Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS01028
Apply for P15AS01028
- The National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Subtidal and Intertidal Habitats and Invertebrate Biota in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954 National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education.
- 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 $10,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $20,000.00 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 Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council.
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Opportunity Summary:
This notice describes the National Park Service (NPS) intent to make a single-source cooperative agreement award for a one-year project focused on subtidal and intertidal habitats and invertebrate life in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska. It is explicitly not a request for applications; instead, it serves as public notice that NPS plans to fund specific work without competition. The anticipated award is $10,000, with no cost share required, under statutory authority 54 USC 101702(d). The assistance listing is CFDA 15.954 (National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education). Only one award is expected, and the original posting window ran from June 27, 2015 to July 11, 2015.
The core purpose of the agreement is to support creation and improvement of a publicly available, updated, and easy-to-use database of subtidal habitat information for Cook Inlet. The database is meant to directly support environmental analysis tied to offshore Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas development, strengthen ongoing oil spill response planning, and improve the ability of agencies and communities to understand and evaluate what could happen if an oil spill occurred in Cook Inlet. A key emphasis is pulling together scattered historical information and making it readily accessible through an established public platform, specifically the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), via tools such as the Cook Inlet Response Tool.
The intended recipient is the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC), an organization created under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 with a mandate and track record related to oil spill prevention and response improvements in Cook Inlet. NPS frames the public benefit as maintaining healthier intertidal ecosystems by consolidating historical intertidal work from western Cook Inlet, publishing it in a usable online format, and pairing that consolidated history with additional field surveys, analysis, and reporting. NPS notes it is already involved in gathering historical intertidal and subtidal invertebrate survey information and conducting new surveys near National Park units in lower Cook Inlet; the cooperative agreement is designed so that NPS work aligns with and complements CIRCAC-led tools, data holdings, and operational expertise.
The scientific and management motivation is that benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates and the habitats they occupy are vulnerable to industrial exploration and development impacts, including the especially high consequences associated with oil spills. The announcement points out that subtidal habitats and invertebrate communities near oil and gas operations are particularly susceptible, and that western Cook Inlet needs updated information to better project spill impacts. It also situates the project in the context of earlier research efforts, including the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) beginning in 1975 and CIRCAC work around 2000, implying that valuable data exists but needs to be compiled, refreshed, and made more actionable for present-day planning.
Beyond spill response, the notice explains why intertidal and subtidal communities matter to people and ecosystems in the region. These nearshore systems move energy, nutrients, and pollutants between land and sea; they underpin subsistence, sport, and commercial harvests; and they support recreation such as fishing and wildlife viewing. Because intertidal community structure shifts in response to disturbances, changes in species composition and abundance can function as indicators of both natural and human-caused impacts. Those changes can cascade up the food web, affecting birds and marine mammals that forage in nearshore zones.
A prominent focus is on marine bivalves (for example clams and mussels) and related nearshore invertebrates used for subsistence in Alaska. The announcement references concerns raised by Native communities in Port Graham and Nanwalek about noticeable declines in shellfish populations and the risk of losing or contaminating subsistence foods. It highlights bivalves as common and ecologically important species that are widely used as sentinels in monitoring programs, including contaminant monitoring. In particular, the notice points to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as a contaminant concern and emphasizes the need to better understand benthic habitats that support subsistence resources, the hydrocarbon loads present in those resources, and the sources and extent of local contamination in places where subsistence harvest continues.
The project is framed as collaborative and aimed at improving understanding of invertebrate biota in practical, management-relevant ways. The intended outputs and benefits include better information on distribution, habitat associations, densities, productivity, and larval transport of marine bivalves, along with improved baseline knowledge that can be used for impact assessment and spill response planning. A major deliverable implied throughout is a functional, publicly accessible historical and updated dataset integrated into existing response-planning infrastructure hosted through AOOS.
Roles are split between CIRCAC and NPS under a joint objectives/project management plan. CIRCAC commits to providing staff time from its Director of Science and Research (Susan Saupe) to help extract historical data, identify data sources, recommend field sites, provide expert guidance during the study, and support reporting. CIRCAC also agrees to identify and provide additional historical datasets held by CIRCAC or known to it that NPS does not already have, and to provide in-kind support to transfer the historical database to Axiom for integration into the Cook Inlet Response Tool hosted on the AOOS website. On the NPS side, NPS agrees to lead historical database development and ensure the database is structured appropriately for delivery and integration, arrange aircraft and/or vessel charters needed for intertidal and subtidal survey operations, and make space available for CIRCAC participation during field visits as appropriate. NPS also commits to conducting sampling across intertidal areas, rock ramps, and reefs for vegetation and invertebrate biota in specific Lower Cook Inlet locations including Tuxedni Bay, Chinitna Bay, Kamishak Bay, Nordyke Island, Tignagvik Point, and St. Augustine, and to providing personnel for analysis plus a final report with recommendations.
Finally, the notice explains why the award is being made without competition. Under Department of the Interior single-source policy (505 DM 2), agencies must justify why competitive procedures are not practicable. NPS cites the “unique qualifications” criterion, pointing to CIRCAC’s specialized expertise conducting intertidal field operations in Cook Inlet, its existing development work on the Cook Inlet Response Tool with AOOS, and its access to relevant historical intertidal survey data. In short, NPS argues that CIRCAC is uniquely positioned to help integrate historical and ongoing information into an established public-facing response and planning tool, improving both spill readiness and broader environmental understanding in Cook Inlet. Contact information in the notice lists Erica Cordeiro, Contract Specialist, at 907-644-3315 for access issues related to the full announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is this notice a request for applications (RFA) or open competition?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications. It is a public notice of the National Park Service (NPS) intent to make a single-source cooperative agreement award without competition.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
Only one award is expected.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC).
Why is the award being made without competition?
NPS cites single-source justification under Department of the Interior policy (505 DM 2) based on “unique qualifications.” The notice points to CIRCAC’s specialized experience conducting intertidal field operations in Cook Inlet, its existing work developing the Cook Inlet Response Tool with the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and its access to relevant historical intertidal survey datasets.
What is the anticipated award amount?
The anticipated award amount is $10,000.
Is cost share or matching funding required?
No. The notice states that no cost share is required.
What is the project period?
The notice describes a one-year project.
What is the statutory authority for this cooperative agreement?
The notice cites statutory authority 54 USC 101702(d).
What assistance listing (CFDA) is associated with this opportunity?
The assistance listing is CFDA 15.954, titled “National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education.”
When was the original posting window?
The original posting window ran from June 27, 2015 to July 11, 2015.
What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The core purpose is to support creation and improvement of a publicly available, updated, and easy-to-use database of subtidal habitat information for Cook Inlet, Alaska, with additional emphasis on intertidal information and invertebrate life in Lower Cook Inlet.
What problem is this project trying to solve?
The notice explains that valuable subtidal and intertidal habitat and invertebrate data exists across scattered historical sources (including earlier efforts such as OCSEAP beginning in 1975 and CIRCAC work around 2000), but it needs to be compiled, refreshed, and made accessible and actionable for current environmental analysis and spill response planning.
How will the database be used?
The database is intended to directly support environmental analysis tied to offshore Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas development, strengthen oil spill response planning, and improve the ability of agencies and communities to evaluate what could happen if an oil spill occurred in Cook Inlet.
Will the information be publicly available?
Yes. The notice emphasizes a publicly available database hosted through an established public platform, specifically the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), including tools such as the Cook Inlet Response Tool.
Which platform(s) are specifically mentioned for hosting or delivering the data?
The notice specifically mentions AOOS and its Cook Inlet Response Tool as the public-facing platform and toolset where the compiled and updated information is meant to be made accessible.
What types of habitats and organisms are in focus?
The project focuses on subtidal and intertidal habitats and invertebrate life in Lower Cook Inlet, with specific attention to benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates and the habitats they occupy.
Why are benthic invertebrates and subtidal habitats emphasized?
The notice states these resources are vulnerable to industrial exploration and development impacts, with especially high consequences associated with oil spills. It also notes that updated information is needed to better project spill impacts in western Cook Inlet.
Why does the notice discuss intertidal and subtidal communities in terms of human benefits?
The notice explains that nearshore systems move energy, nutrients, and pollutants between land and sea; they underpin subsistence, sport, and commercial harvests; and they support recreation such as fishing and wildlife viewing. Changes in intertidal community structure can also indicate natural and human-caused disturbances.
Does the project address subsistence resources?
Yes. The notice highlights marine bivalves (such as clams and mussels) and related nearshore invertebrates used for subsistence in Alaska, and references concerns about declines in shellfish populations and risks to subsistence foods.
Which communities are specifically referenced regarding subsistence concerns?
The notice references concerns raised by Native communities in Port Graham and Nanwalek.
What contaminants are specifically mentioned as a concern?
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are specifically mentioned as a contaminant concern, in the context of understanding hydrocarbon loads in subsistence resources and identifying sources and extent of local contamination.
What kinds of scientific or management information are expected to improve?
The notice describes improved information on distribution, habitat associations, densities, productivity, and larval transport of marine bivalves, along with improved baseline knowledge for impact assessment and spill response planning.
What are the main deliverables implied by the notice?
A major deliverable is a functional, publicly accessible historical and updated dataset integrated into existing response-planning infrastructure hosted through AOOS (including the Cook Inlet Response Tool). The notice also indicates NPS will provide a final report with recommendations.
What role does CIRCAC play in the project?
CIRCAC commits staff time from its Director of Science and Research (Susan Saupe) to help extract historical data, identify data sources, recommend field sites, provide expert guidance during the study, and support reporting. CIRCAC will also identify and provide additional historical datasets held by CIRCAC or known to it that NPS does not already have.
What role does NPS play in the project?
NPS agrees to lead historical database development and ensure the database is structured appropriately for delivery and integration. NPS will also arrange aircraft and/or vessel charters for survey operations, make space available for CIRCAC participation during field visits as appropriate, conduct sampling, provide personnel for analysis, and produce a final report with recommendations.
How will the database be integrated into AOOS tools?
The notice states that CIRCAC will provide in-kind support to transfer the historical database to Axiom for integration into the Cook Inlet Response Tool hosted on the AOOS website, and that NPS will structure the database appropriately for delivery and integration.
Which Lower Cook Inlet locations are specifically mentioned for sampling?
The notice lists sampling in Lower Cook Inlet locations including Tuxedni Bay, Chinitna Bay, Kamishak Bay, Nordyke Island, Tignagvik Point, and St. Augustine.
What kinds of field environments are mentioned for sampling?
The notice mentions sampling across intertidal areas, rock ramps, and reefs for vegetation and invertebrate biota.
How does this project relate to oil spill response planning?
The notice frames the work as strengthening ongoing oil spill response planning by consolidating historical data and pairing it with additional field surveys and reporting, then making the resulting information readily accessible through AOOS tools used for response and planning.
How does this project relate to offshore oil and gas development analysis?
The notice states the database is meant to directly support environmental analysis tied to offshore Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas development.
What is the public benefit described by NPS?
NPS describes the public benefit as maintaining healthier intertidal ecosystems by consolidating historical intertidal work from western Cook Inlet, publishing it in a usable online format, and pairing that information with additional surveys, analysis, and reporting.
Is NPS already doing related work outside of this agreement?
Yes. The notice states NPS is already involved in gathering historical intertidal and subtidal invertebrate survey information and conducting new surveys near National Park units in lower Cook Inlet, and that the cooperative agreement is designed to align and complement CIRCAC-led tools and expertise.
Who can be contacted for access issues related to the full announcement?
The notice lists Erica Cordeiro, Contract Specialist, at 907-644-3315 for access issues related to the full announcement.
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