Opportunity Information: Apply for P13AS00119
Apply for P13AS00119
- The National Park Service in the education environment science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Inventory of Unique Plant Communities SCNP in advance of Cliamte Change" 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 9, 2013 and posted on Jul 9, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $40,771.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $40,771.00 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The opportunity titled "Inventory of Unique Plant Communities in SCPN Parks in Advance of Climate Change (Phase 1)" is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award, meaning it is not an open call for proposals and is not asking the public to apply. Instead, it serves as a formal public notice that NPS plans to make a single award without full and open competition. The project sits within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) vegetation inventory and monitoring program and is aimed at building a baseline understanding of rare, small-patch, and species-rich plant communities found in SCPN park units. The central idea is to document what these unique communities look like now, so managers and scientists have solid reference data to detect, interpret, and respond to climate-driven ecological changes later.
The planned recipient is Northern Arizona University (NAU), with Dr. Matt Bowker listed as the principal investigator/program manager. The anticipated federal award amount is $40,771, with no cost share or matching requirement. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement (rather than a standard grant) under an existing cooperative agreement vehicle (task agreement under Cooperative Agreement H2370094001), reflecting that NPS expects to be substantially involved in planning, implementation, and deliverables. The period of performance runs from the date of award through December 31, 2014. The program is listed under CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System, and the statutory authorities cited include 16 USC 1a-2j and 16 USC 5933, which support cooperative research partnerships between NPS and universities.
From a technical and management perspective, the project responds to well-documented concerns that climate change is already reshaping ecosystems and is expected to hit the arid and semi-arid Southwest especially hard, with projections of hotter and drier conditions on the Colorado Plateau. The announcement emphasizes that small, fragmented plant communities often contain high biodiversity and endemism but may have limited capacity to shift location or recover as conditions change. Because these communities can respond quickly to stressors like warming, drought, and altered fire regimes, they can also function as early warning indicators for broader landscape changes. The need for baseline data is described as urgent given regional signals already observed in the area, including pinyon pine die-offs and increases in wildfire size, severity, and frequency. By creating a more complete and standardized inventory of these unique assemblages, the project is intended to support park decision-making, improve the scientific understanding of current conditions, and strengthen climate adaptation planning consistent with broader Department of the Interior strategies such as landscape-scale conservation approaches.
NPS is expected to play an active role throughout the work. SCPN staff will help identify which unique communities should be included based on existing vegetation maps, prior reports, and input from park resource staff. An SCPN GIS specialist will assist with the spatial sampling design, and SCPN will review preliminary analyses and interim products, help adjust sampling designs as needed, and support locating field sites for assessments and monitoring. NPS will also collaborate on standard database formats for documenting results, and will review and approve the final datasets and metadata as well as the draft and final reports. This level of hands-on coordination is one of the defining features of a cooperative agreement, where agency staff are partners in producing usable management products rather than passive funders.
The reason the award is being made without competition is explicitly tied to federal single-source policy requirements (DOI 505 DM 2). NPS cites two justifications: continuation and unique qualifications. In practical terms, NAU and the named team are presented as having specialized expertise on Colorado Plateau ecology, including prior research on ecological thresholds in related plant communities. The supporting staff also bring direct experience with SCPN vegetation field crews and established regional protocols, and the work is positioned as a core component of a masters-level research effort. NPS argues that competing the work could disrupt continuity and that NAU is uniquely suited to deliver the project efficiently and consistently with existing SCPN methods and knowledge.
Key administrative details included in the posting reinforce that it is a discretionary opportunity with a single expected award and an award ceiling equal to the total estimated funding ($40,771). Eligible applicant types are listed broadly (public and state-controlled institutions of higher education), but because the announcement is a notice of intent to award rather than a solicitation, eligibility does not translate into a chance to compete for this specific funding round. The posting date is July 9, 2013, with an original/current closing date of July 22, 2013, which in this context functions more like the public notice window than a deadline for submitting applications. The NPS point of contact is June Zastrow (JuneZastrow@nps.gov, 303-987-6718), and the notice references grants.gov for the listing and access to the announcement record.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is this an open grant opportunity that the public can apply for?
No. This posting is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award, not a solicitation. It serves as a public notice that NPS plans to make a single award without full and open competition, rather than inviting applications.
What is the official title of the opportunity?
Inventory of Unique Plant Communities in SCPN Parks in Advance of Climate Change (Phase 1).
What agency is issuing the notice?
The National Park Service (NPS).
What does "notice of intent to award" mean in this context?
It means NPS is formally announcing its plan to make a single award (a single-source award) and is not requesting proposals from multiple applicants. The listing functions as a transparency and public notice mechanism rather than a competitive funding opportunity.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
Northern Arizona University (NAU) is the planned recipient.
Who is the principal investigator or program manager listed for the recipient?
Dr. Matt Bowker is listed as the principal investigator/program manager.
How much funding is anticipated?
The anticipated federal award amount is $40,771.
Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
No. The notice states there is no cost share or matching requirement.
What type of award instrument is planned (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The award is planned as a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant.
Why is it structured as a cooperative agreement?
The notice indicates NPS expects to be substantially involved in planning, implementation, and deliverables. That kind of hands-on federal participation is a defining feature of a cooperative agreement.
Is this tied to an existing agreement?
Yes. The award is described as a task agreement under Cooperative Agreement H2370094001.
What is the period of performance?
From the date of award through December 31, 2014.
Which program or CFDA is associated with this notice?
CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System.
What statutory authorities are cited?
The notice cites 16 USC 1a-2j and 16 USC 5933 as authorities supporting cooperative research partnerships between NPS and universities.
What is the project about, in plain terms?
The project is designed to build baseline, standardized documentation of rare, small-patch, and species-rich plant communities in Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) park units. The goal is to capture what these unique communities look like now so future climate-driven ecological changes can be detected and interpreted using solid reference data.
Which parks or geography does the project focus on?
The work sits within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) vegetation inventory and monitoring program and focuses on SCPN park units.
Why is this work considered urgent or timely?
The notice emphasizes that climate change is already reshaping ecosystems and is expected to strongly affect the arid and semi-arid Southwest, with projections of hotter and drier conditions on the Colorado Plateau. It also notes regional warning signals such as pinyon pine die-offs and increased wildfire size, severity, and frequency.
Why focus on small, fragmented, or rare plant communities?
According to the notice, these communities often contain high biodiversity and endemism but may have limited capacity to shift location or recover as conditions change. Because they can respond quickly to stressors like warming, drought, and altered fire regimes, they may also function as early warning indicators for broader landscape changes.
What are the intended outcomes or uses of the inventory?
The inventory is intended to support park decision-making, improve scientific understanding of current conditions, and strengthen climate adaptation planning. The notice also frames the work as consistent with broader Department of the Interior strategies, including landscape-scale conservation approaches.
How involved will NPS be in the project?
NPS is expected to be actively involved throughout. SCPN staff will help identify which unique communities to include, an SCPN GIS specialist will assist with spatial sampling design, SCPN will review preliminary analyses and interim products and help adjust sampling designs, and NPS will support locating field sites. NPS will also collaborate on standard database formats and will review and approve final datasets, metadata, and draft/final reports.
How will study sites or target communities be selected?
The notice states SCPN staff will help identify unique communities using existing vegetation maps, prior reports, and input from park resource staff, with additional support from an SCPN GIS specialist for the spatial sampling design.
What kinds of deliverables are mentioned?
The notice references interim products and preliminary analyses, standardized database formats, and NPS review/approval of final datasets and metadata, along with draft and final reports.
Why is the award being made without competition?
The notice cites federal single-source policy requirements (DOI 505 DM 2) and gives two justifications: continuation and unique qualifications.
What does "continuation" mean as a justification here?
In practical terms (as described in the notice), competing the work could disrupt continuity with existing SCPN methods, knowledge, and ongoing vegetation inventory and monitoring efforts.
What does "unique qualifications" mean as a justification here?
The notice describes NAU and the named team as having specialized expertise in Colorado Plateau ecology, including prior research on ecological thresholds in related plant communities. It also notes supporting staff experience with SCPN vegetation field crews and established regional protocols, and positions the work as a core component of a masters-level research effort.
Does the listing include an award ceiling?
Yes. The award ceiling is described as equal to the total estimated funding, $40,771.
Who is listed as eligible to apply?
Eligible applicant types are listed broadly, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. However, because this is a notice of intent to award rather than a solicitation, eligibility does not translate into an opportunity to compete for this specific award.
What are the posting and closing dates, and what do they mean here?
The posting date is July 9, 2013, and the original/current closing date is July 22, 2013. In this context, the dates function as the public notice window rather than a deadline for submitting applications, since the notice is not requesting proposals.
Where can the announcement record be found?
The notice references grants.gov for the listing and access to the announcement record.
Who is the NPS point of contact for this notice?
June Zastrow is listed as the point of contact. Email: JuneZastrow@nps.gov. Phone: 303-987-6718.
What network program does this project sit within?
It sits within the Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) vegetation inventory and monitoring program.
What is the main management/science rationale behind Phase 1?
Phase 1 is framed as establishing baseline reference conditions for unique plant communities so managers and scientists can better detect, interpret, and respond to climate-driven ecological changes over time.
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