Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- G27AS00047
- Agency
-
US Geological Survey
Department of the Interior
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $180,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
-
- Katie Calder katherine_calder@ios.doi.gov
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Geological Survey is soliciting a cooperative agreement application from one participating partner of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to advance automated fish detection, enumeration, and risk assessment at Brandon Road Lock and Dam using the Live Imaging Sonar Surveillance Array (LISSA), with applications due December 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Eligibility is restricted to participating partners of the Chesapeake Watershed CESU. No cost sharing is required. Estimated total funding is $180,000 for one award, with a two-year budget period running April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2029, and funds are fully obligated at award. Applications will be funded only to the extent permitted by available funds, and the CESU indirect cost rate is capped at 17.5%.
The project calls for deep learning models that automate fish detection, enumeration, size classification, and movement direction identification in LISSA sonar imagery, supporting federal efforts to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. Deliverables include technical documentation and peer-reviewed publications. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in deep learning, sonar processing, and AI applications for environmental monitoring.
Merit review weights Purpose, Objectives, and Relevance at 30 points; Technical Approach at 25 points; Budget Justification and Clarity at 20 points; and Qualifications, Experience, and Past Performance at 25 points. Preapplication coordination is required. Required documents include SF-424, SF-424A, a Project Abstract Summary, biographical sketches, current and pending support forms, a project narrative, a data management plan, and a budget narrative with annual breakdowns. Non-individual applicants must register in SAM.gov for a Unique Entity Identifier, and payments run through the Treasury ASAP system.
The opportunity is Funding Opportunity G27AS00047 under Assistance Listing 15.808, U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection. No incumbent recipient is named.
Synopsis
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner to support research and technology development that advances automated fish detection, enumeration, and risk assessment at Brandon Road Lock and Dam through the use of the Live Imaging Sonar Surveillance Array (LISSA). This work directly contributes to federal efforts to prevent the upstream movement of invasive carp toward the Great Lakes. Continuous sonar surveillance at Brandon Road is vital for evaluating deterrent system performance, identifying high-risk events, and informing real-time operational decision-making. Previous collaborative efforts between the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have demonstrated LISSA's value as a low-cost, continuously operating sonar monitoring tool; however, a significant need remains to automate interpretation of the substantial data streams the LISSA generates.
Eligibility
This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
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