Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOI GLKN 10 0003
Apply for NPS NOI GLKN 10 0003
- The National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Using diatoms as biomonitoring tool to identify and interpret changes in water quality of Great Lakes Network parks" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 5, 2010 and posted on May 5, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $80,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $80,000.00 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 of a single source task agreement award to the Science Museum of Minnesota St. Croix Watershed Research Station, St. Paul, Minnesota under the Great Lakes Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). Diatoms can be used for biomonitoring purposes because they preserve well in sediments and are sensitive indicators of changes in water chemistry. Senior Scientist at the St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS is recognized internationally for his expertise in the subject matter. The PI has extensive experience working in National Park units and has developed a diatom training set specific to the Great Lakes region that correlates diatom communities with known water chemistry conditions. The SCWRS and the PI collaborated with the NPS Great Lakes Network (GLKN) on a 5 year project that analyzed diatom communities in sediment cores to determine historical changes in diatom communities and document the natural range of variation over the past approximately 150 years. Additionally, GLKN collected surface sediment samples from all index lakes included in its long term water quality monitoring program and the PI analyzed and related the diatom communities to known water chemistry conditions. The purpose of this previous collaborative project, which is nearing completion, was to develop a biomonitoring program using diatoms in conjunction with routine water quality monitoring. The current project, described herein, builds on the foundation of the prior collaborative effort and requires the knowledge gained previously for accurate interpretation of results. Together with GLKN s Senior Aquatic Ecologist, scientists at SCWRS wrote the diatom monitoring protocol.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to strengthen the Great Lakes Network (GLKN) long-term water quality monitoring program by adding a biomonitoring component based on diatoms. GLKN is part of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I and M) networks, which are designed to track key "vital signs" over time so parks can detect change, interpret causes, and support management decisions. Within GLKN parks, water quality was identified as one of the highest priority vital signs, and this project is meant to improve how water quality trends are interpreted by pairing routine chemical measurements with biological evidence that reflects recent environmental conditions.
The core idea is to use diatoms (microscopic algae with silica shells) as bioindicators of lake and watershed conditions. Diatoms are useful for monitoring because their communities respond predictably to changes in water chemistry and related environmental stressors, and their shells preserve well in lake sediments. That preservation allows scientists to compare present-day diatom communities with sediment records and establish context for what is "normal" versus what represents a meaningful departure. Unlike a single water sample that captures conditions on one day, diatom assemblages integrate signals over longer periods (often months to years), giving managers a more stable and interpretable picture of how water quality has been changing.
The opportunity was released as a discretionary funding notice with a single expected award and an estimated total funding amount of $80,000 (also the award ceiling). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies substantial involvement and collaboration between the NPS and the recipient during the work, rather than a hands-off grant structure. The posting date was May 5, 2010, with a very short open period that closed May 7, 2010, and the notice was archived on June 6, 2010.
Eligibility is highly specific because this notice is a "Notice of Intent" for a single-source task agreement award to the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS) in St. Paul, Minnesota, under the Great Lakes Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). In other words, the NPS signaled its intent to fund a particular partner rather than run a fully open competition. The justification centers on SCWRS and the identified principal investigator (a senior scientist) having specialized, internationally recognized expertise in diatom-based assessment and extensive experience working in National Park units. A key practical reason for selecting this partner is that the investigator has already developed a Great Lakes-specific diatom training set that links diatom community composition to known water chemistry conditions, which is essential for turning species counts into meaningful interpretations of water quality.
This project also explicitly builds on a multi-year foundation of prior collaboration between GLKN and SCWRS. The partners previously completed (or were nearing completion of) a five-year effort analyzing diatom communities in sediment cores to reconstruct historical changes and define the natural range of variation over roughly the last 150 years. In addition, GLKN collected surface sediment samples from all index lakes in its long-term water quality program, and the SCWRS investigator analyzed those samples and related the diatom communities to measured chemistry. That earlier work was aimed at developing the scientific basis for a diatom biomonitoring approach that can be used alongside routine water sampling. The new agreement described in this notice is essentially the next step: implementing or operationalizing that biomonitoring component using the protocols, training sets, and interpretive knowledge already developed. The notice indicates that accurate interpretation of results depends on the knowledge gained in the previous project, which further explains why continuity with the same team was viewed as necessary.
A notable deliverable implied by the announcement is the diatom monitoring protocol itself, which was written collaboratively by SCWRS scientists and GLKN's Senior Aquatic Ecologist. That protocol provides a standardized approach so the monitoring can be repeated consistently over time, across multiple lakes, and by different staff or teams, which is critical for long-term trend detection in a network monitoring program.
Administrative details provided include the funding opportunity number (NPS NOI GLKN 10 0003), the activity category (Natural Resources), and a point of contact for assistance with accessing the full announcement (Tonya Bradley, Contract Specialist, phone 402-661-1656). Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, science-driven cooperative agreement designed to enhance GLKN's ability to detect and interpret water quality change by incorporating diatom-based biological indicators that integrate environmental conditions over time and provide historical context through sediment records.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to strengthen the Great Lakes Network (GLKN) long-term water quality monitoring program by adding a biomonitoring component based on diatoms (microscopic algae with silica shells).
Which National Park Service program is involved?
The work is tied to the NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I and M) program through the Great Lakes Network (GLKN). The I and M networks track priority "vital signs" over time to detect change, interpret causes, and support management decisions.
What problem is the project trying to address?
Within GLKN parks, water quality is a high-priority vital sign. This project is meant to improve how water quality trends are interpreted by pairing routine chemical measurements with biological evidence (diatom communities) that reflects recent environmental conditions and provides longer-term context.
What are diatoms and why are they used for biomonitoring?
Diatoms are microscopic algae with silica shells. They are used as bioindicators because their community composition responds predictably to changes in water chemistry and related environmental stressors, making them useful for interpreting water quality conditions and change over time.
How does diatom biomonitoring complement routine water chemistry sampling?
Routine water sampling captures conditions on a particular day, while diatom assemblages integrate environmental signals over longer periods (often months to years). Using both together helps managers interpret trends more reliably by combining direct measurements with biological evidence that reflects recent conditions over time.
How do sediments factor into this monitoring approach?
Diatom shells preserve well in lake sediments. This preservation makes it possible to compare present-day diatom communities to sediment records, which helps establish context for what is considered "normal" versus what represents a meaningful departure from past conditions.
What is the main objective of the cooperative agreement?
The objective is to implement (or operationalize) a diatom-based biomonitoring component for GLKN's long-term water quality monitoring program, building on protocols, training sets, and interpretive knowledge developed through prior GLKN-SCWRS collaboration.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement and collaboration between the NPS and the recipient during the work, rather than a more hands-off grant structure.
How much funding is available under this notice?
The notice lists an estimated total funding amount of $80,000, which is also stated as the award ceiling.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How many awards does NPS expect to make?
The notice indicates a single expected award.
Is this an open, competitive opportunity?
No. This is described as a "Notice of Intent" for a single-source task agreement award, meaning NPS signaled its intent to fund a specific partner rather than run a fully open competition.
Who is the intended recipient/partner?
The intended recipient is the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS) in St. Paul, Minnesota, under the Great Lakes Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).
Why was SCWRS identified as the single-source partner?
The notice cites specialized, internationally recognized expertise in diatom-based assessment, extensive experience working in National Park units, and the practical advantage that the principal investigator had already developed a Great Lakes-specific diatom training set linking diatom community composition to known water chemistry conditions.
What is the Great Lakes-specific diatom training set mentioned in the notice?
It is a pre-developed dataset/training set that links diatom community composition to known water chemistry conditions in the Great Lakes region. This type of training set is essential for translating species counts into meaningful interpretations of water quality.
How does this project build on previous GLKN-SCWRS work?
The notice describes a multi-year foundation of collaboration, including a five-year effort analyzing diatom communities in sediment cores to reconstruct historical changes and define the natural range of variation over roughly the last 150 years. It also references GLKN-collected surface sediment samples from index lakes that were analyzed by the SCWRS investigator and related to measured chemistry to support development of the biomonitoring approach.
What is meant by "natural range of variation" in this context?
Based on the notice, it refers to the range of lake condition changes inferred from diatom communities in sediment cores over about the last 150 years, used to provide historical context for interpreting current conditions and identifying meaningful departures from past patterns.
What deliverables are implied by the announcement?
A key deliverable implied is the diatom monitoring protocol, written collaboratively by SCWRS scientists and GLKN's Senior Aquatic Ecologist. The protocol is intended to standardize methods so monitoring can be repeated consistently over time, across multiple lakes, and by different staff or teams.
Why is a standardized protocol important for this project?
Because GLKN is a long-term monitoring program, standardization supports consistent repeat sampling and interpretation across years, lakes, and personnel, which is critical for detecting trends and comparing results over time.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category listed is Natural Resources.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is NPS NOI GLKN 10 0003.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The posting date was May 5, 2010. The open period was very short and closed on May 7, 2010.
Is the opportunity still active?
No. The notice was archived on June 6, 2010.
Who is the point of contact for assistance with accessing the full announcement?
The notice lists Tonya Bradley, Contract Specialist, phone 402-661-1656, as the point of contact for assistance with accessing the full announcement.
What is the overall purpose of adding diatom biomonitoring to GLKN water quality monitoring?
The overall purpose is to enhance GLKN's ability to detect and interpret water quality change by incorporating diatom-based biological indicators that integrate environmental conditions over time and provide historical context through sediment records, alongside routine chemical measurements.
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