Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00439

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00439

This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G23AS00439) is a discretionary U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement issued through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program, specifically for an eligible partner within the Gulf Coast CESU network. The core purpose is to provide technical assistance to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) focused on wildlife disease surveillance and disease investigations across both native and invasive species, and then ensure the resulting information is shared through the appropriate scientific and management channels so it can support real-world wildlife management decisions and related public communications.

The work is centered on high-priority wildlife health threats that have major ecological, economic, and public health implications. The listed investigation priorities include avian influenza (important for wild birds and spillover risk to domestic animals and people), white-nose syndrome (a severe and ongoing disease affecting bats), cervid health with particular emphasis on Chronic Wasting Disease (a serious prion disease affecting deer and related species), diseases affecting reptiles and amphibians (herptile diseases), tick-borne diseases (which can affect wildlife and intersect with human and domestic animal health), and other wildlife zoonoses (diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans). In practice, this means the funded CESU partner would be expected to help detect, document, and investigate morbidity and mortality events, contribute to field and laboratory-oriented surveillance efforts, and help interpret and communicate findings in ways that DOI bureaus and partners can act on.

A major deliverable is information dissemination through national wildlife disease data systems that DOI and USGS use to track and respond to disease events. The opportunity specifically calls for integrating the partner’s disease surveillance data into the National Wildlife Disease Database, including USGS’s Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership - Event Reporting System (WHISPers) and the Aquatic Disease and Pathogen Repository (AquaDePTH). This integration is tied to a federal mandate under Section 6003(a) of the American Rescue Plan Act (Public Law 117-2), which underscores that this is not only a research-oriented effort but also part of a broader federal push to standardize, centralize, and improve wildlife disease reporting and situational awareness. In practical terms, applicants should expect that consistent data management, timely reporting, and alignment with database standards would be a key part of the scope of work.

Beyond database reporting, the opportunity also emphasizes active collaboration and communication with USGS scientists and the broader wildlife health community. That includes giving presentations and participating in meetings with USGS personnel, with the explicit goal of encouraging academic-federal collaborations on surveillance, investigation of illness and die-offs, and development of evidence-based disease management strategies. The cooperative agreement structure signals that USGS expects substantial involvement during the project rather than a hands-off relationship; these awards typically involve coordination, shared planning, and iterative engagement between the recipient and federal scientists or program staff.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.808, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The award ceiling is $181,500, and the posting indicates an expected award count that is not clearly specified in the provided source. The opportunity was created on June 28, 2023, with an original closing date of August 28, 2023. Eligibility is limited to entities that are official participating partners of the Gulf Coast CESU, which generally includes universities, nonprofits, and other institutions that have an established CESU partnership status. Overall, this grant is best understood as targeted support for a CESU partner to strengthen DOI and USGS wildlife disease detection, investigation capacity, and national-level reporting and collaboration, with a clear emphasis on making surveillance information usable for management decisions and public-facing communication.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-28. (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 $181,500.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G23AS00439

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