Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00173
Apply for P15AS00173
- The National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research and Promote Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Experiences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.935 National Trails System Projects.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 24, 2015 and posted on Jun 24, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 3, 2015 This is not a request for applications. This Funding Opportunity is to provide public notice of NPSs intention to fund the project activities without full and open competition.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Park Service (NPS) posted a discretionary funding notice for a cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Research and Promote Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Experiences" (Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00173) under CFDA 15.935, National Trails System Projects. The activity focus sits in the natural resources category and centers on strengthening how the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is promoted, packaged, and supported through coordinated outreach and event planning across the broader trail network. While it appears on Grant.gov like other federal opportunities, the notice makes clear that it is not a request for applications; instead, it serves as public notice of NPS's intent to fund project activities without full and open competition, with an original and current closing date of July 3, 2015, and an archive date of July 23, 2015.
The work described is essentially a combined research, planning, and coordination effort aimed at improving trail-related experiences and increasing their visibility. The recipient would be expected to draft and then implement a work plan that examines local and regional needs, identifies opportunities, and connects those findings to promotion of trail experiences in both national and international contexts. That implies gathering input from communities, partner organizations, and trail users, assessing what types of experiences visitors are looking for, and mapping out gaps or untapped possibilities for interpretation, recreation, tourism, and community engagement that fit within the Trail's identity and management framework.
A major practical component of the project is to consult on and coordinate promotion of a series of trail-related events across the Trail network. In other words, beyond research and strategy, the agreement is intended to support on-the-ground coordination of multiple events and their promotion, likely involving alignment of messaging, timelines, outreach channels, and partner roles so that events reinforce one another rather than operating as isolated efforts. The final deliverable emphasized in the description is a set of recommendations designed to sustain that coordination over time, suggesting that NPS wanted the project to produce guidance or an operating model that partners can continue using after the period of performance ends.
Eligibility for the opportunity, as listed in the notice, is limited to private institutions of higher education. The opportunity specifies no cost sharing or matching requirement. The posting lists an estimated total funding amount of $0 and both an award ceiling and floor of $0, which typically indicates that the public notice is focused more on documenting NPS's intent to make a non-competitive award than on advertising a standard competed funding amount. For additional information, the notice points to Grant.gov and provides an NPS contact: Rita Mihalik, Financial Assistance Officer, at 301-663-1481 x5 and ritamihalik@nps.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding notice?
The notice is for a cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Research and Promote Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Experiences."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P15AS00173.
Which agency is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is posted by the National Park Service (NPS).
What program or CFDA number is referenced?
The notice references CFDA 15.935, National Trails System Projects.
What is the main purpose of the project described in the notice?
The project focuses on strengthening how the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is promoted, packaged, and supported through coordinated outreach and event planning across the broader trail network.
Is this posting a request for applications?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications. It is a public notice of NPS's intent to fund project activities without full and open competition.
What does it mean that the award will be made "without full and open competition"?
Based on the notice language, NPS is using the posting primarily to document its intent to fund project activities non-competitively, rather than running a standard competitive application process.
What type of award is described?
The notice describes a cooperative agreement opportunity.
What is the activity focus or category?
The activity focus sits in the natural resources category, with an emphasis on trail experiences and their promotion and coordination.
What kinds of work are included in the scope?
The scope is described as a combined research, planning, and coordination effort. It includes drafting and implementing a work plan that examines local and regional needs, identifies opportunities, and connects findings to promotion of trail experiences in national and international contexts.
What does the work plan need to cover?
The work plan is expected to examine local and regional needs, identify opportunities, and tie those findings to how trail experiences are promoted, including in both national and international contexts.
Does the notice suggest stakeholder or community input is part of the work?
Yes. The description implies gathering input from communities, partner organizations, and trail users to assess what types of experiences visitors are looking for and to identify gaps or untapped opportunities.
What kinds of "trail experiences" are referenced?
The notice points to opportunities related to interpretation, recreation, tourism, and community engagement that fit within the Trail's identity and management framework.
Is event planning part of the project?
Yes. A major practical component is to consult on and coordinate promotion of a series of trail-related events across the Trail network.
What does "coordinate promotion of events across the network" imply?
It implies aligning messaging, timelines, outreach channels, and partner roles so that multiple events reinforce one another rather than functioning as isolated efforts.
What is the final deliverable emphasized by the notice?
The description emphasizes a set of recommendations designed to sustain coordination over time, suggesting guidance or an operating model that partners can continue using after the period of performance ends.
Who is eligible to receive this award?
Eligibility is limited to private institutions of higher education, as listed in the notice.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity specifies no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How much funding is available under this notice?
The posting lists an estimated total funding amount of $0, with an award ceiling of $0 and an award floor of $0. This typically indicates the posting is intended to document a non-competitive funding intent rather than advertise a competed funding amount.
What are the key dates shown on the posting?
The original and current closing date is July 3, 2015, and the archive date is July 23, 2015.
Where can someone find additional information?
The notice points to Grant.gov for additional information.
Who is the NPS contact listed for this notice?
The contact listed is Rita Mihalik, Financial Assistance Officer.
How can the listed NPS contact be reached?
Rita Mihalik can be reached by phone at 301-663-1481 x5 and by email at ritamihalik@nps.gov.
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