Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00684
Apply for P15AS00684
- The National Park Service in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Traditional Knowledge of the Native People of Chukotka About Pacific Walrus and Dialogue Across the Bering Strait on Walrus Related Concerns" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.946 Cultural Resources Management.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 16, 2015 and posted on Jun 16, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 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 $36,625.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 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 Kawerak. Please see the attached Notice of Intent for further information.
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Opportunity Summary:
This opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) Notice of Intent to Award, meaning it was not opened up as a competitive grant where outside organizations could apply. Instead, NPS publicly announced its plan to make a single award through a cooperative agreement to the Eskimo Walrus Commission (EWC), a program of Kawerak, Inc. based in Nome, Alaska. The project is titled "Traditional Knowledge of the Native People of Chukotka About Pacific Walrus and Dialogue Across the Bering Strait on Walrus Related Concerns" and is tied to CFDA 15.946 (Cultural Resource Management). The anticipated federal funding amount listed is $36,625, with no cost share required. The award is framed under 31 U.S.C. 6305, and it is described as a new award. NPS identified the basis for awarding without full and open competition as "Unique Qualifications," pointing to EWC's specialized role, long-standing relationships, and experience working with coastal walrus hunting communities and cross-border Bering Strait issues.
At the core, the project is designed to connect people who depend on and manage the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) across both sides of the Bering Strait, especially Alaska and Chukotka (Russia). The idea is to create sustained dialogue among walrus hunters, researchers, and resource managers about shared concerns that affect walrus and walrus hunting communities, with special attention to climate-driven environmental change and growing marine vessel activity. The work is meant to turn those discussions into practical recommendations and plans that stakeholders can actually use, rather than leaving the conversations at a general or academic level. Workshops are a central tool here: one convened in Nome (bringing Chukotkan participants to Alaska) and another later in Chukotka (bringing Alaskan participants to Russia), supported by broader outreach to walrus-dependent communities around the Bering Strait to gather feedback and keep community perspectives central.
A second major component is documentation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) about walrus held by Native communities in Chukotka. The project proposes gathering TEK from four Chukchi communities and one Yupik community, focusing on topics like the cultural and historical importance of walrus, the relationship between people and walrus, traditional and contemporary use and utilization practices, and observations about walrus behavior and habitat. The deliverables are concrete cultural products intended to flow back to communities: a written report detailing the TEK collected and a Chukchi/Yupik Walrus Dictionary. The dictionary is described as multilingual, translating walrus-related terms and phrases into Chukchi, Yupik, Russian, and English, and including illustrations to make the information more accessible and useful. Beyond community use, the publications are also intended to be shared for informational purposes with other Bering Strait communities.
The project plan is laid out as a multi-year sequence of activities and reporting, even though the notice also lists an initial anticipated period of performance of June 1, 2015 to June 1, 2016. Early work includes establishing working agreements with Russian counterparts, running pilot studies in one or two Chukotkan communities to test TEK methods, and handling international travel logistics for Chukotkan workshop participants. The first major convening is a Nome workshop (scheduled for October 2015) to review prior TEK-related walrus work, set priorities, and refine methods for expanding research, while also serving as a structured forum to discuss shipping lanes, sea ice retreat, and other climate impacts. Follow-on tasks include producing outreach materials (pamphlets and comment forms), distributing them to communities, presenting at public venues like the Beringia Days conference, conducting the main TEK collection and dictionary compilation work, processing and synthesizing the results, and then holding the Chukotka workshop later to share findings and revisit emerging concerns. The plan also includes status reports after each agreement period and a final report and final financial report due within 90 days after the end of the agreement period.
The division of responsibilities is explicitly cooperative, which is consistent with the cooperative agreement instrument. EWC is responsible for carrying out the on-the-ground and community-facing work: piloting TEK methods, convening and participating in the Nome and Chukotka workshops, documenting concerns raised by hunters and researchers over the life of the project, consulting local experts in selected Chukotkan communities, compiling the TEK into the final products (including the illustrated multilingual dictionary), and reporting results back to Bering Strait communities. NPS, through its Shared Beringian Heritage Program, anticipates substantial involvement as well, mainly to reduce barriers that typically make cross-border work difficult. NPS commits to acting as a liaison, helping facilitate international travel and communications, providing translation and interpretation support (including access to simultaneous translation equipment when needed), offering logistical support like assistance with workshop organization and potential use of government housing, and providing technical assistance and safety briefings for work in remote Arctic settings. NPS also plans to support outreach and dissemination by using its Alaska and Russia networks, its program website, and the Alaska National Parks Facebook page, and by developing a distribution approach focused first on Bering Strait communities.
The single-source justification is built around EWC's role as the recognized organization representing Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities, its history dating back to 1978 as a consortium formed by Native hunters, and its established credibility in walrus co-management and community-based work. NPS highlights that Pacific walrus range across U.S. and Russian waters, creating a shared conservation and subsistence interest, and argues that EWC's prior experience and cultural relationships in both Alaska and Chukotka make it uniquely positioned to carry out the kind of trust-based TEK documentation and bilateral dialogue this project requires. In practical terms, the award is meant to produce two kinds of outcomes at once: better cross-border coordination and shared problem-solving around changing conditions in the Bering Strait, and durable cultural documentation that communities can use to sustain language and walrus-related knowledge over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What kind of funding opportunity is this?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) Notice of Intent to Award for a single cooperative agreement. It is not a competitive grant opportunity and was not opened for outside applications.
Can outside organizations apply for this award?
No. Based on the information provided, NPS announced its plan to make a single award and did not run a competition where other organizations could submit proposals.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the Eskimo Walrus Commission (EWC), which is a program of Kawerak, Inc., based in Nome, Alaska.
What is the project title?
The project is titled "Traditional Knowledge of the Native People of Chukotka About Pacific Walrus and Dialogue Across the Bering Strait on Walrus Related Concerns."
Which federal program area is this tied to?
The notice ties the project to CFDA 15.946 (Cultural Resource Management).
How much federal funding is anticipated?
The anticipated federal funding amount listed is $36,625.
Is cost share or match required?
No. The notice states that no cost share is required.
What type of award instrument is being used?
The award is described as a cooperative agreement, framed under 31 U.S.C. 6305, with explicit shared responsibilities between NPS and EWC.
Is this a new award or a continuation?
The notice describes it as a new award.
Why is NPS awarding this without full and open competition?
NPS cites "Unique Qualifications" as the basis for awarding without full and open competition, emphasizing EWC's specialized role, established relationships, and experience with coastal walrus hunting communities and cross-border Bering Strait issues.
What species is the project focused on?
The project centers on the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and the communities that depend on and help manage it across the Bering Strait.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The project aims to connect walrus hunters, researchers, and resource managers on both sides of the Bering Strait (especially Alaska and Chukotka, Russia) to build sustained dialogue about shared walrus-related concerns and to turn those discussions into practical recommendations and usable plans.
What kinds of concerns will the cross-border dialogue address?
Based on the description, the dialogue is intended to focus on issues affecting walrus and walrus hunting communities, with special attention to climate-driven environmental change (including sea ice retreat) and growing marine vessel activity (including shipping lanes).
How will the project create and maintain dialogue across the Bering Strait?
Workshops are a central tool. One workshop is planned in Nome (bringing Chukotkan participants to Alaska), and a later workshop is planned in Chukotka (bringing Alaskan participants to Russia). The project also includes broader outreach to walrus-dependent communities around the Bering Strait to gather feedback and keep community perspectives central.
Where will the workshops take place?
The plan includes a workshop in Nome, Alaska, and a later workshop in Chukotka, Russia.
When is the Nome workshop expected to happen?
The project narrative describes a Nome workshop scheduled for October 2015.
What is Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) documentation in this project?
A major component of the work is documenting Traditional Ecological Knowledge about walrus held by Native communities in Chukotka, including cultural, historical, practical use, and observational knowledge related to walrus behavior and habitat.
Which communities are included for TEK collection in Chukotka?
The project proposes gathering TEK from four Chukchi communities and one Yupik community in Chukotka.
What topics will the TEK work cover?
The TEK component is described as focusing on: the cultural and historical importance of walrus; the relationship between people and walrus; traditional and contemporary use and utilization practices; and observations about walrus behavior and habitat.
What concrete deliverables are expected from the TEK component?
The notice describes two key cultural products: (1) a written report detailing the TEK collected, and (2) a Chukchi/Yupik Walrus Dictionary intended to flow back to communities.
What is the Chukchi/Yupik Walrus Dictionary described to include?
The dictionary is described as multilingual, translating walrus-related terms and phrases into Chukchi, Yupik, Russian, and English, and including illustrations to improve accessibility and practical usefulness.
Who are the publications intended for?
The publications are intended to be returned to and used by communities, and also shared for informational purposes with other Bering Strait communities.
What does the project mean by producing "practical recommendations and plans"?
The description emphasizes that the workshops and dialogue are meant to result in usable recommendations and plans that stakeholders can apply, rather than leaving outcomes at a general or purely academic discussion level.
What does the project timeline look like?
The project plan is described as a multi-year sequence of activities and reporting. At the same time, the notice lists an initial anticipated period of performance of June 1, 2015 to June 1, 2016.
What early activities are planned at the start of the project?
Early work includes establishing working agreements with Russian counterparts, conducting pilot studies in one or two Chukotkan communities to test TEK methods, and managing international travel logistics for Chukotkan workshop participants.
How does community outreach fit into the project?
The plan includes producing outreach materials (such as pamphlets and comment forms), distributing them to communities, gathering feedback, and keeping community perspectives central to the dialogue and resulting recommendations.
Are there plans to present or share information at public venues?
Yes. The plan mentions presenting at public venues such as the Beringia Days conference.
What are EWC's responsibilities under the cooperative agreement?
EWC is responsible for the community-facing and on-the-ground work, including piloting TEK methods, convening and participating in the Nome and Chukotka workshops, documenting concerns raised by hunters and researchers over the life of the project, consulting local experts in selected Chukotkan communities, compiling the TEK into final products (including the illustrated multilingual dictionary), and reporting results back to Bering Strait communities.
What are NPS's responsibilities under the cooperative agreement?
NPS (through its Shared Beringian Heritage Program) anticipates substantial involvement, including acting as a liaison to reduce cross-border barriers, helping facilitate international travel and communications, providing translation and interpretation support (including access to simultaneous translation equipment when needed), offering logistical support such as workshop organization and potential use of government housing, and providing technical assistance and safety briefings for remote Arctic work. NPS also plans to support outreach and dissemination through its Alaska and Russia networks, its program website, and the Alaska National Parks Facebook page.
How will language and interpretation needs be handled for meetings and workshops?
The notice states that NPS will provide translation and interpretation support, including access to simultaneous translation equipment when needed.
How will the project address the challenges of international coordination?
The cooperative structure anticipates NPS involvement to reduce barriers that commonly complicate cross-border work, including help with international travel logistics, communications, and liaison support with counterparts.
What reporting is expected under the agreement?
The plan includes status reports after each agreement period, and a final report and final financial report due within 90 days after the end of the agreement period.
How will the final products be distributed?
NPS plans to support dissemination using its networks and platforms, and it describes developing a distribution approach that focuses first on Bering Strait communities.
Why does NPS consider EWC uniquely qualified for this work?
NPS highlights EWC as the recognized organization representing Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities, with history dating to 1978 as a consortium formed by Native hunters, and established credibility in walrus co-management and community-based work. NPS also emphasizes that EWC's relationships and experience in both Alaska and Chukotka support the trust-based TEK documentation and bilateral dialogue the project requires.
What outcomes is the award intended to achieve?
The notice describes two broad outcomes: (1) improved cross-border coordination and shared problem-solving around changing conditions in the Bering Strait that affect walrus and walrus-dependent communities, and (2) durable cultural documentation products (the TEK report and multilingual illustrated dictionary) that communities can use to sustain language and walrus-related knowledge over time.
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