Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS01013
Apply for P15AS01013
- The National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali" 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 27, 2015 and posted on Jun 27, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 11, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $25,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This is a notice of intent to award to the University of Washington. Please see the attachment for further details.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity titled "Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali" (Funding Announcement Number P15AS01013) is a notice of intent to award, not a competitive call for proposals. In other words, the agency is publicly stating that it plans to make a single award without full and open competition. The intended recipient is the University of Washington, led by Principal Investigator Laura Prugh, Ph.D., through the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement under statutory authority 54 USC 101702(b) and falls under CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System). The anticipated initial award amount is $24,999 with no cost share requirement, and it is described as a continuation project with an expected period of performance from September 1, 2015 through July 31, 2019. The posting date was June 27, 2015, with an original closing date of July 11, 2015, and an archive date of August 10, 2015.
The project itself focuses on understanding the distribution, abundance, and habitat partitioning of forest carnivores in and around Denali National Park and Preserve, with particular emphasis on winter field methods suited to remote subarctic conditions. The core field approach relies on winter track surveys along established routes, where researchers will document carnivore tracks in snow to infer presence and patterns of use across the landscape. To strengthen abundance estimates for coyotes and foxes, the study will also use fecal DNA methods by collecting scats along those track survey routes and analyzing genetic material to derive population-related metrics. Because carnivore population dynamics are tightly linked to prey availability, the project also incorporates ongoing prey monitoring, including hare pellet counts and vole abundance measurements on established plots. In addition, the project includes direct study of coyote ecology through radio-collaring, allowing researchers to evaluate movement patterns and survival rates over time.
A major purpose of the cooperative agreement is to provide substantial support for a graduate student leading a Ph.D. program of study, with completion anticipated by July 31, 2019. Funding in the initial year is intended to cover graduate student support, a technician salary, and field supplies. The announcement also notes that additional financial support is expected to come from other sources such as the National Science Foundation and other grants, and that in years 2 through 4, NPS may provide up to $25,000 per year depending on funding availability. The project is categorized under an education-oriented activity because it is explicitly built around training and supporting graduate research while producing applied wildlife science outputs useful to park management.
The management plan emphasizes close collaboration between the University of Washington and NPS staff at Denali across planning, field execution, analysis, and publication. The University of Washington is expected to lead the academic and research direction of the graduate program, manage and administer direct project costs, and recruit and supervise a graduate student and a primary field technician. The university also commits to public outreach by delivering at least one interpretive program per year within Denali National Park and Preserve, helping translate the research into information accessible to visitors and the broader public. On the NPS side, substantial involvement is described as essential, which is typical for a cooperative agreement where the federal partner actively participates rather than simply issuing funds. Denali staff, particularly the park's Biological Resources Program Manager, will serve on the student's advisory committee and will help shape objectives, methods, field planning, and interpretation of results.
NPS contributions are also logistical and operational, reflecting the difficulty of winter research in Denali's backcountry and wilderness settings. The park will provide housing for winter fieldwork, logistical support such as snowmachines and/or dog teams, and safety and operational equipment like GPS units, radios, emergency locator beacons, and sampling tools. NPS will also help recruit, train, and support a winter field technician, who may be a paid staff member or a participant in the Volunteers in the Parks program. Importantly, the project will incorporate wolf population size, distribution, and movement data from ongoing NPS telemetry studies, and the announcement highlights that access to this kind of detailed wolf dataset is a major reason the work is feasible in Denali in a way that is not possible in most other parts of Alaska. Because much of the research takes place inside Denali's designated Wilderness Area, the plan underscores the need for tight coordination to ensure compliance with wilderness management requirements and other applicable regulations.
The notice also explains why the award is being made as a single-source action rather than through competition, citing two main justifications: continuation and unique qualifications. First, it is a continuation of work that began under a prior cooperative agreement involving the principal investigator (previously under the University of Alaska Fairbanks), and the agency argues that competing the work could disrupt continuity and undermine the long-term dataset and established protocols. Second, the NPS states that the principal investigator brings specialized expertise in studying medium-sized carnivores in Alaska and has developed and published innovative methods for estimating carnivore abundance, distribution, and diet in remote subarctic environments, much of it in the Denali region. The University of Washington is also described as having unique capabilities in genetic analysis that are central to the fecal DNA component. The project further benefits from building directly on a recently completed graduate study, reusing protocols and field sites so that prior years of data can be integrated into stronger analyses. The announcement frames local familiarity and experience with Denali-specific logistical and regulatory constraints as critical to success, reinforcing the argument that the proposed team is uniquely positioned to carry the work forward.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali (NPS)
1) What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali".
2) What is the Funding Announcement Number?
The Funding Announcement Number is P15AS01013.
3) Is this a competitive grant opportunity?
No. This announcement is a notice of intent to award, meaning the National Park Service (NPS) is stating its plan to make a single award without full and open competition. It is not a competitive call for proposals.
4) Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the University of Washington, led by Principal Investigator Laura Prugh, Ph.D., through the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
5) What type of award will be used?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically involves substantial federal participation in planning and execution rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
6) What is the statutory authority for this cooperative agreement?
The statutory authority cited is 54 USC 101702(b).
7) What is the CFDA program associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity falls under CFDA 15.945: Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System.
8) What is the anticipated initial award amount?
The anticipated initial award amount is $24,999.
9) Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
No. The announcement states there is no cost share requirement.
10) Is this a new project or a continuation?
This is described as a continuation project that builds on prior work and existing datasets and protocols.
11) What is the expected period of performance?
The expected period of performance is from September 1, 2015 through July 31, 2019.
12) When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
- Posting date: June 27, 2015
- Original closing date: July 11, 2015
- Archive date: August 10, 2015
13) What is the main scientific focus of the project?
The project focuses on understanding the distribution, abundance, and habitat partitioning of forest carnivores in and around Denali National Park and Preserve, with special emphasis on winter field methods suitable for remote subarctic conditions.
14) What field method is central to the study design?
The core field approach relies on winter track surveys along established routes, where researchers document carnivore tracks in snow to infer presence and patterns of landscape use.
15) How will the project strengthen abundance estimates for coyotes and foxes?
The study will use fecal DNA methods by collecting scats along track survey routes and analyzing genetic material to derive population-related metrics for coyotes and foxes.
16) Does the project include prey monitoring? If so, what kinds?
Yes. Because carnivore population dynamics are closely linked to prey availability, the project includes ongoing prey monitoring, including:
- Hare pellet counts
- Vole abundance measurements on established plots
17) Will the project conduct direct research on coyotes?
Yes. The project includes direct study of coyote ecology through radio-collaring to evaluate movement patterns and survival rates over time.
18) What is a major purpose of the cooperative agreement besides research?
A major purpose is to provide substantial support for a graduate student leading a Ph.D. program of study, with completion anticipated by July 31, 2019. The project is categorized as an education-oriented activity because it is explicitly built around training and supporting graduate research while producing useful applied wildlife science for park management.
19) What is the initial year funding intended to cover?
Initial year funding is intended to cover:
- Graduate student support
- A technician salary
- Field supplies
20) Will there be additional funding beyond the initial award?
The announcement notes that in years 2 through 4, NPS may provide up to $25,000 per year depending on funding availability. It also anticipates that additional financial support is expected from other sources such as the National Science Foundation and other grants.
21) How will the National Park Service (NPS) be involved in the project?
NPS involvement is described as substantial and essential, consistent with a cooperative agreement. Denali staff will collaborate on planning, field execution, analysis, and publication. The park's Biological Resources Program Manager will serve on the graduate student's advisory committee and help shape objectives, methods, field planning, and interpretation of results.
22) What are the University of Washington's responsibilities under the plan?
The University of Washington is expected to:
- Lead the academic and research direction of the graduate program
- Manage and administer direct project costs
- Recruit and supervise a graduate student and a primary field technician
- Provide public outreach, including at least one interpretive program per year within Denali National Park and Preserve
23) What logistical and operational support will NPS provide?
NPS will provide logistical and operational support for winter research in Denali's backcountry and wilderness settings, including:
- Housing for winter fieldwork
- Logistical support such as snowmachines and/or dog teams
- Safety and operational equipment including GPS units, radios, emergency locator beacons, and sampling tools
- Help recruiting, training, and supporting a winter field technician (either paid staff or through the Volunteers in the Parks program)
24) Will the project use existing NPS wildlife datasets?
Yes. The project will incorporate wolf population size, distribution, and movement data from ongoing NPS telemetry studies. The announcement highlights that access to this detailed wolf dataset is a major reason the work is feasible in Denali.
25) Does the project involve work in designated Wilderness areas?
Yes. Much of the research takes place inside Denali's designated Wilderness Area, and the plan emphasizes tight coordination to ensure compliance with wilderness management requirements and other applicable regulations.
26) Why is NPS making a single-source (non-competitive) award?
The notice gives two primary reasons:
- Continuation: The work continues a prior cooperative agreement involving the principal investigator, and competing the work could disrupt continuity and weaken the long-term dataset and established protocols.
- Unique qualifications: The principal investigator is described as having specialized expertise in medium-sized carnivores in Alaska and has developed and published innovative methods suited to remote subarctic environments, including the Denali region. The University of Washington is also described as having unique genetic analysis capabilities central to the fecal DNA work.
27) How does the project build on prior studies?
The announcement indicates the project builds directly on a recently completed graduate study by reusing protocols and field sites so that prior years of data can be integrated into stronger analyses.
28) What role does public outreach play in the project?
Public outreach is an explicit commitment by the University of Washington, including delivering at least one interpretive program per year within Denali National Park and Preserve to help translate research findings for visitors and the broader public.
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