Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0175
The National Park Service (NPS), within the U.S. Department of the Interior, published a discretionary funding notice titled "Operate, Maintain, and Enhance Acadia National Park's Alternative Transportation System" (Funding Opportunity Number: NPS 18 NERO 0175). The announcement is tied to transportation activities and falls under CFDA 15.954. It was created on August 29, 2018, with an original closing date listed as September 7, 2018.
The key point of the notice is that it is not a request for applications and should not be read as an open competition. Instead, it serves as a formal public notice that NPS intends to make a single-source, justified award through a cooperative agreement. In practical terms, this means NPS had already identified a specific partner or organization it planned to fund and was publishing the notice to document that intent publicly rather than soliciting proposals from multiple applicants.
The project purpose is straightforward: to support the operation, maintenance, and enhancement of Acadia National Park's alternative transportation system. While the notice does not provide programmatic detail in the excerpt, "alternative transportation system" in a national park context generally refers to visitor transit services intended to reduce congestion, improve safety, and limit environmental impacts by decreasing private vehicle use inside the park. Activities suggested by the title typically include day-to-day service operations, upkeep of vehicles and related equipment, maintenance of stops or facilities, scheduling and service reliability improvements, and system upgrades that improve capacity, performance, or visitor experience.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which signals that NPS expected to have substantial involvement in the work beyond simply providing funds. Compared with a standard grant, a cooperative agreement usually implies closer coordination with the federal agency on planning, performance expectations, reporting, and implementation decisions, particularly when the work is integral to park operations or requires ongoing operational alignment with NPS objectives.
Financially, the notice lists an award ceiling of $4,887,335 and anticipates a single award (Expected Awards: 1). Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with a note to consult an additional eligibility text field for clarification; however, because this is a single-source intended award rather than an open application process, the eligibility language is largely informational and does not indicate a competitive opportunity for new applicants.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as an administrative and transparency step by NPS to announce its intention to fund one designated partner, via a cooperative agreement, to run and improve Acadia National Park's alternative transportation services, with total funding up to approximately $4.89 million.Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0175
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Operate, Maintain, and Enhance Acadia National Park’s Alternative Transportation System" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 29, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2018. (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 $4,887,335.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding notice?
The notice is titled "Operate, Maintain, and Enhance Acadia National Park's Alternative Transportation System."
Which agency is issuing this notice?
The notice was published by the National Park Service (NPS) within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS 18 NERO 0175.
What CFDA program is associated with this notice?
The notice is associated with CFDA 15.954.
Is this an open call for applications?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications and should not be read as an open competition.
If it is not open, what is the notice for?
It serves as a formal public notice that NPS intends to make a single-source, justified award through a cooperative agreement. In other words, it documents NPS's intent publicly rather than soliciting proposals from multiple applicants.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The notice anticipates a single award (Expected Awards: 1).
What type of funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award will be a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial federal involvement in the project beyond providing funds. Based on the notice description, NPS expected close coordination related to planning, performance expectations, reporting, and implementation decisions, particularly because the work supports ongoing park operations.
What is the purpose of the project described in the notice?
The purpose is to support the operation, maintenance, and enhancement of Acadia National Park's alternative transportation system.
What kinds of activities are implied by "operate, maintain, and enhance" an alternative transportation system?
While the excerpt does not provide detailed tasks, the title suggests activities such as day-to-day transit service operations, upkeep of vehicles and related equipment, maintenance of stops or facilities, improvements to scheduling and service reliability, and system upgrades that improve capacity, performance, or visitor experience.
What is an "alternative transportation system" in a national park context (as described here)?
In this context, it generally refers to visitor transit services designed to reduce congestion, improve safety, and limit environmental impacts by decreasing private vehicle use inside the park.
What is the maximum funding amount listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $4,887,335 (approximately $4.89 million).
Does the award ceiling mean the award will be exactly $4,887,335?
Not necessarily. The notice provides an award ceiling (a maximum amount), but it does not state that the final award amount must equal that ceiling.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on August 29, 2018.
What was the original closing date listed in the notice?
The original closing date was September 7, 2018.
Does the closing date indicate there was a competitive application period?
Not based on this excerpt. Even though a closing date is listed, the notice states it is not a request for applications and is not an open competition; it is a public notice of intent to make a single-source award.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding?
Eligibility is described as "Others," with a note to consult an additional eligibility text field for clarification. However, since this is intended as a single-source award rather than an open solicitation, the eligibility category is largely informational and does not indicate a competitive opportunity for new applicants.
Is NPS seeking multiple proposals from different organizations?
No. The notice indicates NPS intended to fund one designated partner through a single-source, justified award.
What is the main takeaway for organizations looking for open grant competitions?
This notice should be viewed as an administrative and transparency step rather than an opportunity to submit a new proposal in an open competition.
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