Monitoring and Evaluations | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Monitoring and Evaluations (USFWS LSRCP - Idaho)

1) What is the "Monitoring and Evaluations" grant opportunity?

This opportunity is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) discretionary cooperative agreement intended to support monitoring and evaluation work under the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) in Idaho through a formal partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG).

2) What is the main purpose of this cooperative agreement?

The central purpose is to coordinate and strengthen how USFWS LSRCP and IDFG work together to meet LSRCP goals in Idaho. It is designed to support shared services, staff, equipment, facilities, and funding so monitoring and evaluation can keep the program accountable and effective.

3) What outcomes is the funding meant to support?

The funding supports monitoring and evaluation activities that help demonstrate whether hatchery production and related mitigation actions are achieving intended results, including performance over time (such as survival and returns) and broader interactions with wild stocks and habitat.

4) What kinds of activities are included in the project focus?

The project focus covers three connected monitoring areas: (1) tracking fish production at LSRCP facilities in Idaho and documenting distribution from those facilities; (2) evaluating adult fish returning to Idaho that were produced at LSRCP facilities in prior years; and (3) monitoring wild or natural fish stocks and their habitats because natural populations and habitat conditions can affect whether mitigation objectives are met.

5) What does "tracking fish production" mean in this context?

It refers to monitoring fish production at LSRCP facilities located in Idaho and documenting how fish are distributed from those facilities, such as how many fish are produced, their condition, release strategies, and where and when releases occur.

6) What does the opportunity mean by "evaluation of adult fish returning to Idaho"?

It means evaluating adult fish that return to Idaho after being produced at LSRCP facilities in earlier years, which supports understanding survival, return rates, and the contribution of those fish to fisheries or spawning areas over time.

7) Why does the project include monitoring of wild or natural fish and habitat?

The opportunity explicitly extends monitoring beyond hatchery-origin fish to include wild or natural fish stocks and their habitats, emphasizing that natural populations and habitat conditions can directly affect whether LSRCP mitigation objectives are achieved.

8) How do the three monitoring areas fit together?

They are intended to provide a life-cycle and ecosystem-aware evaluation approach: production and release monitoring, adult return performance evaluation, and consideration of interactions with (or implications for) wild stocks and habitat.

9) What type of federal funding instrument is being used?

This is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which signals a formal partnership structure between USFWS and the recipient to carry out the monitoring and evaluation work.

10) What is the activity category for this award?

The opportunity was listed under the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity category, indicating an emphasis on applied research, data collection, and program performance evaluation.

11) How many awards were anticipated?

The notice anticipated a single award.

12) What is the total estimated funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount was $851,175.

13) What are the award ceiling and floor?

Both the award ceiling and award floor were listed as $851,175, indicating the funding amount was essentially fixed for the intended recipient and scope.

14) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was identified. The recipient was not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of the award.

15) Who was eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Eligibility was limited to state governments.

16) Was this a competitive opportunity?

The announcement functioned as a notice of intent to award specifically to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), indicating the funding was directed to a specific intended recipient rather than a broad competitive applicant pool.

17) Why was the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) the intended recipient?

The justification provided was that IDFG is uniquely qualified because it manages the LSRCP facilities within Idaho, making it the logical entity to carry out consistent monitoring, evaluation, and reporting tied to those facilities and the fish produced there.

18) Which program does this opportunity support?

This opportunity supports the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) work in Idaho.

19) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The program is associated with CFDA number 15.661 (Lower Snake River Compensation Plan).

20) What legal authorities are referenced for the underlying program?

The opportunity references major federal fish and water resource laws, including the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-587) and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-666). These authorities are described as linking to and directing USFWS LSRCP work with state and federal partners and tribes, including efforts to evaluate fish survival and harvest associated with releases in the lower Snake River system.

21) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted (and created) on December 7, 2011.

22) What was the closing date for the opportunity?

The original and current closing date was December 21, 2011.

23) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was January 20, 2012.

24) Who was the listed contact for administrative help or access to the full announcement?

The listed contact was Margaret Anderson, Cooperative Agreements Specialist.

25) What contact phone number was provided?

The phone number provided was 208-378-5299.