analytical tools that inform conservation and recovery actions.

Where is the work focused geographically?

The project is centered on delta smelt monitoring in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Who can be contacted for access assistance or clarification?

The contact listed is John Ridilla at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, phone 916-930-5624, email JohnRidilla@fws.gov.

Where is the announcement hosted?

The listing is hosted on Grants.gov, and the posting references an additional information link that directs back to the Grants.gov page.

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