Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units | F17AS00369

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00369

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) funding opportunity (Opportunity Number F17AS00369) is a discretionary Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notice focused on natural resources work carried out through a cooperative agreement. It is tied to CFDA 15.678 and is built around the CESU model, which is commonly used by DOI bureaus to partner with universities and other research institutions on applied science, technical assistance, and capacity-building that supports fish, wildlife, habitat, and broader conservation management needs.

This particular announcement is not an open competition. It is a Notice of Intent to make a sole-source award to the University of New Mexico, meaning the agency signaled in advance that it planned to fund that specific institution rather than solicit proposals from multiple applicants. While the eligible applicant category is listed as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, the sole-source nature effectively narrows the practical applicant pool to the named institution for this action. The notice also emphasizes that any application materials must address all activities and stipulations described in Section 1 of the funding opportunity and follow the application checklist provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, reflecting the agency requirement that the recipient align the proposed work with the defined scope, deliverables, and administrative conditions.

The legal authorities cited in the opportunity description indicate the kinds of conservation priorities the project may support and the statutory basis that allows the Fish and Wildlife Service to enter into and fund this agreement. These authorities include major federal conservation and wildlife laws such as the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (integration of fish and wildlife considerations into water resource development), the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (support for land conservation and recreation-related purposes), the Endangered Species Act (conservation of listed species and their habitats), the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Fish and Wildlife Act (broad fish and wildlife conservation and management authorities), the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (protection of migratory birds), the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (limitations and protections related to coastal barrier areas), and the Public Lands Corps Act (authorities connected to youth and conservation service programs on public lands). Collectively, these citations signal that the funded work is expected to advance federal fish and wildlife conservation responsibilities, potentially including habitat assessment or restoration planning, species monitoring or status evaluation, applied research to inform management decisions, technical support for conservation programs, or other science-based activities consistent with these statutes.

In terms of funding specifics, the award ceiling is $98,498, and the agency anticipated making one award. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally implies substantial involvement by the federal agency during the period of performance (for example, collaboration on work planning, coordination on methods and deliverables, data sharing, or iterative review of products), as opposed to a grant where the recipient typically has more independence in execution. The opportunity was created on August 4, 2017, with an original closing date of August 10, 2017, reflecting a short submission window that is typical of a targeted sole-source notice where the prospective recipient is already identified and the action is primarily procedural and compliance-driven.

Overall, this opportunity represents a targeted Fish and Wildlife Service investment, executed through the CESU partnership framework, to obtain university-based expertise and support for natural resource conservation work authorized under a suite of cornerstone federal wildlife and habitat protection laws, with a single anticipated cooperative agreement award to the University of New Mexico up to $98,498.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.678.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 04, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 10, 2017 This is a Notice of Intent to sole source to the University of New Mexico. Applications must address all activities stipulations in Section 1 (Description of Funding Opportunity) Application Checklist (via Notice of Funding Opportunity).. (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 $98,498.00 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 F17AS00369

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