Update the Standard Assessment Methodology (SAM) Model | W81EWF 20 SOI 0027

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 20 SOI 0027

The Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking a partner through a cooperative agreement to update the Standard Assessment Methodology (SAM) habitat model used in the Sacramento River Basin. This opportunity focuses on improving a technical tool that helps agencies evaluate how bank protection projects and associated habitat mitigation actions affect fish habitat conditions, with the primary emphasis on salmonids. A secondary, optional component may expand the work to include habitat effects for green sturgeon.

The agreement has two main objectives. First, the recipient will work collaboratively with the Corps and other relevant agencies to develop a revised SAM habitat model tailored to current management and monitoring needs in the Sacramento River Basin. The update is intended to reflect new information collected from recent monitoring efforts, especially additional environmental parameters that were not adequately captured in earlier versions of the model. Second, the project must support the formal certification of the revised SAM model so it can be recognized and relied upon as an effective, credible tool for impact assessment and mitigation planning related to bank stabilization and similar river management activities.

A core expectation is that the updated model will be both robust and adaptable. "Robust" in this context means it should be able to evaluate a broad range of resource management actions, not just a narrow set of project types, and still produce defensible outputs for decision-making. "Adaptable" means it should be designed so that additional species criteria can be added later and so it can be integrated with other models or analytical components as part of a larger ecosystem assessment framework. In other words, the Corps is not only looking for a one-off update, but for a modernized modeling platform that can evolve as new data, new questions, or new regulatory needs emerge.

The work described includes several specific task areas. The recipient will be responsible for managing the habitat model design and implementation process, which typically involves coordinating technical decisions, maintaining schedules, and ensuring documentation and version control. The recipient will also coordinate closely with USACE and other agencies to develop a model development plan and to oversee the model development itself, implying multi-stakeholder input and alignment with agency standards. Another key task is providing technical support through the certification process, which generally requires clear demonstration of model performance, transparency of assumptions, and documentation sufficient for reviewers to validate and approve the tool. Finally, the project includes training so that USACE personnel and other potential users are prepared to apply the updated SAM model correctly and consistently. An optional task may be included to develop a related model capability to assess impacts on green sturgeon habitat, depending on agency needs and final scope.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement from the federal agency during the project rather than a fully independent effort by the recipient. The funding activity falls under science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA number is 12.630. The opportunity anticipates a single award, with an award ceiling of $110,000. The posting lists eligible applicants as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. The opportunity was created on June 4, 2020, with an original closing date of July 31, 2020, and it is issued by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers under funding opportunity number W81EWF 20 SOI 0027.

• 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 "Update the Standard Assessment Methodology (SAM) Model" 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 Jun 04, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2020. (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 $110,000.00 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).

Apply for W81EWF 20 SOI 0027

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