Pre-White Nose Syndrome Bat Distribution Study at SOFO parks with Navajo Tribal Involvement | P18AS00399

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00399

The funding opportunity titled "Pre-White Nose Syndrome Bat Distribution Study at SOFO parks with Navajo Tribal Involvement" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00399) is a National Park Service grant action under the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on natural resource research. The project centers on establishing a baseline understanding of bat distribution in and around the Southern Foothills Network (SOFO) park units before the potential arrival or impacts of White-nose Syndrome, a disease that has caused major declines in bat populations in other regions. The emphasis on "pre-White Nose Syndrome" indicates the work is meant to document where bat species occur, how they are distributed, and potentially what habitats or roosting areas they use prior to widespread disease pressure, which can be critical for later comparisons, early detection, and long-term conservation planning.

This opportunity is not an open competition. The notice indicates it is a "Notice of Intent to Award" to Virginia Tech under an existing master agreement (Master P14AC01176), and it explicitly states it is not a request for applications. In other words, the agency is announcing its intention to make a single cooperative agreement award rather than soliciting proposals from the public. The expected number of awards is one, and the listed award ceiling is $33,845, which suggests a relatively small, targeted research effort or a discrete project phase such as field surveys, acoustic monitoring, data analysis, and reporting.

The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the National Park Service expects to have substantial involvement in the work as it is carried out. In practice, that usually translates into close coordination on study design, site access, survey priorities, data standards, and how results are communicated and incorporated into park management decisions. Cooperative agreements are commonly used for scientific studies in parks when the agency will be actively engaged in guiding the project rather than simply providing funds and receiving a final report.

A notable element of the project is "Navajo Tribal Involvement." This signals that the work is intended to be conducted with participation, coordination, or partnership with the Navajo Nation and/or Navajo community members, potentially reflecting shared landscapes, cultural connections to bats, overlapping jurisdictions, or mutual resource management interests. Tribal involvement in a study like this can include collaborative planning, incorporating Indigenous knowledge where appropriate, facilitating access or coordination in areas of interest, supporting training or employment opportunities, and ensuring that any research activities align with tribal priorities and applicable protocols. The title highlights this component as integral rather than incidental, suggesting the partnership aspect is a key feature of the project.

In terms of official classification, the opportunity falls under the "Discretionary" opportunity category and the "Natural Resources" activity category, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.945, which corresponds to National Park Service assistance programs. The opportunity was created on July 5, 2018, and the "Original Closing Date" field is effectively replaced by the notice that it is an intent to award rather than an application-based competition. The listing also shows "Eligible Applicants: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities," but given the explicit intent-to-award language naming Virginia Tech under a pre-existing master agreement, eligibility categories are largely informational here rather than a meaningful invitation for other entities to apply.

Overall, this is a small, single-award, cooperative-agreement-funded scientific baseline study designed to map and document bat distribution in SOFO park units before White-nose Syndrome effects are observed, carried out in close coordination with the National Park Service and with explicit Navajo tribal involvement as part of the project framework.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pre-White Nose Syndrome Bat Distribution Study at SOFO parks with Navajo Tribal Involvement" 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 Jul 05, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to Award to Virginia Tech under Master P14AC01176 Not a request for applications. (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 $33,845.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.

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