Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G25AS00325

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement opportunity, number G25AS00325, offered through the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?

It is a cooperative agreement. That means the project is expected to be a collaborative effort, with substantial USGS involvement and coordination with the selected CESU partner throughout the work, rather than a hands-off grant.

What is the overall purpose of the project?

The project supports science and technology research focused on the spatial ecology of large marine vertebrates in the Gulf of America, with an emphasis on understanding long-term space use and distribution patterns. The intent is to produce information that helps managers make better real-world decisions related to conservation, fisheries, and coastal activities.

Which animals or species are the focus?

The focus is on large marine vertebrates in the Gulf of America, especially species that are imperiled and/or important to commercial and recreational fisheries.

What management need is driving this work?

Managers need a clearer Gulf-wide picture of where large marine vertebrates have been historically, where they occur now, and what factors are shaping those patterns. Reliable distribution and habitat-use information can directly affect decisions about conservation, fisheries management, and coastal activities.

What problem is the project trying to solve with existing data?

Relevant spatial data already exist, but they are scattered across many organizations and individuals and come in incompatible forms. Differences in formats, collection time scales, and metadata quality make it difficult to synthesize the information into consistent, Gulf-wide assessments.

What kinds of datasets are expected to be compiled and integrated?

The opportunity references multiple spatial data types, including telemetry tracks, survey observations, tagging records, and other spatial datasets relevant to large marine vertebrates.

What types of work would the funded partner be expected to do?

The funded CESU partner is expected to work closely with USGS to compile disparate datasets, organize and standardize them, and develop practical methods for combining different data types so they can be analyzed together.

Does the project include collecting new field data?

The description emphasizes compiling, standardizing, and integrating existing datasets. It also includes identifying key data gaps that can guide where new data collection should be prioritized in the future, but the stated core activity is synthesis and integration rather than new data collection.

What does "standardize" mean in this context?

Based on the description, standardization refers to organizing datasets that currently differ in format, time scale, and metadata completeness so they can be combined and analyzed consistently at a Gulf-wide scale.

Why is metadata mentioned as a challenge?

The opportunity notes that datasets are documented with varying levels of metadata. Inconsistent or incomplete metadata makes it harder to interpret, compare, and combine datasets reliably across sources.

What does it mean to combine different data types for analysis?

The project is intended to develop practical methods for integrating multiple kinds of spatial information (for example, telemetry tracks and survey observations) so they can be used together in analyses that support Gulf-wide assessments of distribution and long-term habitat use.

What are the expected outputs or outcomes?

The expected outputs are intended to support management and restoration decisions that depend on reliable distribution information. By improving the ability to assess where animals occur and how they use habitat over long periods, the work can inform decisions such as setting catch limits, targeting habitat improvements, and evaluating potential impacts of human activities like dredging.

How could this work affect fisheries-related decisions?

The description specifically connects improved long-term distribution and space-use assessments to fisheries management decisions, including setting catch limits for species that are important to commercial and recreational fisheries.

How could this work affect coastal activity planning?

The opportunity notes that clearer information on distribution and habitat use can help evaluate potential impacts of human activities, including dredging.

What geographic area is covered?

The work is focused on the Gulf of America, with an emphasis on producing Gulf-wide assessments.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are already participating partners in the Gulf Coast CESU Program. The opportunity lists eligible applicants as "Others" under the CESU partnership framework.

Can organizations outside the Gulf Coast CESU apply?

Based on the information provided, no. Eligibility is limited to current Gulf Coast CESU Program participating partners.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $400,000.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2025-07-10.

What is the closing date for submissions?

The original closing date listed is 2025-08-10.

What makes this effort "Gulf-wide" rather than site-specific?

The stated goal is to synthesize scattered datasets into consistent, Gulf-wide assessments of historical and current occurrence and the factors shaping distribution patterns, rather than limiting the work to a single project site or single dataset source.

How does the project address data gaps?

In addition to integrating existing data, the work includes identifying key data gaps. Those gaps can be used to prioritize where future data collection would most strengthen assessments.

What role does USGS play during the project?

Because this is a cooperative agreement, USGS anticipates substantial involvement and coordination with the selected CESU partner throughout the work.

What is the relationship between this opportunity and the Gulf Coast CESU Program?

The cooperative agreement is offered through the Gulf Coast CESU Program, and eligibility is restricted to participating partners in that CESU network.