Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) | G20AS00104

Opportunity Information: Apply for G20AS00104

The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) funding opportunity designed to expand and accelerate the collection of high-quality lidar data and the production of lidar-derived elevation products. In practical terms, it is a partnership-driven mechanism that helps pay for new lidar acquisition projects that support the national 3DEP effort. The BAA does not introduce an entirely new way of buying data; instead, it formalizes and publicizes the USGS long-standing approach of building elevation coverage through a mix of USGS contracting and partner-led acquisitions, making these pathways more visible and accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.

The core purpose is to invite organizations to propose projects where they collaborate with 3DEP to collect lidar and generate standardized elevation products derived from that lidar. Applicants can participate in two main ways. First, a partner can fund or co-fund a project that is executed through the USGS Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC), which is USGSs established contracting vehicle for geospatial acquisitions. Second, a partner can request 3DEP funds to apply toward a lidar acquisition that the partner manages using their own contracting mechanism, which can be helpful for organizations that already have procurement processes, existing vendors, or multi-agency contracting structures in place. Either approach is intended to produce data that contributes to the broader 3DEP dataset and delivers consistent, usable elevation information for mapping, planning, science, and resource management.

Eligibility is broad and includes federal agencies as well as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts. Tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations are eligible, as are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other than small businesses), and even individuals. The opportunity is offered by the Department of the Interior, USGS, and is categorized under discretionary funding with instruments that can include cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts. The program is associated with CFDA number 15.817 and aligns with subject areas such as environment, natural resources, and science and technology, including research and development.

Proposals are evaluated by the government based on how well the proposed project aligns with the formal evaluation criteria described in Section VI.A of the BAA. While the specific criteria are not reproduced in the text provided, the key takeaway is that selection depends on meeting those stated requirements and demonstrating a clear fit with 3DEPs goals for lidar acquisition and elevation product creation. The opportunity was created on September 24, 2020. The initial proposal deadline for lidar acquisition projects was 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday, November 13, 2020. The BAA remained open after that date, with proposals received later still eligible for consideration up until June 30, 2021, indicating a rolling or extended review window beyond the first due date.

In terms of funding scale, the listed award ceiling is $800,000, which signals the upper bound of expected federal support per award under this announcement, though the number of expected awards is listed as 0 in the source data (often a placeholder in postings that do not commit to a set number of awards). Overall, the BAA functions as an on-ramp for organizations that want to cost-share or seek partial federal support for lidar flights and processing, with the end goal of increasing coverage and consistency of elevation data available through 3DEP for public and operational use.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for 3D Elevation Program (3DEP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.817.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2021 Proposals for lidar acquisition are due by 500 PM ET on Friday, November 13, 2020. The BAA will remain open and proposals received after the initial due date will be considered for review until June 30, 2021.. (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 $800,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

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