Installation and Development of Methods and Analyses for PIT Tag Antennas | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Installation and Development of Methods and Analyses for PIT Tag Antennas."

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation).

What conservation problem is this funding trying to address?

The funding targets a core recovery need in the Colorado River Basin: accurately detecting and counting endangered fish so managers can produce reliable population estimates. Those estimates are necessary for planning recovery actions and for determining whether species can eventually be considered recovered or delisted.

Which fish species are specifically referenced as endangered in the announcement?

The announcement references four endangered fishes historically supported by the basin: Colorado Pikeminnow, Razorback Sucker, Roundtail Chub, and Bonytail.

Why are PIT tags important to fish recovery work in the Colorado River Basin?

Since the 1990s, recovery programs in the basin have relied heavily on PIT tags (Passive Integrated Transponder tags) to uniquely mark individual fish. PIT-tag based data supports tracking movement, survival, and long-term population trends, and those population estimates directly influence major management decisions.

What is the main challenge with detecting PIT-tagged fish in large rivers?

Detecting PIT-tagged fish in large, complex river environments is described as difficult and expensive when researchers must physically recapture fish to scan tags. Large river width and varied habitats make it hard to apply traditional fixed passive antenna approaches across broad reaches.

What traditional monitoring methods are mentioned, and why are they considered problematic?

The announcement mentions electrofishing and trapping. These methods require substantial field crews and equipment and can unintentionally harm fish or change fish behavior, which can bias movement and survival data.

Why are fixed, passive antenna systems limited in large river settings?

Fixed systems generally work best where fish movement is predictable and can be funneled past a stationary antenna (for example, at structures or narrow channels). The announcement emphasizes that these conditions often do not exist across broad river reaches, and approaches that work in smaller tributaries and creeks do not translate well to larger river systems.

What kind of detection capability does the opportunity say is needed?

The need identified is for remote, unmanned detection systems that can record PIT tag detections without repeatedly handling fish, with the goals of lowering costs and reducing risk to endangered individuals.

How does this opportunity relate to prior work?

The work was positioned as a continuation and expansion of technology development already underway through a collaboration between Reclamation and Utah State University, including earlier work conducted under a Cooperative Agreement through the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).

What technology components were developed under the earlier CESU work?

Earlier work described in the announcement included multiple detection systems built around antenna modules and a master controller to operate antenna arrays. It also included flexible power options (solar and standard 110V AC), GPS hardware and related software for mobile deployments, and data recorders designed to log tag IDs along with detection date, time, and location.

Does the opportunity describe mobile PIT tag detection approaches?

Yes. A notable feature described is mobile capability, where some antenna configurations could be mounted to watercraft (such as rafts) and floated downstream to conduct moving surveys that detect tagged fish as they pass through or under the antenna array.

What activities was this funding intended to support?

Based on the description provided, the opportunity aimed to (1) install PIT tag antenna detection systems and (2) further develop methods and analyses to improve PIT tag detection effectiveness, especially in larger river contexts where existing passive approaches have been less effective.

What type of award mechanism is described?

The announcement describes the opportunity as a discretionary cooperative agreement.

What is the activity category listed for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as environment.

What CFDA program is this opportunity associated with?

It is tied to CFDA 15.529, identified as the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs.

How many awards did the agency anticipate making?

The agency anticipated making one award.

What was the total estimated funding amount and the award ceiling?

The estimated total funding amount was $2,384,938, and the award ceiling matched that same total amount.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed in the provided opportunity details.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posting date was July 31, 2015, and the application closing date was August 14, 2015.

Is the opportunity still active?

No. The opportunity was later archived on September 13, 2015.

Who was eligible to apply based on the announcement?

Eligible applicants included public and state controlled institutions of higher education. The announcement also noted a broader set of eligible entities such as federal, state, local, and tribal governments, public institutions and organizations, and private contractors.

What should an applicant do if they cannot access the full announcement?

The announcement indicated that a grants management specialist contact was provided for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement.

What kinds of data were the described recorders intended to capture?

The described data recorders were intended to log PIT tag IDs along with the detection date, time, and location.

What is the practical benefit of unmanned detection systems in this context?

As described, unmanned systems can reduce the need to repeatedly capture and handle fish, which can lower monitoring costs, reduce risk to endangered fish, and potentially reduce bias introduced by capture-based methods.