U.S. Fish and Wildlife Waterbird Habitat Assessment Protocol | F18AS00205

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Waterbird Habitat Assessment Protocol grant opportunity?

The Waterbird Habitat Assessment Protocol grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00205) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.678). It supports applied research and management support to develop, refine, and field-test a standardized wetland habitat assessment protocol for migratory waterbirds.

What is the main goal of this project?

The core goal is to build and validate a practical, standardized survey method that National Wildlife Refuge staff can use to evaluate wetland habitat conditions and determine how well those conditions meet refuge management objectives for migratory waterbirds. The project is designed to work across multiple refuges so the resulting protocol can support coordinated planning and evaluation at a regional scale.

Which regions does the project focus on?

The project focuses on two major regions: the Central Valley of California and the Klamath Basin of California and southern Oregon. The intent is to produce a protocol that works consistently across these regions and supports coordinated habitat planning and evaluation across the Central Valley and Klamath Basin Zone.

Which National Wildlife Refuges are included in the targeted network?

The targeted refuge network is explicitly defined as:

• Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex
• Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex
• Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Complex
• San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex
• Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex

What type of work is funded under this cooperative agreement?

The funded work centers on applied research and management support, including improving an existing pilot survey protocol, implementing field surveys across multiple refuges, and testing the protocol for consistency and usefulness at a larger scale. The agreement also includes data infrastructure tasks such as database development, data analysis, and reporting.

Is the project starting from scratch or building on prior work?

The project builds on an existing pilot survey protocol. A key component is refining and improving that pilot method based on initial experience and then deploying it across multiple refuges to test performance and practicality at a broader scale.

What are the expected deliverables?

Expected deliverables include: (1) standardized field data on vegetation and habitat attributes collected during surveys; (2) the ability to use those data to calculate a quantitative metric called the Seed Production Index (SPI); and (3) supporting information infrastructure such as a database for storing survey results plus analysis and reporting outputs that translate field data into management-relevant summaries.

What kinds of data are collected during the surveys?

The surveys collect standardized field measurements on vegetation and habitat attributes within refuge wetland units. These measurements are intended to be consistent across sites so results can be compared among wetland units, across refuges, and over time.

What is the Seed Production Index (SPI) and how is it used in this project?

The Seed Production Index (SPI) is a quantitative metric calculated using the vegetation and habitat data collected during the standardized surveys. SPI values are used to estimate the food value of wetland units for migratory waterbirds, helping refuge managers compare units, track changes over time, and evaluate whether management actions are improving or reducing food resources during migration and wintering periods.

Who uses the collected survey data to calculate SPI values?

Partners to the cooperative agreement use the collected habitat and vegetation data to calculate SPI values. The opportunity description indicates the data are collected in a standardized way specifically so they can feed directly into SPI calculations and management-relevant reporting.

How will the results help National Wildlife Refuge management?

The protocol and resulting data products are intended to help refuge staff evaluate wetland habitat conditions relative to management objectives for migratory waterbirds. By producing standardized survey results and SPI-based outputs, the project supports comparing wetland units, tracking changes over time, and assessing the effects of management actions on habitat food resources.

Does the project include database development and reporting?

Yes. The agreement includes developing and maintaining a database to store survey results, as well as analysis and reporting components that convert raw field observations into interpretable outputs such as SPI calculations and summaries relevant to refuge decision-making.

What does an "end-to-end workflow" mean in the context of this project?

In this opportunity, an end-to-end workflow refers to the full sequence needed to make the protocol operational and repeatable: survey design, field implementation, data management (including database storage), data analysis (including SPI calculations), and reporting that communicates findings in forms useful for refuge management.

What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?

The opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within the Department of the Interior.

What are the identifying numbers associated with this funding opportunity?

The Funding Opportunity Number is F18AS00205, and the CFDA number listed is 15.678.

When was the opportunity created and when did it close?

The opportunity was created on June 26, 2018, and the original closing date was July 3, 2018.

Was this an open, competitive funding opportunity?

No. It is explicitly described as a notice of intent to award to The Regents of California, and it states that no competition was expected. That indicates it was effectively a directed award rather than an open call for proposals.

Who was the intended recipient?

The notice states an intent to award to The Regents of California.

Who is eligible under the eligibility category listed?

Eligibility is listed for public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which aligns with the intended recipient described in the notice.

How many awards were expected?

The opportunity indicates a single award was expected (Expected Awards: 1).

What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The award ceiling is listed as $93,181.

What is the practical value of standardizing the habitat assessment protocol across multiple refuges?

Standardization allows refuge staff to collect comparable data across multiple wetland units and refuge complexes, making it possible to evaluate habitat conditions consistently, compare outcomes among sites, and support coordinated habitat planning and evaluation across the Central Valley and Klamath Basin Zone.