A Survey of the Fauna of Seepage Springs in National Capital Parks-East (NACE) | P18AS00496

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00496

This discretionary grant opportunity, issued by the Department of the Interior (DOI) through the National Park Service (NPS), funds a cooperative agreement focused on seepage springs and their associated wildlife in National Capital Parks-East (NACE) in Washington, DC. The core purpose is to build on earlier fieldwork by continuing a park-wide inventory of seepage springs, collecting standardized water quality data at those sites, and performing genetic testing on a subterranean amphipod in the genus Stygobromus (an unidentified Stygobromus species previously found during earlier surveys). The overall idea is straightforward: identify what seepage springs exist on NACE lands, understand the environmental conditions that shape where certain ground-dwelling invertebrates can live, and produce defensible science that park managers can use to better protect these sensitive habitats.

The project lays out several concrete, measurable deliverables. First, it requires completed surveys across additional sections of NACE park land to document the presence and distribution of seepage springs. Second, it calls for collection of water quality parameters, which serve as supporting evidence to explain patterns in species presence or absence across springs (in other words, why subterranean or ground-associated invertebrates show up in some sites but not others). Third, it includes genetic analysis of the unknown Stygobromus specimen(s) from earlier work so the organism can be more precisely classified within the Stygobromus genus, strengthening both local biodiversity knowledge and broader scientific understanding of amphipod biology. Fourth, it aims to expand and improve the GIS database of known seep locations, creating a clearer spatial record that can directly inform land management decisions, planning, and resource protection.

From a management and policy standpoint, the opportunity explicitly ties the work to DOI priority 10.1.a, which emphasizes using science to identify best practices for managing land and water resources and adapting to environmental change. The logic presented in the notice is that effective protection depends on knowing what resources exist and where they occur. By documenting seepage springs on park land, pairing those observations with water quality measurements, and linking biological findings (including genetic identification work) to mapped locations, the project supports more science-based stewardship. That, in turn, is intended to improve park planning, reduce the risk of inadvertently damaging sensitive seep habitats, and increase the likelihood that these resources will remain intact for future public enjoyment.

Administratively, the opportunity is labeled "A Survey of the Fauna of Seepage Springs in National Capital Parks-East (NACE)" with funding opportunity number P18AS00496. It falls under CFDA 15.945 and is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The instrument type is a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency compared to a simpler grant structure. Eligible applicants include public and state controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education, reflecting the research and student-training components described in the narrative. The posting listed an award ceiling of $68,751, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on Aug 06, 2018, with an original closing date of Aug 16, 2018. In addition to the direct resource benefits to NACE, the description emphasizes that the work contributes to taxonomy and basic science on subterranean fauna and provides students opportunities to participate in real-world research on local public lands.

• 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 "A Survey of the Fauna of Seepage Springs in National Capital Parks-East (NACE)" 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 Aug 06, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 16, 2018. (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 $68,751.00 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, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for P18AS00496

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