MRERP - Final Report (Individuals)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Mineral Resources

External Research Program

-- MRERP --

Request for Proposals for Fiscal Year 2013

Program Announcement #########

ISSUE DATE: September, ##, 2013

CLOSING DATE & TIME:

October ##, 2013 4:00 p.m. EDT

OMB Control Number 1028-0089

Expiration Date 8/31/2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Funding Opportunity and Award Description 3

Two-Year Proposal Option 3

Collaborative Research Proposal Option 4

Applicant Eligibility 4

Research Topic Eligibility 5

Priority Research Topics 5

Proposal Evaluation Procedure and Criteria 7

Application Procedure 8

Reporting Requirements 14

Agency Contacts 16

Award Terms and Conditions 17

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Begin your application process by visiting the Grants.gov web site and click on the tab in the upper right side of the screen marked, “Get Started.” Begin working on the six steps now because it will take time to complete each step. If you wait until the last minute, you will not have enough time to complete the steps before the deadline for receipt of applications. Also, it will take time to become familiar with filling out the electronic versions of the SF 424 forms that must be completed and submitted with your application.

Although no changes to the program announcement are anticipated, check back periodically at Grants.gov to make certain no modifications have been issued.

For all technical questions about applying through Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov Help Desk at: 1-800-518-GRANTS, or Laura M. Mahoney 703-648-7344 [email protected]

For questions concerning this Program Announcement, please contact Faith D. Graves, Contracting Officer, at (703) 648-7356; [email protected].

Mineral Resources External Research Program Announcement for Fiscal Year 2013

Funding Opportunity and Award Description

The Mineral Resources Program (MRP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a grant and/or cooperative agreement opportunity to universities, State agencies, Tribal governments or organizations, and industry or other private sector organizations that have the ability to conduct research in topics related to non-fuel mineral resources.

The total amount of funding available for the FY 2013 MRERP is expected to be $250,000. As of the posting date of this announcement the Federal appropriations process for FY 2013 was not complete. The actual MRERP funding available will be determined when the appropriations process for FY 2013 is complete. If changes are required because of the appropriations process, notice will be distributed by the same means as this notice. If no further notice is received, the dates and amounts reported here should be taken as firm.

If the available funding remains $250,000, the MRP anticipates making awards in FY 2013 for 3 to 5 proposals submitted under this program announcement, however, individual proposals are not restricted to a set level of funding. Work performance under these awards must be completed no later than one year from the start date. The start date will be determined by the timing of funds availability and the signing of the award contract.

Two-Year Proposal Option

All work that can be completed in one year should be proposed as a one-year project. Applicants should carefully consider their time commitments and request the grant duration and funding required to accomplish the project goals. If the proposed work is such that two years are required to complete the research, then a two-year proposal is appropriate and applicants are encouraged to write their proposals accordingly. However, proposals should clearly define the work to be completed in the first and second years. The MRERP review panel may recommend funding only the first year of a two-year proposal when the proposed research is easily divided into two, one-year projects or when they feel that results from the first year’s proposed work will need to be evaluated before a second year of research can be considered.

The second year of funding of a two-year grant is contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory progress by the Recipient. Progress will be determined through technical review of a Progress Report by the MRERP coordinator or his or her agent. The Progress Report shall be submitted by the Recipient, in accordance with grant award reporting requirements (see Report Requirements section), 30 days prior to the end of the first year of funding.

Collaborative Research Proposal Option

Collaborative research proposals are proposals that propose work by two or more separate external institutions. Collaborative proposals should be submitted as follows:

1. Each individual institution/organization must accept responsibility for specific parts of the work proposed. A separate proposal must be submitted from each external organization involved in collaborative studies. Major sections of each proposal shall be identical and each proposal must clearly define the tasks to be performed by each organization, and each institution shall submit a separate budget, which clearly reflects their tasks and responsibilities.

2. Each Principal Investigator and his/her institution that is recommended for funding will receive a separate grant or cooperative agreement and shall accept financial responsibility for administering the grant and technical responsibility for submitted required technical reports.

3. Collaborative proposals must be clearly identified in the proposal title. The application title shall read “Proposal Title: Collaborative Research with First Institution name, and Second Institution name.”

4. Recipient of collaborative awards must submit one Progress Report (for 2-year awards) and one Final Technical Report, incorporating the efforts of all collaborators.

5. USGS reserves the right to fund only some of the Applicants involved in a collaborative study.

Applicant Eligibility

Applications will be accepted from any individual who has the ability to conduct research consistent with the Mineral Resources Program goals (see Research Topic Eligibility section below) and who is not employed by a U.S. Federal agency. Applicants need not be U.S. citizens and can be affiliated (but are not required to be affiliated) with universities, State agencies, Tribal governments or organizations, industry, or other private sector groups.

The following are ineligible for consideration under this announcement:

• Proposals from U.S. Government agencies or U.S. Government employees.

• Proposals from Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC).

• Proposals in which there is a real or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Federal employees can be collaborators in proposed research, however, they are prohibited from receiving MRERP funds for salary or other expenses. Collaborative proposals between an external organization and a USGS/MRERP project may be funded as a cooperative agreement or as a grant depending upon the extent and type of involvement of the USGS in the work. Discussion and coordination between internal and external researchers is encouraged; however, USGS personnel are prohibited from helping an external organization prepare its proposal for competitive funding. MRERP reserves the right to fund either part or all of the applicants involved in a collaborative study.

Proposals to fund research in foreign countries will be considered when the proposed research provides knowledge or new techniques leading to a greater understanding of U.S. mineral resource issues. Applications submitted by foreign organizations must be submitted in English and in U.S. dollars. Awards involving foreign governments may require additional coordination and approval by the U.S. Department of State. Foreign countries must have U.S. Corresponding Bank and must complete Standard Form 1199A “Direct Deposit Signup Form” with the U.S. Bank information if selected for funding.

Research Topic Eligibility

All proposals must meet two primary criteria to qualify for funding consideration.

Criterion 1: The proposed work must be research; a systematic inquiry to generate new knowledge about a subject of investigation, through a process of interpretation. Data collection and compilation are important early steps in a research project, but do not, alone, constitute research.

Criterion 2: The proposed work must address the long term goals of the MRP as outlined in the USGS science strategy plan (http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2007/1309). These are:

• Ensure availability of up-to-date quantitative assessments for undiscovered mineral deposits

• Ensure availability of up-to-date mineral environmental assessments for areas of interest

• Ensure availability of reliable geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mineral locality data for the United States

• Ensure availability of long-term data sets describing mineral production and consumption

All proposals that meet the two qualifying criteria will be evaluated based on additional criteria outlined in the Proposal Evaluation section below. Note that evaluation criteria reward proposals that address one or more of the priority research topics outlined below.

Priority Research Topics

The USGS MRP conducts research to reduce the uncertainty in nonfuel mineral resource and mineral environmental assessments. As assessments are dynamic, so must be the research that supports them. Each year the MRERP designates research topics as priority for support. The MRP is expanding its efforts in critical minerals research on commodities that are of increasing importance to economic and national security and may be subject to disruption in supply.

For the purpose of this solicitation critical mineral commodities are defined as follows (in alphabetical order):

Cobalt

Gallium

Indium

Lithium

Niobium

PGEs

REEs

Rhenium

Tantalum

Tellurium

To support this expanded critical minerals efforts, the MRERP is soliciting research proposals that address one or more of the following topics:

• Methods development of critical mineral designation (i.e., criticality and supply risk analysis)

• Regional metallogenic framework studies to understand geotectonic controls on the distribution of critical mineral-bearing systems

• Research to better understand the geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and geophysical properties of critical mineral-bearing deposits, both conventional and unconventional (e.g., Ga and REE in residual materials, REE-bearing phosphate resources, etc.)

• Research on environmental pathways and biogeochemical behavior of critical and associated metals

• Life-cycle and materials flow analysis of critical commodities

Applicants who are proposing analytical research are encouraged to collaborate with USGS laboratory facilities to provide analytical capabilities.

Applicant are encouraged to contact USGS scientists listed below to discuss collaborative research opportunities, and are strongly encouraged to provide documentation from a USGS scientist illustrating how the proposed research will address MRP research needs. Such documentation will be favorably considered in the scoring of research proposals.

Critical Mineral Project contacts:

Klaus Schulz: [email protected]; 703-648-6320

Dwight Bradley: [email protected]; 907-786-7434

Proposal Evaluation Procedure and Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by a seven-member panel. The panel will be composed of a chairperson (an MRP representative), two reviewers from the USGS, and four reviewers external to the USGS. All reviewers will have expertise in mineral resources. The chairperson is a non-voting member. All proposals that satisfy the two primary qualifying criteria noted in the Research Topic Eligibility section above (i.e., 1- it is research, 2 - it addresses a long-term goal of the MRP) will be further evaluated and scored based on the following criteria:

1. Priority Research Topic (20 points)

How well does the proposed research address one of the research topics designated as priority for support for the current year, and defined in the announcement?

2. Scientific Quality and Impact (40 points)

1. Does the proposed work respond to societal or customer needs at a regional or national level?

2. Will this work make fundamental advances in geoscientific research, enhance technology development, or provide fundamental minerals information?

3. Will this work (1) advance our understanding of (a) the occurrence, quality, quantity, and environmental characteristics of mineral resources, (b) the fundamental processes that create and modify them, or (c) the life cycle of minerals and mineral materials; (2) contribute to developing objective methods for assessing mineral resources; or (3) help predict the potential environmental impact of mineral development?

4. Will this work contribute to resolution of issues involving the economy, sustainable use, land stewardship, environmental impact, or public health?

3. Work Plan (15 points)

1. Is the strategy and how does it demonstrate success?

2. Are the scientific objectives for proposed time frame?

3. Are the geographic areas selected for study?

4. Are the tools selected for research?

5. Is there documentation from a USGS scientist illustrating how the proposed research will address MRP research needs?

4. Experience/Competence of Research Personnel (10 points)

1. For previous MRERP award recipients:

   • Was publication of project results and data in peer‑reviewed scientific or technical journals achieved in a timely manner?

   • Were reporting requirements from previous MRERP awards satisfied?

   • Was the work completed in a competent fashion?

   1. Have the applicants demonstrated (through bibliographic references, previous experience, awards, etc.) that they are capable of doing the proposed research?

   2. Have the applicants demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the scientific problem?

5. Budget Justification and Clarity (10 points)

(a) Is staff sufficient to accomplish the proposed goals?

(b) Are field expenses, supplies, lab work, and other expenses appropriate?

(c) Are expenses adequately itemized?

(d) Is cost-sharing proposed for major budget items (e.g., equipment purchases)?

6. Planned Products and Dissemination of Results (5 points)

1. Are the final products clearly defined?

2. How likely are these products to be produced in the proposed time frame with resources requested?

3. What indication is there that the results will be published in a peer-reviewed form?

4. Is a plan for data dissemination of the project results to the scientific community and general user community (i.e., appropriate professional organizations; local, State, regional and federal agencies; and the general public clearly defined?

Application Procedure

Applicants are to submit proposals electronically at http://www.grants.gov /Apply, no later than October 7, 2011 @ 4:00 p.m. EDT. If you have questions concerning the submission process, please contact Faith D. Graves at 703-648-7356 or [email protected] or Laura M. Mahoney at 703-648-7344 or [email protected]. Applicants will receive an email response from the USGS Office of Acquisition and Grants to acknowledge receipt of submitted proposals.

Proposals submitted through http://www.grants.gov /Apply after the closing date and time will not be considered for award. If it is determined that an application will not be considered due to lateness, the applicant will be so notified immediately.

Please arrange your application according to the format provided below. Following this format ensures that every proposal contains all essential information and is evaluated equitably. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in your proposal not being considered.

1. Proposal Forms

Begin by registering at http://www.grants.gov under the “Get Registered” tab in the menu bar on the left side of the home page. Once registered, go to the “Apply for Grant” tab in the menu bar on the left side of the home page. Here you will be required to download the PureEdge Viewer. The PureEdge Viewer will enable applicants to view and complete the following required forms:

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

SF-424a Budget Information

SF-424b Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

(The DI-2010 U.S. Department of the Interior Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters, Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and Lobbying is required but is not yet available through Grants.gov. This form will be completed when the grant/cooperative agreement is awarded).

2. Proposal Narrative

a. Proposal Summary Sheet

The first page of the proposal must contain the following information:

Project Title:

Principal Investigator(s) (person we can contact, if needed):

Name:

Address:

Phone:

FAX:

Email:

Name of university, state agency, or other organization:

Project Deliverable:

Total Funds Requested: $____________________________

b. Proposal Text. The text (i-vii below, including figures and tables), should be no longer than 7 pages when printed on letter-size paper, with 1-inch margins and a font size no smaller than 12 points. The text for two-year proposals may be up to 10 pages. All geographic-based proposals must include an index map showing the location of the proposed study area(s). Proposals not following these guidelines will not be considered. Please include the following:

1. Executive Summary. Provide a brief overview of background, objectives, approach, and importance, with an emphasis on value proposition, i.e., this is what you get for your investment.

2. Statement of Problem. Give a brief introduction to the research problem.

3. Objectives. Clearly define goals of project. State how the proposal addresses MRP goals and priority research topics.

4. Relevance and Impact. Explain why the work is important. Specify the scientific relevance to mineral resources and the benefits that society will receive from the project. MRP is focused on regional and/or national issues related to mineral resources, thus proposals should describe why the research is important to regional or national mineral resource issues.

5. Work Plan. This section must include a detailed discussion of the work plan and technical approach. The percentage of your time that you can devote to the proposed work should also be indicated. You are strongly encouraged to provide a statement from an MRP project scientist documenting how the proposed research will fulfill USGS MRP research needs.

6. Prior Work, On-going Work, and Preliminary Results,. Provide a brief summary of findings or outcomes of any prior work you or others have completed that are relevant to the proposed investigation. If on-going work is being funded through another source of funds, specify what work is already funded and what work will be conducted with funds requested in this proposal.

7. Planned Products – Dissemination of Findings. The USGS considers dissemination of research data and results to potential users to be a crucial aspect of projects funded by this program. List product(s) (reports, analyses, digital data, etc.) that will be delivered at the end of the project period to satisfy the Final Technical Report requirement (see Reporting Requirements section below). Identify customers that would benefit from the results of your research. Beyond the requirements for a Final Technical Report, describe your plan for dissemination of project data and results to maximize the benefit to customers. The USGS strongly encourages grant award recipients to publish the results of research in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

8. References Cited. List all references to which you refer in text and references from your past work in the field that the research problem addresses. Be sure to identify references as journal articles, chapters in books, abstracts, maps, digital data, etc.

9. Project Personnel. List the Principal Investigator first, followed by the names of other individuals. Indicate the role for each participant in the project (geologist, geochemist, field assistant, etc.). Include a brief vita for each person. Emphasize previous experience that supports the objectives of the proposed work.

10. Continuation projects. List the total amount of funding per year for which support was provided by the USGS, as well as the duration of each increment (including no-cost extensions), and the total number of person months committed by each project participant each year.

3. Budget Sheets. This information will provide more details than what is required under the SF 424A form. Please use the budget summary sheet provided with this announcement and follow the guidelines listed below.

1. Salaries and Wages. List names, positions, and rate of compensation. If contract employees are hired, include their total time, rate of compensation, job titles, and roles.

2. Fringe benefits/labor overhead. Indicate the rates/amounts in conformance with normal accounting procedures. Explain what costs are covered in this category and the basis of the rate computations.

3. Field Expenses. Briefly itemize the estimated travel costs (i.e., number of people, number of travel days, lodging and transportation costs, and other travel costs).

4. Lab Analyses. Include geochemical analyses, age-dating analyses, etc. Briefly itemize cost of all analytical work.

5. Supplies. Enter the cost for all tangible property. Include the cost of office, laboratory, computing, and field supplies separately. Provide detail on any specific item, which represents a significant portion of the proposed amount.

6. Equipment. Show the cost of all special-purpose equipment necessary for achieving the objectives of the project. "Special-purpose equipment" means scientific equipment having a useful life of more than 1 year and having an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per item. Each item should be itemized and include a full justification and a dealer or manufacturer quote, if available. General-purpose equipment must be purchased from the applicant's operating funds. Title to non-expendable personal property shall be vested solely with the Recipient. Under no circumstances shall property title be vested in a sub-tier recipient. The MRERP is not intended to be a major equipment purchase opportunity. If new equipment is critical for conducting the proposed research then cost-sharing with the PI’s institution or a third party for equipment purchases is encouraged and is factored in the scoring of the proposal.

7. Services or consultants. Identify the tasks or problems for which such services would be used. List the contemplated sub-recipients by name (including consultants), the estimated amount of time required, and the quoted rate per day or hour.

8. Travel (non-field related). State the purpose of the trip and itemize the estimated travel costs to show the number of trips required, the destinations, the number of people traveling, the per diem rates, the cost of transportation, and any miscellaneous expenses for each trip. Calculations of other special transportation costs (such as charges for use of applicant-owned vehicles or vehicle rental costs) should also be shown.

9. Publication costs. Show the estimated cost of publishing the results of the research, including the final report. Include costs of drafting or graphics, reproduction, page or illustration charges, and a minimum number of reprints.

10. Other direct costs. Itemize the different types of costs not included elsewhere; such as, shipping, computing, equipment-use charges, or other services.

11. Total Direct Charges. Totals for items 1 thru 10.

12. Indirect Charges (Overhead). Indirect cost/general and administrative (G&A) cost. Show the proposed rate, cost base, and proposed amount for indirect costs based on the cost principles applicable to the Applicant's organization. If the Applicant has separate rates for recovery of labor overhead and G&A costs, each charge should be shown.

13. Amount proposed. Total of items 11 plus 12.

14. Two-year projects. The Applicant shall provide summary information as well as a detailed budget for the second year. The SF 424, however, shall reflect support for the one year only.

BUDGET SUMMARY ¹

Project Title:

Principal Investigator(s):

Proposed Start Date:

Proposed Completion Date:

COST CATEGORY	First Year	Second Year2	TOTAL Both years2
1. Salaries and Wages Total Salaries and Wages	$ $	$ $	$ $
2. Fringe Benefits/Labor Overhead	$	$	$
3. Field Expenses	$	$	$
4. Lab Analyses	$	$	$
5. Supplies	$	$	$
6. Equipment	$	$	$
7. Services or Consultants	$	$	$
8. Travel (non-field related)	$	$	$
9. Publication Costs	$	$	$
10. Other Direct Costs	$	$	$
11. Total Direct Costs (items 1-10)	$	$	$
12. Indirect cost/General and Administrative (G&A) cost	$	$	$
13. Amount Proposed (items 11+12)	$	$	$

¹Use this format for the required Budget Summary. The detailed budget must be keyed directly into this Budget Summary page.

²These columns only for two-year projects only.

Reporting Requirements

The following reports will be required from all award recipients:

Report	Number of copies and format	Submit to	Due
(1) Publication	3 reprints	MRERP coordinator	Immediately following publication. See instructions below.
(2) Final Technical Report	1 Adobe Acrobat PDF file	MRERP coordinator	On or before 90 days after the expiration of the agreement. See instructions below.
(3) Progress Report (for two-year awards only)	1 Adobe Acrobat PDF file	MRERP coordinator	30 days before the end of the first year of funding. Second year funding is contingent on receipt of the report and demonstration of satisfactory progress. See instructions below.
(4) Quarterly SF-425 Federal Financial Report	Original + 1	Contracting officer*	On or before 45 working days after the end of each three-month performance period. See instructions below.
(5) SF-425 Federal Financial Report	Original + 1	Contracting officer*	On or before 90 working days after the expiration of the agreement. See instructions below.

* See Agency Contacts section below

Report Preparation Instructions

(1) Publication: Publication means any book, report, photograph, map, chart, or recording published or disseminated to the scientific community. Preprints of articles submitted for publications will be accepted as final reports. All publications that contain work performed during the project period shall include the following statements:

“Research supported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, under USGS award number (Recipient, insert award number). The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.”

(2) Final Technical Report: A final report that includes the findings of the in-depth studies sponsored by the Mineral Resources External Research Program is due within 90 days following the expiration of the grant agreement. The final report should be submitted as a PDF file on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM to:

External Research, Mineral Resources Program

U.S. Geological Survey

913 National Center

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

Reston, VA 20192

Format for Final Technical Report

(A) Title page must contain the following information:

Award number

Name of principal investigator(s)

Title of the report

Statement that reads as follows:

“Research supported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, under USGS award number [insert award number]. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.”

(B) Any figures, tables, or equations should be embedded in the report and included in the PDF file (a tagged PDF). Provide alternative text for each figure, table, and equation; this text, combined with the caption or title, should convey to the non-sighted person what the image or equation conveys to the sighted person.

(C) The report should contain a list of citations for all publications (including abstracts) that may have resulted from work funded by the Mineral Resources External Research Program.

(3) Progress Report: Recipients of two-year awards shall submit a report that summarizes the progress of the project during the first funding period. Work that was proposed for the first year should have been completed in that year. The heading on page 1 of the report should include (a) the MRERP award number, (b) the Principal Investigator’s name, and (c) the title of the research project. The progress report shall consist of accomplishments, unanticipated problems encountered, plans for solving unanticipated problems, and any other information pertinent to the progress of the project. Funding expended by the award recipient during year one must also be detailed in the Progress Report. The Progress Report should be submitted as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file via e-mail attachment to: [email protected] with “Progress Report for MRERP award [insert award number] in the subject line.

(4) CASH MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

1. STANDARD FORM 272, FEDERAL CASH TRANSACTIONS REPORT (or its successor SF 425, Federal Financial Report) is required quarterly for each PMS/ASAP subaccount. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter until the final Federal Financial Report is submitted. Instructions for submitting SF 272/SF 425 can be found at the PMS website:

http://www.dpm.psc.gov/grant_recipient/psc_272_reports/psc_272_reports.aspx?explorer.event=true

On and after APRIL 1, 2010 (or as notified by the Contracting Officer), the SF 425 Federal Financial Report must be submitted by mail to Faith D. Graves, see Section E. Paragraph E.1 for address.

If after 45 days, recipient has not submitted a report, the account will be placed in a manual review status. Funds may be withheld for accounts with delinquent reports.

2. FINAL FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORT.

a. The recipient will liquidate all obligations incurred under the award and submit a final STANDARD FORM 425, FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORT (which replaces the current SF 269, Financial Status Report) no later than 90 calendar days after the grant/cooperative agreement completion date. Recipient will promptly return any unexpended federal cash advances or will complete a final draw from PMS/ASAP to obtain any remaining amounts due. Once 120 days has passed since the grant/agreement completion date, the PMS/ASAP subaccount for this award may be closed by USGS at any time.

b. Subsequent revision to the final SF 425 will be considered only as follows -

(i) When the revision results in a balance due to the Government, the recipient must submit a revised final Federal Financial Report (SF 425) and refund the excess payment whenever the overcharge is discovered, no matter how long the lapse of time since the original due date of the report.

(ii) When the revision represents additional reimbursable costs claimed by the recipient, a revised final SF 425 may be submitted to the Contracting Officer with an explanation. If approved, the USGS will either request and pay a final invoice or reestablish the PMS/ASAP subaccount to permit the recipient to make a revised final draw. Any revised final report representing additional reimbursable amounts must be submitted no later than 1 year from the due date of the original report, i.e., 15 months following the agreement completion date. USGS will not accept any revised SF 425 covering additional expenditures after that date and will return any late request for additional payment to the recipient.

Agency Contacts

Technical questions concerning the application process at Grants.gov:

Grants.gov Help Desk at: 1-800-518-GRANTS, Laura Mahoney, 703-648-7344 or [email protected]

Questions concerning this Program Announcement:

Faith D. Graves, Contracting Officer

U.S. Geological Survey

Office of Acquisition and Grants

National Center, Mail Stop 205G

Reston, VA 20192

Phone: (703) 648-7356

E-Mail: [email protected]

Award Terms and Conditions

Method of Payment

a. Until APRIL 1, 2010 (or until notified by the Contracting Officer), the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) will use the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS) to provide electronic invoicing and payment for assistance award recipients.

(i) The Recipient agrees that it has established or will establish an account with PMS. With the award of each grant/cooperative agreement, a sub-account will be set up from which the Recipient can draw down funds.

(ii) Instructions for obtaining payments will be provided to the recipients by HHS. Inquiries regarding payment should be directed to:

Division of Payment Management

Department of Health and Human Services

P. O. Box 6021

Rockville, MD 20852

www.dpm.psc.gov

Raynette Robinson (301) 443-9180

b. On and after APRIL 1, 2010 (or as notified by the Contracting Officer), the USGS will be using the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) to provide electronic invoicing and payment for assistance award recipients.

(i) The Recipient agrees that it has established or will establish an account with ASAP. With the award of each grant/cooperative agreement, a sub-account will be set up from which the Recipient can draw down funds.

(ii) Instructions for obtaining payments will be provided to the recipients by ASAP. Inquiries regarding payment should be directed to:

www.asap.gov

Regional Financial Center	Time Zone	Phone Number	Business Hours	Mailing Address
Philadelphia	Eastern	(215) 516-8021	7:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m.	P.O. Box 51317 Philadelphia, PA 19115-6317
Kansas City	Central	(816) 414-2100	7:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m.	P.O. Box 12599-0599 Kansas City, MO 64116-0599
San Francisco	Mountain or Pacific	(510) 594-7182	7:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m.	P.O. Box 24700 Oakland, CA 94623-1700

Awards involving foreign governments may require additional coordination and approval by the U.S. Department of State. Foreign countries must have U.S. Corresponding Bank and must complete Standard Form 1199A “Direct Deposit Signup Form” with the U.S. Bank information if selected for funding.

No-cost extensions to the project period

No-cost extensions are discouraged. The MRP awards grants and cooperative agreements for research that extends or supplements the ongoing research within the U.S. Geological Survey. The timely conduct of funded projects is of great importance to the achievement of the goals of the MRP. Applicants should consider their time commitments at the time of applying for a grant. Requests for no-cost extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should supply documentation supporting their request for an extension.

Dissemination of results

The Principal Investigator is strongly encouraged to disseminate research results promptly to the scientific community and appropriate professional organizations; local, state, regional and federal agencies; and the general public. Research findings must be published in a peer-reviewed scientific or technical journals

The Government may publish, reproduce, and use all technical data developed as a result of this award in any manner and for any purpose, without limitation, and may authorize others to do the same. Data generated as a part of work funded under this program is not subject to a proprietary period of exclusive data access. All data generated must be made obtainable to the USGS as soon as it is available. The USGS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use the data for Government purposes. Any project funded in whole or part with funds obtained under this program shall fall under this clause. The USGS Contracting Officer is the sole person to decide which data fall into this category if questions arise.

Recipients must comply with all applicable OMB Circulars and Regulations below:

I. COST PRINCIPLES, AUDIT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

The Recipient shall be subject to the following OMB circulars and regulations, which are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of these Circulars can be obtained from the Internet at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html.

A. Educational Institutions

• 2 CFR 220, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (OMB Circular No. A-21)

• OMB Circular No. A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, hospitals, and Other Non-profit Organizations, as implemented in 2 CFR 215 and 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F.

• OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations, as implemented in 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart A: Administrative and Audit Requirements and Cost Principles for Assistance Programs

B. State and Local Governments

• 2 CFR 225, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments (OMB Circular A-87)

• OMB Circular A-102, Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments; as implemented in 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C

• OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations, as implemented in 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart A: Administrative and Audit Requirements and Cost Principles for Assistance Programs

C. Non-Profit Organizations

• 2 CFR Part 230, Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122), except recipients listed in Appendix C to Part 230 are subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 31.2, Contracts with Commercial Organizations (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures)

• OMB Circular No. A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, hospitals, and Other Non-profit Organizations, as implemented in 2 CFR 215 and 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F.

• OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations, as implemented in 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart A: Administrative and Audit Requirements and Cost Principles for Assistance Programs

D. Organizations for Profit, Individuals, and Others Not Covered Above

• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 31.2, Contracts with Commercial Organizations (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures)

• OMB Circular No. A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations, as implemented in 2 CFR 215 and 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F,

• FAR Subpart 42.1, Contract Audit Services; FAR Subpart 42.7, Indirect Cost Rates; FAR Subpart 42.8, Disallowance of Costs

II. ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS

This award is subject to the following additional Government-wide regulations:

• 2 CFR 180, Government Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)

• 2 CFR 1400, Department of the Interior Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension

This award is subject to the following additional regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior:

• 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart E: Buy American Requirements for Assistance Programs

• 43 CFR Part 17, Subpart A: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Race, Color, or National Origin

• 43 CFR Part 17, Subpart B: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap

• 43 CFR Part 17, Subpart C: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age

• 43 CFR Part 17, Subpart E: Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of the Interior

• 43 CFR Part 18, New Restrictions on Lobbying

• 43 CFR Part 41, Nondiscrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance [Applies only if this award provides assistance to an education program or student(s).]

• 43 CFR Part 43, Government-wide Requirements for Drug Free Workplace

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