AT-20-02C: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) III C—Photogrammetric Aerial Surveys to Improve Detection and Classification of Seabirds, Cetaceans, and Sea Turtles | M22AS00298

Opportunity Information: Apply for M22AS00298

AT-20-02C is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) cooperative agreement opportunity (CFDA 15.423) tied to the Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS), a long-running partnership effort that also involves the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and leverages tools and workflows developed with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), including USGS-UMESC. AMAPPS is focused on producing baseline, regional and seasonal information on where marine wildlife occurs and in what numbers across nearshore and offshore Atlantic environments. Those baseline data are intended to support real-world decision-making around offshore energy development, vessel transportation planning, military training and exercises, and conservation and protected species management.

This specific announcement sits within AMAPPS Phase III and targets a very practical bottleneck in modern aerial survey science: turning large volumes of high-resolution aerial imagery into reliable species-level (or lowest feasible taxonomic level) identifications that can feed population estimates, distribution maps, and machine learning models. The third phase of AMAPPS emphasizes cost-efficient approaches that combine remote sensing and machine learning while also improving safety by reducing the need for risky or labor-intensive field efforts. Within that broader goal, AT-20-02C is aimed at classification-level annotation development, meaning trained experts are needed to review detected wildlife targets in imagery and label them appropriately, especially for seabirds, cetaceans (marine mammals such as whales and dolphins), and sea turtles, along with other marine wildlife as encountered.

The work described is centered on expert interpretation and annotation rather than collecting new imagery. BOEM is seeking subject matter experts who can identify animals visible in aerial photographs and classify them to the most specific taxonomic category that the imagery supports. The project is designed to be performed via remote access using an imagery annotation tool developed at USGS-UMESC, and the awardee is expected to follow an established annotation quality control workflow that was developed jointly by USGS-UMESC, BOEM, and USFWS. In other words, the core deliverable is not just a set of labels, but labels produced in a standardized, quality-controlled way that can be trusted for downstream analyses and for training and validating automated detection and classification methods.

This is not an open call to all applicants. It is a program announcement stating BOEMs intent to undertake a specific project, and it is only open through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) network to particular CESU regions: the North Atlantic Coast CESU (NAC-CESU), the Chesapeake Watershed CESU (CHW-CESU), and the Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESU (PSAC-CESU). Eligible applicants noted include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities, but participation is constrained by the CESU eligibility pathway described in the announcement. Proposals are considered only from the identified eligible groups, and any award is contingent on BOEM receiving an acceptable proposal.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which matters because it explicitly anticipates substantial involvement by BOEM scientists in study development and/or study conduct. That typically means BOEM staff will be actively engaged in planning, coordination, methodological alignment, review of outputs, and ensuring the products meet agency standards and management needs, rather than simply providing funds and receiving a final report. The maximum award amount listed is $324,241. The opportunity was created on 2022-06-06 with an original closing date of 2022-08-29, reflecting a defined application window for the targeted CESU partners.

On project structure and administrative expectations, the applying organization must name a Principal Investigator (PI) who is a staff member of that organization. The announcement encourages cooperative research arrangements, such as collaborations among state agencies, public universities, and non-profits in affected states, which fits the regional nature of AMAPPS and the specialized expertise needed for accurate aerial identification. Cost sharing or matching is described as very strongly encouraged and may be provided as cash or in-kind contributions (for example, personnel time, equipment use, or other resources). However, matching funds cannot come from other federal funding sources, and match claims cannot include the value of collecting samples that were previously collected. The opportunity also notes that match valuation for equipment should be prorated to the period of use within the project relative to the items full lifecycle, and that any ship time used as match (if applicable) must be documented with a fair cost assessment. Applicants are pointed to the federal cost-sharing standards at 2 CFR 200.306 for further guidance.

In practical terms, the opportunity is about improving the accuracy and usability of high-resolution aerial survey imagery by pairing it with disciplined, expert-driven classification and QA/QC. That expert annotation work supports multiple downstream outcomes: more defensible abundance and distribution estimates for protected species, better spatial products for planning and environmental review, and stronger training data for machine learning approaches that can reduce long-term survey costs while maintaining or improving data quality. Questions about the project and eligibility are directed to the specific point-of-contact identified in the announcements Section G, reinforcing that the process is structured and limited to the identified CESU pathways rather than being a general, open competition.

• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AT-20-02C: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) III C—Photogrammetric Aerial Surveys to Improve Detection and Classification of Seabirds, Cetaceans, and Sea Turtles" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-06-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-29. (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 $324,241.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others.

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