Opportunity Information: Apply for P14AC00837
Apply for P14AC00837
- The National Park Service in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Investigation of source/cause of subsurface voids at Mt. Baldy, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to Mitigate visitor Safety Not a request for proposals NOI" 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 Jun 11, 2014 and posted on Jun 11, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 18, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $185,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $185,000.00 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P14AC00837) is a National Park Service notice of intent (NOI) for a cooperative agreement focused on a specific and urgent visitor-safety issue at Mt. Baldy in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It is explicitly labeled as not a request for proposals, meaning the announcement is not a broad open competition in the usual sense, but rather a notice that the agency intends to make an award under a defined purpose and structure. The core aim is to investigate an unusual and undocumented "hole" phenomenon involving subsurface voids at Mt. Baldy, determine the likely source and cause of these voids, and produce information that the park can use to make practical decisions about visitor access, safety measures, and public education regarding both known and unknown hazards in the dune environment.
The project sits within the Environment and Natural Resources category and is tied to CFDA 15.945, which covers cooperative research and training programs related to resources of the National Park System. The emphasis is on applied scientific investigation that directly supports park management. In practical terms, the work would be expected to help the National Park Service understand where voids are forming, why they are forming, whether they can be predicted or detected, and what that means for public use of the site. The results are intended to inform real-world steps such as hazard identification, risk communication to visitors, potential closures or reroutes, and the development of interpretive or educational materials that explain the risks without overstating certainty where uncertainties remain.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project. Compared with a standard grant, this arrangement typically implies closer collaboration with park staff on research design, field logistics, data sharing, and how findings are translated into management actions. The announcement anticipates a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1), with an estimated total funding amount of $185,000. The stated award ceiling is also $185,000, while the award floor is $89,677, indicating the project budget was expected to fall within that range depending on scope and final agreement. No cost sharing or matching is required, which reduces barriers to participation and signals that the agency intended to fully fund the agreed-upon work within the award amount.
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, pointing to an expectation that a university-based research team with relevant expertise (for example, geology, geomorphology, hydrology, geotechnical engineering, or related environmental sciences) would carry out the investigation. Timing details show the opportunity was posted and created on June 11, 2014, with an original and current closing date of June 18, 2014, and an archive date of July 18, 2014. The very short window between posting and closing is consistent with an NOI-style action and a targeted award approach rather than an extended, open-ended competition.
The announcement’s management-driven purpose is straightforward: the National Park Service needed credible scientific insight into a potentially dangerous subsurface condition in a heavily visited landscape feature, and that insight was needed in a form that could guide immediate and longer-term park decisions. The deliverable implied by the description is not just academic understanding, but actionable knowledge that supports visitor safety planning and clearer public communication about hazards that may not be visible from the surface. The listed contact for access issues is the Grants Management Officer, Katie Schroeder, with a provided phone number (402-661-1640) and reference to a work email, and additional details were available through the Grants.gov listing linked in the announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Funding Opportunity Number P14AC00837?
P14AC00837 is a National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity described as a notice of intent (NOI) to make a cooperative agreement award. It focuses on an urgent visitor-safety issue at Mt. Baldy in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Is this announcement a Request for Proposals (RFP) or an open competitive solicitation?
No. The notice is explicitly labeled as not a request for proposals. It is an NOI that signals NPS intent to make an award under a defined purpose and structure, rather than running a typical broad, open competition.
What problem is the project trying to address?
The project is intended to investigate an unusual and undocumented "hole" phenomenon involving subsurface voids at Mt. Baldy. The goal is to understand what is happening beneath the surface and how it affects visitor safety.
What are the main objectives of the work described in the notice?
Based on the notice description, the main objectives are to:
- Investigate subsurface voids associated with the "hole" phenomenon at Mt. Baldy.
- Determine the likely source and cause of the voids.
- Produce information that can be used by the park to make practical decisions about visitor access, safety measures, and public education regarding known and unknown hazards in the dune environment.
What kinds of decisions are the results expected to support?
The results are intended to inform real-world park management actions related to visitor safety, including hazard identification, risk communication to visitors, potential closures or reroutes, and interpretive or educational materials that explain risks while acknowledging uncertainties.
What type of funding instrument will be used?
The notice anticipates a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award will be a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement generally indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project. In the context described, this implies closer collaboration with NPS staff on research design, field logistics, data sharing, and translating findings into management actions, compared with a standard grant.
What is the estimated total funding amount for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount is $185,000.
What are the award ceiling and award floor?
The stated award ceiling is $185,000 and the award floor is $89,677, indicating the project budget was expected to fall within that range depending on scope and the final agreement.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The announcement anticipates a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states that no cost sharing or matching is required.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
What types of expertise does the notice suggest are relevant?
While the notice does not list required disciplines, it indicates an expectation of a university-based research team with relevant expertise, such as geology, geomorphology, hydrology, geotechnical engineering, or related environmental sciences.
What is the program/category context for this opportunity?
The project is within the Environment and Natural Resources category and is tied to CFDA 15.945, which covers cooperative research and training programs related to resources of the National Park System.
Where will the project work be focused?
The work is focused on Mt. Baldy in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, addressing a visitor-safety concern at that specific site.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted and created on June 11, 2014. The original and current closing date is June 18, 2014.
Why is the application window so short?
The notice describes an NOI-style, targeted award approach addressing a specific and urgent issue. The short window between posting and closing is consistent with that type of announcement rather than an extended open solicitation.
What is the archive date listed for this opportunity?
The archive date is July 18, 2014.
What types of deliverables are implied by the description?
The description implies deliverables that go beyond academic findings and provide actionable knowledge for park decision-making, including information that supports practical visitor safety planning and clearer public communication about hazards that may not be visible from the surface.
Who is the listed contact person for access issues, and how can they be reached?
The listed contact for access issues is Grants Management Officer Katie Schroeder. A phone number is provided as 402-661-1640, and the notice references a work email.
Where were additional details made available according to the notice?
Additional details were available through the Grants.gov listing linked in the announcement.
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