Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00734
This funding opportunity from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service supports a research project focused on wildfire program budgeting and its effects on the overall value of park landscapes. The core idea is to treat two major wildfire-related spending areas as inputs in an economic production framework: fuels management budgets (such as hazardous fuels reduction and ecological restoration treatments) and preparedness budgets (such as readiness, response capacity, and actions that reduce losses when fires occur, including the strategic use of fire where it benefits ecosystem health). Using these inputs, the project aims to estimate how investments translate into "value added" to landscapes and the natural and human resources tied to them.
A central technical feature of the project is the use of a translog (transcendental logarithmic) econometric production function, which is flexible enough to capture nonlinear relationships and interaction effects between inputs. The research will rely on simulated data from at least three national parks, then apply econometric methods to estimate the relationship between spending on fuels and preparedness and resulting improvements in landscape value. A key emphasis is on measuring, for the first time in this specific context, how fuels and preparedness programs interact, meaning whether they act as complements (each one makes the other more effective) or substitutes (spending more on one reduces the marginal benefit of the other) in producing improved outcomes.
Beyond estimating the production function, the project will use the derived "value-added surface" to place current park program choices onto that surface. In practical terms, this means diagnosing where existing allocations between fuels and preparedness sit relative to combinations that might produce higher landscape value. The work also explicitly targets decision support under changing budget conditions. If budgets increase, the analysis is intended to show how to split additional funds between fuels and preparedness to maximize gains in value added. If budgets decrease, it will identify allocations that minimize harm, helping managers mitigate losses to landscape value when resources are constrained.
The opportunity also has a strong workforce development and training component centered on graduate student involvement. The project is designed to give a graduate student hands-on experience applying economic theory and econometrics to real management questions, while also building practical skills in programming (explicitly including Python) and GIS-based spatial analysis. The student is expected to work closely with named collaborators (Doug Rideout, Andy Kirsch, and Niki Kernohan) and function in an internship-like role under investigator guidance. The description indicates the student has tentatively agreed to participate and is expected to have a strong academic record as an honors student while also supporting diversity in the workforce as a qualified minority. Specific duties are referenced as being detailed in the statement of work.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically implies substantial involvement by the federal agency during project performance rather than a hands-off grant. The activity category is Natural Resources, with CFDA number 15.945. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity number is P17AS00734. The posting lists an award ceiling of $97,000, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on August 25, 2017, with an original closing date of September 3, 2017.Apply for P17AS00734
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Formulation and Estimation of the Tradeoff between Fuels and Preparedness Budgets using Translog Econometric Production Function." 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 25, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 03, 2017. (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 $97,000.00 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 (FAQ)
What is this funding opportunity about?
This opportunity from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service supports a research project that examines how wildfire program budgeting affects the overall value of park landscapes. It treats two major categories of wildfire-related spending as economic inputs and estimates how those investments translate into "value added" for landscapes and the natural and human resources connected to them.
Which federal agency is offering the funding?
The funding opportunity is offered by the Department of the Interior (DOI), National Park Service (NPS).
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the performance of the project, rather than a fully hands-off grant.
What is the activity category and CFDA number?
The activity category is Natural Resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.945.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is P17AS00734.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
How many awards are expected?
The posting indicates one expected award.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $97,000.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on August 25, 2017, and the original closing date was September 3, 2017.
What is the main research question the project is trying to answer?
The project aims to estimate how investments in wildfire-related programs translate into measurable improvements in landscape value, and specifically how two spending areas (fuels management and preparedness) interact in producing improved outcomes.
Which wildfire budget categories are treated as the key "inputs" in the research?
The project treats two major wildfire-related spending areas as inputs within an economic production framework:
- Fuels management budgets, including hazardous fuels reduction and ecological restoration treatments.
- Preparedness budgets, including readiness, response capacity, and actions that reduce losses when fires occur, including the strategic use of fire where it benefits ecosystem health.
What does "value added" mean in this project?
In this context, "value added" refers to improvements in the value of park landscapes and associated natural and human resources that result from investments in fuels management and preparedness. The project focuses on estimating how spending translates into these improvements.
What analytical approach is the project using to model the relationship between spending and outcomes?
A central technical feature is the use of a translog (transcendental logarithmic) econometric production function. This approach is described as flexible enough to capture nonlinear relationships and interaction effects between the two spending inputs.
Why use a translog econometric production function?
The translog production function is intended to capture nonlinear relationships and interaction effects between fuels management and preparedness spending, rather than assuming a simple linear relationship or fixed substitution pattern between inputs.
What data will the study use?
The research will rely on simulated data from at least three national parks, and then apply econometric methods to estimate the relationship between spending on fuels and preparedness and resulting improvements in landscape value.
How many parks are included in the analysis?
The description specifies simulated data from at least three national parks.
What does it mean to study whether fuels and preparedness are "complements" or "substitutes"?
The project emphasizes measuring how fuels and preparedness programs interact:
- Complements: spending on one program makes the other more effective.
- Substitutes: spending more on one reduces the marginal benefit of spending on the other.
The opportunity frames this as a first-time measurement effort in this specific context.
How will the results be used for decision support?
The project will use the estimated production function to derive a "value-added surface" and then place current park program choices onto that surface. Practically, this is intended to diagnose where existing allocations between fuels and preparedness fall relative to combinations that might produce higher landscape value.
How does the project address changes in budget levels?
The work explicitly targets decision support under changing budget conditions:
- If budgets increase, the analysis is intended to show how to split additional funds between fuels and preparedness to maximize gains in value added.
- If budgets decrease, it will identify allocations that minimize harm, helping managers mitigate losses to landscape value when resources are constrained.
Is there a training or workforce development component?
Yes. The opportunity includes a strong workforce development and training component centered on graduate student involvement, designed to provide hands-on experience and practical skills relevant to economic analysis and land management decision-making.
What will the graduate student gain from participating?
The graduate student is expected to gain hands-on experience applying economic theory and econometrics to real management questions, while also building practical skills in programming (explicitly including Python) and GIS-based spatial analysis.
Who are the named collaborators the graduate student is expected to work with?
The description names Doug Rideout, Andy Kirsch, and Niki Kernohan as collaborators the student is expected to work closely with, in an internship-like role under investigator guidance.
Does the opportunity specify anything about the graduate student participant?
The description indicates the student has tentatively agreed to participate, is expected to have a strong academic record as an honors student, and is described as supporting diversity in the workforce as a qualified minority. Specific duties are referenced as being detailed in the statement of work.
What kinds of preparedness activities are included under the project definition?
Preparedness budgets are described as including readiness, response capacity, and actions that reduce losses when fires occur, including the strategic use of fire where it benefits ecosystem health.
What kinds of fuels management activities are included under the project definition?
Fuels management budgets are described as including hazardous fuels reduction and ecological restoration treatments.
What is meant by "placing current park program choices onto the value-added surface"?
It means using the estimated relationship between inputs (fuels and preparedness spending) and outputs (value added) to compare existing allocation choices to other possible spending combinations that might yield higher landscape value.
Does the opportunity indicate hands-on involvement by the federal agency?
Yes. Because the funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, it typically implies substantial federal agency involvement during project performance, as noted in the opportunity description.
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