Assessing abundance and migratory connectivity of boreal birds | F19AS00190

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00190

This grant opportunity, titled "Assessing abundance and migratory connectivity of boreal birds" (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00190), is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Department of the Interior, Region 7. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the agency expects to be actively involved in the work rather than simply providing funds with minimal engagement. The activity falls under environment, natural resources, and research and development, and it is listed under CFDA 15.655.

A key point is that this is a single-source award and not a competitive solicitation. The USFWS states it intends to make the award specifically to the University of Alaska Anchorage under the Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) agreement (FWS-ALSK-CESU-2018), using the authority cited as 505 DM 2.14(B). Because of that, the notice is not requesting proposals and the government does not plan to accept competing applications. The CESU framework is used to connect federal agencies with research and technical expertise at partner institutions, supporting applied research, technical assistance, and education across biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines, typically with an ecosystem-scale management focus.

The funded work supports a study of breeding landbirds and shorebirds that are considered conservation priorities on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska. In practical terms, the project is aimed at improving understanding of which species are present, how abundant they are during the breeding season, and how they use habitat across the installation. The emphasis on "migratory connectivity" signals interest in linking breeding populations in Alaska to their migration routes and non-breeding areas, information that is often important for conservation planning because threats can occur anywhere along a migratory bird's annual cycle.

The recipient is expected to provide on-the-ground field and analytical capacity. The opportunity specifies three core capabilities: first, the ability to recruit and supervise qualified personnel to conduct surveys for breeding shorebirds and landbirds; second, the ability to supervise students who will compile environmental and bird survey datasets and use those data to develop spatial models of habitat use (for example, mapping or predicting where birds are most likely to occur based on vegetation, terrain, hydrology, or other environmental variables); and third, access to and familiarity with the military lands where the work will take place, which matters because field operations on an active military installation require knowledge of access procedures, safety constraints, and coordination requirements.

The award anticipates a single funded project (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of $37,528. The opportunity record shows it was created on April 18, 2019, with an original closing date of April 26, 2019, reflecting the administrative posting period even though the action is non-competitive and intended for a named institution. Eligible applicants are described generally as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with the CESU partner model, but the notice makes clear the intended recipient is the University of Alaska Anchorage.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessing abundance and migratory connectivity of boreal birds" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.655.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 18, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 26, 2019. (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 $37,528.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for F19AS00190

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