Monitoring Fish for NPS-NCR | P00232

Opportunity Information: Apply for P00232

The grant opportunity titled "Monitoring Fish for NPS-NCR" is a National Park Service effort focused on evaluating stream health across parks in the National Capital Region by carrying out standardized biological monitoring during the summer field season. The cooperator is responsible for implementing the established biological stream monitoring protocol described by Norris and Sanders (2009). The overall purpose is to gather consistent, comparable field data that can be used to assess aquatic ecosystem condition and track changes over time in streams managed by the National Park Service.

Fieldwork under this agreement centers on sampling thirty-seven (37) stream sites spread across ten (10) NPS parks in the National Capital Region. At each location, the cooperator will collect multiple types of information that together provide a detailed picture of stream condition. This includes fish sampling, broader faunal observations (specifically noting organisms such as amphibians and reptiles, mussels, and crayfish), physical habitat measurements, and water chemistry data. Fish encountered during sampling are to be identified to species in the field and then released back into the stream, supporting a monitoring approach that minimizes harm while still producing robust biological data. When certain specimens cannot be confidently identified in the field, samples will be collected and preserved so they can be identified later in a laboratory setting.

A key analytical deliverable tied to the fish data is the calculation of the Fish Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) for each sampling site. The opportunity specifies that these FIBI calculations must follow the most up-to-date methods used by the Maryland Biological Stream Survey Program, signaling that the project is expected to align with current regional best practices and maintain methodological consistency with widely accepted state-level monitoring frameworks. In practical terms, this means the cooperator is not only collecting field observations but also converting those observations into standardized metrics that can be used for decision-making and long-term resource management.

Data management and quality assurance are emphasized heavily. All collected information, including photographs, must be entered into an MS Access database provided by the NPS. The process requires thorough checks by the field crew, followed by a formal quality-control step where 100 percent of the entered data is reviewed by someone other than the original data entrant. This two-layer approach is designed to reduce transcription errors and ensure that the final dataset is dependable for analysis and reporting. After the field season concludes, the complete dataset is transferred to the NCRN Data Manager, integrating the results into the National Capital Region Network's broader inventory and monitoring data systems.

In addition to field sampling and data delivery, the cooperator is expected to provide end-of-season reporting and operational feedback. After completing summer monitoring, the cooperator will submit a summary of monitoring activities, including any interesting, unusual, or novel observations made during the season. The cooperator will also participate in a short Operational Review meeting, typically lasting one to two hours, where topics like safety practices, field procedures, and data management are discussed. The notice underscores that cooperator feedback is considered important for maintaining a safe, effective, and continuously improving monitoring program.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is listed as a Discretionary award using a Cooperative Agreement funding instrument, and it falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. The CFDA number is 15.945, and eligible applicants are identified as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The agency is the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The posting date is June 5, 2019, with an original closing date of June 15, 2019, and it notes an award ceiling of $97,005 with one expected award.

Importantly, the posting is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent only, meaning it is not open for competition and no applications are being accepted. The task agreement is being awarded under an existing cooperative agreement (P19AC00140) that had already gone through a competitive process, with the Stroud Water Research Center identified in the notice. In other words, the announcement functions mainly as a public disclosure of planned funding and scope rather than a solicitation for new proposals.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Monitoring Fish for NPS-NCR" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 05, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2019 This is a Notice of Intent only. This Task Agreement is being awarded under Cooperative Agreement P19AC00140 (Stroud Water Research Center) which was already awarded under a competitive process. No applications are being accepted at this time.. (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 $97,005.00 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.

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