Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR LC 20 N003
This grant opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Funding Opportunity Number: BOR LC 20 N003; CFDA: 15.517) focused on environmental work related to the conservation and management of two imperiled native fish species, razorback sucker (often shortened to "razorback") and bonytail. It is issued as a "Notice of Intent to Award," which typically signals the agency plans to make an award (often to a specific recipient or a limited pool), rather than running a broad, competitive solicitation. The total funding available is up to $2,500,000, with an expected single award.
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning the likely applicants are state universities and similar public academic entities capable of conducting long-term scientific monitoring, managing biological collections, and maintaining research-grade databases. Because the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, the Bureau of Reclamation is expected to have substantial involvement in the project compared to a standard grant, such as coordinating monitoring priorities, aligning methods with interagency recovery programs, or participating in data management decisions.
The funded work centers on two main activity areas. First is genetic monitoring across multiple stocks and life stages of razorback and bonytail. The opportunity explicitly includes monitoring of hatchery broodstocks (the breeding populations used for propagation), backwater populations (fish using off-channel habitats that can be critical for survival and recruitment), and mainstem populations (fish living in the primary river channel). This implies routine sampling and genetic analysis designed to track population structure, genetic diversity, relatedness, and changes over time, helping managers understand how stocking, habitat use, and natural reproduction are shaping the genetic health of these species.
The second activity area is material archiving paired with the development of an integrated database. "Material archiving" generally refers to preserving physical biological materials associated with monitoring, such as tissue samples, DNA extracts, and related voucher materials, in a way that keeps them usable for future analyses. The integrated database component suggests the project must not only store results, but also connect genetic data with metadata like sampling location, date, life stage, hatchery lineage, and potentially individual identifiers. The explicit pairing of archiving and database development signals that the Bureau values long-term continuity and the ability to reanalyze samples as new genomic methods become available, as well as consistent access to curated data for management decisions.
The opportunity lays out clear milestones and recurring deliverables. Historic samples are to be genotyped by December 31, 2020, indicating an early emphasis on establishing a baseline from past collections so trends can be evaluated across time. Annual samples are to be genotyped every year by December 31, showing the project is designed as a sustained monitoring effort rather than a one-time study. Whole genome sequencing is due by December 31, 2021, which suggests a major step beyond routine genotyping, likely aimed at generating high-resolution genomic resources that can improve assessments of adaptive variation, fine-scale population structure, or broodstock management. PIT tag monitoring is also due annually by December 31. PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags are widely used to track individual fish movements, survival, and recapture histories; including PIT tag monitoring alongside genetic work indicates the project is intended to support integrated biological monitoring that can connect genetics with individual life histories and population performance. Finally, the material archive and database are due annually by December 31, reinforcing that both the physical sample repository and the data system must be actively maintained and updated each year rather than built once and left static.
Key administrative details include a creation date of December 13, 2019, and an original closing date of December 26, 2019. The short window aligns with the "intent to award" framing, which often involves a narrower application process. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a multi-year, science-driven support action to maintain and expand coordinated genetic and tagging-based monitoring for razorback and bonytail, while building durable infrastructure for archiving samples and integrating datasets so the information remains usable for ongoing conservation and recovery decision-making.Apply for BOR LC 20 N003
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.517.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 13, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 26, 2019. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. It is identified as Funding Opportunity Number BOR LC 20 N003 and CFDA 15.517, and it supports environmental work tied to the conservation and management of two imperiled native fish species: razorback sucker (razorback) and bonytail.
What does "Notice of Intent to Award" mean in this context?
The opportunity is issued as a Notice of Intent to Award, which typically indicates the agency plans to make an award (often to a specific recipient or a limited pool) rather than running a broad, open, competitive solicitation.
What type of award is being offered?
The instrument is a cooperative agreement. Compared to a standard grant, a cooperative agreement generally involves substantial agency involvement in the funded work.
How much funding is available?
The total funding available is up to $2,500,000.
How many awards are expected?
The Bureau of Reclamation expects a single award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. This points to state universities and similar public academic entities.
Why is eligibility limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education?
Based on the described scope, the eligible institutions are expected to be capable of long-term scientific monitoring, managing biological collections, and maintaining research-grade databases to support multi-year conservation and recovery decision-making.
What does "substantial involvement" by the Bureau of Reclamation likely include?
Because this is a cooperative agreement, the Bureau of Reclamation is expected to be actively involved, such as coordinating monitoring priorities, aligning methods with interagency recovery programs, and participating in data management decisions.
What species are the focus of the project?
The funded work focuses on two imperiled native fish species: razorback sucker (razorback) and bonytail.
What are the main activity areas supported by this award?
The work centers on two main activity areas: (1) genetic monitoring across multiple stocks and life stages of razorback and bonytail, and (2) material archiving paired with the development of an integrated database.
What does genetic monitoring include under this opportunity?
The opportunity explicitly includes genetic monitoring of hatchery broodstocks, backwater populations, and mainstem populations. This implies routine sampling and genetic analysis to track population structure, genetic diversity, relatedness, and changes over time.
What are hatchery broodstocks, backwater populations, and mainstem populations?
Hatchery broodstocks are the breeding populations used for propagation. Backwater populations refer to fish using off-channel habitats. Mainstem populations are fish living in the primary river channel.
What is the purpose of genetic monitoring for razorback and bonytail?
The monitoring is intended to help managers understand how stocking, habitat use, and natural reproduction influence the genetic health of these species over time, including population structure and genetic diversity.
What does "material archiving" mean for this project?
Material archiving generally refers to preserving physical biological materials from monitoring efforts (such as tissue samples, DNA extracts, and related voucher materials) so they remain usable for future analyses.
What is meant by an "integrated database" in this opportunity?
The integrated database component suggests the project must store genetic results and connect them with relevant metadata. Examples mentioned or implied include sampling location, date, life stage, hatchery lineage, and potentially individual identifiers.
Why are the material archive and integrated database paired together?
The explicit pairing signals a focus on long-term continuity: preserving samples for future reanalysis as genomic methods improve, and ensuring consistent access to curated data for management decisions.
What recurring deliverables or milestones are described?
The opportunity describes clear milestones and annual deliverables with due dates of December 31 in the relevant years. These include genotyping historic samples, annual genotyping, whole genome sequencing, PIT tag monitoring, and annual updates/maintenance of the material archive and database.
When are historic samples required to be genotyped?
Historic samples are to be genotyped by December 31, 2020.
When are annual samples required to be genotyped?
Annual samples are to be genotyped every year by December 31, indicating sustained, year-over-year monitoring.
When is whole genome sequencing due?
Whole genome sequencing is due by December 31, 2021.
How does whole genome sequencing differ from routine genotyping in this project?
The milestone suggests a major step beyond routine genotyping, aimed at producing high-resolution genomic resources to improve assessments such as adaptive variation, fine-scale population structure, or broodstock management.
What is PIT tag monitoring and how does it fit into this opportunity?
PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags are used to track individual fish movements, survival, and recapture histories. PIT tag monitoring is due annually by December 31 and is included alongside genetic work to support integrated biological monitoring that can link genetics with individual life histories and population performance.
When are the material archive and database deliverables due?
The material archive and the integrated database are due annually by December 31, indicating they must be actively maintained and updated each year.
Is this opportunity designed as a one-time study or a sustained effort?
The annual genotyping, annual PIT tag monitoring, and annual archive/database deliverables indicate the work is designed as sustained monitoring rather than a one-time study.
What is the creation date of the opportunity?
The creation date listed is December 13, 2019.
What is the original closing date?
The original closing date is December 26, 2019.
Does the short application window suggest anything about the award process?
Yes. The short window aligns with the Notice of Intent to Award framing, which often involves a narrower application process rather than a broad solicitation.
What is the overall purpose of the funded project?
Overall, the project supports coordinated genetic and PIT-tag-based monitoring for razorback and bonytail, while building and maintaining durable infrastructure for archiving biological samples and integrating datasets so the information remains usable for ongoing conservation and recovery decision-making.
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