Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00436

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the main goal of this USGS funding opportunity?

The goal is to support research and development work that strengthens how policy information is gathered, organized, maintained, and used for introduced and invasive species management. The central deliverable is a dynamic, updateable policy database designed for practical decision-making and response.

2) What type of funding instrument is being offered?

This opportunity is offered through a Cooperative Agreement. That structure typically involves active involvement by USGS during the project period, such as collaboration on the approach, deliverables, and integration requirements.

3) Is this a standard grant or something different?

It is not described as a standard grant. It is specifically a cooperative agreement, which signals a more collaborative relationship with the federal agency compared to many traditional discretionary grants.

4) Who is issuing the opportunity?

The issuing agency is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), listed as Geological Survey.

5) What is the funding opportunity title?

The title is "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit."

6) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is G23AS00436.

7) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?

The Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) number provided is 15.808.

8) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is "Science and Technology and other Research and Development."

9) How much funding is available?

The maximum award amount listed is $50,000.

10) How many awards does USGS expect to make?

The listing indicates expected awards, but the specific number of expected awards is not provided in the information given.

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. The opportunity is not open broadly to the general public or to organizations outside that specific CESU network.

12) What is the CESU framework, and why does it matter for eligibility?

CESU is a federal partnership program intended to connect government agencies with academic and other partner organizations for research, technical assistance, and educational support. For this opportunity, the CESU framework matters because only partners affiliated with the Chesapeake Watershed CESU Program are eligible to apply.

13) What will the funded project produce?

The project is intended to build and maintain a dynamic database that compiles and organizes policies related to introduced and invasive species. The database is meant to be usable in real operational contexts and capable of being updated as policies change over time.

14) What kinds of policies are expected to be included in the database?

The database is intended to include policies across multiple jurisdictions in the United States, including U.S. state and territory policies, federal policies, and Tribal policies. The policies referenced include laws, regulations, executive actions, and guidance documents.

15) Why is the database described as "dynamic"?

Because it is expected to be maintained and updated over time as laws, regulations, executive actions, and guidance documents change. The project is not limited to a one-time collection effort; it is designed to support ongoing updating and continued usefulness.

16) What does "introduced and invasive species management" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this opportunity, it refers to policy-relevant work that supports prevention of introductions, early detection of new incursions, and rapid response to emerging invasive species threats by making policy and authority information easier to find and use.

17) What is the National Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) Information System, and how is it related to this project?

The National EDRR Information System is the information infrastructure referenced for early detection and rapid response efforts. A key requirement of this opportunity is that the policy database must integrate with that system, aligning the policy resource with national EDRR goals and operational needs.

18) What does "integration" with the National EDRR Information System mean here?

Integration means the resulting policy database must be able to connect to or be consumed by the broader EDRR information infrastructure. The description implies attention to interoperability, data standards, and technical considerations so the policy content can be used effectively within the EDRR system.

19) Is the project purely research, or does it involve practical implementation?

It is described as both research-oriented and implementation-oriented. The intent is to produce a practical tool that supports real-world response and decision-making, not just a research report.

20) What role is USGS expected to play during the project?

Because this is a cooperative agreement, USGS is expected to be actively involved during performance of the project. The description suggests involvement may include coordination on the approach, deliverables, and the integration requirements with the National EDRR Information System.

21) When was the opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was created on 2023-06-28, and the original closing date was 2023-08-18.

22) What makes this opportunity different from a general open solicitation?

Two key factors: (1) eligibility is restricted to Chesapeake Watershed CESU participating partners, and (2) the cooperative agreement structure indicates substantial USGS involvement and a strong emphasis on meeting specific integration and deliverable expectations.

23) What problem is this opportunity trying to solve?

It targets a common operational challenge in invasive species prevention and response: policy and authority information exists across many jurisdictions and formats, changes over time, and can be hard to locate and apply quickly. The database is intended to make that information easier to find, interpret, and use during planning and rapid response activities.

24) What jurisdictions should the database cover?

The database is intended to cover multiple jurisdictions in the United States, including state and territory policies, federal policies, and Tribal policies.

25) Does the opportunity specify the format or structure of the policy database?

The opportunity emphasizes that policies must be structured in a way that is useful for real-world response and decision-making and that the database must integrate with the National EDRR Information System. Specific technical formats are not provided in the information given, but interoperability and data standards are explicitly implied as important.