National Park Service Spatial Analysis of the Influence of Fire Severity on Forest Structure on the North Rim of Grand Canyon NP using LiDAR and CBI corrected MTBS data | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this National Park Service funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Spatial Analysis of the Influence of Fire Severity on Forest Structure on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park using LiDAR and CBI corrected MTBS data."

What is the main purpose of this project?

The purpose is to conduct a focused natural resource research project that maps and quantifies how different levels of wildfire severity relate to changes in forest structure across the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

What type of work is being funded?

The work is framed as spatial analysis, specifically analyzing and mapping relationships between wildfire severity and forest structure indicators using remote sensing and field-corrected burn severity data.

Which park area does the research focus on?

The research focuses on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

What data sources are central to the analysis?

The project calls for combining LiDAR data (to measure three-dimensional vegetation and terrain structure) with burn severity information derived from MTBS (Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity) that has been corrected or refined using CBI (Composite Burn Index) field-based observations.

How will LiDAR be used in this project?

LiDAR will be used to capture forest structure characteristics in three dimensions, supporting measurement and mapping of attributes such as canopy height, canopy cover, vertical complexity, and other structural indicators that LiDAR can detect.

What is MTBS in the context of this opportunity?

MTBS refers to Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, which provides burn severity information used to represent wildfire effects across landscapes.

What does "CBI-corrected MTBS" mean here?

It means MTBS burn severity information is corrected or refined using CBI (Composite Burn Index) field-based observations, which are used to improve or validate burn severity mapping.

Is this an open, competitive grant opportunity?

No. This notice is not an open competition. It is explicitly described as a notice of intent for a single-source award and is not a request for applications.

Who is the intended recipient of the award?

The announcement identifies the University of Montana as the recipient.

What funding instrument will be used?

The instrument type is a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project. In this context, that may include coordination on study design, data standards, deliverables, and/or interpretation for management use.

What is the administrative mechanism for issuing this award?

The award will be issued as a task agreement under the National Park Service Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).

What is the CESU mentioned in the notice?

The CESU (Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit) is described as a partnership mechanism used by federal agencies to collaborate with universities and other partners on research, technical assistance, and education projects.

Why is the award noncompetitive?

The announcement states the award is noncompetitive in accordance with Department of the Interior policy cited as 505 Departmental Manual 2.12C, which is provided as the authority for making a single-source award when appropriate conditions are met.

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized as discretionary funding, with the activity category listed as Natural Resources.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.945, which covers cooperative research and training programs related to resources of the National Park System.

What is the total estimated funding amount?

The total estimated funding amount is 59,292.

How many awards does the agency expect to make?

The expected number of awards is one.

Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

No. The notice states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Why are the award ceiling and award floor both listed as zero?

The notice indicates the award ceiling and floor are both listed as zero, which is described as a pattern sometimes seen in notices of intent or in entries where exact agreement terms are handled in the task agreement rather than expressed as a competed range in the public listing.

What are the key dates listed for this notice?

The posted and creation date is May 4, 2015. The original and current closing date is May 8, 2015. The archive date is June 7, 2015.

Why is the posting window so short?

The short posting window aligns with the fact that the notice is not competed and instead documents an intended single-source funding action rather than inviting proposals from multiple applicants.

Who can apply for this opportunity?

Eligibility is effectively restricted. The announcement states it is not a request for applications and identifies the recipient as the University of Montana.

Who should be contacted for access issues or questions about the full announcement?

The listed contact is Kelly Adams, Grants Management Specialist, at 303 969 2303.

What is the overall summary of what this notice represents?

This is public documentation of the government's intent to fund a single, noncompetitive cooperative research project through the NPS Desert Southwest CESU, supporting analysis of how fire severity patterns influence forest structure on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park using LiDAR and CBI-corrected MTBS data, with estimated funding of 59,292 and no matching requirement.