Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS CESU 3
Apply for FWS CESU 3
- The Fisheries Habitat Conservation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fish and Wildlife Service, CESU Sole Source Task Agreements under 505 DM 2.14(3) Legislative Intent" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.649 Service Training and Technical Assistance (Generic Training).
- This funding opportunity was created on May 9, 2008 and posted on May 9, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 22, 2008. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- For this announcement of Intent to Award discretionary financial assistance to single sources without competition beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 for the duration of Service participation in the CESU cooperative agreements (renewable every five years), the justification for award without competition is Department of the Interior s 505 DM 2.14 (3) Legislative Intent the language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress intent to restrict award to a particular recipient or purpose. Financial assistance recipients include any university or institution that is a member of a CESU to which the Service is a cooperating partner in the cooperative agreement, and which can satisfy the Service s needs relative to a specific biogeographic area of concentration, a particular ecosystem type, a particular management regime, a combination of these themes, a special expertise, or a required timeframe to meet regional or program needs.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) notice of intent to make sole-source cooperative agreement task awards through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network. The core purpose is to provide research, technical assistance, and education support to natural resource and environmental managers, using an existing set of congressionally authorized cooperative agreements administered by the Department of the Interior. The legal foundation includes the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-666C) along with numerous other program-specific authorities referenced by FWS. Rather than operating like an open, competitive grant program, this announcement explains how FWS plans to fund specific projects by issuing task agreements to qualified CESU partners when the project need aligns with the CESU structure and expertise.
A key feature of the opportunity is that awards are intended to be made without competition under the Department of the Interior policy at 505 DM 2.14(3), labeled "Legislative Intent." In practice, this means FWS is relying on statutory language or legislative history that indicates Congress intended certain work to be carried out through these particular cooperative partners or for particular purposes, allowing the agency to justify a single-source award. Each individual task agreement must include both (1) a statement explaining the substantial federal involvement expected (which is characteristic of a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant) and (2) a written justification for why a sole-source approach is appropriate under the DOI criteria. The notice also emphasizes that FWS anticipates being actively involved in funded projects, not simply providing funds and stepping away.
The CESU Network itself is described as a multi-agency, interdisciplinary partnership typically anchored at universities and organized around biogeographic regions of the United States. CESUs bring together federal agencies, universities, and other institutions to address ecosystem-scale questions using biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences. The structure is meant to make it easier for agencies to access specialized faculty, students, and research capacity, while universities and other host institutions contribute facilities and baseline administrative support. CESUs may be defined by geography (for example, a plateau or mountain region), by ecosystem type (such as deserts or urban systems), by management focus (such as wilderness or multiple-use landscapes), or by a combination of these themes. Some units also offer specialized expertise that can be useful beyond their immediate region. Overall, the program is framed as a way to accelerate interdisciplinary problem-solving and support mission-driven science and technical assistance across agencies.
Eligibility is limited to members of a CESU in which the Fish and Wildlife Service is a cooperating partner under the relevant cooperative agreement. The notice indicates that eligible recipients can include any university or institution that is a CESU member and can meet FWS needs for a particular region, ecosystem type, management regime, special technical expertise, or required timeframe tied to program or regional priorities. There is no stated cost sharing or matching requirement in this announcement. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary financial assistance, with the funding instrument type listed as a cooperative agreement and the activity category as natural resources. A CFDA number referenced for possible use is 15.649 (Service Training and Technical Assistance, generic training), though the notice notes that other CFDA numbers might apply depending on the specific work being funded.
Administratively, this is presented as a Grants.gov notice that should be attached to the task agreement package submitted to an authorized FWS financial officer for processing. An important limitation is spelled out: the federal government is not obligated to provide funding for any proposed CESU task agreement unless and until an authorized FWS financial officer approves the award. The notice also clarifies that Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) does not apply, meaning the typical state-level intergovernmental review process is not required for these awards.
For coordination and next steps, the announcement lists regional Science Support Partnership contacts who serve as points of contact for CESU cooperative agreements across FWS regions, including Region 1 (Northwest), Region 2 (Southwest), Region 3 (Midwest), Region 4 (Southeast), Region 5 (Northeast), Region 6 (Mountain-Prairie), Region 7 (Alaska), Region 8 (California/Nevada Operations), and Region 9 (Headquarters). It also provides a separate contact for assistance accessing the full announcement electronically. In terms of timing, the posted date is May 9, 2008, with an original and current closing date of May 22, 2008, and an archive date of June 21, 2008, reflecting that this particular notice is historical but describes an ongoing mechanism used during FWS participation in renewable five-year CESU agreements.
In plain terms, the opportunity is best understood as a formal public notice explaining that FWS will fund certain types of mission-driven science, technical assistance, and education work by issuing cooperative agreement task agreements directly to appropriate CESU member institutions, using a sole-source justification rooted in congressional intent and requiring hands-on federal involvement during project execution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) notice of intent to make sole-source cooperative agreement task awards through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network. It describes how FWS plans to support research, technical assistance, and education efforts for natural resource and environmental management by issuing project-specific task agreements under existing, congressionally authorized CESU cooperative agreements.
2) Is this an open, competitive grant program?
No. This notice is not presented as an open competition. It explains an approach where FWS funds specific projects by issuing task agreements directly to qualified CESU partners when a project need matches CESU capabilities and the CESU structure.
3) What funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement (discretionary financial assistance). The activity category is natural resources.
4) What does it mean that awards are intended to be made "without competition"?
The notice indicates that awards are intended to be made without competition under Department of the Interior (DOI) policy at 505 DM 2.14(3), described as "Legislative Intent." In practical terms, FWS relies on statutory language or legislative history indicating Congress intended certain work to be carried out through these cooperative partners or for specific purposes, allowing a single-source (sole-source) award approach.
5) Why does this use a cooperative agreement instead of a standard grant?
The notice emphasizes substantial federal involvement. Each task agreement must include a statement explaining the substantial federal involvement expected, which is a hallmark of a cooperative agreement. FWS anticipates being actively involved during project execution rather than only providing funds.
6) What documentation is required for each sole-source CESU task agreement?
Each individual task agreement must include both:
- A statement explaining the substantial federal involvement expected; and
- A written justification explaining why a sole-source approach is appropriate under DOI criteria.
7) What is the CESU Network?
The CESU Network is described as a multi-agency, interdisciplinary partnership typically anchored at universities and organized around biogeographic regions of the United States. CESUs bring together federal agencies, universities, and other institutions to address ecosystem-scale questions using biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences.
8) What kinds of projects or services does this mechanism support?
The core purpose is to provide research, technical assistance, and education support to natural resource and environmental managers. The program is framed as a way to accelerate interdisciplinary problem-solving and provide mission-driven science and technical assistance across agencies.
9) How are CESUs organized, and does geography matter?
CESUs are often organized around biogeographic regions, but the notice indicates they can also be defined by ecosystem type (for example, deserts or urban systems), by management focus (such as wilderness or multiple-use landscapes), or by a combination of these themes. Some units may also offer specialized expertise useful beyond their immediate region.
10) Who is eligible to receive an award under this notice?
Eligibility is limited to members of a CESU in which FWS is a cooperating partner under the relevant cooperative agreement. Eligible recipients can include any university or institution that is a CESU member and can meet FWS needs tied to a particular region, ecosystem type, management regime, specialized technical expertise, or required timeframe aligned with program or regional priorities.
11) Can non-CESU organizations apply?
Based on the notice, eligibility is limited to CESU members in units where FWS is a cooperating partner. The notice does not describe eligibility for non-CESU organizations under this mechanism.
12) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in this announcement.
13) What legal authorities support this funding approach?
The notice cites the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-666C) and references numerous other program-specific authorities used by FWS. It also relies on DOI policy for noncompetitive awards at 505 DM 2.14(3) ("Legislative Intent").
14) What CFDA number applies to this opportunity?
The notice references CFDA 15.649 (Service Training and Technical Assistance, generic training) as a possible CFDA number. It also notes that other CFDA numbers might apply depending on the specific work being funded.
15) How does Grants.gov relate to these CESU task agreements?
Administratively, the notice is presented as a Grants.gov notice that should be attached to the task agreement package submitted to an authorized FWS financial officer for processing.
16) Does posting a task agreement package guarantee funding?
No. The notice explicitly states the federal government is not obligated to provide funding for any proposed CESU task agreement unless and until an authorized FWS financial officer approves the award.
17) Does Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review) apply?
No. The notice clarifies that Executive Order 12372 does not apply, meaning the typical state-level intergovernmental review process is not required for these awards.
18) Who should organizations contact to coordinate CESU work with FWS?
The announcement lists regional Science Support Partnership contacts who serve as points of contact for CESU cooperative agreements across FWS regions, including Regions 1 through 9 (including Headquarters). It also provides a separate contact for help accessing the full announcement electronically.
19) Which FWS regions are referenced for CESU coordination?
The notice references the following: Region 1 (Northwest), Region 2 (Southwest), Region 3 (Midwest), Region 4 (Southeast), Region 5 (Northeast), Region 6 (Mountain-Prairie), Region 7 (Alaska), Region 8 (California/Nevada Operations), and Region 9 (Headquarters).
20) What are the key dates for this specific notice?
The posted date is May 9, 2008. The original and current closing date is May 22, 2008. The archive date is June 21, 2008. The notice also indicates it is historical but describes an ongoing mechanism used during FWS participation in renewable five-year CESU agreements.
21) If the notice is historical, does it still matter?
The notice indicates that, while this particular posting is historical (with 2008 dates), it describes an ongoing mechanism used during FWS participation in renewable five-year CESU agreements. In other words, the posting itself is dated, but the described approach (CESU task agreements with substantial federal involvement and sole-source justification) is presented as a continuing method.
22) What is the plain-language takeaway for potential CESU recipients?
FWS uses CESU cooperative agreements to fund mission-driven science, technical assistance, and education by issuing project-specific task agreements directly to appropriate CESU member institutions, justified as sole-source based on legislative intent and designed to include hands-on federal involvement.
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