University of Montana Economic Values of National Park System Visitation | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this National Park Service funding notice about?

This notice describes planned work under a cooperative agreement to estimate the economic value that visitors place on trips to units across the National Park System. The goal is to create system-wide, comparable visitor valuation estimates based on willingness-to-pay (WTP) measures.

Is this a standard open grant competition?

No. The posting is explicitly a notice of intent only. That means it signals anticipated work and a planned cooperative agreement rather than a typical open, competitive solicitation.

What is the central purpose of the project?

The central purpose is to build a system-wide visitor valuation framework using a meta-analytic approach. The recipient would synthesize and standardize results from many prior park-level valuation studies and then produce consistent value estimates that can be applied across the entire National Park System.

What does "willingness-to-pay (WTP)" mean in this notice?

WTP refers to the economic value visitors place on their trip or visit, measured as what they would be willing to pay for the experience (often interpreted as a visitor benefit measure) over and above what they actually spend.

What is a "meta-analytic" approach in this context?

In this context, meta-analysis means combining many existing park-level WTP studies into a single statistical framework. The model would explain how WTP varies across parks and study conditions, and it would be used to predict standardized valuation estimates for parks that do not have their own original valuation studies.

What existing WTP evidence will the project use?

The notice describes combining two major sets of existing WTP estimates: (1) an earlier set of 25 park-specific WTP values, and (2) an additional set of 52 unique park-specific values reported in Duffield, Neher, and Patterson (2010). Together, these provide 77 park-level estimates for the meta-analytic evidence base.

What will the project produce for the National Park System?

The planned output is a national, comparable set of visitor valuation estimates (for example, per-visit or per-trip values) for all National Park System units. The estimates would be consistent across units and usable even where no original park-specific valuation study exists.

How will the results be used by the National Park Service?

The notice indicates the resulting value estimates could be used for planning, policy analysis, and benefit estimation. The emphasis is on visitor benefits in an economic welfare sense, not local spending impacts.

How is this different from NPS regional economic impact modeling?

The notice contrasts this effort with the agency's MGM regional economic modeling work. MGM-style modeling focuses on regional economic impacts of park visitation (such as spending effects). This project focuses instead on visitor benefits measured as willingness-to-pay, which is a different type of economic value.

Will the valuation system be updated over time?

Yes. The notice describes the framework as iterative. Initial park values would come from meta-model predictions, and those predicted values would be replaced over time as improved park-specific, original valuation data become available.

What future data sources might improve or replace modeled estimates?

The notice points to potential improvements in data streams such as Visitor Services Project (VSP) surveys and other valuation efforts as future sources that could replace modeled estimates with direct, park-specific valuation estimates.

What valuation methods are emphasized in the notice?

The notice emphasizes using existing survey datasets to compare and refine two common non-market valuation approaches: travel cost models and contingent valuation models.

Which datasets are named for methodological work and comparison?

The notice specifically names the Visitor Services Project (VSP) surveys, the NPS Fee Demo surveys (fee demonstration program survey data related to visitor fees and responses), and the 2005 Yellowstone National Park visitor survey.

How will these datasets be used in the project?

According to the notice, the datasets would be used to inform model specification, validate assumptions, and help reconcile differences between travel cost and contingent valuation approaches, with the broader goal of improving credibility and transferability across different park contexts.

What type of funding instrument is described?

The opportunity is described as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement instrument, under a natural resources activity category.

How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding is $150,000. The award ceiling is also $150,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The notice states there is no required cost sharing or matching.

Who is eligible to apply or receive the agreement?

Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The notice also indicates alignment with the title referencing the University of Montana.

What are the key dates listed in the posting?

The posting date is August 19, 2010. The original and current closing date is August 26, 2010. The notice was archived on September 25, 2010.

What does "Expected Awards: 0" mean here?

The listing indicates "Expected Awards: 0," which is consistent with the posting being a notice of intent rather than a standard competitive grant cycle with expected awards.

Who is the contact for questions or access issues?

The contact listed is Kortni Selinger, Contract Specialist. Phone: 303-987-6734. Email: kortniselinger@contractor.nps.gov.