Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00339
Apply for P16AS00339
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the information and statistics, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GIS and data assistance for Dallâ¿¿s sheep population monitoring in Alaskaâ¿¿s national parks and preserves" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.944.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 14, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 24, 2016 This is a notice of intent to award to Wildlife Conservation Society, a member of the North and West Alaska CESU, P13AC01025.. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This notice describes the National Park Service (NPS) plan to make a non-competitive cooperative agreement award for a project called "GIS and data assistance for Dall's sheep population monitoring in Alaska's national parks and preserves" (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00339). It is explicitly not a call for proposals or an open application period; instead, it serves as public notice that NPS intends to fund a specific partner for a specific scope of work. The anticipated award is $43,340, with no cost share requirement listed, and it is structured under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) framework (CFDA 15.945). The intended recipient is the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a nonprofit organization and a member of the relevant CESU network, and the award is justified as a task agreement under CESU Master Agreement P13AC01025 rather than a competed grant.
The core purpose of the project is to strengthen and standardize Dall's sheep monitoring by providing hands-on GIS, data management, and field support to NPS monitoring teams. The work supports the Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network (ARCN) and its Dall's sheep "vital sign" monitoring program, along with aerial distance sampling surveys coordinated across multiple NPS units and partner networks. The geographic scope spans several major Alaska park areas where Dall's sheep occur and where aerial survey methods are used, including Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR), Western Arctic National Parklands (WEAR), Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA), Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL), with involvement also noted for the Central Alaska Network (CAKN). In practical terms, the project is aimed at producing rigorous, repeatable survey design and defensible datasets that can be compared across years and across parks.
WCS's role is largely operational and technical, providing staff (or contracted staff) to work directly with NPS subject-matter experts such as the Sheep Vital Sign principal investigator, ARCN/CAKN data manager, ARCN/CAKN biometrician, the regional GIS specialist, and park biologists. A major deliverable is GIS production for the 2017 distance sampling surveys, including creating contour-based transects and building and certifying geodatabases that support consistent aerial survey coverage. WCS will also prepare and deploy the digital survey tools used in aircraft, such as background maps and standardized data-collection forms loaded onto iPads, field computers, and GPS units, and help ensure those tools align with the program's methods and data standards. Because these surveys rely heavily on precise spatial data and consistent field workflows, the project emphasizes quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), including processing and validating geodatabase content, GPS tracks, and linked imagery so the datasets are ready for statistical analysis by the biometrician.
Beyond office-based GIS and database work, the scope includes direct participation in field operations. WCS staff may serve as an observer on a survey aircraft and also act as an in-field data manager during one or more surveys, supporting real-time data handling and troubleshooting. The agreement also anticipates help with survey logistics that often determine whether aerial monitoring runs smoothly, such as contributing to aviation safety planning, assisting with field camp setup and demobilization, and supporting day-to-day camp management. On the back end, WCS will help with interpretation and communication of results by assisting with reports and papers for the Dall's sheep program and developing or supporting outreach materials that communicate findings from the 2017 data to broader audiences. Another important component is keeping the monitoring program current by revising protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as needed, especially when software or hardware changes occur (for example, upgrades affecting iPad-based forms, GPS workflows, or photo-to-GPS linking).
NPS's contribution is described as both scientific and logistical. NPS will provide a scientist to supply technical expertise as needed, and it will support field operations by helping with logistics and providing access to NPS housing (bunkhouses), workspace, and computing resources where available. The announcement frames the effort as a collaborative arrangement where ARCN brings long-term monitoring context and species/program expertise, while WCS brings added capacity and a deeper bench of Dall's sheep knowledge and support, with both sides working together to maintain high data quality and ensure the methods are practical for the biological and operational constraints of sheep surveys in Alaska.
The reason the award is not competed is tied to Department of the Interior single-source policy requirements (505 DM 2), which require justification when competition is not practical. In this case, NPS cites that the work will be issued as a task agreement under an existing CESU master agreement (P13AC01025). The CESU mechanism is designed to facilitate cooperative research and technical assistance with specific partner institutions, and this notice indicates NPS is using that established framework to place the work with WCS without running a separate competitive process. The opportunity listing also notes an award ceiling of $50,000 and an expectation of one award, reinforcing that this is a targeted, single-recipient action rather than a broad funding opportunity open to multiple applicants.
Key administrative details included in the notice are the anticipated agreement dates (listed as 8/15/2016 to 10/31/2018) and an anticipated period of performance for initial work beginning 8/15/2016, with dates also shown that emphasize 2016 field-season timing in parts of the document. The NPS point of contact is Eric J. Wald with the Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. Overall, the announcement is essentially a public-facing summary of a planned cooperative agreement: modest in dollar amount, focused on GIS and data infrastructure, and intended to improve the consistency, usability, and scientific defensibility of Dall's sheep monitoring data collected through aerial distance sampling across multiple Alaska national parks and preserves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is this a competitive grant that organizations can apply for?
No. The notice is explicitly not a call for proposals and does not describe an open application period. It is a public notice that the National Park Service (NPS) intends to make a non-competitive cooperative agreement award for a specific project and a specific partner.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00339.
What is the project title?
The project is titled "GIS and data assistance for Dall's sheep population monitoring in Alaska's national parks and preserves."
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a nonprofit organization that is a member of the relevant Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network.
Why is the award non-competitive?
NPS states the award is being made as a task agreement under an existing CESU Master Agreement (P13AC01025). The notice cites Department of the Interior single-source policy requirements (505 DM 2) and explains that competition is not considered practical in this case because the work is being issued through the established CESU framework to a specific CESU partner.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The notice describes a non-competitive cooperative agreement.
What is the anticipated award amount?
The anticipated award amount is $43,340.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost share requirement is listed in the notice.
Is there an award ceiling stated in the notice?
Yes. The listing notes an award ceiling of $50,000.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The notice indicates an expectation of one award, consistent with a targeted, single-recipient action.
What program or assistance listing is referenced (CFDA)?
The notice references CFDA 15.945 under the CESU framework.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to strengthen and standardize Dall's sheep monitoring by providing hands-on GIS support, data management assistance, and field support to NPS monitoring teams. The intent is to produce rigorous, repeatable survey design and defensible datasets that can be compared across years and across parks.
What monitoring program does this work support?
The work supports the Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network (ARCN) and its Dall's sheep "vital sign" monitoring program, including aerial distance sampling surveys coordinated across multiple NPS units and partner networks. The Central Alaska Network (CAKN) is also noted as involved.
What species is the focus of the monitoring work?
The work focuses on Dall's sheep population monitoring.
Where will the work take place (geographic scope)?
The geographic scope spans several Alaska national park areas where Dall's sheep occur and where aerial survey methods are used, including Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR), Western Arctic National Parklands (WEAR), Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA), Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL). CAKN involvement is also noted.
What kind of survey method is emphasized in the notice?
The notice emphasizes aerial distance sampling surveys and the need for consistent, repeatable spatial survey design and workflows.
What are the primary GIS deliverables mentioned?
A major deliverable is GIS production for the 2017 distance sampling surveys. This includes creating contour-based transects and building and certifying geodatabases to support consistent aerial survey coverage across parks and years.
What types of digital survey tools will be prepared for aircraft use?
The scope includes preparing and deploying digital survey tools used in aircraft, including background maps and standardized data-collection forms loaded onto iPads, field computers, and GPS units, and ensuring these tools align with program methods and data standards.
What does the notice say about data quality control?
The project places strong emphasis on quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). This includes processing and validating geodatabase content, GPS tracks, and linked imagery so datasets are ready for statistical analysis.
Will the partner participate in field operations?
Yes. The notice states WCS staff may serve as an observer on a survey aircraft and may act as an in-field data manager during one or more surveys to support real-time data handling and troubleshooting.
Does the scope include logistical support for field operations?
Yes. The agreement anticipates assistance with survey logistics, including contributions to aviation safety planning, helping with field camp setup and demobilization, and supporting day-to-day camp management.
Will the project contribute to reporting, publications, or outreach?
Yes. WCS will help with interpretation and communication of results by assisting with reports and papers for the Dall's sheep program and by developing or supporting outreach materials that communicate findings from the 2017 data to broader audiences.
Will project protocols or SOPs be updated?
Yes. The scope includes revising protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as needed, especially when software or hardware changes affect field workflows (such as iPad-based forms, GPS workflows, or photo-to-GPS linking).
Who within NPS will the partner work with on the technical side?
The notice describes WCS working directly with NPS subject-matter experts such as the Sheep Vital Sign principal investigator, the ARCN/CAKN data manager, the ARCN/CAKN biometrician, the regional GIS specialist, and park biologists.
What contributions will NPS provide under this cooperative agreement?
NPS contributions are described as scientific and logistical. NPS will provide a scientist to supply technical expertise as needed and will support field operations by helping with logistics and providing access to NPS housing (bunkhouses), workspace, and computing resources where available.
What are the anticipated agreement dates listed in the notice?
The notice lists anticipated agreement dates of 8/15/2016 to 10/31/2018.
When is the initial work anticipated to begin?
The notice indicates an anticipated period of performance for initial work beginning 8/15/2016, and it also includes references that emphasize 2016 field-season timing in parts of the document.
Who is the NPS point of contact for this notice?
The NPS point of contact is Eric J. Wald with the Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program.
What is the overall intent of publishing this notice if it is not open for applications?
The notice functions as a public-facing summary of NPS's plan to fund a specific partner for a defined scope of work. It explains the purpose, scope, administrative details, and the justification for using a non-competitive CESU task agreement rather than running a competed grant process.
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