Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The U.S. Geological Survey is soliciting applications for one cooperative agreement (G27AS00039) funding co-produced research on decision support tools for natural resource managers in western rangelands and alpine ecosystems, with applications due December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET via Grants.gov. Eligibility is restricted to participating partners of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. The NOFO text states December 1, while the listing's due date field and the package summary state December 2, 2026. Cost sharing is not required. The single anticipated award totals $495,000 for January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2029, with funds fully obligated at award, and indirect costs are capped at 17.5%. USGS expects substantial involvement through close partnership with the recipient, consistent with the cooperative agreement structure.

Required objectives include building an integrated, co-produced research framework and integrating ecological monitoring, vegetation change, invasive species, fire risk, species habitat relationships, and landscape environmental drivers into flexible decision support platforms. Tools must evaluate alternative management strategies, identify priority conservation locations, and compare outcomes under changing conditions. Applicants must demonstrate experience with rangeland and alpine ecosystems, simulation modeling, invasive annual grasses, fire ecology, and co-produced research frameworks. Merit review weights purpose and relevance at 30 points, technical approach at 25, budget justification at 20, and qualifications and experience at 25.

Submissions require SF-424, SF-424A or SF-424C, SF-429 and SF-LLL if applicable, a project abstract, a project narrative with cover page, a budget narrative with annual breakdown, a Data Management Plan, biographical sketches, current and pending support disclosures, and conflict of interest statements. Preapplication coordination is required. Recipients must search GeoPlatform.gov for existing geospatial data before producing new data, produce any new data to FGDC standards in open format with feature-level metadata, and make all data, methodology, and reports available to the Department of the Interior and authorized third parties under 2 CFR 1402.315. Annual progress reports are due within 90 days of each agreement anniversary, the final technical report within 120 days of project completion, and annual SF-425 financial reports are required.

The project is listed under Assistance Listing 15.808, USGS Research and Data Collection. Funding is limited to available internal USGS budgets, and recent awards under the parent program have ranged from $49 thousand to over $2 million. Processing typically takes 3 to 6 months.