Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU | G20AS00030

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What agency is offering this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the Department of the Interior.

What kind of award is being offered?

The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which means the selected recipient should expect active involvement and collaboration with federal partners during the project.

How is a cooperative agreement different from a traditional grant in this opportunity?

This opportunity is not described as a hands-off grant. Instead, USGS expects active federal participation, collaboration, and engagement with the recipient as the work is carried out.

What network or program is this opportunity associated with?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to CESU partners. The notice indicates that additional eligibility details are referenced in the original announcement.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The listed CFDA number is 15.808.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 13, 2020.

What was the original application deadline?

The original application deadline was February 3, 2020.

How many awards did USGS anticipate making?

USGS anticipated making one award.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The maximum funding level (award ceiling) is $150,000.

What scientific topic does the project focus on?

The project focuses on chronic wasting disease (CWD) modeling.

What is chronic wasting disease (CWD) as described in the opportunity?

CWD is described as a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting cervids, such as deer, elk, and related species.

Why is CWD a major management concern?

The opportunity describes CWD as a major and growing concern for state and federal wildlife agencies because it continues to spread across North America and expand within cervid herds.

What management strategy is emphasized in the opportunity?

The opportunity emphasizes that preventing the introduction of CWD into new regions and limiting spread from emerging outbreak locations is the most effective strategy for protecting cervid populations.

What is the main product or deliverable being requested?

The primary work product sought is an integrated mathematical and statistical modeling framework that explicitly incorporates animal movement information to forecast how CWD may spread from new foci (newly detected outbreak areas).

What does the modeling framework need to include?

It is expected to explicitly incorporate animal movement information and link movement behavior and spatial spread dynamics to forecasting disease spread from newly detected outbreak areas.

Is the modeling effort intended to be practical for wildlife managers?

Yes. The opportunity stresses the need for practical, science-based tools that managers can use to guide surveillance and control actions.

How should the modeling framework support decision-making?

Beyond prediction, the framework is expected to generate recommendations about where disease control efforts should be applied to maximize the likelihood of success, such as identifying priority intervention areas, targeted management zones, or resource allocation strategies.

What does the opportunity mean by "new foci"?

In this context, "new foci" refers to newly detected outbreak areas where CWD has been identified and from which it may spread.

What is the second major objective of the project?

A second major objective is to investigate quantitative models that can estimate the relative importance of direct versus indirect transmission in the CWD system.

How are direct and indirect transmission described?

Direct transmission generally refers to infection passed through animal-to-animal contact. Indirect transmission refers to infection mediated through the environment, such as contaminated sites or materials that can expose animals over time.

Why does estimating direct versus indirect transmission matter for management?

By clarifying the relative contribution of direct and indirect pathways, the modeling is intended to help managers aim control actions at the most influential disease drivers rather than relying on broad measures that may be less efficient or effective.

Does the opportunity expect the work to be adaptable beyond CWD?

Yes. The opportunity notes the project should be positioned to address other wildlife disease modeling needs as they arise, signaling a preference for a flexible approach that can be extended or adapted to related management questions and emerging issues.

What does "positioned to address other wildlife disease modeling needs" imply for the project approach?

It implies the modeling methods and analytical capacity developed for CWD should be flexible enough to be adapted to other wildlife disease questions, new data streams, or emerging disease issues relevant to wildlife agencies.

What role does animal movement play in the requested work?

Animal movement is a core component of the primary deliverable: the modeling framework must explicitly incorporate movement information to forecast spread and to help identify where control actions could be most effective.

What is the underlying rationale for focusing on forecasting and recommendations?

The opportunity frames prevention and early containment as requiring targeted decisions, and therefore emphasizes tools that can forecast spread from new outbreaks and translate that information into actionable guidance for surveillance and control.

Should applicants expect collaboration with USGS and other federal partners during the project?

Yes. Because this is a cooperative agreement, the recipient should expect active involvement and collaboration with the federal partners rather than minimal federal participation.