Notice of Intent to Award: Aerial Survey for Golden Eagles

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ABSTRACT Funding Announcement P14AC00181 Project Title Aerial survey for golden eagles: identifying sources of bias and developing effective survey methods Recipient West Virginia University Total Anticipated Award Amount $63,590 Cost Share N/A Anticipated Length of Agreement 3 years Anticipated Period of Performance January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 16USC1a-2(j), 16USC1g, 31USC6305 CFDA # and Title 15.945 Single Source Justification Criteria Cited 505 DM 2.14 B(4), Unique Qualifications Point of Contact Jerrilyn L Thompson, 612.624.3699, jerrilyn_thompson@nps.gov This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities without competition. OVERVIEW: This project will identify sources of bias in aerial surveys for this species and provide specific recommendations for assessing territory occupancy and reproductive success of golden eagles in Alaska and other parts of western North America. Results of this project will be directly applicable to ongoing work in Alaska and elsewhere. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN: Increase survey efficiency for assessing trends in nesting populations of golden eagles. Strengthen NPS capability to detect trends in a critical resource. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT: Conduct a multi-state analysis of legacy data set and develop recommendations for improving survey efficiency. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT: Provide legacy data set, platform for field testing survey methods, and park-based technical assistance. NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: The Katzner Lab at West Virginia University is uniquely qualified to complete this project because of their extensive knowledge of raptor ecology and demonstrated ability to apply contemporary quantitative approaches to ecological questions including their extensive experience: 1) studying the breeding behavior of long-lived slow reproducing raptors; 2) addressing contemporary conservation issues facing Golden Eagles in North America; 3) quantifying the territory occupancy and reproductive activities of Golden Eagles and similar species; 4) assessing trends in raptor reproductive success; 5) working in remote and challenging study areas; and 6) applying contemporary quantitative techniques to address complex ecological questions.

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