Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests | G19AS00098

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Great Lakes Northern Forests grant opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number G19AS00098.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through the USGS National Wildlife Health Center.

Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?

It was issued as a cooperative agreement. That means the project is expected to involve substantial collaboration between the award recipient and the federal agency during the work, rather than operating as a hands-off grant.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The purpose is to support the development of a near real-time avian influenza (AI) risk assessment tool that will be publicly accessible on the web.

What does "near real-time" mean in the context of this project?

Based on the announcement, "near real-time" indicates the tool should be able to reflect current conditions using available information (such as surveillance, environmental, and epidemiological data) to produce up-to-date risk estimates, rather than relying only on static or infrequently updated assessments.

What are "personalized" avian influenza risk assessments?

The announcement describes a central feature of the tool as the ability to generate current and future "personalized" AI risk assessments. In practice, that implies a web-based system that translates available surveillance, environmental, and epidemiological information into risk estimates tailored to a specific user or operation.

Who is expected to use the tool?

The intended end users include both large commercial poultry operations and smaller producers.

How is the tool expected to help poultry producers?

The tool is intended to help producers make informed biosecurity decisions by aligning biosecurity measures with up-to-date risk conditions. The goal is to make biosecurity efforts more effective and efficient by matching actions to current risk.

Will the tool be publicly accessible?

Yes. The announcement specifies that the avian influenza risk assessment tool should be publicly accessible on the web.

Why is this project being funded (what problem is it trying to address)?

The motivation is the major impact of transboundary diseases that move between wildlife and domestic animals at the livestock-wildlife interface. The announcement emphasizes that pathogens circulating across wild and domestic species can create animal health impacts, human health risks, and significant economic damage. Avian influenza is highlighted as a particularly costly and disruptive example.

What does the opportunity say about the economic impact of avian influenza?

The notice references the 2014-2015 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak and notes an estimated taxpayer cost of about $950 million, with an overall economic impact estimated at $3.3 billion.

Does the announcement mention low pathogenic avian influenza?

Yes. It notes that low pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks occur in poultry facilities on an ongoing basis and carry recurring economic consequences.

Does the opportunity address impacts on wildlife?

Yes. It points out that movement of novel viral types from poultry into wild bird populations has harmed wildlife as well.

What is the broader public value described in the announcement?

The project is framed as supporting prevention and impact reduction. The described benefits extend to ecological systems, agricultural operations, and society.

What is the funding category (CFDA) for this opportunity?

The funding falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, CFDA 15.808.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

What is the maximum funding amount available (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed in the announcement is $111,038.

When was the opportunity created?

The announcement was created on July 9, 2019.

What was the application closing date?

The original closing date was July 26, 2019.

How long was the application window?

Based on the listed dates (created July 9, 2019 and closed July 26, 2019), the application window was short, consistent with a targeted research and tool-development effort.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to CESU partners under the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU network. The general eligibility category was listed as "Others," with eligibility clarified through the opportunity's additional eligibility information.

What is the CESU network referenced here?

The announcement ties eligibility to CESU partners in the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU network. Based on the information provided, participation in that CESU network is a condition of eligibility for this specific opportunity.

Does the announcement indicate the type of work relationship expected with USGS?

Yes. Because this is a cooperative agreement, the recipient should expect substantial collaboration with the federal agency during project implementation, rather than working independently with minimal federal involvement.

What kind of information is the tool expected to use to generate risk estimates?

The announcement indicates the tool should translate available surveillance, environmental, and epidemiological information into risk estimates.

Is the risk assessment limited to current conditions only?

No. The announcement states the tool should be able to generate both current and future "personalized" avian influenza risk assessments.

What livestock-wildlife issue does the opportunity emphasize?

It emphasizes transboundary diseases moving between wildlife and domestic animals at the livestock-wildlife interface, and the cascading impacts those diseases can have across animal health, human health, and the economy.