Seaplane Invasive Species Risk Analysis | F21AS00406

Opportunity Information: Apply for F21AS00406

The Seaplane Invasive Species Risk Analysis grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F21AS00406) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) cooperative agreement focused on understanding and reducing the risk that seaplanes spread aquatic invasive species (AIS) across U.S. waters. It sits under the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force Strategic Plan for 2020-2025, specifically the goals aimed at evaluating and prioritizing invasion pathways, building practical risk management strategies, and supporting both non-regulatory and regulatory approaches to prevent new AIS introductions and slow ongoing spread. The core problem driving the award is that, while other air travel pathways (commercial passenger and cargo) have been examined, the seaplane pathway remains poorly quantified despite being uniquely positioned to directly contact and move between waterbodies.

The opportunity is motivated by evidence that air travel can move nonnative pests, but it highlights a key knowledge gap: there is not yet conclusive, nationwide data showing how often and how effectively seaplanes can transport AIS. Seaplanes are treated as a potentially higher, more direct risk than standard aircraft because they land on and take off from water, making it plausible for organisms or plant fragments to hitchhike on floats, hulls, wheel wells, or other wetted or recessed areas. The notice points to Alaska as an early warning case, where preliminary studies suggest seaplanes contributed to the spread of Elodea (an invasive aquatic plant) within the state. It also flags major concerns about whether seaplanes could move other high-risk species, including Dreissenid mussels (zebra and quagga mussels), within the contiguous United States or between Alaska and the lower 48.

The project being solicited is a combined risk assessment and risk management analysis covering both Alaska and the 48 contiguous states. On the risk assessment side, applicants are expected to identify and quantify the seaplane pathway in practical, measurable terms: which waterbodies seaplanes use, how often they are used, typical routes and distances between origin and destination waterbodies, and the average time aircraft spend at each location. The work must also identify what AIS could plausibly be moved through seaplane operations, focusing on organisms likely to survive transport or attach to aircraft surfaces or trapped water. A key deliverable is pinpointing the highest-risk areas of the aircraft (examples provided include hulls, floats, and wheel wells) along with operational, distribution, or maintenance behaviors that might increase transport risk, such as patterns of repeated travel between specific lakes or regions, short turnaround times, or practices that leave standing water or organic material on aircraft components.

On the risk management side, the grant asks for a real-world evaluation of what prevention measures seaplane operators are currently using, and how frequently those measures occur. From there, the recipient must develop evidence-based, prioritized recommendations that seaplane pilots can actually implement, meaning the proposal should include plans to work directly with pilots so the final best management practices are realistic, practical, and likely to be adopted. The opportunity also extends beyond operations into the manufacturing and distribution side of the industry: if the assessment identifies particular aircraft features that consistently present higher transport risk, the final recommendations should include potential redesign ideas or manufacturing-related industry standards that could reduce risk by design rather than relying only on behavior and compliance.

The intended use of the results is explicit: the ANS Task Force, regional ANS panels, states, tribes, and partners may use the findings to create or strengthen seaplane inspection and decontamination protocols, develop industry standards or programs, and shape education and outreach campaigns aimed at pilots and other stakeholders. In other words, this is not just an academic study; it is meant to produce actionable guidance that supports prevention at multiple levels, from voluntary best practices and awareness efforts to informing potential regulatory approaches where appropriate. Proposals are expected to clearly explain how the outputs will help the ANS Task Force meet its prevention goals for the seaplane pathway.

In terms of deliverables and coordination, the selected applicant must meet with USFWS after award selection and before work begins to walk through methods, timeline, and a draft final report outline that is included with the application. USFWS will provide feedback to ensure the planned products meet ANS Task Force needs. The final report is expected to quantify seaplane-related AIS spread risk using concrete metrics (numbers and types of waterbodies used, travel distances, and likely high-risk AIS), and to display information on maps when possible. It must also document high-risk aircraft areas, identify operational and industry practices that facilitate AIS transport, summarize the types and frequency of prevention measures currently used by operators, and provide prioritized best management practices as well as possible redesign or industry-standard recommendations for manufacturers. After completing the analysis, the grantee must present the findings and recommendations to USFWS and the ANS Task Force in a 30 to 45 minute briefing (virtual or in person) alongside submission of the final report.

Administratively, this is a discretionary natural resources funding opportunity under CFDA 15.608, offered as a cooperative agreement by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning there are no applicant-type limitations stated in the notice. The award ceiling is $140,000, the original closing date listed is 2021-06-04, and the opportunity was created on 2021-03-18.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Seaplane Invasive Species Risk Analysis" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-04. (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 $140,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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