Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU | G18AS00098

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00098

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00098) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior discretionary funding announcement aimed at improving how bat species are identified from acoustic recordings. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means USGS expects to be substantially involved in the project through collaboration, coordination, and shared technical input rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant. The activity falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 15.808) and is intended for an eligible partner within the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, with eligibility described as “Others” and further clarified in the full eligibility text of the announcement.

The core purpose of the project is to develop open source standards that can unify automated approaches used to classify bat echolocation calls. In practice, many agencies, researchers, consultants, and conservation groups collect bat acoustic data, but they often rely on different software tools, different parameter settings, and different decision rules for turning a recording into a species (or species group) label. That variability makes it difficult to compare results across studies or regions, and it can introduce bias or inconsistent error rates. USGS is seeking research that produces standardized, openly available methods or guidance that helps different automated “autoID” solutions produce more consistent and defensible species classifications.

The objectives are explicitly quality- and consistency-focused. First, the standards should maximize the chance that each individual recording is assigned to the correct species (or species group) while simultaneously minimizing false positives, meaning cases where a species is reported as present when it is not. Second, the work should aim to eliminate the need for manual vetting of automated classification results. Manual review is time-consuming, costly, and itself can vary between reviewers, so a key goal is to make automated outputs reliable enough to stand on their own under defined conditions. Third, the standards should reduce variation, bias, and uncertainty in classification outcomes so data from many contributors and wide geographic areas can be integrated seamlessly, interpreted reliably, and used with greater confidence in broader analyses or management decisions.

Administratively, the opportunity was created July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 14, 2018. USGS anticipated making a single award with a maximum (award ceiling) of $49,000. In short, it is a targeted, modest-sized research award intended to produce practical, open source standardization that improves accuracy, reduces false detections, and supports consistent bat acoustic species identification across tools, projects, and regions.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 31, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 14, 2018. (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 $49,000.00 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).

Apply for G18AS00098

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