Archeological Overview and Assessment of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve | P20AS00051

Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00051

The National Park Service (Department of the Interior) is funding a single cooperative agreement to produce the first Archeological Overview and Assessment (AOA) for Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (BELA) since the preserve was established nearly 40 years ago. The aim is to create a foundational, park-wide reference document that pulls together what is already known about BELA's archeological resources and the environmental context that shaped them. Because BELA was created under ANILCA with an explicit purpose to support archeological and paleontological study of plant and animal migration, including human movement, between North America and Asia, this AOA is framed as essential to long-term protection, interpretation, and management of resources tied to that broader Beringian story. The preserve contains an exceptionally deep record, potentially extending back more than 12,000 years, and the project is intended to support both current stewardship needs and future research planning.

The work centers on synthesizing existing information rather than conducting brand-new fieldwork as the primary deliverable. The recipient will review available published and unpublished literature and compile data from National Park Service archeological databases. The final report is expected to describe BELA's environmental setting in both past and present terms, including topics like paleoecology and paleoclimate, because changes in climate, landscapes, flora, and fauna are directly tied to how people used the region over thousands of years. Alongside that environmental overview, the report will provide an updated culture history by summarizing known sites and materials across the preserve, effectively bringing the park's archeological narrative up to date in one coherent synthesis.

A major objective is to move beyond description and into planning value. The AOA will identify key research themes and unresolved questions, highlight important sites and site types, and clearly point out data gaps that limit current understanding. It will also document previous inventory and survey efforts in detail, specifying when and where archeological surveys have been conducted and, just as importantly, which areas have never been inventoried. By analyzing patterns in the existing data and the history of research and survey coverage, the report will make recommendations about where the park should concentrate new management actions, such as targeted inventories or data recovery efforts, to locate unknown resources and address the most pressing information needs.

The deliverables are described as comprehensive and practical for day-to-day resource management. In addition to narrative chapters, the report will include structured reference materials: a list of known sites, classifications of site types, an inventory of dated sites, a radiocarbon database, and an extensive bibliography to support future work. In combination, these products are intended to function as a baseline dataset and planning tool for protecting archeological resources, prioritizing future investigations, and improving interpretation of BELA's role in the broader story of Beringia and human and animal migration.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.945 (Humanities/Cultural Affairs). The opportunity number is P20AS00051, with an award ceiling of $193,500 and one expected award. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the notice specifies it is a sole-intent award to Portland State University, meaning applications are not being accepted from any other entity. The opportunity was created April 3, 2020, with an original closing date of April 9, 2020, reflecting the procedural timeline for a notice of intent rather than an open competition.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Archeological Overview and Assessment of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve" 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 Apr 03, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 09, 2020 This is a notice of intent to award to Portland State University. Applications will not be accepted from any other entity.. (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 $193,500.00 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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