Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00573
The Piscataway Park Cultural Landscape Inventory opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) project aimed at documenting and evaluating the cultural landscape of Piscataway Park through a combination of on-the-ground fieldwork, standardized GIS mapping, and written inventory narratives. The overall purpose is to capture what exists on the landscape today, describe how it developed and changed over time, explain why it is significant, and provide practical recommendations for improving or stabilizing landscape conditions. In addition to the general cultural landscape inventory products, the project also includes a distinct Indigenous cultural landscapes component that is focused less on producing a full inventory and more on laying out appropriate methods and recommended next steps for future work in the park area managed by NPS.
A major piece of the work is the field survey effort, which involves systematically collecting information about cultural landscape characteristics and features across the project area. The survey methods specifically call for using GPS to collect spatial data so that features can be accurately located, photographing landscape features digitally to create a visual record of existing conditions, and compiling a character/condition log that identifies key features, evaluates their current condition, and captures field notes and observations. In practice, this means producing a defensible, organized set of field documentation that can support both resource management decisions and future research.
Another core deliverable is a set of existing conditions maps prepared for individual properties, created according to NPS cultural landscape inventory guidance. All spatial data must be delivered to NPS using the Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standard, which is essentially the required data model and format for how NPS wants cultural resource GIS information structured and shared. The opportunity points to an official geodatabase template available through NPS (IRMA) that contains the necessary feature classes, metadata fields, and domain values that implement the standard. The template establishes the minimum required fields, while still allowing additional fields if they are needed for the project. The guidance also references the broader Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standards documentation, which provides more detail on geodatabase structure and functionality, ensuring the resulting GIS dataset can be integrated cleanly into NPS systems and used consistently alongside other NPS cultural resource datasets.
The narrative portion of the work requires preparing Cultural Landscape Inventory documents that move beyond mapping and field notes into a structured written analysis. Required elements include an annotated historical chronology of physical development (using an Excel spreadsheet template), a historical narrative describing the propertys physical development and landscape changes across different periods, and a historical significance summary explaining how the NPS-owned lands in Piscataway Park meet National Register of Historic Places criteria. That significance summary must also explain how the landscape contributes to relevant areas of significance and identify the period of significance. The narrative deliverables further require an analysis and evaluation of the landscape characteristics that apply to each property, explicitly connecting those characteristics to the landscapes significance, and concluding with stabilization measures intended to improve or maintain the condition of the cultural landscape. Taken together, these written products are meant to provide both the historic context and the management-oriented evaluation that supports preservation planning.
A separate deliverable addresses Indigenous Cultural Landscapes (ICLs). Rather than requiring a full ICL inventory, the opportunity calls for a standalone summary document that identifies appropriate Indigenous cultural landscape methodologies and recommends next steps specifically for the Piscataway Park project area managed by NPS. This positions the Indigenous component as a guidance and planning product, aimed at defining how future work should be approached in a culturally appropriate and methodologically sound way.
Administratively, this is a Department of the Interior, National Park Service discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement instrument, associated with CFDA 15.945 and activity areas that include employment and training as well as science and technology or research and development. Eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The notice, however, makes clear it was not an open call for new applications: it served as a notification that NPS would issue a Task Agreement under an already competed cooperative agreement (P18AC00901) with St. Marys College of Maryland. The anticipated award information lists a single expected award with a funding ceiling of $57,000, with the announcement originally posted on August 22, 2018 and an original closing date of September 1, 2018.Apply for P18AS00573
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the employment, labor and training, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Piscataway Park Cultural Landscape Inventory" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 22, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 01, 2018 This announcement is NOT a request for applications. It is notification that NPS will award a Task Agreement under already competed Cooperative Agreement Number P18AC00901 with St. Maryaposs College of Maryland.. (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 $57,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Piscataway Park Cultural Landscape Inventory opportunity?
It is a National Park Service (NPS) project focused on documenting and evaluating the cultural landscape of Piscataway Park. The work combines on-the-ground fieldwork, standardized GIS mapping, and written inventory narratives to describe what exists today, how the landscape developed over time, why it is significant, and what practical steps could help improve or stabilize current conditions.
What is the main purpose of this project?
The purpose is to produce a defensible set of documentation and analysis that supports NPS cultural resource management. This includes capturing existing conditions, explaining landscape change over time, evaluating significance (including National Register of Historic Places criteria), and providing recommendations intended to stabilize or improve landscape conditions.
What are the major components of the work?
The opportunity describes two main product tracks: (1) general Cultural Landscape Inventory (CLI) products (field survey, GIS mapping, written narratives and evaluations), and (2) a distinct Indigenous Cultural Landscapes (ICL) component that focuses on methodologies and recommended next steps rather than producing a full inventory.
What does the field survey effort involve?
The field survey involves systematically collecting information about cultural landscape characteristics and features across the project area. The methods specifically call for GPS-based spatial data collection, digital photography to document existing conditions, and preparation of a character/condition log with feature identification, condition evaluation, and field notes/observations.
Why is GPS data collection required for the survey?
GPS is required so cultural landscape features can be accurately located and mapped. This improves the defensibility and usability of the documentation for resource management decisions and future research.
What kind of photographic documentation is expected?
The opportunity calls for digitally photographing landscape features to create a visual record of existing conditions. This photographic record supports the field documentation and helps demonstrate current conditions alongside mapped data and written observations.
What is a character/condition log in the context of this project?
It is a structured field record that identifies key landscape features, evaluates their current condition, and captures field notes and observations. The intent is to create an organized set of documentation that supports management decisions and future research.
What GIS deliverables are required?
A core deliverable is a set of existing conditions maps prepared for individual properties according to NPS Cultural Landscape Inventory guidance. In addition, all spatial data must be delivered to NPS using the Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standard.
What is the Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standard?
It is the required NPS data model and format for structuring and sharing cultural resource GIS information. The standard ensures that GIS datasets can be integrated into NPS systems and used consistently alongside other NPS cultural resource datasets.
Is there a required GIS template to use?
Yes. The opportunity references an official NPS geodatabase template available through NPS (IRMA). The template includes the feature classes, metadata fields, and domain values that implement the Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standard.
Are additional GIS fields allowed beyond the template?
Yes. The template establishes minimum required fields, but the opportunity notes that additional fields may be added if needed for the project.
What written narrative deliverables are required for the Cultural Landscape Inventory?
The narrative work includes an annotated historical chronology of physical development (using an Excel spreadsheet template), a historical narrative describing physical development and landscape change across periods, and a historical significance summary explaining how the NPS-owned lands in Piscataway Park meet National Register of Historic Places criteria.
What must be included in the annotated historical chronology?
The opportunity specifies an annotated historical chronology of physical development using an Excel spreadsheet template. This is intended to capture a structured timeline of how the landscape developed and changed over time.
What must the historical significance summary cover?
It must explain how the NPS-owned lands in Piscataway Park meet National Register of Historic Places criteria. It must also explain how the landscape contributes to relevant areas of significance and identify the period of significance.
What does the project require regarding landscape characteristics?
The written products must include an analysis and evaluation of the landscape characteristics that apply to each property, explicitly connecting those characteristics to the landscape's significance.
What are "stabilization measures" in this opportunity?
They are concluding recommendations intended to improve or maintain the condition of the cultural landscape. The opportunity frames them as practical measures to improve or stabilize landscape conditions based on the inventory findings and evaluation.
What is the Indigenous Cultural Landscapes (ICL) component?
It is a separate deliverable from the general CLI products. Rather than producing a full ICL inventory, the project calls for a standalone summary document that identifies appropriate Indigenous cultural landscape methodologies and recommends next steps for future work in the NPS-managed project area.
Is a full Indigenous Cultural Landscape inventory required?
No. The opportunity explicitly states the Indigenous component is focused less on producing a full inventory and more on laying out appropriate methods and recommended next steps for future work.
What type of federal opportunity is this administratively?
It is a Department of the Interior, National Park Service discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement instrument. It is associated with CFDA 15.945 and activity areas that include employment and training, as well as science and technology or research and development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Was this an open call for new applications?
No. The notice states it was not an open call. It served as a notification that NPS would issue a Task Agreement under an already competed cooperative agreement (P18AC00901) with St. Mary's College of Maryland.
What was the anticipated award amount and how many awards were expected?
The anticipated award information lists a single expected award with a funding ceiling of $57,000.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The announcement was originally posted on August 22, 2018, with an original closing date of September 1, 2018.
What cooperative agreement is referenced in the notice?
The notice references an already competed cooperative agreement identified as P18AC00901, under which NPS would issue a Task Agreement with St. Mary's College of Maryland.
How are the fieldwork, GIS, and narrative products intended to be used?
Together, the field documentation, standardized GIS data and maps, and the written narratives/significance/evaluation are intended to support resource management decisions and preservation planning, while also providing an organized record that can support future research.
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