Opportunity Information: Apply for 70181AR043
Apply for 70181AR043
- The Region 7 in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reducing Human Polar Bear Conflicts in North Slope Villages in Alaska" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608 Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 20, 2010 and posted on Jul 20, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 4, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $633,600.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $633,600.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments City or township governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Reducing Human Polar Bear Conflicts in North Slope Villages in Alaska" is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Region 7 notice of intent to make a single-source Cooperative Agreement award to the North Slope Borough (NSB) in Alaska. It is not an open competition and is not requesting proposals from other applicants; instead, the federal government planned to issue the award about 15 days after the notice. The overall goal is practical and safety driven: reduce dangerous encounters between people and polar bears in North Slope communities, lowering the risk of injury or death for both humans and bears. A related conservation goal is to reduce the need for lethal responses by strengthening nonlethal options, while also supporting Alaska Native involvement in polar bear co-management.
The core project being funded is an early detection and deterrence effort commonly referred to as "polar bear patrols." These patrols are meant to identify bears entering or approaching villages and use appropriate deterrence measures to push them away before situations escalate. Alongside implementing patrol operations, the agreement calls for a structured training workshop for Borough employees who will conduct these patrols, recognizing that consistent practices and safe use of deterrents matter in both human safety and bear conservation outcomes. The work also includes systematic collection and sharing of data on deterrence actions and results, which is important for improving methods over time and demonstrating what approaches are effective in real village conditions. Finally, the Borough is expected to produce semi-annual and final reports and to coordinate with USFWS on public education tied to the project, so residents and visitors understand safety practices and the purpose of the patrol program.
The background for the program is rooted in federal wildlife law and the realities of living in polar bear habitat. The notice highlights the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, which generally prohibits the "take" of marine mammals, defined broadly to include harassment, hunting, capture, killing, or attempts to do those things. It also notes key exemptions, including Section 109(h), which allows certain actions as part of official duties when necessary for protection of the animal, protection of public health and welfare, or the nonlethal removal of nuisance animals. Section 112(c) is cited as authority for federal agencies to enter into cooperative agreements to carry out MMPA purposes. USFWS is identified as the Department of the Interior agency responsible for polar bear management in the United States, and the notice explains that as polar bears increasingly use coastal habitats, North Slope communities are experiencing more visits and conflicts. From the Service's standpoint, increasing early detection and deterrence capacity is a key conservation strategy because it can prevent conflicts from escalating to the point where lethal action occurs.
The North Slope Borough is described as uniquely positioned to do this work because it is the regional government for Alaska's northernmost area, headquartered in Barrow (now widely known as Utqiagvik), and it houses a Department of Wildlife Management responsible for addressing local wildlife issues across multiple villages. The notice lists the villages within the Borough's service area (Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Barrow, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Wainwright, Point Lay, and Point Hope) and emphasizes that several of these communities occur directly in polar bear habitat and have experienced recurring bear issues, specifically naming Barrow, Kaktovik, Wainwright, Point Lay, and Point Hope as affected. The Borough frames human safety as part of its mission, and the document notes that NSB has operated polar bear detection and deterrence programs before but has not had enough funding to maintain them at the scale needed for reliable protection. The intended effect of the funding is to expand and sustain nonlethal responses so communities are safer and fewer bears are killed.
The single-source justification is laid out in three parts. First is legislative intent: the MMPA both restricts take and provides mechanisms for authorized actions and cooperative agreements, and USFWS has an explicit conservation goal of minimizing human-bear conflicts and avoiding unnecessary lethal take by using early detection and deterrence when feasible. Second is unique qualifications: NSB is presented as the only entity with the existing regional infrastructure to run a North Slope-wide conflict avoidance program, including coordinators, equipment, and administrative capacity such as payroll and program management. Third is a history of an unsolicited request: over roughly a decade, NSB has repeatedly asked USFWS for support, but the Service lacked sufficient base funding to fully back the program until this opportunity. The notice states the agreement would support detection and deterrence work in five North Slope villages for approximately three years.
Key administrative details included in the listing are as follows: the Funding Opportunity Number is 70181AR043, the instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, and it falls under an environment and natural resources activity category. The opportunity anticipated one award (ExpectedAwards: 1), with an EstimatedTotalFunding and AwardCeiling of $633,600 and an AwardFloor of $250,000. No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed. The CFDA number provided is 15.608 (Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance). Eligible applicant categories shown include county governments and city or township governments, consistent with the local government status of the North Slope Borough, although the notice makes clear the award is intended as single-source to NSB rather than open to competition. The posting date is July 20, 2010, with an original and current closing date of August 4, 2010, and an archive date of September 3, 2010. A contact name and number are provided for access issues: Susanne Miller, Wildlife Biologist, at 907-786-3828.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Reducing Human Polar Bear Conflicts in North Slope Villages in Alaska."
Which federal agency is issuing this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Region 7.
Is this an open, competitive grant opportunity?
No. This is a notice of intent to make a single-source Cooperative Agreement award. It is not an open competition and it is not requesting proposals from other applicants.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the North Slope Borough (NSB) in Alaska.
What type of funding instrument is planned?
The planned instrument is a Cooperative Agreement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 70181AR043.
How many awards are expected to be made?
One award is anticipated (ExpectedAwards: 1).
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The listing shows an Estimated Total Funding of $633,600. The Award Ceiling is $633,600 and the Award Floor is $250,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 15.608 (Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance).
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the environment and natural resources activity category.
What is the main goal of the project being funded?
The overall goal is to reduce dangerous encounters between people and polar bears in North Slope communities, lowering the risk of injury or death for both humans and bears.
What conservation outcome is the project trying to support?
A stated conservation goal is to reduce the need for lethal responses by strengthening nonlethal options, while also supporting Alaska Native involvement in polar bear co-management.
What specific work is being funded?
The core work is an early detection and deterrence effort commonly referred to as "polar bear patrols." Patrols are intended to identify bears entering or approaching villages and use appropriate deterrence measures to push them away before situations escalate.
Does the project include training?
Yes. The agreement calls for a structured training workshop for Borough employees who will conduct patrols, with an emphasis on consistent practices and safe use of deterrents.
Will data be collected and shared as part of the project?
Yes. The work includes systematic collection and sharing of data on deterrence actions and results to improve methods over time and document what is effective in village conditions.
Are reports required under the agreement?
Yes. The Borough is expected to produce semi-annual and final reports.
Is public education included in the project?
Yes. The Borough is expected to coordinate with USFWS on public education tied to the project so residents and visitors understand safety practices and the purpose of the patrol program.
What law is referenced as part of the program background?
The notice highlights the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972.
How does the MMPA relate to polar bear conflict response work?
The notice explains that the MMPA generally prohibits the "take" of marine mammals, defining take broadly to include harassment, hunting, capture, killing, or attempts to do those things. It also notes exemptions relevant to official duties and nonlethal nuisance removal.
What MMPA exemptions are referenced in the notice?
Section 109(h) is cited for actions taken as part of official duties when necessary for protection of the animal, protection of public health and welfare, or the nonlethal removal of nuisance animals. Section 112(c) is cited as authority for federal agencies to enter into cooperative agreements to carry out MMPA purposes.
Why does USFWS consider early detection and deterrence important?
The notice states that as polar bears increasingly use coastal habitats, North Slope communities are experiencing more visits and conflicts. From the Service's standpoint, increasing early detection and deterrence capacity is a key conservation strategy because it can prevent conflicts from escalating to the point where lethal action occurs.
Which communities are within the North Slope Borough service area as listed in the notice?
The notice lists: Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Barrow (now widely known as Utqiagvik), Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Wainwright, Point Lay, and Point Hope.
Which villages are specifically identified as experiencing recurring polar bear issues?
The notice specifically names Barrow, Kaktovik, Wainwright, Point Lay, and Point Hope as affected by recurring bear issues.
How long is the supported work expected to last?
The notice states the agreement would support detection and deterrence work in five North Slope villages for approximately three years.
Why is this being done as a single-source award to NSB?
The single-source justification is described in three parts: (1) legislative intent under the MMPA and USFWS conservation goals to minimize conflicts and avoid unnecessary lethal take through early detection and deterrence, (2) NSB's unique qualifications as the regional government with existing infrastructure, staff coordination, equipment, and administrative capacity to operate a North Slope-wide program, and (3) a history of NSB submitting unsolicited requests over roughly a decade, with USFWS previously lacking sufficient base funding to fully support the program.
Why is the North Slope Borough described as uniquely positioned to carry out the work?
The notice describes NSB as the regional government for Alaska's northernmost area, headquartered in Barrow (Utqiagvik), with a Department of Wildlife Management responsible for local wildlife issues across multiple villages, and with administrative capacity such as payroll and program management needed to run the program.
Has NSB operated similar programs before?
Yes. The notice states NSB has operated polar bear detection and deterrence programs before, but lacked enough funding to maintain them at the scale needed for reliable protection.
What is the planned timing for issuing the award after the notice?
The notice indicates the federal government planned to issue the award about 15 days after the notice.
What are the posting and closing dates shown in the listing?
The posting date is July 20, 2010. The original and current closing date is August 4, 2010. The archive date is September 3, 2010.
Who is the contact person for access issues and what is the phone number?
The listing provides a contact for access issues: Susanne Miller, Wildlife Biologist, at 907-786-3828.
Which applicant categories are shown as eligible in the listing?
The eligible applicant categories shown include county governments and city or township governments, which aligns with the local government status of the North Slope Borough, even though the notice makes clear the award is intended as a single-source action to NSB rather than an open competition.
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Previous opportunity: Fiscal Year 2010 Directed Source Award
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