Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00058
Apply for P16AS00058
- The DOI-NPS in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Seabirds as Indicators" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.944.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 01, 2016 and posted on Mar 01, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 02, 2016. (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 $225,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity titled "Seabirds as Indicators" (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00058) is a public notice rather than an open call for proposals. In other words, it is not asking outside organizations to apply or compete. Instead, NPS is announcing its intent to continue funding a specific, ongoing project with the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) through a non-competitive (single-source) award. The anticipated federal funding amount is $170,618, with no cost share required, and the work is structured as a Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit (CESU) task agreement under statutory authority 54 USC 100703. The anticipated agreement length is three years, covering a period of performance from May 1, 2014 to September 30, 2017. The CFDA listing is 15.944, Natural Resource Stewardship, and the announcement indicates there is one expected award with an award ceiling of $225,000. The listed point of contact is Erica Cordeiro (907-644-3315).
The underlying purpose of the project is to use seabirds as practical, information-rich indicators of change in Alaska's coastal ecosystems, including changes driven by climate variability, climate change, ocean acidification, invasive species, and other human-related pressures. NPS frames seabirds as particularly useful "sentinel" species because they are visible and relatively accessible during breeding, occupy important positions in marine food webs, and represent diverse foraging strategies that can serve as proxies for different parts of the ecosystem. The announcement also emphasizes that seabirds can be strongly affected by disturbances such as oil spills and near-colony disruptions, and that their seasonal migration between marine feeding areas and terrestrial breeding sites makes them a natural bridge between ocean and land systems. Because most coastal national park units in Alaska contain seabird habitat (with Sitka NHP noted as an exception), the project is designed to produce findings that can be used across multiple parks and partner jurisdictions, not just one site.
Geographically, the work centers on Resurrection Bay and the broader Kenai Fjords area, but it is explicitly intended to complement and strengthen monitoring across a larger regional network. The project aligns with NPS's Inventory and Monitoring efforts (including the Southwest Alaska Network, SWAN) and is coordinated with the Gulf Watch Alaska Program, an integrated ecosystem monitoring effort that spans from Prince William Sound to the Katmai coast and includes the Kenai Fjords coastline and Kachemak Bay. A key rationale for the ASLC work is that many existing agency surveys are conducted annually across very large areas, while ASLC applies comparable methods at a much finer scale and at a higher frequency (monthly), creating a dataset that can capture seasonal patterns that broader annual surveys typically miss. This is particularly relevant for winter habitat use, when some sea duck species may rely heavily on coastal park resources but when park-focused data collection is limited. The announcement notes that the resulting information will be shared with parks and other agencies.
The project is organized around two main scientific and management objectives. The first objective focuses on the productivity (breeding success) of selected indicator seabird species in the Kenai Fjords area, specifically Black-legged Kittiwakes and Common Murres, chosen because they represent different life histories and feeding strategies. The work aims to quantify baseline variability and identify interannual trends in productivity, then connect those trends to environmental drivers so productivity can be interpreted as an indicator of changing marine conditions. A major operational component is the development and refinement of remote monitoring approaches for seabird colonies, using video cameras and remote sensing equipment. Common Murres are monitored on Barwell Island (within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge), with a target of monitoring 30 to 60 nests annually and calculating productivity as fledglings per egg laid using established refuge protocols. Black-legged Kittiwakes are monitored at Cape Resurrection (state land) by tracking a sub-colony across 17 randomly selected plots totaling 149 nests, with productivity calculated as fledglings per nest attempt using methods consistent with other Pacific kittiwake studies. The project integrates biological observations (adult and chick presence, incubation and brooding behaviors, nest status) with physical and climate variables derived from still imagery, direct observations, and external data sources such as NOAA and the GAK1 long-term time series. Environmental inputs include weather and ocean conditions from the Seward Airport station and NOAA buoy 46076, plus nearby water-column temperature and salinity recorded monthly via CTD methods at GAK1, and a local weather station installed in 2014. The announcement indicates that kittiwake productivity integration with environmental variables is already underway, and that murre productivity baselines and feasibility/protocol recommendations were expected after the 2016 season. Planned products include a Master of Science thesis contribution, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed publications once analyses are complete.
The second objective addresses seasonal nearshore habitat use and population trends of marine birds in Resurrection Bay through standardized vessel-based surveys. These surveys are designed to document how marine birds use coastal habitats across seasons and years, and to identify hotspots and drivers of distribution. Survey methods include running boat transects approximately 100 meters offshore with two observers and a data logger, recording birds within 100 meters on each side of the vessel and above it. Surveys are run both parallel to shore and across the bay on a monthly schedule for up to 12 months each year, and data collected include species identification, counts, and when possible sex and age information (especially for sea ducks and alcids), along with weather and sea conditions (cloud cover, Beaufort sea state, wind speed and direction, precipitation) and observer identification. Analytical goals include characterizing seasonal and annual trends, linking distributions to mapped habitat features using ShoreZone data, and examining relationships between bird distribution and seasonal events such as herring spawn. A practical management-focused deliverable is calibration and validation work with NPS staff, including double-observer and repeat-observation surveys to help confirm that methods used locally scale appropriately to the broader NPS coastal survey program.
From a program and planning standpoint, the announcement characterizes this effort as part of a multi-year baseline study of marine bird abundance and distribution, describing the work as the fourth year of a five-year study with a five-year dataset to be complete in 2016, and noting the need for additional years of baseline survey data to support a longer-term ecological study. The longer-term vision is to connect seabird indicators with nearshore intertidal and benthic health, including links to invertebrate community condition. The intended downstream use of results is strongly management oriented: the data and findings are meant to inform park resource strategies, vulnerability assessments, State of the Park reports, monitoring designs, and other planning and decision documents, alongside scientific dissemination through conferences and journal manuscripts.
Finally, the reason the award is non-competitive is explicitly stated as "Continuation" under Department of the Interior single-source policy (505 DM 2). NPS argues that competing the work would risk disrupting the continuity and completion of an already funded, ongoing project, and the notice specifies that the agreement began on May 1, 2014 and that continued funding is contingent on ASLC continuing the current project activities. This is the central justification for making the award to ASLC without soliciting full and open competition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NPS "Seabirds as Indicators" (P16AS00058)
Is this an open grant competition?
No. This notice is not an open call for proposals. It is a public notice stating that the National Park Service (NPS) intends to continue funding a specific ongoing project through a non-competitive (single-source) award.
Can outside organizations apply for this funding opportunity?
No. The announcement indicates NPS is not requesting or accepting applications from outside organizations because it is announcing an intent to fund a continuation award to a specific partner.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC). NPS describes the award as a continuation of an already funded, ongoing project with ASLC.
Why is the award non-competitive (single-source)?
NPS cites "Continuation" as the reason under Department of the Interior single-source policy (505 DM 2). The notice states that competing the work could disrupt continuity and completion of an ongoing project that began earlier, and that continued funding depends on ASLC continuing the current project activities.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00058.
What is the title of the funding opportunity?
The title is "Seabirds as Indicators."
How much federal funding is anticipated?
The anticipated federal funding amount is $170,618.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states that no cost share is required.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The notice indicates there is one expected award.
What is the award ceiling mentioned in the notice?
The announcement lists an award ceiling of $225,000.
What type of agreement structure is used for this project?
The work is structured as a Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit (CESU) task agreement.
What statutory authority is referenced for the agreement?
The notice references statutory authority 54 USC 100703.
What is the anticipated agreement length and period of performance?
The anticipated agreement length is three years, covering a period of performance from May 1, 2014 to September 30, 2017.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 15.944, Natural Resource Stewardship.
Who is the point of contact for this notice?
The listed point of contact is Erica Cordeiro. The phone number provided is (907) 644-3315.
What is the purpose of the "Seabirds as Indicators" project?
The purpose is to use seabirds as practical, information-rich indicators of change in Alaska's coastal ecosystems, including changes associated with climate variability, climate change, ocean acidification, invasive species, and other human-related pressures.
Why does NPS consider seabirds good indicators ("sentinel" species)?
The notice explains that seabirds are visible and relatively accessible during breeding, occupy important positions in marine food webs, and use diverse foraging strategies that can serve as proxies for different parts of the ecosystem. It also notes seabirds can be strongly affected by disturbances like oil spills and near-colony disruptions, and their seasonal movement between marine feeding areas and terrestrial breeding sites links ocean and land systems.
Which parks or areas are expected to benefit from the findings?
The notice indicates that most coastal national park units in Alaska contain seabird habitat (with Sitka NHP noted as an exception), and the project is designed to produce findings useful across multiple parks and partner jurisdictions, not only a single site.
Where is the project work geographically focused?
The work centers on Resurrection Bay and the broader Kenai Fjords area, while also being intended to complement and strengthen monitoring across a larger regional network.
How does this project connect to other monitoring programs?
The project aligns with NPS Inventory and Monitoring efforts (including the Southwest Alaska Network, SWAN) and is coordinated with the Gulf Watch Alaska Program, which spans from Prince William Sound to the Katmai coast and includes the Kenai Fjords coastline and Kachemak Bay.
What is the rationale for ASLC collecting data more frequently than some agency surveys?
The notice explains that many agency surveys are annual and cover very large areas, while ASLC applies comparable methods at finer scale and higher frequency (monthly). This higher frequency is intended to capture seasonal patterns that broader annual surveys often miss, including winter habitat use.
What are the two main project objectives described in the notice?
The project is organized around two objectives: (1) measuring seabird productivity (breeding success) of selected indicator species in the Kenai Fjords area and linking trends to environmental drivers; and (2) documenting seasonal nearshore habitat use and population trends of marine birds in Resurrection Bay through standardized vessel-based surveys.
Which seabird species are monitored for productivity in Objective 1?
The selected indicator species are Black-legged Kittiwakes and Common Murres, chosen because they represent different life histories and feeding strategies.
How is Common Murre productivity monitored and where?
Common Murres are monitored on Barwell Island (within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge). The target is monitoring 30 to 60 nests annually, and productivity is calculated as fledglings per egg laid using established refuge protocols.
How is Black-legged Kittiwake productivity monitored and where?
Black-legged Kittiwakes are monitored at Cape Resurrection (state land) by tracking a sub-colony across 17 randomly selected plots totaling 149 nests. Productivity is calculated as fledglings per nest attempt using methods consistent with other Pacific kittiwake studies.
What remote monitoring approaches are being developed for seabird colonies?
The notice highlights development and refinement of remote monitoring approaches using video cameras and remote sensing equipment to support colony monitoring.
What types of environmental and climate variables are integrated with productivity data?
The project integrates biological observations with physical and climate variables derived from still imagery, direct observations, and external sources including NOAA and the GAK1 long-term time series. Inputs mentioned include weather and ocean conditions from the Seward Airport station and NOAA buoy 46076, plus monthly CTD water-column temperature and salinity at GAK1, and a local weather station installed in 2014.
What is the status of the productivity analyses described in the notice?
The notice states that integration of kittiwake productivity with environmental variables is already underway, and that murre productivity baselines and feasibility/protocol recommendations were expected after the 2016 season.
What products or outputs are planned from Objective 1?
Planned products include a Master of Science thesis contribution, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed publications once analyses are complete.
What does Objective 2 (vessel-based surveys) measure?
Objective 2 focuses on seasonal nearshore habitat use and population trends of marine birds in Resurrection Bay. The surveys are intended to document seasonal and annual habitat use, identify hotspots, and examine drivers of distribution.
How are the vessel-based surveys conducted?
The surveys involve boat transects run approximately 100 meters offshore with two observers and a data logger. Observers record birds within 100 meters on each side of the vessel and above it. Transects are run both parallel to shore and across the bay on a monthly schedule for up to 12 months each year.
What data are recorded during the vessel-based surveys?
Recorded data include species identification and counts, and when possible sex and age information (especially for sea ducks and alcids). The surveys also document weather and sea conditions such as cloud cover, Beaufort sea state, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and observer identification.
How will the vessel-survey data be analyzed or used?
The notice describes analytical goals including characterizing seasonal and annual trends, linking distributions to mapped habitat features using ShoreZone data, and examining relationships between bird distribution and seasonal events such as herring spawn.
What is the management-focused deliverable related to NPS survey methods?
A practical deliverable described is calibration and validation work with NPS staff, including double-observer and repeat-observation surveys, to help confirm that locally used methods scale appropriately to the broader NPS coastal survey program.
How does NPS describe the timeline and baseline nature of the study?
The notice frames the effort as part of a multi-year baseline study, describing the work as the fourth year of a five-year study with a five-year dataset to be complete in 2016, and it notes the need for additional years of baseline survey data to support a longer-term ecological study.
What longer-term vision is described for linking seabird indicators to ecosystem health?
The longer-term vision described is to connect seabird indicators with nearshore intertidal and benthic health, including links to invertebrate community condition.
How are results intended to be used by NPS and partners?
The intended downstream use is management oriented. The notice says data and findings are meant to inform park resource strategies, vulnerability assessments, State of the Park reports, monitoring designs, and other planning and decision documents, alongside dissemination through conferences and journal manuscripts.
Will information be shared beyond the immediate project area?
Yes. The notice states that resulting information will be shared with parks and other agencies, and that the project is intended to complement monitoring across a larger regional network.
Does the notice mention any exception among Alaska coastal national park units regarding seabird habitat?
Yes. The notice notes Sitka NHP as an exception when discussing that most coastal national park units in Alaska contain seabird habitat.
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