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

Recipients List

Particulate Matter and Related Pollutants in a Changing World

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number:
Particulate Matter and Related Pollutants in a Changing World, EPA-G2014-STAR-G1
Early Career Awards: Particulate Matter and Related Pollutants in a Changing World, EPA-G2014-STAR-G2

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.509

Solicitation Opening Date: January 9, 2014
Solicitation Closing Date: March 14, 2014, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Technical Contact: John Dawson (dawson.john@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-8109
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-0442
Electronic Submissions: Todd Peterson (peterson.todd@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-7224

Table of Contents:
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
	Synopsis of Program
	Award Information
	Eligibility Information
	Application Materials
	Agency Contacts
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
	A. Introduction
	B. Background
	C. Authority and Regulations
	D. Specific Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes
	E. References
	F. Special Requirements
II. AWARD INFORMATION
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
	A. Eligible Applicants
	B. Cost Sharing
	C. Other
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
	A. Internet Address to Request Application Package
	B. Content and Form of Application Submission
	C. Submission Dates and Times
	D. Funding Restrictions
	E. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements
V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
	A. Peer Review
	B. Programmatic Review
	C. Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Review
	D. Funding Decisions
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
	A. Award Notices
	B. Disputes
	C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Access Standard STAR Forms (Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page)
View research awarded under previous solicitations (Funding Opportunities: Archive Page)

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 understanding particulate matter and related atmospheric pollutants in a changing world. Specifically, research is sought on the changing spatiotemporal patterns or environmental impacts of particulate matter in the United States, the challenges that various aspects of global change pose for the management of particulate matter and related pollutants, the rates and timescales at which global change can impact United States air quality, and stronger linkages between the modeling of atmospheric processes and other environmental processes. In order to understand and adapt to future changes, environmental planners and decision makers need information on the challenge global change presents for protecting the environment and human health; this solicitation seeks research on these challenges.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B.5.c), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.

Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:
Ethics, Regulations, and Policies
Human Subjects Research at the Environmental Protection Agency: Ethical Standards and Regulatory Requirements

In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career PIs. Please see Section III of this Request for Applications (RFA) for details on the early career eligibility criteria.

Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Grant or cooperative agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately five regular awards and three early career awards
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $5 million total for all awards
Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $790,000 for regular awards, and up to a total of $350,000 for early career awards, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of three 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.

Special eligibility criteria apply to the early career award portion of this RFA. See full announcement for more details.

Application Materials:
To apply under this solicitation, use the application package available at Grants.gov (for further submission information see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and other Submission Requirements”). The necessary forms for submitting a STAR application will be found on the National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) web site, Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page.

If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one month to complete the registration process. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. This registration, and electronic submission of your application, must be performed by an authorized representative of your organization.

If you do not have the technical capability to utilize the Grants.gov application submission process for this solicitation, send a webmail message at least 15 calendar days before the submission deadline to assure timely receipt of alternate submission instructions. In your message provide the funding opportunity number and title of the program, specify that you are requesting alternate submission instructions, and provide a telephone number, fax number, and an email address, if available. Alternate instructions will be emailed whenever possible. Any applications submitted through alternate submission methods must comply with all the provisions of this Request for Applications (RFA), including Section IV, and be received by the solicitation closing date identified above.

Agency Contacts:
Technical Contact: John Dawson (dawson.john@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-8109
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-0442
Electronic Submissions: Todd Peterson (peterson.todd@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-7224

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction
Global change and air quality are high-priority research areas identified by the EPA Office of Research and Development. Global change can affect air quality and other aspects of environmental quality through many different pathways, including, for example, changes in emissions and land use and changes in the climate. These changes subsequently affect human health and many environmental endpoints, and they may also affect the strategies that are employed in order to protect health and the environment. This solicitation seeks research on the changing spatiotemporal patterns or environmental impacts of particulate matter in the United States, the challenges that various aspects of global change pose for the management of particulate matter and related pollutants, the rates and timescales at which global change can impact United States air quality, and stronger linkages between the modeling of atmospheric processes and other environmental processes.

In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career PIs. Please see Section III of this RFA for details on the early career eligibility criteria.

B. Background
Many aspects of global change are expected to impact particulate matter air pollution and its implications for environmental management in the United States over the coming decades. The changing climate may affect particulate matter directly through changing meteorology and circulation patterns, and indirectly by affecting wildfires, dust suspension, biogenic emissions, invasive species, and other factors. Changes in human activities and the energy generation mix will also affect particulate matter concentrations, through emissions of particulate matter and its precursors, and also through changes to the natural system that will alter emissions. These changes will have ramifications for the management of ambient air pollution and its impacts on the environment. Better information on these changes, with the goal of enabling adaptation of environmental management to the challenges they pose, will help assure that the environment and public health can continue to be protected in a changing world. This solicitation seeks research on the impacts of a changing climate on particulate matter, the timescales at which these impacts are felt, interactions with human activities (such as land use, energy production and consumption, and transportation), the challenges for environmental management, and the relevant linkages between the modeling of the atmosphere and other natural or human systems.

There are a number of aspects of climate change that are related to particulate matter. One of the most important connections appears to be the potential for future changes in stagnation and synoptic meteorology. Leibensperger et al. (2008) showed that changes in regional-scale stagnation have been a major driver of changes in ozone episodes, and Zhu and Liang (2013) calculated the relationship between the Bermuda High and ozone episodes in the eastern United States. For particulate matter, Tai et al. (2010) showed that PM2.5 concentrations are on average 2.6 μg m-3 higher on stagnant days than under non-stagnant conditions. Increases in stagnation were projected to occur in the 21st century over much of the Western United States in the study by Leung and Gustafson (2005). Horton et al. (2012) also calculated that increased stagnation under future-climate conditions could have important ramifications for air pollution episode occurrence. These studies and others (e.g. Mickley et al., 2004) suggest that changing spatial and temporal patterns of particulate matter and changes in PM episodes are important aspects of changes in PM air pollution. Similarly, Dawson et al. (2013) highlighted the need for more research geared toward understanding changes in PM episodes. Changes in PM may have many possible impacts on human health and the environment, such as visibility degradation, nutrient deposition to aquatic ecosystems, or feedbacks on the climate itself, whether through direct radiative forcing or interactions with clouds. Most of the studies to date investigating the impacts of global change on PM have focused on one future scenario or a small number of scenarios; research with broad applicability beyond a small number of scenarios will help advance this existing knowledge base to help inform environmental decision making in the face of irreducible uncertainties regarding the future.

Of course, particulate matter concentrations will also be affected by changes in anthropogenic factors such as land use and regional development (Wu et al., 2012), transportation, energy use, etc. Because human factors and the natural system are heavily intertwined, and because both can have important impacts on PM, understanding the impacts of “global” change, not just climatic changes, are essential for an understanding of how environmental management practices will need to be adapted. Human factors and the natural system each impact pollution individually, and they also interact in sometimes complex ways: for example, land use and management decisions affect not only anthropogenic emissions, but also smoke emissions from wildfires, biogenic emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and resuspension of dust. Another aspect of global change that can affect particulate matter is the prevalence of invasive species. For example, beetles can affect both forests’ susceptibility to wildfires and the emissions of biogenic VOCs in the western United States and, consequently, PM concentrations (Berg et al., 2013). The long-range transport of air pollution also affects particulate matter concentrations, and changes in long-range transport from other regions of the globe may affect strategies for meeting air quality and environmental goals. (For example, see the assessments produced by the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution , or HTAP.) These aspects of global change will present challenges for the management of particulate matter and air quality in the United States. Research on better understanding these challenges and impacts, and on how to account for them in environmental decision making, will comprise an important step in planning for global change.

The interactions between human activities and the changing climate also present cross-media challenges for environmental management. Chemical species move from the atmosphere to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems via both wet deposition and dry deposition. Global change can affect deposition in many different ways, through both climatic changes (e.g. precipitation, circulation patterns, etc.) and more direct human causes (e.g. land use, emissions controls, etc.). For example, atmospheric deposition is an appreciable source of nitrogen in many bodies of water, such as the Chesapeake Bay (EPA, 2010). Similarly, acid deposition is primarily due to wet deposition of nitrogen and sulfur, which can have impacts on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Chemical species may also move from land or water to the atmosphere. For example, mercury emissions from wildfires contribute significantly to the atmospheric burden of mercury (Wiedinmyer and Friedli, 2007), while nitrogen oxides and N2O can originate from soils (Williams et al., 1992), and air toxics and persistent organic pollutants may revolatilize from the surface. These cross-media and cross-disciplinary aspects of global change may have ramifications for environmental management, such as protecting water quality or air quality. Because of their cross-disciplinary nature, these phenomena are difficult to capture in models. Environmental planning and decision making can benefit from the improved information that may result from strengthened connections between atmospheric and other models. Improved linkages between atmospheric models and models of biogeochemical cycling, aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems, the hydrologic cycle, or human activity such as land use, energy production and consumption, and transportation, or other natural or human systems can be used to inform environmental planning and adaptation to global change.

There are many timescale considerations that can be taken into account when looking at the impacts of global change on particulate matter. For example, long-term infrastructure decisions and development may impact air quality for many decades, not just near the source, but even in distant receptor regions (e.g. Lei et al., 2013). However, there are also impacts at shorter timescales, from drivers such as steep reductions in precursor emissions (Rieder et al., 2013; Bloomer et al., 2009). The rates at which climatic effects noticeably impact PM air quality have not been well quantified: Leibensperger et al. (2008) found that a decreasing trend in cyclone frequency appreciably impacted ozone air quality over a time span of less than 30 years, while Turner et al. (2013) reported that the signal for air quality due to cyclone changes may be small over such time spans. Determinations of attainment or nonattainment of ambient air quality standards generally occur on timescales on the order of several years (i.e. less than a decade). A better understanding of the rates and timescales at which climate change and global change impact air quality will be very useful in determining which drivers need to be considered in developing air quality management plans that are robust over various planning horizons (e.g. one decade versus 50 years). This will help show the extent to which global change, as opposed to regional or local factors, can be expected to affect air quality over different timescales.

Another aspect to consider for research on global change impacts is the use of future scenarios. Scenarios are often used to explore possible future climates, emissions trajectories, growth patterns, land use changes, or other factors that affect pollution. Of course, a single future scenario in isolation will almost certainly not be the definitive representation of future conditions. Rather, research that has applicability and lessons regarding impacts or adaptation beyond a single specific scenario (or a small number of scenarios) is more likely to guide environmental decision making. While the detailed development of a single future scenario can be a challenging and important research task, the utility of the resulting scenario, in isolation, for environmental decision making is not always clear. As such, there is a need for research that takes into account multiple scenarios and looks for robust findings and insights that are useful for environmental planning and decision making. The use of existing scenarios and intercomparison exercises may help broaden the applicability of research by enabling easier comparison with other research. For example, the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios (van Vuuren et al., 2011) are commonly used to investigate how changing greenhouse gas concentrations over the 21st century will impact climate. The roles of changing land use and population are important parts of the Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios (ICLUS). Changing long-range air pollution transport and source-receptor relationships have been investigated using the HTAP scenarios. Proposed research need not be based on future scenarios. However, for research that is based on exploring scenarios, using existing scenarios, as opposed to focusing on creating new ones, may help guide decision making further by placing new research more readily in the context of existing work, though no specific scenario sets are encouraged in particular.

The specific Strategic Goal and Objectives from the EPA’s Strategic Plan that relate to this solicitation are:

Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality, Objective 1.1: Address Climate Change,

and

Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality, Objective 1.2: Improve Air Quality.

More information can be found in EPA’s FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan

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 statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).

Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed 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 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.

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, 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 or health-related objective.

Applicants should address one or more of the following research topics:

How is the changing climate expected to affect the spatiotemporal patterns or environmental impacts of particulate matter in the United States over the coming decades? Are there robust lessons that can be learned regarding future particulate matter?
What challenges do changes in factors such as land use, regional development, wildfires, dust resuspension, meteorology, or long-range pollution transport pose for the management of particulate matter or related air pollutants in the United States? How can information on these changes and the future state of the atmosphere be incorporated into environmental management decisions?
At what rates or timescales can a changing climate, or other aspects of global change, appreciably affect particulate matter or related air pollution, and how do these compare to the timescales at which decisions of relevance for air quality and environmental management are made?
How can decision making regarding environmental management in the face of future challenges be advanced by improving or developing linkages between atmospheric models and models of biogeochemical cycling, aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems, the hydrologic cycle, or human activity such as land use, energy production and consumption, and transportation, or other natural or human systems?

For applications that focus on exploration of future scenarios, research with general applicability beyond a small number of scenarios is highly encouraged. There is not one particular future time horizon about which research is sought; research on both near-term changes (on the order of 10 to 30 years) and longer-term changes (on the order of 30 to 50 years) is seen as valuable, though time horizons beyond approximately 50 years are not of interest for this solicitation. While particulate matter is expected to be the primary focus of research funded under this solicitation, research that includes related pollutants or chemical species, including air toxics, persistent organic pollutants, mercury, ozone, etc., will also be considered. Researchers are also encouraged to look beyond ambient pollution concentrations to environmental impacts, such as radiative forcing, ecosystem services, visibility, health, etc.

To the extent practicable, research proposals must embody sustainability. The concept of sustainability is based on language in the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This definition is reiterated in Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environment, Energy, and Economic Performance, stating that the goal of sustainability is to, “create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.” Research proposals must include a discussion on how the proposed research will seek sustainable solutions that protect the environment and strengthen our communities (see Section IV.B.5.a). ORD will draw from the above-mentioned sustainability definition in the review/evaluation process of recommending research proposals (see Section V.A).

E. References
Berg, A.R., C. L. Heald, K. E. Huff Hartz, A. G. Hallar, A. J. H. Meddens, J. A. Hicke, J.-F. Lamarque, and S. Tilmes, 2013. The impact of bark beetle infestations on monoterpene emissions and secondary organic aerosol formation in western North America. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13, 3149-3161, 2013.

Bloomer, B.J., J.W. Stehr, C.A. Piety, R.J. Salawitch, and R.R. Dickerson, 2009. Observed relationships of ozone air pollution with temperature and emissions. Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L09803, doi:10.1029/2009GL037308.

Dawson, J.P., B.J. Bloomer, D.A. Winner, C.P. Weaver, 2013. Understanding the meteorological drivers of U.S. particulate matter concentrations in a changing climate, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00181.1, in press.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2010. Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment.

Horton, D.E., Harshvardhan, and N.S. Diffenbaugh, 2012. Response of air stagnation frequency to anthropogenically enhanced radiative forcing, Environmental Research Letters, 7, 044034, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/7/4/044034.

Lei, H., D.J. Wuebbles, X.-Z. Liang, and S. Olsen, 2013. Domestic versus international contributions on 2050 ozone air quality: how much is convertible by regional control? Atmospheric Environment, 68, 315-325.

Leibensperger, E.M., L.J. Mickley, and D.J. Jacob, 2008. Sensitivity of US air quality to mid-latitude cyclone frequency and implications of 1980–2006 climate change, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 8, 7075-7086.

Leung, L.R., and W.I. Gustafson, 2005. Potential regional climate change and implications to U.S. air quality, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L16711, doi:10.1029/2005GL022911.

Mickley, L.J., D.J. Jacob, B.D. Field, and D. Rind, 2004. Effects of future climate change on regional air pollution episodes in the United States, Geophysical Research Letters, 31, L24103, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021216.

Rieder, H., A.M. Fiore, L.M. Polvani, J.-F. Lamarque, and Y. Fang, 2013. Changes in the frequency and return level of high ozone pollution events over the Eastern United States following emission controls, Environmental Research Letters, 8, 014012, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/014012.

Tai, A.P.K., L.J. Mickley, D.J. Jacob, 2010. Correlations between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and meteorological variables in the United States: Implications for the sensitivity of PM2.5 to climate change, Atmospheric Environment, 44, 3976-3984.

Turner, A.J., A.M. Fiore, L.W. Horowitz, V. Naik, and M. Bauer, 2012. Summertime cyclones over the Great Lakes Storm Track from 1860–2100: variability, trends, and association with ozone pollution, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, 12, 21679-21712, doi:10.5194/acpd-12-21679-2012.

van Vuuren, D.P., et al., 2011. The representative concentration pathways: an overview, Climatic Change, 109, 5-31, doi: 10.1007/s10584-011-0148-z.

Wiedinmyer, C., and H. Friedli, 2007. Mercury emission estimates from fires: an initial inventory for the United States, Environmental Science and Technology, 41, 8092-8098, doi: 10.1021/es071289o.

Williams, E.J., G. L. Hutchinson, and F. C. Fehsenfeld, 1992. NOx And N2O Emissions From Soil. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 6, 351-388.

Wu, S., L.J. Mickley, J.O. Kaplan, D.J. Jacob, 2012. Impacts of Changes in Land Use and Land Cover on Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality over the 21st Century, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 12, 1597-1609, doi: 10.5194/acp-12-1597-2012.

Zhu, J., and X.-Z. Liang, 2013. Impacts of the Bermuda High on Regional Climate and Ozone over the United States, Journal of Climate, 26, 1018-1032, doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00168.1.

F. Special Requirements
Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing 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. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.

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 (Research Business Models Working Group).

Please note: Early career awards will not accommodate a Multiple PI application. Early career awards shall be submitted as a single Lead PI application. Special eligibility criteria apply to the early career portion of this RFA. Please see Section III of this RFA for details on the early career eligibility criteria. The application must include an early career verification (see “Early Career Verification” in Section IV.B.5.d).

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. There are many scientific and ethical considerations that must be addressed in such studies by the study sponsor and research team, including, but not limited to, those related to recruitment, retention, participant compensation, third-party issues, researcher-participant interactions, researcher-community interactions, communications, interventions, and education. All such research must comply with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 26, and any human observational exposure studies must also adhere to the principles set forth in the Scientific and Ethical Approaches for Observational Exposure Studies (SEAOES) (EPA/600/R-08/062) (PDF) (133 pp, 1.21 MB) document. SEAOES, which was published by researchers in EPA and which discusses the principles for the ethical conduct of human research studies, serves as a resource for applicants interested in applying under this solicitation. References to “SEAOES Principles” in this solicitation refers, in general, to the issues of interest in conducting human subjects research studies that maintain the highest scientific and ethical standards and safety during the conduct of these studies. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.B.5.c) and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.

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.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

It is anticipated that a total of approximately $5 million will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding approximately five regular awards and three early career awards under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $790,000 for regular awards, and a total of $350,000 for early career awards, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed three 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 six months after the original selection decisions.

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals/applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal/application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal/application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

EPA may award both grants and cooperative agreements 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.

Where appropriate, based on consideration of the nature of the proposed project relative to the EPA’s intramural research program and available resources, the EPA may award cooperative agreements under this announcement. When addressing a research question/problem of common interest, collaborations between EPA scientists and the institution’s principal investigators are permitted under a cooperative agreement. These collaborations may include data and information exchange, providing technical input to experimental design and theoretical development, coordinating extramural research with in-house activities, the refinement of valuation endpoints, and joint authorship of journal articles on these activities. Proposals may not identify EPA cooperators or interactions; specific interactions between EPA’s investigators and those of the prospective recipient for cooperative agreements will be negotiated at the time of award.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

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.

Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions 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.

The early career awards will support research performed by PIs with outstanding promise at the Assistant Professor or equivalent level. Principal investigators from applicant institutions applying for the early career portion of the RFA must meet the following additional eligibility requirements:

Hold a doctoral degree in a field related to the research being solicited by the closing date of the RFA;
Be untenured at the closing date of the RFA;
By the award date, be employed in a tenure-track position (or tenure-track-equivalent position) as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) at an institution in the U.S., its territories, or possessions. Note: For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent position, it must meet all of the following requirements: (1) the employing department or organization does not offer tenure; (2) the appointment is a continuing appointment; (3) the appointment has substantial educational responsibilities; and (4) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the goals of the department/organization.

Senior researchers may collaborate in a supporting role for early career awards. Early career applications should not propose significant resources for senior researchers and may not list senior researchers as co-PIs. The application must include an early career verification (see “Early Career Verification” in Section IV.B.5.d).

Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov) in NCER, phone: 703-308-0442.

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 submitted through grants.gov or by other authorized alternate means (see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for further information) 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.

Applications deemed ineligible for funding consideration will be notified within fifteen calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can be found at Contracts and Subawards

These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

Formal instructions for submission through Grants.gov follow in Section E.

A. Internet Address to Request Application Package
Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see Section E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package.

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 Section E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for additional information regarding the application receipt acknowledgment.

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. 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 SF424, not simply the proposed first year expenses.) The form must contain the signature of an authorized representative of the applying organization.

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 Dun and Bradstreet .

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 Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List). 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 found in the Grants.gov application package. An “Additional Key Contacts” form is also available at Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major sub-agreements (i.e., primary investigators). Do not include information for consultants or other contractors. 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.
1. Funding Opportunity Title and Number for this proposal.
2. 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, use more commonly understood terminology. Do not use general phrases such as “research on.”
3. 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.
4. Institution(s): 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.
5. Project Period and Location: Show the proposed project beginning and ending dates and the performance site(s)/geographical location(s) where the work will be conducted.
6. Project Cost: Show the total funding requested from the EPA (include direct and indirect costs for all years).
7. 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 (outputs/outcomes) 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.
8. 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: Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page.
Research Plan, Quality Assurance Statement, Human Subjects Research Statement, Data Plan, Early Career Verification and References
1. 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:
  1. 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.
  2. Approach/Activities: Outline the research design, methods, and techniques that you intend to use in meeting the objectives stated above, including the climate change adaptation considerations described in Section I to ensure that the project achieves its expected outcomes even as climate changes.
  3. Sustainability: Describe how your project embodies the principles of sustainability and seeks sustainable solutions that protect the environment and strengthen our communities. sustainability primer (PDF) (2 pp, 195 K) provides examples of research activities that promote and incorporate sustainability principles.
  4. 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.
  5. Project Management: Discuss other information relevant to the potential success of the project. This should include facilities, personnel expertise/experience, project schedules with associated milestones and target dates, proposed management, interactions with other institutions, etc. Describe the approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner and detail how project objectives will be successfully achieved within the grant period. Describe how progress toward achieving the expected results (outputs and outcomes) of the research will be tracked and measured. 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.
  6. Appendices may be included but must remain within the 15-page limit.
2. 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 th

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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.

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