Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00441
Apply for P16AS00441
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Phased Collection of Accuracy Assessment Field Data in Support of Vegetation Mapping at Amistad National Recreation Area" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 03, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to enter agreement with University of Texas without additional competition. No applications will be accepted.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $220,301.00 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 grant opportunity titled "Phased Collection of Accuracy Assessment Field Data in Support of Vegetation Mapping at Amistad National Recreation Area" is a National Park Service (NPS) effort to support the development and verification of a detailed vegetation map for Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS) in Texas. Vegetation mapping is described as a core inventory activity used to document what plant communities exist across a park, where they occur, and how extensive they are. It is also framed as one of the 12 baseline natural resource inventories that the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program aims to complete across the national park system. In this case, the Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network (CHDN) is coordinating vegetation mapping work for parks in Texas, and this specific project focuses on the "accuracy assessment" portion of the mapping process, meaning the on-the-ground checks that test how well the draft vegetation map and its classification types match real conditions in the field.
The opportunity emphasizes that vegetation mapping is not a single task but a multi-step, multi-year workflow that requires coordination among multiple specialized groups. NPS serves as the overall project manager, organizing the work of a field ecology team, a vegetation classification team, and a mapping/GIS team. The field ecology team collects vegetation plot data using standardized protocols established by the National Vegetation Mapping Program (NVMP). Those field data then feed into the classification team, which develops the vegetation classification system for the park, writes descriptions for the vegetation types, and prepares a field key that helps distinguish those types consistently. After the classification and preliminary map types are developed, they are tested through a formal accuracy assessment phase (identified as Step 11 in the NPS vegetation mapping process guidance), where field crews revisit targeted locations to evaluate whether the mapped vegetation type aligns with what is actually present on the ground. Throughout the process, the NPS mapping team provides GIS support and ultimately produces the final digital vegetation map and an accompanying report suitable for publication and long-term management use.
A central feature of this opportunity is that the University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (UT-LBJWC) is designated to conduct the fieldwork for the accuracy assessment. The project is structured as phased work spread across two years of field activity with additional time for data management and reporting. Phase 1, scheduled for 2016, focuses on planning and preparation, including the use of existing legacy data, GIS layers, and the generation of accuracy assessment target points that guide where field sampling should occur. Phase 2, spanning 2016 to 2017, is the main field collection period, during which UT-LBJWC field crews collect accuracy assessment data across AMIS following the established protocols. Phase 3, planned for 2017 and 2018, shifts from fieldwork to data handling and deliverables, including entering the collected information into the NPS PLOTS database (the servicewide repository for vegetation plot data) and producing a final project report that documents methods and results.
From the funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, and it falls under the natural resources activity category (CFDA 15.945). Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which aligns with the named partner institution. The notice explicitly states that it is a "notice of intent" to enter into an agreement with the University of Texas without additional competition and that no applications will be accepted, meaning the award is effectively pre-selected rather than open for competitive proposals. The opportunity lists an expected single award, with an award ceiling of $220,301, and it was created on August 3, 2016 under funding opportunity number P16AS00441. Overall, the project is best understood as targeted funding to complete the field-based validation needed to ensure the final vegetation map for Amistad National Recreation Area is accurate, defensible, and usable for park management, monitoring, and planning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Phased Collection of Accuracy Assessment Field Data in Support of Vegetation Mapping at Amistad National Recreation Area."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The purpose is to support the development and verification of a detailed vegetation map for Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS) in Texas, with a specific focus on collecting on-the-ground field data used to test and confirm the accuracy of the draft vegetation map.
What does "vegetation mapping" mean in this context?
Vegetation mapping is described as a core inventory activity used to document what plant communities exist across a park, where they occur, and how extensive they are.
How does this project fit into broader NPS inventory efforts?
Vegetation mapping is framed as one of the 12 baseline natural resource inventories that the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program aims to complete across the national park system.
Which park is the focus of the work?
The work focuses on Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS) in Texas.
Which NPS network is coordinating the vegetation mapping work for this region?
The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network (CHDN) is coordinating vegetation mapping work for parks in Texas, including this project at AMIS.
What part of the vegetation mapping workflow does this funding support?
This project focuses on the "accuracy assessment" portion of the mapping process, meaning field-based checks that evaluate how well the draft vegetation map and its classification types match real conditions on the ground.
What is meant by "accuracy assessment" for a vegetation map?
Accuracy assessment refers to a formal phase where field crews revisit targeted locations to evaluate whether the vegetation type shown on the map matches what is actually present on the ground.
Where does accuracy assessment fall within the NPS vegetation mapping process?
The notice identifies accuracy assessment as Step 11 in the NPS vegetation mapping process guidance.
Is vegetation mapping described as a one-time task?
No. The opportunity emphasizes that vegetation mapping is a multi-step, multi-year workflow that requires coordination among multiple specialized groups.
What roles does the National Park Service play in the overall mapping project?
NPS serves as the overall project manager, organizing the work of a field ecology team, a vegetation classification team, and a mapping/GIS team. NPS also provides GIS support and ultimately produces the final digital vegetation map and an accompanying report.
What does the field ecology team do?
The field ecology team collects vegetation plot data using standardized protocols established by the National Vegetation Mapping Program (NVMP).
What does the vegetation classification team do?
The classification team develops the vegetation classification system for the park, writes descriptions for the vegetation types, and prepares a field key to help distinguish vegetation types consistently.
What does the mapping/GIS team do?
The mapping/GIS team provides GIS support throughout the process and produces the final digital vegetation map and a publication-suitable report for long-term management use.
Which organization is designated to conduct the accuracy assessment fieldwork?
The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (UT-LBJWC) is designated to conduct the accuracy assessment fieldwork.
How is the project structured over time?
The work is structured as phased work spread across two years of field activity, with additional time for data management and reporting.
What happens in Phase 1?
Phase 1 (scheduled for 2016) focuses on planning and preparation, including use of existing legacy data and GIS layers and generating accuracy assessment target points that guide where field sampling should occur.
What happens in Phase 2?
Phase 2 (spanning 2016 to 2017) is the main field collection period, during which UT-LBJWC field crews collect accuracy assessment data across AMIS following established protocols.
What happens in Phase 3?
Phase 3 (planned for 2017 and 2018) shifts from fieldwork to data handling and deliverables, including entering collected information into the NPS PLOTS database and producing a final project report documenting methods and results.
What is the NPS PLOTS database?
PLOTS is described as the servicewide repository for vegetation plot data, and this project includes entering the collected accuracy assessment information into that database.
What are "accuracy assessment target points"?
They are GIS-generated locations used to guide where field sampling should occur during the accuracy assessment effort.
What protocols are used for field data collection?
Field crews collect vegetation plot data using standardized protocols established by the National Vegetation Mapping Program (NVMP), as referenced in the opportunity.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity?
No. The notice explicitly states it is a "notice of intent" to enter into an agreement with the University of Texas without additional competition, and that no applications will be accepted.
Will applications be accepted for this opportunity?
No applications will be accepted, as stated in the notice.
Who is eligible for this opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
How many awards does the opportunity expect to make?
The opportunity lists an expected single award.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $220,301.
What is the CFDA number and activity category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.945 and falls under the natural resources activity category.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is P16AS00441.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on August 3, 2016.
What are the main deliverables described for the later project phase?
Deliverables include entry of collected field information into the NPS PLOTS database and a final project report that documents methods and results.
Why is the accuracy assessment important for park management?
The project is intended to ensure the final vegetation map for AMIS is accurate, defensible, and usable for park management, monitoring, and planning.
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