National Park Service- Creation of Predictive Model using GIS at Dinosaur National Monument | P17AS00680

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00680

The National Park Service opportunity titled "Creation of Predictive Model using GIS at Dinosaur National Monument" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00680) is a non-competitive cooperative agreement the NPS announced to publicly note its intent to fund a specific set of project activities with Utah State University. The work centers on Dinosaur National Monument (DNM), which spans Utah and Colorado, and it focuses on improving how the park identifies and manages archaeological and other cultural resource sites that may be present within the monument's grazing allotments. The award is listed with an expected single award, an award ceiling of $50,000, and it falls under CFDA 15.945 within the science and technology/research and development activity category. Eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which aligns with the planned partner, Utah State University (USU).

At the core of the project is the creation of a GIS-based predictive model that estimates where cultural resources are most likely to be located within grazing allotments at DNM. The idea is to use existing archaeological site data and environmental variables to produce mapped probability zones (typically categorized as high, medium, and low likelihood areas). This model is not intended to sit on a shelf; it is designed to directly guide future fieldwork by helping the park and university target survey efforts where they are most likely to find previously unknown sites, and where management decisions around grazing and land use would benefit from better cultural resource information.

A key feature of this agreement is coordination across state lines to keep methods and expectations consistent throughout the monument. The USU principal investigator, Judson Finley, and DNM's Chief of Resource Stewardship and Science, Lisa Baldwin, will consult with both the Utah and Colorado State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) to align the research design and the use of the predictive model. Because archaeological site data is sensitive, the project also emphasizes responsible handling of information, including limiting unnecessary distribution and potentially requiring nondisclosure agreements before accessing monument archives and site files.

The agreement is also structured as an educational pipeline through Archaeological Field Schools that will run over the next five years as funding becomes available. Students will receive practical training in cultural resource management on public lands, learning how professional archaeology is conducted in a compliance and stewardship context. Fieldwork funding was specifically noted as available for summer 2018 and 2019, with the expectation that additional sessions could be added later depending on future funding. The field school objectives are threefold: train students in core archaeological methods, collect field data that helps test and refine the predictive model, and generate information that can support public interpretation and future research about cultural resources within DNM.

The statement of work lays out a clear sequence of tasks and responsibilities. USU, led by the PI, is responsible for identifying and selecting suitable students in consultation with DNM staff, providing orientation and supervision, and ensuring students are trained and their work products are reviewed. USU will conduct archival research using DNM archaeological site files and curatorial records to compile known site locations for model development, while protecting sensitive information. Students will then build the predictive model focused on grazing allotments, with consultation involving SHPOs to ensure the approach and research design meet cross-jurisdictional expectations.

Once the model is in place, students will conduct Class III pedestrian archaeological surveys in the grazing allotments to ground-truth the model and refine its parameters. The field school is described as two to three 10-day sessions, with exact timing tied to the academic calendar and available funding. During survey, students will complete IMACS site recording forms, collect photo documentation, and update or obtain spatial data, with official site numbers acquired through the Utah SHPO. They will also produce detailed site maps showing surface features, artifact concentrations, and key environmental elements such as topography, outcrops, and vegetation. Where appropriate, students will analyze representative surface artifact samples to help determine occupation or use dates, activity types, and potential cultural affiliations. All of this is expected to feed back into improving the predictive model and strengthening future planning.

The deliverables are concrete and heavily data-oriented. The project will produce GIS shapefiles showing high, medium, and low probability areas for archaeological sites, along with shapefiles for project areas, sites, features, and isolated finds, complete with metadata that follows NPS standards. Standard field documentation is required, including forms, photographs, maps, and locational data, and the final products must be suitable for integration into DNM's archaeological geodatabase. Site information will also be entered into the NPS Archaeological Sites Management Information System (ASMIS), with DNM arranging temporary access for students to complete data entry.

A professional-quality final report is required to tie the work together. This report must document how the predictive model was created, summarize the pedestrian survey results, and spell out management implications for the National Park Service, including recommendations for actions to better preserve and manage cultural resources in the grazing allotments. The submission requirements are specific: five bound copies and one digital PDF delivered to DNM, along with two complete archival-quality photo sets (one intended for the SHPO and one for DNM archives). Photos must meet archival standards (acid-free sleeves and paper, archival-quality ink), include a photo log, and be at least 3 x 5 inches.

NPS responsibilities under the agreement focus on enabling and supporting the work. DNM will help select students, provide orientation, oversee assignments tied to the agreement, and offer technical assistance and training as needed. The park will also help develop the predictive model and field school research design, provide logistical and scheduling support, and grant access to the relevant forms, records, reports, and GIS data in DNM archives (with nondisclosure requirements if applicable). Importantly, NPS will coordinate access to information held by outside entities such as SHPOs, the Bureau of Land Management, and ASMIS, and will lead consultation with the Utah and Colorado SHPOs regarding how the model is used to select survey locations. Beyond the core technical work, DNM also commits to providing students opportunities to participate in other cultural and environmental programs and field trips, broadening the training experience.

Overall, the opportunity is designed to produce a practical decision-support tool (a GIS predictive model) and a growing body of field-verified archaeological data, while simultaneously training the next generation of cultural resource professionals. The model and surveys work in tandem: archival data and GIS modeling guide field surveys, field results refine the model, and the combined outputs improve DNM's ability to plan, manage grazing allotments responsibly, and protect cultural resources across both Utah and Colorado portions of the monument.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Park Service- Creation of Predictive Model using GIS at Dinosaur National Monument" 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 17, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 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.. (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 $50,000.00 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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