Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Serviceâ₏™s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition. ABSTRACT Funding Announcement Number P15AS01013 Project Title Population Dynamics of Forest Carnivores in Denali Recipient University of Washington Principle Investigator / Program Manager Laura Prugh, Ph.D. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195-2100 Total Anticipated Award Amount $24,999 Cost Share None New Award or Continuation? Continuation Anticipated Period of Performance 1 September 2015 â₏“ 31 July 2019 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(b) CFDA # and Title 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs â₏“ Resources of the National Park System Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (1) Continuation and (4) Unique Qualifications NPS ATR Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro OVERVIEW This agreement will provide substantial support for a graduate student program of study through the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. The project will use methods developed previously by the Principal Investigator to track the distribution, abundance, and habitat partitioning among forest carnivores in Denali. Winter surveys of carnivore tracks in snow encountered along established routes will be conducted, and fecal DNA-based estimates of coyote and fox abundance will be obtained from scats collected along track survey routes. Estimates of prey abundance will be obtained by ongoing surveys of hare pellets and vole abundance on established plots. Coyote movement patterns and survival rates will be examined by radio-collaring and monitoring collared coyotes. Funds provided through this agreement will be used for graduate student support, technician salary, and field supplies during the initial year of the project. Additional funding will be obtained from other sources (e.g., National Science Foundation and other grants). During years 2-4, NPS support up to $25,000 per year may be provided pending availability of funds. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN The University of Washington and NPS staff at Denali will collaborate on all phases of planning and execution of this project. The University of Washington will play the lead role in directing the graduate studentâ₏™s program of study, will obtain additional funding from other sources, and will administer funds spent for direct costs of equipment, supplies, and salaries. An NPS biologist (Denaliâ₏™s Biological Resources Program Manager) will serve on the graduate student's advisory committee, and will play a key role in developing specific objectives and methods, planning field work, and analysis and interpretation of results. In addition, NPS will provide technical expertise, equipment, housing, in-kind support, and field personnel, which may include both paid staff and participants in the Volunteers in the Parks program. NPS staff will also collaborate on data analysis and publication of results. Much of the field work for this project will occur within the Wilderness Area of Denali National Park, thus, close coordination with park staff is critical to ensure that Wilderness management requirements are met. Furthermore, the project will make use of data regarding wolf abundance and distribution provided by park staff; this type of study is not possible anywhere else in Alaska due to the lack of such data. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT The University of Washington will: 1. Sponsor a graduate research program leading to a Ph.D. degree, with an anticipated completion date of July 31, 2019. 2. Design and conduct field research including establishing survey routes, counting tracks of forest carnivores along those routes during winter, collecting carnivore feces for diet and genetic analyses, and conducting those analyses. 3. Recruit, select, and supervise the work of a graduate student and one primary field technician. 4. Provide advice and guidance to the graduate student in preparation of a Ph.D. Dissertation and subsequent technical publications. 5. Provide public outreach through at least one interpretive program per year, to be presented in Denali National Park and Preserve. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, the National Park Service will be responsible for the following: 1. Participate in all phases of project planning, design, and operation. 2. The Biological Resources Program Manager will serve on the graduate studentâ₏™s advisory committee and play a key role in developing specific objectives and methods, planning field work, and analysis and interpretation of results. 3. Provide housing for winter field work, logistical support including use of snowmachines and/or dog teams, and other equipment as needed for safety and efficiency of operations (GPS, radios, emergency locator beacons, tools for sample collection, etc.) 4. Recruit, train, and support one technician for winter field work (may be either paid staff or a Volunteer in the Parks participant). 5. Provide technical advice and assistance with study design, methods, data analysis and interpretation. 6. Supply data on wolf population size and distribution, and detailed data on wolf movements obtained by ongoing telemetry studies. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria: (1) Unsolicited Proposal â₏“ The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives; (2) Continuation â₏“ The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity; (3) Legislative intent â₏“ The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congressâ₏™ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications â₏“ The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications; (5) Emergencies â₏“ Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed. The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (1) Continuation: This project is a continuation of a project begun by the principal investigator under a prior cooperative agreement with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. (4) Unique Qualifications: The principal investigator of the proposed project has extensive experience directing field studies of medium-sized carnivorous mammals in Alaska, has published the results of these studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and has developed innovative methods for assessing carnivore abundance, distribution, and diet characteristics in remote, subarctic environments. Much of this work has been conducted in and around Denali National Park and Preserve. In addition, the University of Washington has unique capabilities for analysis of genetic material that will be a key component of this study. The proposed project will build upon a recently-completed graduate study, and will use many of the same protocols and field sites. Thus, data from prior years will be available to strengthen the scientific analyses that will be conducted during the proposed study. The investigator's familiarity with the area and the unique problems of working here (compliance with State of Alaska, NPS and Wilderness regulations, working relationships with local residents, familiarity with local geography and transportation routes, etc.), are critical to the success of this project.
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