Monitoring of Vegetation Response to Changes in Hydrologic Parameters within Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Habitat in Everglades National Park | W81EWF22SOI0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF22SOI0002

The grant opportunity titled "Monitoring of Vegetation Response to Changes in Hydrologic Parameters within Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Habitat in Everglades National Park" is a Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District cooperative agreement focused on applied ecological monitoring in Everglades National Park (ENP). The core idea is to track how vegetation in Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (CSSS) habitat responds as water management changes are put into practice, particularly changes tied to the 2020 COP (Combined Operational Plan) water control plan. Because the sparrow depends on specific habitat conditions, the monitoring is meant to clarify whether hydrologic operations and restoration actions are shifting vegetation structure and plant community composition in ways that could help or harm habitat suitability over time.

The anticipated work centers on designing and implementing a monitoring effort that can detect vegetation responses to hydrologic change. The opportunity emphasizes both present-day suitable CSSS habitat and areas the species historically occupied. One of the main goals is to generate vegetation data that can be compared back to earlier baseline datasets, which implies a need for consistency with prior sampling approaches or at least a clear crosswalk that allows meaningful comparisons. In addition to taking a snapshot of current conditions, the work is also intended to capture direction and pace of change, essentially asking: as water management and restoration initiatives continue, is the vegetation moving toward or away from the habitat characteristics associated with CSSS use?

The project objectives are laid out in two parts. Objective 1 is to collect vegetation data in areas currently identified as suitable for CSSS as well as historically occupied locations, with the explicit intent of comparing new observations to prior baseline information. Objective 2 is to determine the trajectory of vegetation change in response to ongoing water management activities and restoration initiatives in areas identified as suitable CSSS habitat. Together, these objectives point to a monitoring program that is not just descriptive, but evaluative, linking observed vegetation patterns to hydrologic conditions under the newer operational plan and documenting trends over time rather than treating each sampling event as isolated.

Deliverables are structured to keep USACE informed throughout the period of performance and to ensure that data and findings are documented in a usable form. Quarterly status reports are required every 90 days, summarizing work completed and any issues or obstacles encountered during the reporting period. Annual reporting is also required: at the end of each year, a draft annual report must be submitted and then reviewed by the USACE Jacksonville District, after which a final annual report is submitted incorporating any comments. These annual reports must include, at minimum, an introduction, a methods section, an evaluation of the year’s collected data, and a conclusion. Along with the report, an accompanying dataset must be made available, signaling that data delivery is a formal part of performance, not optional supporting material.

Near the end of the agreement, a final report is required one month before completion. This final report takes the place of the last annual report and is meant to synthesize results across all years of the cooperative agreement. Like the annual reports, it must include at least an introduction, methods, evaluation of data from each year, and conclusions, and it follows the same draft-review-final process with USACE review and comment. A complete accompanying dataset is also expected with the final submission, reinforcing the expectation of a well-organized, shareable record of vegetation monitoring results.

Coordination with USACE is built into the award through scheduled meetings. A kick-off meeting is planned at the start to connect the recipient with the USACE point of contact and to go over the proposed work plan for the base year. In addition, yearly meetings are expected after completion of the annual report (and after the final report at the end of the project) to review accomplishments and discuss what was learned during that reporting cycle. This structure suggests an ongoing collaboration where methods, progress, and findings are discussed routinely rather than only at the end of the project.

Administratively, the opportunity is listed as discretionary funding through a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630, categorized under science and technology and other research and development. The funding opportunity number is W81EWF22SOI0002, created November 16, 2021, with an original closing date of January 14, 2022. The award ceiling is $125,000, and the agency anticipated making one award. Eligibility is labeled broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in an additional eligibility text field, which typically means applicants may include certain non-federal entities such as universities, nonprofits, or other qualified organizations depending on the specific notice language. Overall, the scope is a focused, field- and data-driven monitoring effort intended to inform how water operations under the 2020 COP plan may be influencing the vegetation conditions that underpin habitat quality for the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow in Everglades National Park.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Monitoring of Vegetation Response to Changes in Hydrologic Parameters within Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Habitat in Everglades National Park" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 16, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 14, 2022. (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 $125,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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