Grantee Research Project Results
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
Climate Change and Allergic Airway Disease
Special Announcement
|
This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.
Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2008-STAR-I1
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.509
Solicitation Opening Date: July 1, 2008
Solicitation Closing Date: October 1, 2008
Extended to: October 22, 2008, 4:00 pm Eastern Time
Eligibility Contact: William Stelz (stelz.william@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9802
Electronic Submissions: Thomas O'Farrell (O'Farrell.Thomas@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9639
Technical Contact: Barbara Glenn (glenn.barbara@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9721
Access Standard STAR Forms
Research awarded under previous solicitations
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Synopsis of Program:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing research on the impact of global change on the development and severity of allergic airway disease from exposure to pollen, mold, and other plant-derived allergens.
Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 2 awards
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $1.8 million total for all awards
Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $900,000 including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 4 years.
Cost-sharing is not required. Proposals with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.
Eligibility Information:
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. See full announcement for more details.
Application Materials:
You may submit either a paper application or an electronic application (but not both) for this announcement. The necessary forms for submitting a STAR application will be found on the National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) web site, https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms. To apply electronically, you must use the application package available at Grants.gov (see “Submission Instructions for Electronic Applications” in Section IV). If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one week to complete the registration process to apply electronically. This registration, and electronic submission of your application, must be performed by an authorized representative of your organization.
Agency Contacts:
Eligibility Contact: William Stelz (stelz.william@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9802
Electronic Submissions: Thomas O'Farrell (O'Farrell.Thomas@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9639
Technical Contact: Barbara Glenn (glenn.barbara@epa.gov); phone: 202-343-9721
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), in cooperation with the EPA Global Change Research Program, announces an extramural funding competition supporting research on the impact of global change on the burden of allergic airway disease from exposure to pollen, mold, and other plant-derived allergens. Under the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the United States Climate Change Science Program (USCCSP) is required to undertake scientific assessments of the potential consequences of global change for the United States (e.g. Patz et al., 2000). Global changes encompass changes in climate, climate variability, land-use, economic development, population dynamics, and technology advances. EPA is interested in supporting research on the analysis of health outcomes that may be affected by future global changes and fostering a better understanding of the consequences of global change for human health. Information regarding current research can be found on ORD’s National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) web site at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/science/globalclimate/recipients.html.
B. Background
Allergic illness is responsible for a substantial proportion of health care costs in the United States (American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, 1996 – 2005), and data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicate that the prevalence of allergic chronic illness has increased since 1970. The underlying causes of the rising trend are not clear, but previous research has identified links between climate factors, such as temperature or precipitation, rising CO2 concentrations, and the production and distribution of pollen and mold, two allergens that influence the incidence of asthma and allergic rhinitis. The relationships between climate, allergens, and disease burden are complex.
Global climate change may result in changes in the production, distribution, dispersal, and potency of allergens produced by weeds, grasses and trees. Phenologic shifts documented in Northern Hemisphere plant and animal species have been attributed to anthropogenic climate change (Root et al., 2005). Climate factors, such as preseason temperature and precipitation, have been linked to the production of mold and pollen (Weber, 2003; Ziska et al., 2003; Hollins et al., 2004; Freye, 2001). The time of onset and duration of seasonal allergies may be affected by changes in the distribution and growth of certain weed, grass and tree species, or changes in the timing and duration of allergen production. Changes that result in exposure to new allergens in a certain location, a higher dose, or exposures of longer duration, may increase the risk of sensitization and result in increased incidence. Land use changes, environmental factors associated with the urban environment, and air pollution also may interact with climate to affect incidence, prevalence and severity of asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Climate factors that affect exposure to pollen may result in increases in incidence and severity of allergic rhinitis in specific regions of the U.S. Of the limited number of studies reported in the literature, the most research has been carried out on ragweed responses to changes in CO2 levels or climatic conditions. Experimental evidence using growth chambers indicated that total biomass of ragweed and total pollen production per plant increased with increasing carbon dioxide concentration (Ziska and Caulfield, 2000). A later field experiment involving plots seeded with ragweed along a transect of rural, suburban and urban locations, found that CO2 concentration and ambient air temperature increased with increasing urbanization (Ziska et al., 2003). Evaluation of ragweed growth and phenology showed some associations with urbanization, but results were not entirely consistent with the growth chamber studies. In general, the effect of CO2, temperature, and seasonal precipitation on the allergenicity of plant pollen has not been well characterized, especially for plants other than ragweed.
In 2004, 20.5 million people in the United States (7.1%) had asthma. Of those with current asthma, 6.2 million were under 18 years old (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 2008). In addition, $10 billion dollars in annual direct health care costs, 25 million missed work days per year, and more than 14 million missed days at school per year result from asthma-related illness in the U.S (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology 1996-2006). Asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency room visits in the United States each year and approximately 5000 people die each year from asthma (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology 1996-2006). Although complicated by a 1997 change in asthma definitions, National Health Interview Survey data indicate that asthma prevalence increased in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and appears to have remained stable between 2001 – 2004. Given the costs in health and quality of life imposed by allergic illness in the U.S., it is important to understand future impacts associated with global climate changes.
Asthma is a complex, multifactorial chronic disease considered to be a function of an individual’s exposure and immune experiences coupled with genetic factors (Zeldin et al, 2006). While there is evidence that environmental factors including outdoor air pollutants, indoor irritants and tobacco smoke contribute to asthma development and severity, indoor allergens and mold are considered to be more important modulators of the disease (Gilmour et al., 2006). Whether pollen plays a role in the development of asthma or exacerbation remains a question as well as whether climate changes may mediate such effects. Some ecologic studies have reported associations between fungal spore and/or pollen counts and seasonal hospital admissions or emergency room visits for asthma (Harju et al., 1997, Rak, 1993, Dales et al., 2004, Dales et al., 2008). In addition, there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding potential interactions of outdoor aeroallergen exposure with other risk factors such as air pollutants and indoor allergens (Delfino et al., 1996). Some researchers have investigated the association between weather, aeroallergens, and asthma in cohort studies (Epton et al., 1997) but more studies are needed.
Predicted climate-related increases in humidity and precipitation in certain regions of the U.S. may expand favorable conditions for the growth of allergens such as molds associated with asthma incidence and symptoms. Extensive mold growth was documented in New Orleans housing stock after Hurricane Katrina along with reports of increased cases of respiratory illness and childhood asthma (Ratard et al., 2006). In addition, exposure to fungal spores and grass pollens (and other pollens) have been implicated in thunderstorm-related asthma incidence (Pulimood et al., 2007; Dales et al., 2003). These reports suggest that changes in precipitation and extreme weather events due to climate change may affect risk of allergic sensitization and onset of asthma, but these pathways are not well documented.
The specific Strategic Goal and Objective from the EPA’s Strategic Plan that relate to this solicitation are:
Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change, Objective 1.6: Enhance Science and Research,
The EPA’s Strategic Plan can be found at https://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/2006/entire_report.pdf (184 pp, 9.85 MB)
C. Authority and Regulations
The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Clean Air Act, Section 103, 42 U.S.C. 7403. For research with an international aspect, the above statute is supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).
Applicable regulations include: 40 CFR Part 30 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations), 40 CFR Part 31 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments) and 40 CFR Part 40 (Research and Demonstration Grants). Applicable OMB Circulars include: OMB Circular A-21 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions) relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, OMB Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments) relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, OMB Circular A-102 (Grants and Cooperative Agreements With State and Local Governments), OMB Circular A-110 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations) relocated to 2 CFR Part 215, and OMB Circular A-122, (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations) relocated to 2 CFR Part 230.
D. Specific Research Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes
Note to applicant: The term “output” means an environmental activity or effort, and associated work products, related to a specific environmental goal(s), (e.g., testing a new methodology), that will be produced or developed over a period of time under the agreement. The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from the above activit(ies) that is related to an environmental, behavioral, or health-related objective.
EPA is soliciting proposals for research on the impacts of global climate change on allergic airway diseases in the U.S. EPA is interested in increasing scientific understanding of the impact of global change on plant and mold growth and distribution, production of allergens, and changes in the potency of allergens, and associations with allergic airway illness in the U.S. Further, EPA is interested in research on the relative contribution of these allergens to the burden of allergic airway disease in the United States and projected changes in disease and economic burden due to global change. Successful applications will address all of the questions in one or both of the following areas of interest.
Areas of Interest
Special Announcement
- Individual proposals do not have to address all of the listed sources of aeroallergens or both asthma and other allergies.
- What is the role of climate on the production, distribution, dispersion and allergic potency of allergens produced by grasses, weeds, trees and molds in the United States? How do meteorological and atmospheric conditions in different seasons affect growth, distribution and phenology of the weeds, grasses, trees and mold that produce aeroallergens? How will these factors change in response to future climate change?
- How will changes predicted for plant- and mold-produced aeroallergens affect development and severity of allergic airway disease (e.g., asthma and allergic rhinitis) in specific regions of the U.S. and in different seasons? What is the dose-response relationship for sensitization and development of symptoms associated with aeroallergens? What proportion of allergic sensitization or onset of asthma can be attributed to different allergens including outdoor pollens and molds, and indoor allergens including dust mites, pet and cockroach allergens, and indoor molds? What is the projected human impact (e.g., quality-of-life, disability adjusted life-years, economic) associated with increased allergic illnesses as a result of global change?
Projects that involve collaborators with expertise in plant ecology, urban planning, and health sciences are encouraged. Proposals must address climate change scenarios projected over a 20 – 50 year time frame and on a large regional or national scale. For guidance on future climate assumptions refer to the regional chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) WG1 AR4 (IPCC, 2007). Because regional precipitation projections under climate change remain uncertain, and are highly model dependent, we encourage researchers who propose to examine the effects of precipitation changes on allergens to consider a wide range of annual and seasonal precipitation changes from the IPCC.
The outputs of the proposed projects are reports, models, presentations, and peer-reviewed journal publications describing the impacts of global climate change on the production and nature of allergenic materials produced by plants and molds, and associations with allergic airway illness in the United States. The expected outcome of this research is improved information and understanding regarding the relative contribution of plant and mold allergens to the burden of allergic airway disease in the U.S. and projected changes in disease and economic burden due to global climate changes. This improved understanding is expected to lead to better analyses and decision-making to minimize increases in incidence or severity of disease related to changes in global climate.
E. References
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology 1996-2006. Allergy Statistics. Available from: http://aaaai.org/media/resources/media_kit/asthma_statistics.stm.
Dales RE, Cakmak S, Judek S, Dann T, Coates F, Brook JR and Burnett RT. The role of fungal spores in thunderstorm asthma. Chest 2003;123:745-750.
Dales RE, Cakmak S, Judek S, Dann T, Coates F, Brook JR, and Burnett RT. Influence of outdoor aeroallergens on hospitalization for asthma in Canada. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:303-306.
Dales RE, Cakmak S, Judek S, and Coates, F. Tree pollen and hospitalization for asthma in urban Canada. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2008;146:241-247.
Delfino RJ, Coate BD, Zeiger RS, Seltzer JM, Street DH, and Koutrakis P. Daily asthma severity in relation to personal ozone exposure and outdoor fungal spores. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1996;154:633-641.
Epton MJ, Martin IR, Graham P, Healy PE, Smith H, Balasubramaniam R, Harvey IC, Fountain DW, Hedley J, Town GI. Climate and aeroallergen levels in asthma: a 12 month prospective study. Thorax. 1997 Jun;52(6):528-34.
Freye K, Litwin. Variations of pollen and mold concentrations in 1998 during the strong El Niño event of 1997 – 1998 and their impact on clinical exacerbations of allergic rhinitis, asthma, and sinusitis. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings 2001; 22:239-247.
Gilmour MI, Jaakkola MS, London SJ, Nel AE and Rogers CA. How Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Outdoor Air Pollutants, and Increased Pollen Burdens Influences the Incidence of Asthma. Environ Health Perspect 2006;114:627-633.
Harju T, Keistinen T, et al., Seasonal variation in childhood asthma hospitalizations in Finland, 1972 – 1992. Eur J Pediatr 1997; 156:436-439.
Hollins PD et al., Relationships between airborne fungal spore concentration of Cladosporium and the summer climate at two sites in Britain. Int J Biometeorol 2004;48:137-141.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2007. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miler (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 996 pp.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Referenced in 2008. Asthma: Frequently Asked Questions. Available from: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/surveil_faq.htm.
Patz JA, McGeehin MA, Bernard SM, Ebi KL, Epstein PR, Grambsch A, Gubler DJ, Reiter P, Romieu I, Rose JB, Samet JM, Trtanj J. 2000 The Potential Health Impacts of Climate Variability and Change for the United States: Executive Summary of the Report of the Health Sector of the U.S. National Assessment. EHP 108(4), p 367-376. The full report is available at http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/suppl-2/toc.html.
Pulimood TB, Corden JM, Bryden C, Sharples L and Nasser SM. Epidemic asthma and the role of the fungal mold Alternaria alternate. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007;120:610-617.
Rak S. Effects of immunotherapy on inflammation in pollen asthma. Allergy 1993;48(17 Suppl):125-128.
Ratard R, Brown CM Ferdinands J Callahan D, Dunn KH, Scalia MR, et al., Health concerns associated with mold in water-damaged homes after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2005. MMWR, 2006;55(2):41-44.
Root TL, MacMynowski DP, Mastrandrea MD and Schneider SH. Human-modified temperatures induce species changes: Joint attribution. PNAS 2005;102:7465-7469.
Weber RW. Meteorologic variables in aerobiology. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 2003;23:411-422.
Zeldin DC, Eggleston P, Chapman M, Piedimonte G, Renz H and Peden D. How exposures to biologics influence the induction and incidence of asthma. Environ Health Perspect 2006; 114:620-626.
Ziska LH and Caulfield FA. Rising Carbon Dioxide and Pollen Production of Common Ragweed, a Known Allergy-Inducing Species: Implications for Public Health. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 2000;27:893-898.
Ziska LH, Gebhard DE, Frenz DA, Faulkner S, Singer BD and Straka JG. 2003. Cities as Harbingers of Climate Change: Common Ragweed, Urbanization, and Public Health. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:290-5.
F. Special Requirements
Agency policy prevents EPA technical staff and managers from providing individual applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage. Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs, nor will they endorse an application or discuss in any manner how the Agency will apply the published evaluation criteria for this competition.
Multiple Investigator applications may be submitted as: (1) a single Lead Principal Investigator (PI) application with Co-PI(s) or (2) a Multiple PI application (with a single Contact PI). If you choose to submit a Multiple PI application, you must follow the specific instructions provided in Sections IV. and V. of this RFA. For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (http://rbm.nih.gov/toolkit.htm).
These awards may involve the collection of “Geospatial Information,” which includes information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the Earth or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $1.8 million will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds and quality of applications received. The EPA anticipates funding approximately 2 awards under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $900,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 4 years. The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards, or make fewer awards than anticipated, under this RFA. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than four months after the original selection decisions.
EPA intends to award only grants under this announcement.
Under a grant, EPA scientists and engineers are not permitted to be substantially involved in the execution of the research. However, EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant Principal Investigators after the award of an EPA grant for the sole purpose of exchanging information in research areas of common interest that may add value to their respective research activities. This interaction must be incidental to achieving the goals of the research under a grant. Interaction that is “incidental” does not involve resource commitments.
A. Eligible Applicants
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.
Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations that meet the definition of nonprofit in OMB Circular A-122, located at 2 CFR Part 230. 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. Examples are purchase of satellite data, census data tapes, 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.
Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact William Stelz (stelz.william@epa.gov) in NCER; phone (202) 343-9802.
B. Cost-Sharing
Institutional cost-sharing is not required.
C. Other
Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limitation is expressed in Section IV with respect to parts of the application, pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. Applications must be received by the EPA, or Grants.gov, on or before the solicitation closing date and time in Section IV of this announcement or they will be returned to the sender without further consideration. Also, applications exceeding the funding limits or project period term described herein will be returned without review. Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal agency) will not be funded.
Special Announcement
- Individual proposals do not have to address all of the listed sources of aeroallergens or both asthma and other allergies.
Research supported under this solicitation must address all of the questions in one or both of the areas of interest listed in Section I.D. Proposals that do not address all of the questions in at least one of these specific areas of interest will not be funded. Proposals must address climate change scenarios projected over a 20 – 50 year time frame and on a large regional or national scale.
In addition, to be eligible for funding consideration, a project’s focus must consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed in I.C. above. Generally, a project must address the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of air pollution, water pollution, solid/hazardous waste pollution, toxic substances control, or pesticide control depending on which statute(s) is listed in I.C. above. These activities should relate to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. Proposals should emphasize this “learning” concept, as opposed to “fixing” an environmental problem via a well-established method. Proposals relating to other topics which are sometimes included within the term “environment” such as recreation, conservation, restoration, protection of wildlife habitats, etc., must describe the relationship of these topics to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control.
Applications deemed ineligible for funding consideration will be notified within fifteen calendar days of the ineligibility determination.
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
You may submit either a paper application or an electronic application (but not both) for this announcement. Instructions for both types of submission follow in Section E. If not otherwise marked, instructions apply to both types of submissions.
A. Internet Address to Request Application Package
For paper applications, forms and instructions can be found on the NCER web site: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms.
For electronic applications, use the application package available at Grants.gov (see “Submission Instructions for Electronic Applications” in Section E). Note: With the exception of the budget form and the current and pending support form (available at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package.
For both paper and electronic applications, an email will be sent by NCER to the Lead/Contact PI and the Administrative Contact (see below) to acknowledge receipt of the application and transmit other important information. The email will be sent from receipt.application@epa.gov; emails to this address will not be accepted. If you do not receive an email acknowledgment within 30 days of the submission closing date, immediately inform the Eligibility Contact shown in this solicitation. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed. See “Submission Instructions for Electronic Applications” for additional information regarding acknowledgment of receipt of electronically submitted applications. Please note: Due to often-lengthy delays in delivery, it is especially important that you monitor NCER’s confirmation of receipt of your application when using regular mail.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
The application is made by submitting the materials described below. Applications must contain all information requested and be submitted in the formats described.
- Standard Form 424
The applicant must complete Standard Form 424. This form will be the first page(s) of the application. Instructions for completion of the SF424 are included with the form. (However, note that EPA requires that the entire requested dollar amount appear on the 424, not simply the proposed first year expenses.) The form must contain the original (or electronic) signature of an authorized representative of the applying institution.
Applicants are required to provide a “Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System” (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. Organizations may receive a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting the web site at http://www.dnb.com.
Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” does not apply to the Office of Research and Development's research and training programs unless EPA has determined that the activities that will be carried out under the applicants' proposal (a) require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), or (b) do not require an EIS but will be newly initiated at a particular site and require unusual measures to limit the possibility of adverse exposure or hazard to the general public, or (c) have a unique geographic focus and are directly relevant to the governmental responsibilities of a State or local government within that geographic area.
If EPA determines that Executive Order 12372 applies to an applicant's proposal, the applicant must follow the procedures in 40 CFR Part 29. The applicant must notify their state's single point of contact (SPOC). To determine whether their state participates in this process, and how to comply, applicants should consult http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. If an applicant is in a State that does not have a SPOC, or the State has not selected research and development grants for intergovernmental review, the applicant must notify directly affected State, area wide, regional and local entities of its proposal.
EPA will notify the successful applicant(s) if Executive Order 12372 applies to its proposal prior to award.
- Key Contacts
The applicant must complete the “Key Contacts” form as the second page of the application. An “Additional Key Contacts” form is also available at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major sub-agreements (i.e., primary investigators). Please make certain that all contact information is accurate.
For Multiple PI applications: The Additional Key Contacts form must be completed (see Section I.F. for further information). Note: The Contact PI must be affiliated with the institution submitting the application. EPA will direct all communications related to scientific, technical, and budgetary aspects of the project to the Contact PI; however, any information regarding an application will be shared with any PI upon request. The Contact PI is to be listed on the Key Contact Form as the Project Manager/Principal Investigator (the term Project Manager is used on the Grants.gov form, the term Principal Investigator is used on the form located on NCER’s web site). For additional PIs, complete the Major Co-Investigator fields and identify PI status next to the name (e.g., “Name: John Smith, Principal Investigator”).
- Table of Contents
Provide a list of the major subdivisions of the application indicating the page number on which each section begins.
- Abstract (1 page)
The abstract is a very important document in the review process. Therefore, it is critical that the abstract accurately describes the research being proposed and conveys all the essential elements of the research. Also, the abstracts of applications that receive funding will be posted on the NCER web site.
The abstract should include the information described below (a-h). Examples of abstracts for current grants may be found on the NCER web site.
- Funding Opportunity Title and Number for this proposal.
- Project Title: Use the exact title of your project as it appears in the application. The title must be brief yet represent the major thrust of the project. Because the title will be used by those not familiar with the project, strike a balance between highly technical words and phrases and more commonly understood terminology. Do not use general phrases such as “research on.”
- Investigators: For applications with multiple investigators, state whether this is a single Lead PI (with co-PIs) or Multiple PI application (see Section I.F.). For Lead PI applications, list the Lead PI, then the name(s) of each co-PI who will significantly contribute to the project. For Multiple PI applications, list the Contact PI, then the name(s) of each additional PI. Provide a web site URL or an email contact address for additional information.
- Institution: In the same order as the list of investigators, list the name, city and state of each participating university or other applicant institution. The institution applying for assistance must be clearly identified.
- Project Period and Location: Show the proposed project beginning and ending dates and the geographical location(s) where the work will be conducted.
- Project Cost: Show the total dollars requested from the EPA (include direct and indirect costs for all years).
- Project Summary: Provide three subsections addressing: (1) the objectives of the study (including any hypotheses that will be tested), (2) the experimental approach to be used (a description of the proposed project), and (3) the expected results of the project and how it addresses the research needs identified in the solicitation, including the estimated improvement in risk assessment or risk management that will result from successful completion of the proposed work.
- Supplemental Keywords: Without duplicating terms already used in the text of the abstract, list keywords to assist database searchers in finding your research. A list of suggested keywords may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms.
- Research Plan, Quality Assurance Statement, Data Plan and References
- Research Plan (15 pages)
Applications should focus on a limited number of research objectives that adequately and clearly demonstrate that they meet the RFA requirements. Explicitly state the main hypotheses that you will investigate, the data you will create or use, the analytical tools you will use to investigate these hypotheses or analyze these data, and the results you expect to achieve. Research methods must be clearly stated so that reviewers can evaluate the appropriateness of your approach and the tools you intend to use. A statement such as: “we will evaluate the data using the usual statistical methods” is not specific enough for peer reviewers.
This description must not exceed fifteen (15) consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins. While these guidelines establish the minimum type size requirements, applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the proposal.
The description must provide the following information:
- Objectives: List the objectives of the proposed research and the hypotheses being tested during the project, and briefly state why the intended research is important and how it fulfills the requirements of the solicitation. This section should also include any background or introductory information that would help explain the objectives of the study. If this application is to expand upon research supported by an existing or former assistance agreement awarded under the STAR program, indicate the number of the agreement and provide a brief report of progress and results achieved under it.
- Approach/Activities: Outline the research design, methods, and techniques that you intend to use in meeting the objectives stated above.
- Expected Results, Benefits, Outputs, and Outcomes: Describe the results you expect to achieve during the project (outputs) and the potential benefits of the results (outcomes). This section should also discuss how the research results will lead to solutions to environmental problems and improve the public’s ability to protect the environment and human health. A clear, concise description will help NCER and peer reviewers understand the merits of the research.
- General Project Information: Discuss other information relevant to the potential success of the project. This should include facilities, personnel expertise/experience, project schedules, proposed management, interactions with other institutions, etc. Applications for multi-investigator projects must identify project management and the functions of each investigator in each team and describe plans to communicate and share data.
- Appendices may be included but must remain within the 15-page limit.
- Quality Assurance Statement (3 pages)
For projects involving environmental data collection or processing, conducting surveys, modeling, method development, or the development of environmental technology (whether hardware-based or via new techniques), provide a Quality Assurance Statement (QAS) regarding the plans for processes that will be used to ensure that the products of the research satisfy the intended project objectives. Follow the guidelines provided below to ensure that the QAS describes a system that complies with ANSI/ASQC E4, Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs. Do not exceed three consecutively numbered, 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.
NOTE: If selected for award, applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.
Address each applicable section below by including the required information, referencing the specific location of the information in the Research Plan, or explaining why the section does not apply to the proposed research. (Not all will apply.)
- Identify the individual who will be responsible for the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) aspects of the research along with a brief description of this person’s functions, experience, and authority within the research organization. Describe the organization’s general approach for conducting quality research. (QA is a system of management activities to ensure that a process or item is of the type and quality needed for the project. QC is a system of activities that measures the attributes and performance of a process or item against the standards defined in the project documentation to verify that they meet those stated requirements.)
- Discuss project objectives, including quality objectives, any hypotheses to be tested, and the quantitative and/or qualitative procedures that will be used to evaluate the success of the project. Include any plans for peer or other reviews of the study design or analytical methods.
- Address each of the following project elements as applicable:
- Collection of new/primary data:
(Note: In this case the word “sample” is intended to mean any finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole. If certain attributes listed below do not apply to the type of samples to be used in your research, simply explain why those attributes are not applicable.)- Discuss the plan for sample collection and analysis. As applicable, include sample type(s), frequency, locations, sample sizes, sampling procedures, and the criteria for determining acceptable data quality (e.g., precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, comparability, or data quality objectives).
- Describe the procedures for the handling and custody of samples including sample collection, identification, preservation, transportation, and storage, and how the accuracy of test measurements will be verified.
- Describe or reference each analytical method to be used, any QA or QC checks or procedures with the associated acceptance criteria, and any procedures that will be used in the calibration and performance evaluation of the analytical instrumentation.
- Discuss the procedures for overall data reduction, analysis, and reporting. Include a description of all statistical methods to make inferences and conclusions, acceptable error rates and/or power, and any statistical software to be used.
- Use of existing/secondary data (i.e., data previously collected for other purposes or from other sources):
- Identify the types of secondary data needed to satisfy the project objectives. Specify requirements relating to the type of data, the age of data, geographical representation, temporal representation, and technological representation, as applicable.
- Specify the source(s) of the secondary data and discuss the rationale for selection.
- Establish a plan to identify the sources of the secondary data in all deliverables/products.
- Specify quality requirements and discuss the appropriateness for their intended use. Accuracy, precision, representativeness, completeness, and comparability need to be addressed, if applicable.
- Describe the procedures for determining the quality of the secondary data.
- Describe the plan for data management/integrity.
- Method development:
(Note: The data collected for use in method development or evaluation should be described in the QAS as per the guidance in section 3A and/or 3B above.)Describe the scope and application of the method, any tests (and measurements) to be conducted to support the method development, the type of instrumentation that will be used and any required instrument conditions (e.g., calibration frequency), planned QC checks and associated criteria (e.g., spikes, replicates, blanks), and tests to verify the method’s performance.
- Development or refinement of models:
(Note: The data collected for use in the development or refinement of models should be described in the QAS as per the guidance in section 3A and/or 3B above.)- Discuss the scope and purpose of the model, key assumptions to be made during development/refinement, requirements for code development, and how the model will be documented.
- Discuss verification techniques to ensure the source code implements the model correctly.
- Discuss validation techniques to determine that the model (assumptions and algorithms) captures the essential phenomena with adequate fidelity.
- Discuss plans for long-term maintenance of the model and associated data.
- Development or operation of environmental technology:
(Note: The data collected for use in the development or evaluation of the technology should be described in the QAS as per the guidance in section 3A and/or 3B above.)- Describe the overall purpose and anticipated impact of the technology.
- Describe the technical and quality specifications of each technology component or process that is to be designed, fabricated, constructed, and/or operated.
- Discuss the procedure to be used for documenting and controlling design changes.
- Discuss the procedure to be used for documenting the acceptability of processes and components, and discuss how the technology will be benchmarked and its effectiveness determined.
- Discuss the documentation requirements for operating instructions/guides for maintenance and use of the system(s) and/or process(s).
- Conducting surveys:
(Note: The data to be collected in the survey and any supporting data should be described in the QAS as per the guidance in section 3A and/or 3B above.)Discuss the justification for the size of the proposed sample for both the overall project and all subsamples for specific treatments or tests. Identify and explain the rational for the proposed statistical techniques (e.g., evaluation of statistical power).
- Collection of new/primary data:
- Discuss data management activities (e.g., record-keeping procedures, data-handling procedures, and the approach used for data storage and retrieval on electronic media). Include any required computer hardware and software and address any specific performance requirements for the hardware/software configuration used.
- References: References cited are in addition to other page limits (e.g. research plan, quality assurance statement, data plan)
- Research Plan (15 pages)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Budget
Prepare a budget table using the guidance and form found at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms, and select “All required forms.” Note: For electronic submissions, the budget table should be attached to the Project Narrative Attachment Form electronic file [see Section E.2.c.(4)].
If a subaward, such as a subagreement with an educational institution is included in the application, provide a separate budget and budget justification for the subaward. Include the total amount for the subaward under “Other” in the master budget. Any project containing subawards or subcontracts that constitute more than 40% of the total direct cost of the application will be subject to special review. Additional justification for use of these must be provided, discussing the need for the subaward/subcontract to accomplish the objectives of the research project.
Please note that institutional cost-sharing is not required. However, if cost-sharing is proposed, a brief statement concerning cost-sharing should be added to the budget justification, and estimated dollar amounts must be included in the appropriate categories in the budget table.
Please note that when formulating budgets for proposals/applications, applicants must not include management fees or similar charges in excess of the direct costs and indirect costs at the rate approved by the applicants cognizant audit agency, or at the rate provided for by the terms of the agreement negotiated with EPA. The term "management fees or similar charges" refers to expenses added to the direct costs in order to accumulate and reserve funds for ongoing business expenses, unforeseen liabilities, or for other similar costs that are not allowable under EPA assistance agreements. Management fees or similar charges may not be used to improve or expand the project funded under this agreement, except to the extent authorized as a direct cost of carrying out the scope of work.
- Budget Justification [2 pages in addition to the Section IV.B.5. page limitations, not including additions under Nos. (6) and (7) below to support contracts and subawards]
Describe the basis for calculating the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and other costs identified in the itemized budget. The budget justification should not exceed two consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.
Budget information should be supported at the level of detail described below:
- Personnel: List all staff positions by title. Give annual salary, percentage of time assigned to the project, and total cost for the budget period.
- Fringe Benefits: Identify the percentage used and the basis for its computation.
- Travel: Specify the estimated number of trips, locations, and other costs for each type of travel. Explain the need for any travel, paying particular attention to travel outside the United States. Include travel funds for annual STAR program progress reviews (estimate for two days in Washington, D.C.) and a final workshop to report on results.
- Equipment: Identify all tangible, non-expendable personal property to be purchased that has an estimated cost of $5,000 or more per unit and a useful life of more than one year. (Personal property items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are considered supplies.)
- Supplies: “Supplies” means tangible property other than “equipment.” Identify categories of supplies to be procured (e.g., laboratory supplies or office supplies). Specifically identify computers to be purchased or upgraded.
- Contractual: Identify each proposed contract for services/analyses or consultants and specify its purpose and estimated cost. Contracts must have a separate itemized budget and budget justification, not to exceed one additional page each, included as part of the application.
- Other: List each item in sufficient detail for the EPA to determine the reasonableness of its cost relative to the research to be undertaken. Note that subawards, such as those with other universities for members of the research team, are included in this category. Subawards must have a separate itemized budget and budget justification, not to exceed one additional page each, included as part of the application.
- Indirect Costs: If indirect costs are included in the budget, indicate the approved rate and base with an explanation of how the indirect costs were calculated.
- Budget
- Resumes
Provide resumes for each investigator and important co-worker. The resume for each individual must not exceed two consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.
- Current and Pending Support
Complete a current and pending support form (provided at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms) for each investigator and important co-worker. Include all current and pending research regardless of source.
- Guidelines, Limitations, and Additional Requirements
- Letters of Intent/Letters of Support
Letters of intent to provide resources for the proposed research or to document intended interactions are limited to one brief paragraph committing the availability of a resource (e.g., use of a person's time or equipment) or intended interaction (e.g., sharing of data, as-needed consultation) that is described in the Research Plan. Letters of intent are to be included as an addition to the budget justification documents.
All letters that do not commit a resource vital to the success of the proposal are considered letters of support. Letters of support, and letters of intent that exceed one brief paragraph (excluding letterhead and salutations), are considered part of the Research Plan and are included in the 15-page Research Plan limit.
Note: Letters of intent or support must be part of the application; letters submitted separately will not be accepted. Any transactions between the successful applicant and parties providing letters of support or intent financed with EPA grant funds are subject to the funding restrictions described in Section IV. D.
- Funding Opportunity Number(s) (FON)
At various places in the application, applicants are asked to identify the FON.
The Funding Opportunity Number for this RFA is:
Solicitation Title, EPA-G2008-STAR-I1
- Confidentiality
By submitting an application in response to this solicitation, the applicant grants the EPA permission to make limited disclosures of the application to technical reviewers both within and outside the Agency for the express purpose of assisting the Agency with evaluating the application. Information from a pending or unsuccessful application will be kept confidential to the fullest extent allowed under law; information from a successful application may be publicly disclosed to the extent permitted by law.
In accordance with 40 CFR 2.203, applicants may claim all or a portion of the application as confidential business information (for example, hypotheses or methodologies contained in the research narrative that the applicant wishes to protect from possible public disclosure). EPA will evaluate confidentiality claims in accordance with 40 CFR Part 2. Applicants must clearly mark applications or portions of applications they claim as confidential. If no claim of confidentiality is made, the EPA is not required to make an inquiry to the applicant as otherwise required by 40 CFR 2.204(c) (2) prior to disclosure.
- Letters of Intent/Letters of Support
C. Submission Dates and Times
For paper copy submissions, the original and two (2) copies of the complete application (3 in all, see E. below) must be received by NCER no later than 4:00 pm Eastern Time on the solicitation closing date. Electronic applications must be transferred to G
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.