CAVE HABS Documentation of the Mission 66 Six-Plex | P18AS00228

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00228

The grant opportunity titled "CAVE HABS Documentation of the Mission 66 Six-Plex" is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding effort aimed at creating a high-quality architectural record of the Six-Plex building at Carlsbad Caverns. The core purpose is to document this Mission 66 era structure using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning so the resulting measurements and point-cloud data can be translated into Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) drawings. In practical terms, the project is meant to capture the building as it exists today in a precise, repeatable way, producing documentation that can serve as an authoritative baseline for preservation, maintenance planning, and long-term stewardship.

The work centers on generating a formal HABS drawing set derived from LiDAR documentation of both the building and its immediate surroundings. The deliverables specifically include a site plan, a main level plan, four elevation drawings, and section drawings. By using LiDAR, the project can create a detailed inventory of existing conditions, including geometry, dimensions, and visible features that may be difficult to capture consistently with traditional hand-measuring alone. This kind of documentation is valuable not only for producing accurate drawings but also for creating an enduring digital record that can be revisited when evaluating changes over time, diagnosing building issues, or planning repairs.

A major reason this building is being targeted is its historical context and rarity within the NPS portfolio. The Six-Plex is associated with the Mission 66 program, a major NPS initiative launched in 1956 and intended to be completed by 1966, the agency's 50th anniversary. Mission 66 reshaped visitor facilities, housing, and infrastructure across the national parks, reflecting postwar planning and modern architectural approaches. The opportunity notes that planning and design trends leading into Mission 66 began earlier, in the broader post-1945 postwar period, and that projects at places like Carlsbad Caverns and Grand Canyon helped establish important precedents for visitor-centered development. Within that larger history, the Carlsbad Caverns Six-Plex stands out because it is one of only two examples of this specific building type designed and constructed under Mission 66 within the NPS, and it is considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The documentation is also driven by operational needs. The Six-Plex currently houses NPS staff and is described as being in need of repair and maintenance. Creating accurate HABS drawings and an in-depth conditions inventory supports practical decision-making, helping park staff and preservation professionals understand what is there, what may be failing, and how interventions can be planned with greater confidence. The resulting data is also intended to connect to a larger dataset being gathered by others, suggesting an emphasis on consistency and interoperability so that this building record can contribute to broader preservation or asset-management efforts.

Administratively, the opportunity was issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, under funding opportunity number P18AS00228. It is offered as a cooperative agreement within the Natural Resources funding activity category, with CFDA number 15.945. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, aligning with the project description that references the University of Colorado Denver College of Architecture and Planning, Center for Preservation Research (CoPR), as the proposing organization for completing the LiDAR documentation and HABS products. The posting shows a creation date of May 21, 2018, with an original closing date of May 30, 2018. The anticipated award structure is modest and targeted: one expected award with an award ceiling of $26,119, indicating a focused, single-project documentation effort rather than a multi-site or multi-year program.

Overall, the grant is designed to fund a precise documentation campaign that transforms advanced laser scanning data into standard HABS-format architectural drawings, preserving the Six-Plex's physical and historical information while directly supporting maintenance planning and preservation decisions for a rare and historically significant Mission 66 resource at Carlsbad Caverns.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CAVE HABS Documentation of the Mission 66 Six-Plex" 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 May 21, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 30, 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 $26,119.00 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.

Apply for P18AS00228

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