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Park Oriented Biological Support

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Background

In 1995 the Biological Resources Discipline (BRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a continuing project for funding research and technical assistance projects in national parks in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS). This project, called Park Oriented Biological Support (POBS), is open to all scientists and technical specialists in the USGS biological sciences who are permanent employees. NPS resource management specialists and other technical specialists are eligible to participate as partners. The project's purpose is to support short term, small budget, competitively awarded, investigator-initiated studies, and use of POBS funds to leverage other resources to expand the scope of a study is encouraged.

Scope
The project is national in scope. Its goal is to open broader perspectives on meeting research and technical needs on lands administered by the NPS, and to encourage USGS scientists to meet those needs. POBS is an opportunity for USGS biologists to respond to needs they identify in national parks. In this way, it differs from the Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP), which responds to needs brought to the attention of USGS by NPS managers.

The focus of POBS is on “technical assistance” and “exploratory research”. The main objectives are to provide seed money for new research on emerging issues that may become significant to the parks, and to develop products useful to the parks. Successful proposals are chosen by a panel of BRD and NPS reviewers. Projects must be feasible, and focused on short-term goals that can be completed within 3 years.  

Technical assistance studies must result in a tangible product (e.g., a paper, mathematical model, report, or other product presenting or describing the results of research focused on a need identified by the NPS). Technical assistance includes data gathering, data analysis, technical support, and technology transfer. Exploratory research examines issues that are emerging in significance and are of a pilot or short-term nature. Exploratory research is typically “tactical,” in that the results might solve a particular problem or lead to future long-term research that is broader in scope.

Funding
Shared funding from both the USGS and NPS is awarded every two years on a competitive basis. USGS/BRD develops the request for proposals, manages the peer review process, and makes the annual allocation of POBS funds to appropriate USGS field locations.   The following budgetary rules apply to study tasks:
• Tasks may receive funding for up to 2 fiscal years. A task must be completed within 3 years after funding begins.
• Individual tasks may receive funding of up to $45,000 in one fiscal year, with a maximum of $75,000 available for the entire task. At this rate of funding, it is possible to support up to 15 new tasks each funding cycle.
• Funds may be used for permanent or temporary personnel, logistical support, equipment, contractual services, publication activities, and other temporary, direct and indirect costs generated by the proposed activity.

For more information, please contact: Dan James, Dan_James@usgs.gov, 703/648-4253 (FAX 4238) John Dennis, John_Dennis@nps.gov, 202-513-7174 (FAX 202-371-2131)