Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southwest Biological Science Center is soliciting a Cooperative Agreement under solicitation G27AS00046 for a single award to a member of the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. With a total program funding and award ceiling of 475,000 dollars, the project aims to support ecological research along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. The primary objective is to investigate how drought and Glen Canyon Dam operations influence the dynamics of human and fish parasites, diseases, invasive species, and aquatic insect prey bases. The university partner will be responsible for validating new e-DNA detection tools and developing modeling tools to predict future environmental conditions. The award is governed by USGS and Department of the Interior General Terms and Conditions, as well as 2 CFR 200.332. Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and submit their proposals via Grants.gov by December 1, 2026. Evaluation is based on eligibility, completeness, responsiveness to program objectives, and budget reasonableness. Key deliverables include annual SF 425 Federal Financial Reports, a final technical report due 120 days after the performance period ends, and geospatial data compliant with Federal Geospatial Data Committee standards. All project products must adhere to USGS Fundamental Science Practices, and quality assurance procedures must be approved by the USGS before work begins.