Spatial Ecology and Chronic Wasting Disease Dynamics of Wild White-tailed and Mule Deer in Northern Colorado

The Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) anticipates awarding $413,380 in cooperative agreement funding to support one project that addresses the funding priorities to investigate chronic wasting disease (CWD) as a population-limiting factor in Northern Colorado mule deer and white-tailed deer and to better understand the relationship between CWD, other pathogens, and other causes of mortality that limit deer numbers. The activities performed below will also support the development and optimization of live tests for CWD. This work supports the mission of Wildlife Services by providing federal expertise in managing conflicts between people and wildlife. To initiate this project, NWRC will provide financial support for collaborative research with the awardee.

These funds are provided to support the following activities: 

• Capturing wild deer, deployment of GPS collars, and antemortem sampling of capture deer for CWD and other pathogens 

• Monitoring of deer in the field and responding in a timely manner to mortalities to coordinate with NWRC on postmortem investigations 

• Cleaning, organizing, and sharing GPS collar data  

• Analyzing samples from live and dead animals

• Conducting spatial analyses using GPS collar data

• Preparing reports, white papers, manuscripts, and presentations for the dissemination of study findings

This study will coordinate with similar studies in neighboring states so that similar designs are used and the data can be analyzed as one large dataset. Specifically, the cooperator will capture, collar, sample, and monitor ~30-40 mule and ~30-40 white-tailed deer from the same population. The cooperator will collect biological samples including tissue biopsies, swabs, blood, feces, and hair at the time of capture following the NWRC CWD Project sampling protocol. Following capture, activities performed by the cooperator include monitoring of GPS collars and responding in a timely manner to mortality events to retrieve collars and carcasses. The cooperator will assist NWRC personnel with necropsy procedures, aid in the coordination of diagnostics, and support laboratory work as needed. All data and metadata will be shared with NWRC and analyses will be performed jointly, with NWRC leading the laboratory work and the cooperator leading the spatial analyses. 

Funding for research activities and access to facilities or equipment needed for conducting research activities by the awardee’s researcher will be provided directly by this award. Any required protocols (e.g., IACUC, IBC) for conducting the research described herein will be prepared by the awardee. Additional funding required for support beyond the first year will be optional for NWRC and can be provided by amendment to this agreement.

Applicants must submit a copy of their fully executed current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), negotiated with their cognizant Federal Agency, when indirect costs are included in the budget, unless they are using the de minimis indirect cost rate option where no documentation is required. If the applicant receives less than $35 million in direct Federal funding during a single fiscal year and is an eligible State or local government, please provide a copy of the

Indirect Cost Rate Negotiation exemption letter from your cognizant Federal Agency in place of the NICRA. Indirect costs for any sub‑award must also be disclosed.

Higher education institutions and non-profit organizations’ assessment of indirect costs are limited to no more than 10% of total direct costs or the application of their approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, whichever is less.

Proposals must be received through ezFedGrants by August 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM MST Proposals received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered for funding. Submissions through Grants.gov will not be accepted.

The performance period will begin on or before September 30, 2026, and projects must be completed no later than 24 months after the start date. Funding will not be allowed, nor activities approved to occur, outside of the period of performance. There is an allowance for a one-time extension request of the performance period for up to 12 months to complete the project, assuming there is no increase in funding requested. This request must be submitted in accordance with the APHIS General Terms and Conditions and USDA General Terms and Conditions in order to be considered. Recipients wishing to continue work or build on projects funded in prior years that are either complete or will be complete by the proposed period of performance may submit proposals to this opportunity. Recipients wishing to continue work on projects funded in prior years which are not complete, and have not been extended previously, should submit a no-cost extension or by contacting the APHIS Program Manager rather than submitting a proposal to this opportunity.

If assistance is needed with locating application materials, please reach out to NWRC.Agreements@usda.gov, at least 72 hours prior to the application deadline. If assistance is needed with ezFedGrants submission, please reach out to sm.ocfo.dcwa2.ezfedgrants <ezFedGrants-cfo@usda.gov> copying the NWRC agreements email.