Surficial Geologic Mapping in the Missouri National Recreational River in Nebraska and Adjacent Parts of South Dakota | NOIP16AC01250 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOIP16AC01250 001

The Surficial Geologic Mapping in the Missouri National Recreational River in Nebraska and Adjacent Parts of South Dakota opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior funding action focused on producing detailed surficial geology mapping products for the Missouri National Recreation River (MNRR) corridor. It sits under the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI), which is one of the core inventories funded through the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division to help parks document and manage geologic resources using consistent, high-quality spatial data. The work is tied to a cooperative agreement framework through the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, specifically enabling the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Conservation and Survey Division (also referred to as the Nebraska Geological Survey) to carry out mapping tasks that support NPS resource management and education goals.

In practical terms, the project centers on delivering a surficial geologic map for the western portion of the MNRR corridor, described as the 39-mile district. The mapping is intended to be detailed and GIS-ready, produced at a 1:24,000 scale, which is a common standard for high-resolution geologic mapping and aligns well with USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle base mapping. Fourteen USGS 7.5-minute quadrangles in and around this corridor are proposed for mapping, either completely or partially depending on how the corridor intersects each quad. The end product is meant to support NPS decision-making and interpretation by documenting surface deposits and landforms, which can influence erosion patterns, river behavior, habitat distribution, and the location and sensitivity of natural and cultural resources.

The opportunity is structured as a continuation or expansion of an existing task agreement rather than a brand-new open competition. The recipient is already positioned under a Master Cooperative Agreement (P16AC00011), and the specific Task Agreement referenced (P16AC01250) originally provided $98,549. The text indicates that a modification is needed to add an additional $98,549 to fund current project activities, reflecting an incremental funding approach common to multi-phase mapping efforts. In the opportunity listing details, an award ceiling of $296,000 is shown, with one expected award, reinforcing that this is designed for a single designated partner rather than multiple competing applicants. The funding opportunity number is NOIP16AC01250 001, and it was posted July 24, 2017 with an original closing date of August 4, 2017. The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.945, and the activity category is Natural Resources.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Conservation and Survey Division’s responsibilities go beyond simply producing the final map. The recipient commits to coordinating closely with MNRR staff before fieldwork begins to identify areas containing sensitive natural resources or significant cultural resources, then developing a plan to avoid adverse impacts during field activities. The recipient also agrees to hold progress update meetings with park staff during the project so NPS personnel stay informed and so any newly recognized or especially interesting geologic features can be flagged for potential interpretive, educational, or outreach uses. In addition, the recipient must keep the GRI Program Manager updated on mapping progress, which helps ensure the work stays aligned with national GRI standards, schedules, and review expectations.

On the NPS side, the agency’s role is to actively support and enable the mapping effort rather than simply receive a final deliverable. NPS commits to having the assigned technical representative (ATR) work with the mapping team to define project goals, and to have MNRR staff provide an orientation to key park resources along with any necessary safety training that would be relevant for fieldwork in the corridor. NPS also agrees to supply the mapping team with relevant GIS datasets and associated information that can improve accuracy and interpretation, including park boundaries and infrastructure or facilities layers that are important for context and for avoiding sensitive areas. A major technical support element is the provision of LiDAR and aerial imagery that MNRR or the Northern Great Plains Network already possesses, since those datasets are often essential for identifying subtle landforms, terraces, alluvial features, and other surficial patterns that may not be evident from ground observations alone.

NPS further commits to scientific and technical collaboration through the Geologic Resources Division (based in Denver) and participating park unit staff. This includes collaborating on study design, consulting on map legend development and map unit categories (a critical step that affects how useful and consistent the map will be across the GRI system), and reviewing preliminary, interim, and final deliverables. When available, NPS may also provide practical logistical help for conducting fieldwork, such as facilitating access to remote areas, assisting with permitting, and supporting field data collection. Finally, NPS indicates it can provide assistance, through the Geologic Resources Division, to help the recipient produce the final GIS-based geologic maps using ESRI ArcGIS tools and current best practices, emphasizing that the final products are expected to be built and delivered in a modern GIS environment suitable for NPS planning and long-term data stewardship.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, cooperative, science-and-management support project: UNL’s geological survey expertise is used to generate high-resolution surficial geologic maps for a defined segment of the MNRR corridor, while NPS supplies data, coordination, review, and logistical support to ensure the work protects sensitive resources, meets national inventory standards, and results in practical GIS products that can be used for park management, interpretation, and future research.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Surficial Geologic Mapping in the Missouri National Recreational River in Nebraska and Adjacent Parts of South Dakota" 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 Jul 24, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 04, 2017. (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 $296,000.00 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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