Surveys, Studies, Investigations and Special Purpose Grants within the Office of Research and Development
To (1) support surveys, studies and investigations and special purpose assistance to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides (2) identify, develop, and demonstrate effective pollution control techniques; and (3) fund innovative regional projects that address a stated problem or opportunity relating to sustainability and use science to inform design, planning and decision-making at the local, state and industrial levels. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2019: Priorities include conducting air quality research, improving the science behind risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health and the environment, and research related to Homeland Security. Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and pesticides will also be funded under this category. Additionally, this funding priority provides support for conferences relating to the areas above Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2020: Continue conducting air quality research, improving the science behind risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health and the environment, and research related to Homeland Security. Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and pesticides will also be funded under this category. Additionally, this funding priority provides support for conferences relating to the areas above
General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
66.510
Federal Agency/Office
Environmental Protection Agency
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016 An estimated 6 grant/cooperative agreements may be made in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Data on the number of applications received and the exact number of awards made in FY 2016 are not available. Summary information of the funded research is available in the USA Spending.GOV website. Database.https://www.usaspending.gov/transparency/Pages/AgencySummary.aspx?AgencyCode=6800 Six grant/cooperative agreements were made in Fiscal Year 2016. Summary information of the funded research is available in the USA Spending.GOV website. Database.https://www.usaspending.gov/transparency/Pages/AgencySummary.aspx?AgencyCode=6800
Fiscal Year 2017 An estimated three grant/cooperative agreements were made in Fiscal Year 2017. Summary information of the funded research is available in the USA Spending.GOV website: https://www.usaspending.gov/#/
Fiscal Year 2018 NA
Authorization
Clean Air Act, Section 103
Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442
Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, as amended by P.L. 106-74, Public Law -
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, as amended by P.L. 106-74
Clean Water Act, Section 104
Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001
National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, Section Section 311
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
These programs are available to each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, for public and private State universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and in some cases, individuals or foreign entities. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program. Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations: 1) Are operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; 2) Are not organized primarily for profit; and 3) Use its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. . However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply. National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCs") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism. Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations in other ways through awards made under this program. The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations and private nonprofit institutions/organizations; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; U.S. territories or possessions; anyone/general public; education professionals; students/trainees; graduate students; scientists/researchers; hospitals; foreign entities; and individuals.
Credentials/Documentation
The Agency may request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training experience in the field, and the necessary equipment to carry out the research. EPA may ask applicants or principal investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. EPA may ask principal investigators for information documenting past performance.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see Appendix IV of the Catalog. When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Research and Development as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The standard application forms as furnished by the EPA and required by OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-110 must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Competitive RFAs (requests for applications) or RFPs (requests for proposals) for grants in these areas are announced widely through the Internet, university and scientific organizations, among other mechanisms. Although the programs identified are the formal assistance programs that ORD funds, there are periodic RFAs/RFIPs disseminated on other topics that are not part of the formal program. These new programs are also part of 66.510 but cannot be presently identified. Funds may be available to support activities including but not limited to experiments, surveys, studies, investigations, public education programs, and monitoring where authorized by specific statutes, in both science and engineering disciplines. Please check the Federal Register or the EPA/ORD website: https://www.epa.gov/research for an updated listing of these programs. Additional information may be available through the Grants.gov website https://www.grants.gov. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through https://www.grants.gov.
Award Procedure
For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Customarily, applicants are notified about award decisions within six months of the solicitation deadline. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract, and may be requested to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, past performance documentation, and/or make appropriate revisions. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.
Deadlines
Specific information regarding deadlines is provided in the competitive announcement.
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
From 120 to 180 days. Approximately 180 days.
Appeals
Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement.
How may assistance be used?
Funds awarded via grants/cooperative agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures incident to performance plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with the established policies of EPA.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year.
Records
The record retention requirements of 2 CFR Part 200 apply. Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.
Matching is voluntary. The Office of Research and Development reserves the right to impose a cost share requirement under certain competitions. See individual competitive announcements for additional information pertaining to matching/cost share requirements
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual). Total approved project period may not exceed 5 years. Assistance is either fully funded (lump sum) or incrementally funded on an annual basis.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
For administrative questions, Individuals are encouraged to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog or the contact listed on the competitive announcement.
Headquarters Office
John Nanartowicz
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development/OPARM, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (Mail Code: 8102R)
Washington, DC 20460 US
Nanartowicz.john@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-4756
Website Address
http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0107-0-1-304
Obligations
(Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 18$84,000.00; FY 19 est $1,000,000.00; FY 20 est $700,000.00; FY 17$800,000.00; FY 16$2,000,000.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
New grants/cooperative agreement funding ranges will be forthcoming shortly.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
2 CFR 200 & 2 CFR Part 1500 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) and Research and Demonstration Grant Regulations, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 40)
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2016 No content available. Projects supported include conferences for exposure science, teratology (protection of human health during pregnancy), environmental toxicology and chemistry, advancing the science of toxicology, and environmental laboratory measurement and accreditation
Fiscal Year 2017 Projects supported include conferences for exposure science, teratology (protection of human health during pregnancy), environmental toxicology and chemistry, advancing the science of toxicology, and environmental laboratory measurement and accreditation
Fiscal Year 2018 Conduct air quality research, improve the science behind risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health and the environment, and research related to Homeland Security. Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and pesticides will also be funded under this category. Additionally, this funding priority provides support for conferences relating to the areas above.