Opportunity Information: Apply for P13AS00120
Apply for P13AS00120
- The National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Examine Factors Affecting Productivity of Black Oystercatchers in Southwest Alaska" 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 7, 2013 and posted on Jul 7, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Intention to fund a single source project with University of Alaska Fairbanks under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $77,997.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $77,997.00 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Examine Factors Affecting Productivity of Black Oystercatchers in Southwest Alaska" is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to make a single award to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. CESUs are formal partnerships that help federal land managers and universities work together on applied research, technical support, and education tied to public lands. The planned funding amount is $77,997, issued as a cooperative agreement (meaning the NPS expects to be actively involved in carrying out the work, not just providing funds). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement listed, and the opportunity is categorized under natural resources work within CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System). The posting date is July 7, 2013, and it was archived September 1, 2013.
The statutory authority cited is 16 U.S.C. 1a-2(j), which allows the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with educational institutions and other entities to develop coordinated research and training programs related to National Park System resources. Under that authority, the NPS can provide financial assistance as well as staff, equipment, supplies, facilities, and administrative services to support mutually agreed-upon research. In this case, the agreement is specifically between the Department of the Interior/NPS (with Kenai Fjords National Park as the lead park unit referenced) and UAF, structured as a task agreement to carry out targeted field research that strengthens the park's long-term monitoring interpretation.
The central purpose of the project is to improve understanding of what drives breeding success and chick survival in black oystercatchers, a coastal shorebird monitored in southwest Alaska. The NPS Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Program already tracks black oystercatcher abundance, nest density, productivity, and chick diet indicators under its Nearshore Monitoring Protocol, but those measures are typically collected during a single annual visit to Kenai Fjords and Katmai National Parks. The announcement emphasizes that one-time seasonal snapshots can be misleading because key events may occur before or after the monitoring visit, such as nest failure, egg loss, chick mortality, or changes in food availability. Likewise, relying only on prey remains at nest sites can bias diet interpretation because it may miss soft-bodied prey, prey delivered away from nest sites, and shells or remains that may have been dropped or moved by other species like gulls and crows.
To address those limitations, the study focuses on repeatedly monitoring nests and chick feeding over the nesting season so that monitoring results can be interpreted with greater confidence and ecological context. The stated research objectives are: (1) estimate productivity at 20 black oystercatcher nest sites over two years, (2) identify major sources of disturbance and mortality affecting adults, eggs, and chicks prior to fledging, (3) estimate rates of energy delivery to chicks by combining repeated collections of prey shell remains with direct observations of prey deliveries, and (4) relate productivity and fledging success to prey provisioning patterns. In practical terms, the work is designed to connect "what chicks are getting and how often they are fed" with the outcome measures managers care about most, such as nest success and fledging rates, while also documenting pressures that may be suppressing productivity.
The NPS role is described as substantial, which is consistent with the cooperative agreement structure. The park and regional staff are expected to provide project oversight, historical and archived data from prior black oystercatcher work, and extensive logistical support that would otherwise make fieldwork in Kenai Fjords prohibitively expensive. The NPS will provide field housing, transportation to and among field sites (including the M/V Serac, smaller motorboats, and water taxis), and critical field equipment such as float coats, dry bags, GPS units, survival and camp gear, and a ruggedized laptop. The NPS is also responsible for hiring and supervising a field technician and contributing in-kind staff support (including positions identified as a GS-07 biological technician and a GS-11 ecologist) to assist with fieldwork and planning. Because the work takes place in remote coastal environments with real safety constraints, the NPS will also provide required trainings such as motorboat operation and bear safety for project personnel. Overall, the NPS involvement is positioned not only as logistical support but as a way to ensure the study outputs directly feed into, and improve, the long-term monitoring program.
The opportunity is explicitly justified as a single-source award rather than a competed grant. The NPS cites Department of the Interior policy requiring justification when full and open competition is not practical and argues that UAF, and specifically Dr. Abby Powell, offers unique qualifications for this project. Dr. Powell is described as having deep experience in shorebird research related to growth, productivity, behavior, and health, and she has a direct history of black oystercatcher work at Kenai Fjords, including a published study on productivity and recreational disturbance (Morse, Powell, and Tetreau, 2006, The Condor). The announcement also notes that Dr. Powell and a graduate student completed a pilot chick provisioning study in 2013 at Kenai Fjords, and this award would fund a full implementation building on that pilot's findings and established study plan. The NPS also points out a practical efficiency: UAF's location in Fairbanks allows teams to travel overland to Seward for fieldwork and meetings, reducing travel costs compared to more distant institutions.
Key administrative details include an expected award count of one, an award ceiling matching the total anticipated funding ($77,997), and eligibility limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The technical contact listed is Laura Phillips (lauraphillips@nps.gov, 907-422-0540), and the agreements officer contact for access issues is Tina Spengler (TinaSpengler@nps.gov, 907-644-3303). The overall takeaway is that this is a targeted, collaborative research effort designed to fill known gaps in how black oystercatcher productivity and diet are measured in southwest Alaska, so that long-term trends observed by the NPS can be interpreted accurately and used to guide management decisions in challenging coastal park environments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Examine Factors Affecting Productivity of Black Oystercatchers in Southwest Alaska."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the National Park Service (NPS), within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What type of announcement is this (open competition or something else)?
This is a Notice of Intent to make a single award (single-source), meaning it is not presented as a competed, open call for multiple applicants.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The planned recipient is the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network.
Is this a competitive grant that other organizations can apply for?
Based on the notice, the award is explicitly justified as single-source to UAF, so it is not described as a competitive opportunity open to multiple applicants.
How many awards does NPS expect to make?
The expected award count is one.
What is the total funding amount for the planned award?
The planned funding amount is $77,997.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling matches the total anticipated funding amount: $77,997.
What funding instrument will be used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The NPS plans to issue the funding as a cooperative agreement.
What does "cooperative agreement" mean for this project?
In this notice, a cooperative agreement indicates the NPS expects to be substantially involved in carrying out the work (not only providing funds). The notice describes NPS involvement through oversight, data sharing, staffing, logistics, equipment, and required trainings.
Is cost sharing or a matching contribution required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the information provided.
What is the CFDA number and program category?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.945, "Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System."
What general work area does this opportunity fall under?
It is categorized as natural resources work, focused on applied research related to National Park System resources.
When was this opportunity posted, and when was it archived?
The posting date is July 7, 2013, and the opportunity was archived on September 1, 2013.
What is the statutory authority cited for this agreement?
The authority cited is 16 U.S.C. 1a-2(j), which allows the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements to develop coordinated research and training programs related to National Park System resources, including support via financial assistance and other federal contributions (staff, equipment, facilities, and administrative services) as mutually agreed.
What park unit is referenced as the lead for this work?
Kenai Fjords National Park is referenced as the lead park unit for the agreement.
What is the central purpose of the project?
The purpose is to improve understanding of what drives breeding success and chick survival in black oystercatchers in southwest Alaska, so long-term monitoring results can be interpreted with greater confidence and ecological context.
Why does the NPS believe additional research is needed beyond its current monitoring?
The NPS notes that its monitoring typically occurs during a single annual visit, which can miss key events before or after the visit (such as nest failure, egg loss, chick mortality, or shifts in food availability). The notice also explains that diet indicators based only on prey remains at nest sites can be biased and may miss soft-bodied prey or prey delivered away from the nest, and remains can be moved by other species (e.g., gulls and crows).
What monitoring program is this study meant to strengthen?
The study is designed to strengthen interpretation of the NPS Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Program's Nearshore Monitoring Protocol for black oystercatchers.
Which parks are mentioned in relation to current monitoring efforts?
The notice mentions Kenai Fjords and Katmai National Parks in connection with current annual monitoring visits.
What are the main research objectives listed in the notice?
The stated objectives are to: (1) estimate productivity at 20 black oystercatcher nest sites over two years, (2) identify major sources of disturbance and mortality affecting adults, eggs, and chicks prior to fledging, (3) estimate rates of energy delivery to chicks by combining repeated collections of prey shell remains with direct observations of prey deliveries, and (4) relate productivity and fledging success to prey provisioning patterns.
How many nest sites will be monitored, and for how long?
The notice specifies estimating productivity at 20 nest sites over two years.
What kinds of factors will the project document related to reduced productivity?
The project aims to identify major sources of disturbance and mortality that affect adults, eggs, and chicks before chicks fledge.
How will chick feeding and diet be measured in this project?
The approach described combines repeated collections of prey shell remains with direct observations of prey deliveries to estimate rates of energy delivery to chicks.
How will the study connect feeding patterns to breeding outcomes?
The notice states the project will relate productivity and fledging success to prey provisioning patterns, connecting what chicks receive and how often they are fed to nest success and fledging rates.
What is the expected role of the NPS in the project?
The NPS role is described as substantial. The notice states NPS will provide project oversight, historical/archived data, and extensive logistical support, including field housing, transportation (including the M/V Serac, smaller motorboats, and water taxis), key field equipment, and required trainings. NPS also plans to hire and supervise a field technician and contribute in-kind staff support (including a GS-07 biological technician and a GS-11 ecologist) for fieldwork and planning.
What logistical support will NPS provide for fieldwork?
As described, NPS will provide field housing; transportation to and among sites (including the M/V Serac, smaller motorboats, and water taxis); and equipment such as float coats, dry bags, GPS units, survival and camp gear, and a ruggedized laptop.
Will NPS provide staff support as part of the cooperative agreement?
Yes. The notice describes NPS hiring and supervising a field technician and providing in-kind staff support, including roles identified as a GS-07 biological technician and a GS-11 ecologist.
Are trainings included for personnel working in remote coastal environments?
Yes. The notice states NPS will provide required trainings such as motorboat operation and bear safety.
Why is this award justified as single-source to UAF?
The notice states NPS is making a single-source award because UAF (and specifically Dr. Abby Powell) has unique qualifications. The justification includes Dr. Powell's experience in shorebird research (growth, productivity, behavior, health), prior black oystercatcher work at Kenai Fjords, a published study on productivity and recreational disturbance (Morse, Powell, and Tetreau, 2006, The Condor), and a 2013 pilot chick provisioning study at Kenai Fjords that this project would expand into a full implementation.
Does the notice mention any cost-efficiency reasons for selecting UAF?
Yes. It notes UAF's location in Fairbanks allows overland travel to Seward for fieldwork and meetings, which reduces travel costs compared to more distant institutions.
Who is the technical contact for the opportunity?
The technical contact listed is Laura Phillips at lauraphillips@nps.gov and 907-422-0540.
Who is the agreements officer contact for access issues?
The agreements officer contact for access issues is Tina Spengler at TinaSpengler@nps.gov and 907-644-3303.
What is a CESU and how does it relate to this project?
CESUs (Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units) are formal partnerships that help federal land managers and universities work together on applied research, technical support, and education tied to public lands. This award is planned through the CESU network as a cooperative agreement with UAF.
What is the expected outcome or benefit for NPS management?
The notice indicates the study is intended to fill gaps in current one-visit monitoring so long-term trends in abundance, nest density, productivity, and diet indicators can be interpreted accurately and used to guide management decisions in challenging coastal park environments.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Natural Resources
Next opportunity: TEACHING WITH HISTORIC PLACES LESSON PLANS
Previous opportunity: Geoscientists in the Parks/Mosaics in Science Youth Internship Program Fiscal Year 2013
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for P13AS00120
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P13AS00120) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Technical Assistance to the National Park Service Wildlife Health Team Apply for P13AS00196 Funding Number: P13AS00196 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $218,000 |
| Air Quality and Nitrogen Deposition in the Rocky Mountain and Bakken Formation Regions Apply for P13AS00207 Funding Number: P13AS00207 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $425,499 |
| Elf Owl Home Range and Habitat Study Apply for R14SF30001 Funding Number: R14SF30001 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $675,000 |
| Youth Crew Stoll Trail Rehabilitation June 2014 Apply for FY2014 ISRO YCTR 0001 Funding Number: FY2014 ISRO YCTR 0001 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| CA Conservation Innovation Grant 2014 Apply for USDA NRCS CA 14 0008 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CA 14 0008 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| WY Conservation Innovation Program Apply for USDA NRCS WY 14 0001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS WY 14 0001 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grant New Hampshire Apply for USDA NRCS NH 14 0001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NH 14 0001 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Seabirds as Indicators of Coastal Ecosystem Condition and Change Apply for P14AS00065 Funding Number: P14AS00065 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,522 |
| State Conservation Innovation Grant 2014 Apply for USDA NRCS VT 14 0001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS VT 14 0001 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Shorebirds Study, Western Arctic Parklands Apply for P14AS00118 Funding Number: P14AS00118 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $33,926 |
| Conservation Innovation Grant New Hampshire Apply for USDA NRCS NH 14 0002 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NH 14 0002 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| BLM AZ Gila District Youth Internships and Public Land Corps Opportunities Apply for L14AS00149 Funding Number: L14AS00149 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| Necedah National Wildlife Refuge Whooping Crane Forced Renesting to Prevent Population Extinction Apply for F14AS00321 Funding Number: F14AS00321 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BLM AZ Gila District Youth Internships and Public Land Corps Opportunities Apply for L14AS00276 Funding Number: L14AS00276 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| BLM AZ Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Management Partnership Apply for L14AS00304 Funding Number: L14AS00304 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Fish Screen Corrective Action and Improvements Apply for R14AN20025 Funding Number: R14AN20025 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,100,000 |
| Create Model of Glacier Bays Late Pleistocene Coastline Apply for P14AS00298 Funding Number: P14AS00298 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $95,561 |
| Conservation Innovation Grant 2015 Apply for USDA NRCS CA 15 0009 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CA 15 0009 Agency: California State Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| South Shore Service Yard California State Parks Apply for 15AN20006 Funding Number: 15AN20006 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,383,451 |
| Open Space Management Apply for R15AN20014 Funding Number: R15AN20014 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $49,755 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "P13AS00120", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.