Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00139
Apply for P16AS00139
- The DOI-NPS in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Geophysical Sub-surface Surveys" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 02, 2016 and posted on May 02, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 12, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000.00 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, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Geophysical Sub-surface Surveys" funding announcement (Opportunity Number P16AS00139) is a public notice from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), stating its intent to fund a specific project without competition. It is explicitly not a request for applications. The planned recipient is Cornell University, and the work will be carried out under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Task Agreement, authorized under 54 USC 101702 and tied to CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System). The anticipated federal award is $51,481 with no cost share, over roughly 1.5 years, with a performance window from June 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. While the notice lists an award ceiling of $60,000 and an expectation of one award, it is essentially documenting a single, pre-identified collaboration rather than opening a competitive grant round.
The core purpose of the project is cultural resource protection and planning support across several Alaska park units. NPS emphasizes that many important cultural resources in Alaska are buried archaeological sites that are difficult to evaluate without disturbing them. To address this, the project uses non-invasive and minimally invasive geophysical methods, especially ground-penetrating radar (GPR), to detect subsurface cultural materials and features such as archaeological deposits, structural remnants, and, critically, human burials. The announcement highlights that GPR has become particularly valuable where parks need to make decisions about ground-disturbing activities (construction, maintenance, visitor infrastructure, or other projects) and want to avoid inadvertently damaging graves or other sensitive cultural deposits. By coordinating multiple parks to bring in specialized expertise in one consolidated effort, NPS aims to improve cost-effectiveness and consistency in methods while tailoring the surveys to each park's management needs.
Five Alaska park units are specifically described as having different on-the-ground objectives. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is focused on identifying burials and archaeological deposits in an area with heavy visitor use, where understanding what lies beneath the surface is important for both protection and future planning. Cape Krusenstern National Monument is concentrating on permafrost research, using geophysical survey results to understand how climate change and thawing permafrost may be altering or endangering cultural deposits in northwest Alaska. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve also targets permafrost-related change, but adds a more detailed examination of house features and midden areas at Cape Espenberg, designed to complement controlled excavations already underway there. Denali National Park and Preserve plans fieldwork at Birch Creek aimed at relocating a cemetery and identifying grave plots, directly supporting respectful management and avoidance. Sitka National Historical Park intends to use GPR to help identify the walls of a Tlingit fort associated with the 1804 battle between the Kiks.di and the Russians, tying the work to historically significant landscape interpretation and preservation.
The joint project objectives are framed as a collaboration between Cornell and NPS. First, the partners will apply multiple geophysical techniques to locate and identify buried cultural features and sediment layers across the full depth and depositional range present at each site. The techniques explicitly named include GPR, twin-coil electromagnetic induction (EM), and magnetic survey, with limited invasive testing and sampling where appropriate to ground-truth or refine interpretations. Second, the project will deliver a detailed reporting package for managers and researchers, including maps, images, and interpretive analysis of the geophysical results so that the findings can be used in planning, protection, and research. Third, the outputs are expected to serve two audiences: interpretive materials geared toward Alaska park visitors (supporting public education and understanding) and scientific products suitable for academic audiences (such as conference presentations, reports, and potential research articles).
Roles and responsibilities are spelled out in a fairly structured way. Cornell University is responsible for providing qualified personnel for field and lab work, completing required NPS safety and training obligations (including backcountry aviation and bear safety), conducting the geophysical surveys and mapping using the specified methods, and coordinating with NPS archaeologists on a timely post-field status report. Cornell also agrees to participate in dissemination of results as appropriate and to comply with NPS standards related to research conduct, peer review, and information quality, with oversight by the Agreement Technical Representative (ATR), who serves as the NPS peer review manager for the project. A key data stewardship requirement is that Cornell will help ensure results can be accessioned into each park's museum collection system by obtaining accession numbers (with assistance from the Alaska Region archaeologist) and by providing NPS with original field notes, maps, drawings, indexed images, and other raw data generated during the work.
NPS, in turn, commits to deep operational and technical support that reflects the realities of remote Alaska fieldwork and the management purpose of the project. The agency will collaborate regularly with the principal investigator, help with environmental compliance review, secure permits and access permissions, and contribute to study design and interpretive planning. NPS will supply mapping and GPS expertise and equipment, provide transportation to and from parks and field sites for the 2016 field season, coordinate land/air/boat logistics, and provide safety support such as pre-field briefings, daily check-ins, flight scheduling assistance, and resupply planning. NPS also takes lead responsibility for data management functions on the government side, including artifact cataloging, curation, and archiving as needed, and it will co-author or formally review and approve reports, presentations, and interpretive products. The announcement also includes standard expectations around proper crediting of photographs and maps, and ensuring that resulting publications acknowledge Cornell participants and reference the specific task agreement number.
Finally, the notice explains why this is being handled as a non-competitive action, even though it outlines generic Department of the Interior single-source justification criteria. In this case, the announcement states that no specific single-source justification criterion is cited for this agreement and notes that CESUs were previously competitively awarded, which is the underlying framework NPS is using to place the task agreement. The practical takeaway is that the opportunity is not open for new applicants; it documents an intended award to Cornell University to carry out coordinated geophysical surveys across multiple Alaska parks to identify and protect buried cultural resources, inform park planning, and produce both management-ready and public-facing deliverables.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Geophysical Sub-surface Surveys (Opportunity Number P16AS00139)
Is this a competitive grant opportunity that organizations can apply to?
No. This public notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications. It documents the National Park Service (NPS) intent to fund a specific project without competition.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The planned recipient is Cornell University.
What is the official opportunity number?
The opportunity number listed in the notice is P16AS00139.
Which federal agency is issuing the notice?
The notice is issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What funding mechanism will be used to carry out the work?
The work will be conducted under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Task Agreement.
What is the CFDA program associated with this project?
The notice ties the project to CFDA 15.945: Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System.
What legal authority is cited for the CESU Task Agreement?
The announcement references authorization under 54 USC 101702.
How much funding is anticipated for this project?
The anticipated federal award amount is $51,481.
Is there an award ceiling listed?
Yes. The notice lists an award ceiling of $60,000.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The notice indicates an expectation of one award.
Is any cost share or matching funds required?
No. The notice states there is no cost share.
What is the expected project period of performance?
The performance window is from June 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, which is roughly 1.5 years.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is cultural resource protection and planning support across several Alaska park units, using geophysical sub-surface surveys to identify buried archaeological resources and other cultural features while minimizing disturbance.
Why are geophysical methods important for cultural resources in Alaska parks?
NPS emphasizes that many important cultural resources in Alaska are buried archaeological sites that can be difficult to evaluate without disturbing them. Non-invasive and minimally invasive geophysical methods help parks make decisions about ground-disturbing activities while reducing the risk of damaging sensitive resources, including human burials.
What types of subsurface resources are the surveys intended to detect?
The surveys are intended to detect subsurface cultural materials and features such as archaeological deposits, structural remnants, sediment layers, and human burials.
Which geophysical techniques are specifically named in the notice?
The announcement specifically names ground-penetrating radar (GPR), twin-coil electromagnetic induction (EM), and magnetic survey methods.
Will any invasive work be performed?
The notice describes the work as non-invasive and minimally invasive, with limited invasive testing and sampling where appropriate to ground-truth or refine interpretations.
Why does NPS want to coordinate multiple parks under one effort?
By coordinating multiple parks to bring in specialized expertise through one consolidated effort, NPS aims to improve cost-effectiveness and consistency in methods while tailoring surveys to each park's management needs.
Which Alaska park units are included, and what are their site-specific goals?
Five Alaska park units are specifically described:
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve: Identify burials and archaeological deposits in an area with heavy visitor use to support protection and future planning.
- Cape Krusenstern National Monument: Support permafrost research by using geophysical results to understand how climate change and thawing permafrost may be affecting cultural deposits.
- Bering Land Bridge National Preserve: Examine permafrost-related change and conduct more detailed work on house features and midden areas at Cape Espenberg to complement controlled excavations already underway.
- Denali National Park and Preserve: Conduct fieldwork at Birch Creek to relocate a cemetery and identify grave plots to support respectful management and avoidance.
- Sitka National Historical Park: Use GPR to help identify the walls of a Tlingit fort associated with the 1804 battle between the Kiks.di and the Russians for interpretation and preservation.
What are the main project deliverables described in the notice?
The notice describes a detailed reporting package for managers and researchers, including maps, images, and interpretive analysis of geophysical results. Outputs are also expected to include interpretive materials for park visitors and scientific products suitable for academic audiences (such as conference presentations, reports, and potential research articles).
Who are the intended audiences for the project outputs?
The expected audiences include (1) park managers and researchers who need planning- and protection-ready information, (2) Alaska park visitors through interpretive materials, and (3) academic audiences via scientific presentations and written products.
What responsibilities does Cornell University have under this collaboration?
Cornell University is responsible for providing qualified personnel for field and lab work; completing required NPS safety and training obligations (including backcountry aviation and bear safety); conducting geophysical surveys and mapping using GPR, EM, and magnetic methods; coordinating with NPS archaeologists on a timely post-field status report; participating in dissemination of results as appropriate; and complying with NPS standards related to research conduct, peer review, and information quality.
Who provides peer review oversight on the NPS side?
The notice states that the Agreement Technical Representative (ATR) serves as the NPS peer review manager for the project.
What data stewardship and accessioning requirements are included?
Cornell will help ensure results can be accessioned into each park's museum collection system by obtaining accession numbers (with assistance from the Alaska Region archaeologist) and by providing NPS with original field notes, maps, drawings, indexed images, and other raw data generated during the work.
What support and responsibilities does NPS provide for the project?
NPS commits to regular collaboration with the principal investigator; assistance with environmental compliance review; securing permits and access permissions; contributing to study design and interpretive planning; supplying mapping and GPS expertise and equipment; providing transportation to and from parks and field sites for the 2016 field season; coordinating remote field logistics (land/air/boat); providing safety support such as pre-field briefings, daily check-ins, flight scheduling assistance, and resupply planning; and handling government-side data management such as artifact cataloging, curation, and archiving as needed.
Who is responsible for reviewing or approving reports and interpretive products?
The notice indicates NPS will co-author or formally review and approve reports, presentations, and interpretive products.
Are there publication and crediting expectations?
Yes. The notice includes expectations around proper crediting of photographs and maps, and it states that resulting publications should acknowledge Cornell participants and reference the specific task agreement number.
Why is this being handled as a non-competitive action?
The notice describes this as a non-competitive action documenting an intended award to Cornell University. It also notes that CESUs were previously competitively awarded as a framework, and it states that no specific single-source justification criterion is cited for this agreement.
Does this notice create an open funding round for other universities or organizations?
No. The practical takeaway stated in the notice is that the opportunity is not open for new applicants; it is documenting a single, pre-identified collaboration under a CESU task agreement.
What kinds of park management decisions can these surveys support?
The notice highlights that results can inform planning and protection needs, especially when parks must decide how to proceed with ground-disturbing activities (such as construction, maintenance, visitor infrastructure, or other projects) while avoiding impacts to graves or other sensitive cultural deposits.
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