Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G24AS00353

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is G24AS00353.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is a discretionary federal funding announcement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Which USGS office is associated with this announcement?

The opportunity is tied to the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC).

What type of award is expected?

The award is expected to be made as a cooperative agreement, which generally means USGS will have substantial involvement in the project rather than a completely hands-off relationship.

What program is this opportunity offered through?

This opportunity is offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is a network of partnered institutions that supports research, technical assistance, and education connected to federal land and resource management needs.

Which CESU Network is specifically involved?

Eligibility is restricted to participating partners within the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (Gulf Coast CESU).

Who is eligible to apply?

Only organizations that are already participating partners in the Gulf Coast CESU are eligible. This typically includes certain CESU-affiliated universities, nonprofits, and other approved partners within that specific CESU network.

Can an organization outside the Gulf Coast CESU apply if it has the right technical expertise?

No. Based on the information provided, the opportunity is not open to the general public and is not open to organizations outside the Gulf Coast CESU partnership, even if they have relevant technical capability.

What is the main purpose of this project?

The project focuses on applied research and development to advance the software implementation and deployment of custom applications that address coastal and ecological management problems.

What kinds of software outcomes is USGS looking for?

USGS WARC is looking for deployable, mission-relevant software and implementation approaches that improve how researchers and natural resource managers track, analyze, classify, and make decisions related to coastal and ecological management challenges.

What are the main application areas highlighted in the announcement?

The announcement highlights three main application areas: (1) barrier island habitat change and habitat classification, (2) geo-environmental scenarios, and (3) species population control scenarios.

What does "barrier island habitat change and habitat classification" refer to in this context?

In this opportunity, it refers to software efforts that help track changes in barrier island habitats over time and support the classification of habitats in ways that are useful for research and management.

What are "geo-environmental scenarios" in this announcement?

Geo-environmental scenarios typically involve integrating and analyzing environmental and geospatial data to understand conditions, trends, risks, and responses. The software focus is on enabling these kinds of analyses and scenario-based understanding.

What are "species population control scenarios" in this announcement?

These scenarios can include tools that support planning, monitoring, modeling, and decision-making for managing species populations.

Is cybersecurity a required part of the work?

Yes. A notable requirement is that the software work should promote zero-trust architecture practices.

What does the announcement mean by "zero-trust architecture practices"?

It means the resulting systems should be designed around modern cybersecurity principles that assume no implicit trust within networks or systems, and that emphasize strong identity practices, access controls, verification, and least-privilege approaches.

What is the CFDA number and program category listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808 and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling is $485,000.

How many awards will be made?

The expected number of awards is not specified in the information provided.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on April 29, 2024.

What was the original closing date for this opportunity?

The original closing date was May 29, 2024.

Is this opportunity focused more on research or on deployable products?

It is described as applied research and development with a strong emphasis on software implementation and deployment, suggesting practical, deployable outputs are a key goal.

Who is the intended audience or end user for the software?

The announcement indicates the outputs should improve the ability of researchers and natural resource managers to address barrier island habitat change, geo-environmental analysis, and species population management.

Does the announcement indicate any relationship between the project and federal land/resource management needs?

Yes. The CESU Program is described as supporting research, technical assistance, and education tied to federal land and resource management needs, and the project topics align with coastal and ecological management.