Opportunity Information: Apply for P14AC01135
Apply for P14AC01135
- The National Park Service in the consumer protection disaster prevention and relief education employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Everglades National Park Marine Waters Boater Education Program NOI not a request for proposals" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945 Cooperative Research and Training Programs Resources of the National Park System.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 8, 2014 and posted on Jul 8, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 18, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $355,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $71,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This notice of intent (NOI) describes a planned cooperative agreement between the National Park Service (NPS) and Eppley to create, implement, and maintain a boater education program focused on Everglades National Park marine waters. It is explicitly not a request for proposals, meaning it is not an open competitive solicitation where multiple applicants submit bids for selection. Instead, it signals the NPS intent to move forward with a specific collaboration framework and identifies the partner and the nature of the joint work.
The core purpose of the effort is to reduce harm to sensitive marine resources while improving on-the-water behavior and safety through a structured education and permitting approach. The program is expected to deliver clear, consistent messaging centered on resource protection (preventing damage to seagrass, coral, mangroves, wildlife, and other park resources), boater etiquette (responsible conduct around other users and wildlife), and boating safety. The emphasis is not only on producing educational materials but also on building a functioning program that can be administered over time and adapted as conditions and management needs change.
Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, NPS anticipates substantial involvement in the work rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The notice lays out that NPS will participate and collaborate jointly with Eppley across the scope of work and will formally review and approve each project phase before the next phase begins. NPS also intends to closely oversee how Eppley executes the project, including attention to organizational structure, staffing, operational approach, and other management processes, with ongoing monitoring and hands-on involvement as the work is performed.
NPS will support program development by providing access to relevant park studies, internal data, decision documents, and management guidance so that course content and program operations reflect current science and policy. A major component of the effort is also stakeholder engagement: NPS will facilitate involvement of interested and affected parties in reviewing course components and the educational messages. That typically means ensuring that the content is accurate, practical for boaters, aligned with park rules, and responsive to concerns raised by local users, commercial operators, conservation groups, and other stakeholders.
The notice also highlights compliance responsibilities tied to gathering information from the public. If the program involves collecting information from boaters (for example, through registrations, evaluations, testing, surveys, or permit applications), NPS will ensure the program meets all applicable federal legal and policy requirements governing public information collection. In practice, that can include ensuring proper approvals and safeguards are in place for any required forms, recordkeeping, or data collection that would be part of implementing a permit or education requirement.
Another major deliverable described is developing the financial and administrative foundation for a permit and fee structure associated with the boater education program. NPS will provide the budget and contract cost information connected to program administration, education and outreach, monitoring, and resource restoration projects in order to determine a defensible program and permit fee structure. The program will need a clear rationale for any fees, suitable for agency review and approval. The notice is explicit about fee intent: any fees implemented would be used to recover the costs of administering and managing the program and to support park management goals for marine areas. If revenues exceed what is needed for cost recovery, the excess would be directed toward correcting deficiencies from prior impacts or addressing unrecoverable damages to marine resources, reinforcing the program's resource-protection purpose.
In addition to education and fee design, the notice anticipates regulatory and policy integration. NPS will develop language for park regulations and for inclusion in the Superintendent's Compendium to establish a legal requirement for implementing and managing the boater education program and associated permit system. This suggests the education component is expected to be tied to enforceable requirements within the park, not merely voluntary guidance, and that the work will include drafting the administrative and legal text needed to make the program operational.
From the funding and eligibility details provided, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number P14AC01135 under CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System). It was posted July 8, 2014, with an original and current closing date of July 18, 2014, and an archive date of August 17, 2014. The estimated total funding amount listed is $355,000, with an award floor and ceiling shown as $71,000, and the expectation of a single award. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement indicated. Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which matches the education and training nature of the project and suggests the partner organization is expected to have academic or training program capacity.
Finally, the point of contact for access issues with the full announcement is listed as Katie Schroeder, Grants Management Officer, with a phone number provided (402-661-1640). The notice also references Grants.gov for additional information, but the text as provided does not include a full email address beyond noting a work email.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this government grant notice about?
This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) describing a planned cooperative agreement between the National Park Service (NPS) and Eppley to create, implement, and maintain a boater education program focused on Everglades National Park marine waters. The overall goal is to reduce harm to sensitive marine resources and improve boater behavior and safety through a structured education and permitting approach.
2) Is this a Request for Proposals (RFP) or open competitive solicitation?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for proposals. It is not an open competitive solicitation where multiple applicants submit bids for selection. It signals NPS intent to move forward with a specific collaboration framework and identifies the partner and the nature of the joint work.
3) What type of award instrument is planned?
The planned instrument is a cooperative agreement. This means NPS expects to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply providing funds with limited oversight.
4) What does "substantial involvement" by NPS mean in this project?
Based on the notice, NPS will collaborate jointly with Eppley across the scope of work, will review and approve each project phase before the next phase begins, and will closely oversee execution. Oversight includes attention to organizational structure, staffing, operational approach, and other management processes, with ongoing monitoring and hands-on involvement as the work is performed.
5) What is the purpose of the boater education program?
The program is intended to reduce harm to sensitive marine resources and improve on-the-water behavior and safety. It is expected to provide clear and consistent messaging around resource protection, boater etiquette, and boating safety, and to establish a functioning program that can be administered over time and adapted as needs change.
6) What marine resources is the program trying to protect?
The notice highlights sensitive resources such as seagrass, coral, mangroves, wildlife, and other park resources in Everglades National Park marine waters.
7) What kinds of topics will the program messaging cover?
The program is expected to center on (1) resource protection (preventing damage to park resources), (2) boater etiquette (responsible conduct around other users and wildlife), and (3) boating safety.
8) Is the project only about creating educational materials?
No. The emphasis is not only on producing educational materials. The notice describes building a complete, functioning education and permitting program that can be administered over time and updated as conditions and management needs change.
9) Will stakeholders be involved in reviewing the program?
Yes. Stakeholder engagement is identified as a major component. NPS will facilitate involvement of interested and affected parties in reviewing course components and educational messages to help ensure content is accurate, practical for boaters, aligned with park rules, and responsive to concerns raised by local users, commercial operators, conservation groups, and other stakeholders.
10) What information will NPS provide to support program development?
NPS will support development by providing access to relevant park studies, internal data, decision documents, and management guidance so that course content and program operations reflect current science and policy.
11) Will the program collect information from the public?
It may. The notice states that if the program involves collecting information from boaters (such as registrations, evaluations, testing, surveys, or permit applications), NPS will ensure the program complies with applicable federal legal and policy requirements for public information collection.
12) What kinds of public information collection are mentioned?
The notice lists examples including registrations, evaluations, testing, surveys, and permit applications, along with associated forms, recordkeeping, or data collection that may be part of implementing an education requirement or permit system.
13) Is a permit and fee structure part of the planned program?
Yes. A major deliverable described in the notice is developing the financial and administrative foundation for a permit and fee structure associated with the boater education program.
14) How will the permit fee structure be developed?
NPS will provide budget and contract cost information connected to program administration, education and outreach, monitoring, and resource restoration projects. This information will be used to determine a defensible program and permit fee structure with a clear rationale suitable for agency review and approval.
15) What will program fees be used for?
The notice states that any implemented fees would be used to recover the costs of administering and managing the program and to support park management goals for marine areas.
16) What happens if fee revenues exceed the cost of running the program?
If revenues exceed what is needed for cost recovery, the notice indicates the excess would be directed toward correcting deficiencies from prior impacts or addressing unrecoverable damages to marine resources.
17) Will the boater education program be tied to enforceable requirements?
The notice anticipates regulatory and policy integration. NPS will develop language for park regulations and for inclusion in the Superintendent's Compendium to establish a legal requirement for implementing and managing the boater education program and associated permit system.
18) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?
The notice identifies the opportunity as Funding Opportunity Number P14AC01135 under CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System).
19) What is the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount listed in the notice is $355,000.
20) What are the award floor and ceiling amounts listed?
The notice shows an award floor of $71,000 and an award ceiling of $71,000.
21) How many awards are expected?
The notice indicates an expectation of a single award.
22) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the notice.
23) Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with the education and training nature of the project.
24) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The notice was posted on July 8, 2014. The original and current closing date listed is July 18, 2014. An archive date of August 17, 2014 is also provided.
25) Who is the point of contact for access issues with the full announcement?
The point of contact listed for access issues is Katie Schroeder, Grants Management Officer. A phone number is provided: 402-661-1640.
26) Where is additional information referenced?
The notice references Grants.gov for additional information. The text provided notes a work email exists but does not include a complete email address.
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