Preventing the Extirpation of Mountain Yellow legged Frog Populations in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Following Disease caused Mass mortality Events | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this opportunity about?

This notice describes the National Park Service (NPS) intent to make a single, specific award for a conservation research project focused on preventing local loss (extirpation) of mountain yellow-legged frog populations in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks following severe die-offs linked to disease. The project is framed around responding to disease-caused mass mortality events and supporting actions that keep remaining frog populations from disappearing entirely within these parks.

2) Is this a competitive grant where the public can apply?

No. This is a Notice of Intent to Award, not a competitive grant solicitation. NPS is not requesting applications from the public. Instead, NPS is publicly documenting its plan to fund this work without full and open competition.

3) Who is the intended recipient of the award?

The planned recipient is the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).

4) Why is NPS making a noncompetitive award?

Based on the notice, the project is positioned under an existing cooperative framework and partnership structure rather than an open call. The intent is to fund a single, specific award to UCSB under an established cooperative agreement and task agreement arrangement.

5) What cooperative framework is being used for this award?

UCSB is operating under Task Agreement P12AC10522 under Cooperative Agreement H8C07080001, within the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partnership structure.

6) What is the funding instrument type?

The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency (NPS) in the work, such as coordination on study design, field priorities, data needs, reporting, and management applications.

7) What is the estimated funding amount for the award?

The notice indicates one expected award with an estimated total funding amount of $116,146.

8) Is the funding amount a range or a fixed amount?

It is effectively fixed. The award floor and award ceiling are both listed as $116,146, signaling the funding amount is not presented as a range.

9) How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?

NPS expects to make one award.

10) Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

11) What is the funding activity area for this opportunity?

The opportunity sits in the Natural Resources funding activity area.

12) What parks and species are the focus of the project?

The project focuses on mountain yellow-legged frog populations in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, particularly in the context of disease-linked die-offs and preventing extirpation within these parks.

13) What problem is the project responding to?

The project responds to severe die-offs (mass mortality events) linked to disease, with the goal of supporting actions that prevent remaining frog populations from disappearing locally in the specified national parks.

14) What does "extirpation" mean in this notice?

In this context, extirpation refers to local loss of mountain yellow-legged frog populations within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (the species disappearing from the parks even if it exists elsewhere).

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

The notice references CFDA 15.945, described as Cooperative Research and Training Programs and Resources of the National Park System.

16) What does the CFDA reference imply about the purpose of the funding?

It reinforces that the work is intended to support resources of the National Park System through cooperative research and training, with direct relevance to NPS stewardship and management objectives.

17) Who is eligible, according to the notice?

Eligibility is listed as Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

18) If eligibility includes certain institutions, can other entities still apply?

The notice does not solicit applications and describes a single intended recipient. Even though eligibility is listed, this announcement functions as a public notice of a planned noncompetitive award rather than an open opportunity to submit proposals.

19) When was this opportunity posted and created?

The notice indicates it was posted and created on May 25, 2012.

20) What are the closing and archive dates listed?

The original and current closing date are both listed as May 29, 2012, and the archive date is June 28, 2012.

21) Why is the posting-to-closing window so short?

The short window is consistent with the notice being a time-limited public documentation step for a planned noncompetitive award, rather than a competitive solicitation that would require time for proposal development and submission.

22) What is the project title or core purpose as described?

The notice describes the core purpose as responding to disease-caused mass mortality events and supporting actions that prevent remaining frog populations from disappearing (being extirpated) within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

23) What role does the CESU partnership model play here?

The notice indicates UCSB is a partner within the Californian CESU, a structure used by federal agencies to collaborate with universities and other partners on applied research and resource management needs. This supports close coordination between NPS and the university as part of a partnership effort.

24) Who should be contacted for access help or clarification about the announcement?

The listed contact is Cameron Reed, Grants Management Specialist, at 415-623-2253.

25) What kinds of questions is the listed contact meant to address?

The notice indicates the contact is for access help or clarification on the announcement itself. Since applications are not being solicited, the contact is not presented as a point of entry for submitting proposals.