NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD New Geologic Mapping in Little River Canyon National Preserve ��� Phase 1 | P15AS00389

Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00389

This notice is a public announcement from the National Park Service (NPS) that it intends to make a single, non-competitive award for a project called "New Geologic Mapping in Little River Canyon National Preserve, Phase 1." It is not a call for proposals and it is not asking other organizations to apply. Instead, it documents the NPS plan to fund Auburn University through an existing cooperative relationship to carry out a defined set of mapping tasks in Little River Canyon National Preserve (often abbreviated as LIRI). The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00389, CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of NPS CESUs), and is authorized under 54 USC 101702(a) and (b) and 54 USC 100703.

The planned award is a Cooperative Agreement, with an anticipated total of $82,500 and no cost share required. The expected period of performance runs from the date the agreement is fully signed through August 31, 2016. The notice lists one expected award and identifies Auburn University as the intended recipient. The NPS point of contact for the action is June Zastrow (junezastrow@nps.gov, 303-987-6718). Although the original posting shows a closing date of September 15, 2015, that date functions more like an administrative posting endpoint because the announcement is explicitly not competitive.

The work is structured as a task agreement under a larger, pre-existing cooperative framework: Cooperative Agreement P12AC51051 between the Department of the Interior (NPS) and Auburn University. That overarching agreement is designed to support research, technical assistance, and education that help federal land managers and partners address resource issues using interdisciplinary science. It also emphasizes collaboration between federal agencies and universities, which aligns with the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) model. This specific task agreement (referenced as P15AC01759) continues that relationship and funds Phase 1 of a multi-phase geologic mapping effort.

Technically, the project will produce updated, detailed geologic mapping for Little River Canyon National Preserve using five USGS 7.5-minute quadrangles. The mapping will be completed by Auburn University faculty and students in coordination with the Geologic Survey of Alabama (GSA). All mapping is expected to meet USGS STATEMAP and EDMAP standards and be delivered digitally in a GIS format suitable for the NPS Geologic Resources Division (GRD) and park staff. Phase 1 focuses on establishing the overall geologic framework for the park and completing two key quadrangles: Auburn University (through the principal investigator and a graduate student) will complete the Little River Quadrangle, while the GSA will finalize the Fort Payne Quadrangle. A Phase 2 task agreement, anticipated in FY16 if funding is available, would complete the remaining three quadrangles that cover the park area: Jamestown, Valley Head, and Dugout Valley.

The public purpose is framed as both scientific and practical. The notice highlights that detailed published geologic mapping along the Little River does not currently exist, and that creating this foundational dataset supports science-based resource management and broader public benefits. The mapping is intended to help identify areas prone to slope failure, landslides, mass movement, and rockfall that could threaten public safety along roads that parallel the river. It is also expected to help interpret the river's flood history by analyzing related deposits, improving understanding of groundwater aquifers and recharge pathways, and clarifying regional watershed relationships. Beyond hazards and hydrology, the mapping is positioned as a tool for understanding the broader regional geologic framework, including potential implications for energy development or other commercially valuable geologic resources. It also supports visitor education by providing a clearer story of the area’s geologic history and notable resources such as fossils, caves, and karst features.

Deliverables from the recipient are described in concrete GIS and documentation terms. Auburn University and the GSA are to provide preliminary geologic maps for the Little River and Fort Payne quadrangles in GIS form, specifically as an ESRI ArcGIS 10.x geodatabase that follows the NCGMP09 data standard. The dataset must include the full set of geologic features (lines, polygons, and points) and the symbology needed to produce a map, along with feature-level metadata that is compliant with FGDC standards. In addition to the geodatabase, the deliverables include supporting written and graphical materials such as unit descriptions and other explanatory text, and where applicable, a correlation diagram showing age relationships between map units and a formal explanation of map symbols. The recipient is also expected to coordinate closely with park staff: meeting before fieldwork to identify sensitive natural or cultural resources and plan to avoid impacts, providing progress updates, flagging newly identified or unusual geologic resources that could be used for interpretation or education, and keeping the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) program manager informed. The project also explicitly includes a workforce development component, requiring selection of graduate students to carry out mapping so they gain practical field and analytical experience. Finally, Auburn will provide the information the GSA needs to publish the quadrangles through Alabama’s geologic mapping program.

NPS responsibilities are presented as substantial involvement, consistent with the cooperative agreement model. The NPS will work with Auburn University and the GSA to shape project goals and will provide orientation on significant park resources and any relevant safety training through LIRI staff. The NPS will also supply data needed for high-quality mapping and interpretation, including park GIS layers (such as boundaries and infrastructure) and available LiDAR and aerial imagery held by the park or the NPS Cumberland/Piedmont Inventory and Monitoring Network. Technical support is to come from the NPS Geologic Resources Division in Denver and the park unit, including consultation on study design, development of map legends and unit categories, and review of draft and final products. Where available, the NPS may also provide logistical support such as facilitating access to remote areas, helping with permits, and assisting with field data collection. The GRD also indicates it may help with GIS map production support and with evaluating qualifications and selecting graduate-level mapping candidates.

The notice explains why the award is being made without competition using the Department of the Interior single-source policy (505 DM 2). The cited justification is "Continuation," meaning the funded activity is necessary to complete or continue work already underway, and competing it would disrupt continuity or successful completion. The notice also notes that the project is processed through the Gulf Coast CESU at a negotiated indirect cost (overhead) rate of 17.5 percent, and argues it meets CESU requirements such as clear public purpose, substantial NPS involvement, and consistency with the CESU network mission.

• The National Park Service in the community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, information and statistics, natural resources, regional development, science and technolo sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD New Geologic Mapping in Little River Canyon National Preserve ��� Phase 1" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2015-09-15. (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 $82,500.00 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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