Mist-netting and radio telemetry of imperiled bats on U.S. Army Garrison West Point

ERDC seeks applications to conduct mist-netting and radio telemetry of bats on US Army Garrison West Point. Many of the land bases where US Army installations reside are ecologically significant, providing refuge for a large number of the nation's threatened and endangered plants and animals. The benefits of biodiversity to the public and the environment have long been recognized and the Army’s role as land managers can influence the floral and faunal diversity both within the installation and on nearby lands. To fulfill long-term mission requirements, the military must achieve environmental objectives of sustainability of training lands and full compliance with conservation requirements under law. The Army is committed to maintaining its role as a national leader in the conservation and management of sensitive natural resources on Army lands. US Army Garrison West Point (USAG WP) is potentially home to bat species that are federally endangered or under review for listing under the Endangered Species Act, and previous surveys have documented multiple species of conservation concern. Periodic surveys are integral for documenting long-term trends in bat occupancy on USAG WP. In summer 2023, ERDC-CERL will conduct an acoustic survey for bats on USAG WP. The government seeks research and technical support to conduct mist-netting in conjunction with the planned acoustic survey. Work under this proposal will provide support to ongoing research and management efforts by ERDC-CERL on USAG WP.Program Description/Objective:The government seeks research and technical support to live-capture imperiled bat species via mist-netting. Bats will be tagged with radio transmitters to track movements and locate roosts on USAG WP. This work will require close collaboration with ERDC-CERL to successfully achieve objectives. Details of the primary tasks are as follows: Task 1: Mist-net surveys to capture bats on USAG WPPrevious surveys of USAG WP have documented the following species: northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), eastern small-footed bat (Myotis leibii), tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) may also occur in the area. An Endangered/Threatened Species License from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is required to conduct this work. Preference will be given to applicants that possess this license and/or a Federally-listed Bat Species Recovery Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Mist-netting will be conducted at four sites over a two-week period between 15 July and 15 August 2023. Sites will be chosen in coordination with ERDC-CERL and USAG WP personnel, based on past survey results and locations of interest. Exact timing will depend on site access, weather, and other logistical considerations in coordination with the sponsor. At each survey site, a combination of single-, double-, and/or triple-high mist-nets will be placed in potential travel corridors and checked every 10 minutes for five hours, starting at dusk. All weather, lighting, and other environmental conditions for surveys will be met according to USFWS guidelines. Task 2: Radiotrack bats to determine roost locations on USAG WPUpon capture, up to 20 bats will be affixed with radio transmitters (Lotek NanoTags, provided by ERDC-CERL) to enable fine-scale and long-distance tracking of movements. Beginning immediately following capture, radiotagged bats will be located daily via handtracking (i.e., using a handheld receiver and antenna) to determine roost locations on or near West Point. Intensive tracking of each individual will continue for approximately two weeks post-capture. Because mist-netting will take place over a two-week period, we anticipate a four-week intensive radiotracking period to account for bats captured from the first to last day of mist-netting. Radio transmitters will be configured so a subset of batteries last long enough for the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to capture fall migration away from USAG WP. Public BenefitThe public will be the primary beneficiary of this work through enhanced management and conservation of threatened and endangered species on public lands, private lands, and DoD installations. Designation of species as federally threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that a species is a nationally important component of biodiversity in the United States and that federal agencies must support, as necessary, conservation and recovery objectives for listed species. The benefits of biodiversity to the public good have long been recognized, and this work will aid in managing and monitoring that biodiversity. Bats also provide critical economic and ecological services to the public. For example, insect-eating bats in the United States are worth more than $3.7 billion per year in reduced agricultural crop damage and pesticide use (Boyles et al. 2011). Furthermore, as volant species, bats do not recognize DoD installation boundaries and range over public lands across the continent. Therefore, their conservation involves many public and private stakeholders.Authorization: 10 USC 4001 Legal RequirementsEach Cooperative Agreement awarded under this announcement will be governed by 2 CFR 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”, 2 CFR 1100 Subchapter D—Administrative Requirements Terms and Conditions for Cost-Type Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Nonprofit and Governmental Entities and the DoD research general terms and conditions located at https://www.nre.navy.mil/work-with-us/manage-your-award/manage-grant-award/grants-terms-conditions. Program-Specific Requirements I. Federal Award Information The following information applies to awards issued under this announcement: This is a one-time initiativeThe Government anticipates one Federal award from this announcement, but reserves the right to award more or lessThe total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement is $25,000Award(s) from this announcement will be Cooperative Agreement(s)The anticipated period of performance is six months.Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awardsThe government reserves the right to accept only portions of an application and to negotiate with potential awardeesGovernment’s substantial involvement includes 1) monitoring the project as a whole and 2) technology transfer of project products to DoD natural resource managers. Government participation in monitoring the project as a whole will involve clarifying project objectives, assisting with study design and data collection, interpreting and evaluating intermediate findings on an ongoing basis, and facilitating coordination with DoD personnel. II. Eligibility Information Eligible ApplicantsThis opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). Disclosures of current and pending support made in this application may render an applicant ineligible for funding. Prior to award and throughout the period of performance, ERDC may continue to request updated continuing and pending support information, which will be reviewed and may result in discontinuation of funding. Religious organizations are entitled to compete on equal footing with secular organizations for Federal financial assistance as described in E.O. 13798, “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.” Conflict of Interest General Requirement for Disclosure You and your organization must disclose any potential or actual scientific or nonscientific conflict of interest(s) to us. You must also disclose any potential or actual conflict(s) of interest for any identified sub recipient you include in your application. We may have to ask you more questions if we need more information. At our discretion, we may ask you for a conflict-of-interest mitigation plan after you submit your application. Your plan is subject to our approval. Scientific Conflict of Interest Scientific collaborations on research and development projects are generally the result of close collaboration prior to the submission of applications for support. Accordingly, these collaborations should be considered when considering potential conflicts of interest. The potential conflict is mitigated by the disclosure of these collaborations, and the list of current and pending support you provide for senior and key researchers. Therefore, you must include in your list of current and pending support all collaborators, even if they did not formally provide support. OtherCertifications, representations, and assurances To apply for grants and other funding opportunities the applicant entity must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). Applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov or other methods unless the entity is registered in SAM. Registration in SAM now includes the acceptance of Certifications and Assurances. See https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-standard-language.html for details on how to register in SAM, and Grants.gov The Federal Assistance Certifications Report is an attestation that the entity will abide by the requirements of the various laws and regulations; therefore, as applicable, you are still required to submit any documentation, including the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if award value exceeds $100,000.00), and, if applicable, informing DoD of unpaid delinquent tax liability or a felony conviction under any Federal law. Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. By checking "I Agree" on the SF 424 (R&R) block 17 you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 218, Section 1001)." III. Application and Submission Information (2 Phase Process) A. Phase I: Submission of Statement of Interest (SOI) 1. Materials Requested for Statement of Interest/Qualifications: a. Please provide the following via e-mail attachment to: Angela D. Holcomb via e-mail: Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil Maximum length: 2 pages, single-spaced 12 pt. font. i. Name, Organization and Contact Information ii. Brief Statement of Qualifications (including):• Biographical Sketch,• Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects,• Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise,• Any brief description of capabilities to successfully complete the project you may wish to add (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, etc.). Note: A proposed budget is NOT requested at this time. The administrative point of contact is Angela D. Holcomb, e-mail: Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil 2. ERDC will only accept SOIs submitted on or before 1700 Central Time (CT), 21 March 2023. Based on a review of the Statements of Interest received, an investigator or investigators will be invited to move to Phase II which is to prepare a full study proposal. Statements will be evaluated based on the investigator’s specific experience and capabilities in areas related to the study requirements. B. Phase II (if invited): Submission of Full Application Package - Requirements of a Phase II application are included and can be made available upon request, and will be included with Phase II invitations.
Categories: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.