The USGS NGGDPP offers financial support to State geological agencies to create metadata that will describe sample sites for State geological surveys that have related site-specific data resources. The purpose of these data collections are to preserve and provide access to samples (and any related data) that have been extracted from the earth to improve the breadth of information that can be used to inform science and decision-making now and in the future. The USGS envisions a national network of cooperating geoscience materials and data repositories that are operated independently yet guided by common standards, procedures, and protocols for metadata. The holdings of all collections will be widely accessible through a common and mirrored Internet-based catalog, the National Digital Catalog. The holdings of the individual repositories will complement each other to preserve the geoscience assets of the Nation and serve as a comprehensive source of geoscience data and materials to serve national needs today and in the future.
To submit a proposal to the NGGDPP, a project narrative will be completed and submitted via Grants.gov.
Our estimates are based on our own knowledge and past 8 years of experience with this grants program and the outreach described in question 8. We expect to receive approximately 32 applications annually. It takes each applicant approximately 38 hours to complete the narrative and present supporting documents. This includes the time for project conception and development, proposal writing and reviewing, and submitting the proposal application through www.Grants.gov (totaling 1,324 burden hours). We anticipate awarding 27 grants per year. The award recipients must submit a final technical report and complete an inventory. We estimate that it will take approximately 4 hours to complete the requirement for the report (totaling 108 hours).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.