Final 2025 NGGDPP NOFO.docx

United States Geological Survey

2025 National Geological & Geophysical Data Preservation Program https://www.usgs.gov/programs/national-geological-and-geophysical-data-preservation-program

Notice of Funding Opportunity - Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Opportunity Number (FON) G25AS00009

Closing Date: 12/12/2024

Table of Contents

A. Program Description

A1. Authority The National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP) was established and authorized in Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58, Sec. 351) and reauthorized in Section 7002 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260), and amended by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-58) which recognizes the need for the preservation, cataloging of, and access to geological and geophysical data and materials for research and educational use. To read the authorization, visit:

https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/national-geological-and-geophysical-data-preservation-program/authorizing.

The objectives of the Program as outlined in the Acts are to:

1. archive geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, well logs, and samples;

2. provide a national catalog of such archival material; and

3. provide technical and financial assistance related to the archival material.

4. provide for preservation of samples to track geochemical signatures from critical mineral (as defined in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a))) ore bodies for use in provenance tracking frameworks.

For more information about the NGGDPP, read the “Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program” (2006) which is available at:

https://www.usgs.gov/programs/national-geological-and-geophysical-data-preservation-program/implementation-plan.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 15.814

A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements

Guidelines and Requirements The following guidelines and requirements are provided to help you submit a strong, competitive, and compliant proposal. The Review Panel membership changes from year to year and you should not assume that reviewers will be aware of your previous work. Following these guidelines and requirements will allow the Review Panel to assess your proposed project efficiently and effectively.

Guidelines:

· Please include a table of contents for the proposal.

· In your proposal, please address feedback received from previous NGGDPP panel reviews, as relevant to the newly proposed project. The feedback provided to you is intended to help improve your proposal and chance of being funded.

· Briefly describe previous work or pilot projects that have informed your estimate of the level of effort and/or expertise needed to successfully complete the proposed work.

· Figures, images, or diagrams with captions may be included in a Figure Appendix (2-page limit not included in overall page limit).

· Begin submitting your proposal to Grants.gov well in advance of the due date as there is no possibility of late submissions. See Part III, Section A for more information.

Requirements:

· Verify the federal share of the cost of the proposed activities is no more than 50 percent of the total cost for each Priority individually. The state portion can be larger than the federal portion; however, if the federal contribution is more than the state portion - regardless of the difference (even $0.01) - the grant proposal shall be disqualified and will not be evaluated by the grant review panel. Each Priority must be budgeted separately and within the itemized budget for that Priority. Review and verify budget numbers prior to proposal submission.

· The project description for Priority 1 & 2 is limited to 5 pages per Priority. The page limit for Priority 3 is 4 pages. You may not submit supporting documents (e.g. long-range plans) that are not explicitly requested in this funding opportunity. These forms, tables, documents, appendices, or attachments do not count toward the page limit:

· Standard Forms 424s,

· Table of contents,

· Project summary sheet (Attachment A),

· Project abstract summary,

· Project personnel and contractor justification and expertise table or list,

· CVs or resumes (max 2 pages per CV),

· Selection criteria for non-state survey staff, collaborators (e.g., universities or state agencies), or contractors

· Letters from stakeholders,

· Figures, images, or diagrams submitted within the Figure Appendix (2-page limit),

· Data Management Plan (DMP) (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/5baa94ade4b08583a5cd878e?name=StateSurveyAbbrev_NGGDPP_DMPForm.docx),

· Budget tables (Attachment B),

· Negotiated rate, internal memo, cost agreements, and

· Equipment justifications and equipment/supply and contracted services quotes.

· Provide a clear justification for preserving the selected data and/or materials. Explain how the results of the project meet the priorities of your organization and benefit your stakeholders and society. Please be specific and provide examples.

· Request funding for one or more Priorities: Priority 1) Preserve Geoscience Data and Materials; Priority 2) Digital and Physical Infrastructure Development; and Priority 3) Critical Minerals Data Preservation. Projects cannot be combined across Priorities, each Priority should have discrete projects without dependencies on activities in other Priorities. Separate budgets are required for each Priority.

· Describe the project and the process you expect to follow (workflows, including methods and level of effort) to complete the required work. If you are proposing multiple activities to complete the project, clearly state the work you will do for each activity. Please note that if reduced funds are awarded, the scope of work may require modification.

· A primary objective of the Program is to increase public accessibility of geological and geophysical data and samples. Ideally, digital resources should be made readily, freely, and publicly available through digital means. Physical resources should be discoverable through digital means. Please describe how the materials and data will be made available. If materials will not be made publicly available and/or free, provide a clear justification.

· The Program does not support interpretive activities, including derivative products, nor research under any Priority. Development of non-experimental workflows that result in improved public access or preservation efficiency are within scope of the Program. Proposed deliverable products under any of the Priorities must be non-interpretive and for data capture, e.g., hyperspectral, pXRF, must be the closest to raw, but useable data (level 0 or 1). Data captured cannot be embargoed.

· Collection metadata records describing the preserved materials must be submitted to ReSciColl, the Registry of Scientific Collections using the ReSciColl metadata profiles.

· A Data Management Plan (DMP) is required for all projects that produce data, create or enhance digital products (e.g. database, web service, web portals, etc.), or preserve physical objects and must be provided in the NGGDPP format (provided at the link on page 11) to conform with the Executive Order of February 22, 2013, “Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research”. Photos are not permitted in the DMP. Photos may be provided in the optional Figure Appendix (2-page limit).

· Preserving U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assets (e.g. maps, reports, photos etc.) using NGGDPP funds is not allowed; collections proposed for preservation should be owned by your state geological organization. Strong justification and documentation that the data will be made public (e.g., data sharing agreement or transfer of ownership), is required for preserving collections owned by a private or another state entity (for example, state oil and gas commission).

· The Detailed Budget Template, Attachment _B.docx, is required and must be used with your proposal submission. The Detailed Budget Template is provided with the package on grants.gov.

· If multiple objectives/projects are proposed under a Priority, each objective/project must have project personnel roles, responsibilities, and hours broken out specific to the objective. The objectives under each Priority must also be broken out independently in the Detailed Budget (Attachment B). Include descriptions of project personnel and their experience and skills relevant to their proposed objectives. Extended supervisory hours performed by senior staff or other management activities for which funding is requested must be well justified. Submit Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resumes (2-page maximum) for primary personnel. CVs and resumes do not count toward the proposal page limit.

· If collaborating with non-state survey staff (e.g., universities or other state agencies), or hiring contractors, roles and project hours must be detailed within the proposal narrative, detailed budget, and personnel tables for both requested funding or state match. Proposed contractors and the activities supported by the contractor (individual or corporate) must be identified in the proposal. Quotes for contracted work must be provided. Contracted work will not be funded without quotes. The selection criteria used or planned for their selection must be provided. (Selection criteria and/or CVs do not count toward the proposal page limit.)

· In-kind services proposed as match, e.g., software, must have documentation of value of software. The proof of value does not count toward the proposal page limit.

· All supplies and equipment must be itemized, and a vendor or manufacturer quote provided. Supplies and equipment will not be funded without quotes. See section D2. Detailed Budget Narrative, section d. Other Direct Costs. In addition, equipment funding requests of $5,000 or more per item must be supported by a thorough justification. Quotes must be provided for supplies and equipment whether proposed funding requested, or match proposed. The equipment requests including scanners, computers, storage media, and relevant software licenses are acceptable if the equipment is reasonable and necessary for the successful completion of the work funded by the NGGDPP. If no justification is included, the cost will be disallowed. The NGGDPP will not fund general software licenses, database software systems, or equipment required for your organization’s IT infrastructure and operation, regardless of your proposed NGGDPP-related work. Equipment justification and quotes are not included in the project description page limit.

· Non-allowable expenses under the NGGDPP include duplicate digitization/conversion of artifacts produced and preserved by other agencies, tuition, computer maintenance or travel to a conference or workshop.

· Buy America requirements for construction projects have changed, providing greater flexibility for construction projects under $250,000. Please see the 2025 NGGDPP Terms and Conditions (Attachment C, Section F) for the full provision.

· If geospatial datasets are part of a proposed activity, the data must be documented with feature-level FGDC-compliant metadata and be provided with the open-format compiled geospatial dataset(s). Free metadata tools such as the USGS Metadata Wizard may be utilized for populating metadata.

· All geospatial data collected for or produced through the use of the Department of the Interior (DOI) financial assistance funds must meet all relevant standards established by the Federal Geospatial Data Committee (FGDC) as authorized by Geospatial Data Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-254, Subtitle F – Geospatial Data, §§ 751-759C, codified at 43 U.S.C. §§ 2801–2811. DOI requires fully compliant metadata on all Geographic Information Systems files developed for financial assistance projects. If a funded financial assistance project involves acquiring or collecting geospatial data, the recipient is required to search GeoPlatform.gov to determine that no existing Federal, State, local or private data meet the Government’s needs and are available at no cost before acquiring or collecting additional geospatial data.

· The following regulations and requirements apply under §1402.315 of FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INTERIOR REGULATION, SUPPLEMENTING THE UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS.

(a) All data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, valuation products or other scientific assessments in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, resulting from a financial assistance agreement is available for use by the DOI, including being available in a manner that is sufficient for independent verification.

(b) The Federal Government has the right to:

(1) Obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, produced under a Federal award; and

(2) Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, for Federal purposes, including to allow for meaningful third-party evaluation.

· See Section D.2 - Project Abstract Summary for the Proposal - Submission of a 1-page (<4000 words, 12-point font) project abstract summary describing the purpose of the project, activities, deliverables and expected outcomes is required as a separate word document (*.docx) as part of the proposal package, AbstractTemplate.docx, (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/5baa94ade4b08583a5cd878e?name=AbstractTemplate.docx). Please note upon issuance of the grant, this Project Abstract Summary will be publicly available at USAspending.gov.

· The Final Technical Report (FTR) must use the Final Technical Report template, FinalTechnicalReport_Template.docx (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/5baa94ade4b08583a5cd878e?name=FinalTechnicalReport_Template.docx). The FTR must include a 500-word summary with specific examples of user success stories and/or other societal benefits that highlight accomplishments in this project. A png image, 300 DPI or greater, is required to capture the essence of the project. Please note the summary and image may be shared in news releases, communications, or websites as examples of success stories and project types.

· Infrastructure grants (Priority 2) may be subject to the Buy American requirements described in the Terms and Conditions (Attachment C, Section F) section accessed in Section D7. The Davis Bacon Act may apply.

Please contact the Contracting Officer if you have any questions regarding the proposal process and/or scope of the Program. However, questions specific to your proposal as to what will or will not be funded cannot be addressed.

Changes to Proposal Requirements and Conditions The following changes are being implemented in the FY 2025 funding opportunity:

· Awards may start as early as April 15, 2025 and no later than September 1, 2026.

· The period of performance for each award may be up to 3 years. States may submit new proposals in subsequent years within the period of performance of an existing grant BUT the proposed work cannot duplicate the effort or be a continuation of objectives of a currently funded, active grant. The Program reserves the right to separate total funding to one state geological survey into multiple awards.

· States may request up to $5,000 to update metadata to the new ReSciColl requirements (formerly the National Digital Catalog (NDC)). This Priority 1 activity request requires a 1:1 state to federal match and will be awarded to all requestors. The funding requested and matched must be documented separately in Attachment A as part of the Priority 1 activities. The $5,000 requested includes fringe rates and indirect costs.

· States may request up to $5,000 (including fringe rates and indirect costs) to develop a strategic plan for data preservation of critical minerals associated with mine waste and legacy mine lands.

· In addition to the 200 samples that may be submitted for critical mineral relevant geochemical analyses, states may submit up to an additional 100 samples specifically from boreholes relevant to critical minerals characterization.

Program Priorities PLEASE NOTE: Proposals that do not specifically address NGGDPP fiscal year (FY) 2025 priorities will NOT be considered for an award.

The NGGDPP FY 2025 priorities include:

1. preservation of geoscience materials and data, updating ReSciColl collections and items using enhanced ReSciColl profiles with a preference for proposed preservation activities relevant to any combination of these priorities: climate, subsurface resources, critical minerals, physical infrastructure development, and clean/green energy;

2. development and/or improvement of digital and/or physical infrastructure supporting the preservation, archiving and/or delivery of geological and geophysical data, samples, and/or related historical materials; and

3. preservation of geoscience materials and data focused on critical minerals; development of a strategic plan for critical minerals; development of a strategic plan for critical minerals specific to mine waste and mine lands; and submission for analysis of existing geochemical samples relevant to critical minerals assessments.

Preservation activities include preservation of geoscience data, samples, and physical materials to support a) the Biden-Harris Administration priorities (https://www.whitehouse.gov/priorities) of climate, racial equality, and the economy, b) to support the Department of the Interior Secretarial Priorities of protection and preservation of public lands, renewable energy development, and climate research, c) the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) (Public Law 117-58), and the priorities of the state geological survey and their stakeholders.

Funded projects require submission of metadata records describing preserved resources in conformance with the NGGDPP metadata schema to ReSciColl to increase discovery, access and reuse by researchers, resource managers, decision-makers, and the public, for the benefit of society. Priority 2 projects that are solely physical infrastructure development (construction) or digital infrastructure will not require submission of metadata records OR Priority 2 projects with no data deliverables will still be required to submit collection metadata documenting the non-data project.

The proposal must describe projects that address the FY 2025 priorities and requirements to complete comprehensive activities to inventory, describe, and preserve specific collections. It is possible for proposed Priority 1, 2, and/or 3 projects to receive reduced or no funding. All Priority 1 requests to update ReSciColl collections and items metadata will be funded up to the $5,000 Federal cap, which includes fringe rates and indirect costs. If applicable, hiring students from underrepresented sectors, majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical fields, is strongly encouraged to educate and diversify the next generation of geoscientists.

FY 2025 Priority 1 – Preserve Geoscience Data and Materials In FY 2025, state geological surveys may request funds to inventory, preserve, archive, and/or modernize geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, notebooks, publications, well logs, photographs, and samples. NGGDPP seeks proposals that prioritize the preservation of resources relevant to climate studies, subsurface resources (including critical minerals), infrastructure development, environmental equity, and/or clean/green energy.

Preservation activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

· conversion of paper records and/or analog data to 508-compliant, ideally machine-readable, digital formats for preservation and digital access with optical character recognition (OCR) when applicable;

· updating digital data to modern and sustainable formats to maintain accessibility and usability;

· conversion of paper or scanned previously published geologic maps, not available in a GIS format, to the Geologic Mapping Schema (GeMS) format database (see https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Info/standards/GeMS/); proposals must include an appendix table listing the proposed maps for preservation with the associated NGMDB product listing, eg., https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_78420.htm, conversion to GeMS Level-III is preferred, and GeMS deliverables must be submitted following the guidance to the NGMDB Connect web site;

· preserving subsurface data and sample resources including drill core/borehole information in support of the National Index of Borehole Information (NIBI) and National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP) subsurface mapping;

· preserving and/or rescuing time-dependent, irreplaceable geologic data or collections of significant value in imminent danger of loss from deteriorating physical surroundings, threat of disposal, loss of institutional knowledge, or rapidly deteriorating media on which they reside (e.g., data stored on magnetic tape or aerial photos); and

· creating rich metadata for collections and child items registered in ReSciColl, using standard profiles.

All Federal funds requested for Priority 1 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 1 activities. The state portion can be larger than the federal portion.

Subsurface data and physical resource inventories e.g., samples, drill core/borehole, etc., should be compiled using prescriptive formats with guidance on the NGGDPP website. The current Borehole template for drill hole/core data compilation is available for download (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/5baa94ade4b08583a5cd878e?name=NGGDPP%20borehole%20template.xlsx) on the NGGDPP site, Grants: Tips and Examples, and will include location (in decimal degrees) and total depth, and should include if the information is available: identification of stratigraphic tops, lithology, driller’s logs, construction information, imagery, geophysical data, and analytical results. The compiled borehole spreadsheet containing point and interval data must be documented as a collection and uploaded to ReSciColl.

Details to ingest and connect subsurface resources to the National Index of Borehole Information (NIBI) are available from the NIBI website. Options are available for both spreadsheet (*.xlsx) and RESTful (Application Programming Interface (API) uploads.

Update Collections and Child Item Metadata in ReSciColl The NGGDPP has re-architected and rebranded the former National Digital Catalog (NDC), which has served as the metadata catalog for projects funded through the Program. ReSciColl (Registry of Scientific Collections) has been launched and provides the opportunity for richer descriptions of collections and child items which should result in improved discovery and reuse of these assets. ReSciColl can only be a valuable discovery tool if it contains rich information about collections and child items.

States may request up to $5,000 (including fringe rates and indirect costs) to update existing metadata records from previous preservation efforts harvested into ReSciColl to the new ReSciColl standards for collection and item level metadata. A description of the scope of this activity must be provided. All states requesting these funds will receive them.

Local tools and applications that had been developed to follow the *.csv/*.xml NDC metadata convention will need to be revamped to conform to the new ReSciColl metadata convention with guidance for submission to the new ReSciColl provided on the NDDGPP site (https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/national-geological-and-geophysical-data-preservation-program/data-submission).

NGGDPP supports the updating of geographic place names, especially those identified as derogatory, in accordance with the Derogatory Geographic Names FAQs of the Board on Geographic Names. The authoritative database of geographic names for Federal use (Geographic Names Information System) is updated as new terms are identified and replaced based on standard naming conventions.

NGGDPP’s aim is to facilitate and promote the availability of preserved data and materials to further geoscientific research and societal understanding. Therefore, all attempts should be made to freely and publicly expose the data and materials preserved through funding from NGGDPP grants, avoiding copyrights and restrictions.

Collection metadata records describing the preserved materials must be submitted to ReSciColl adhering to the current ReSciColl metadata requirements. If applicable to the proposed activity, metadata for individual collection items should also be submitted. NGGDPP-required metadata attributes for collection metadata and item metadata, as well as upload and/or access protocols, are available on ReSciColl.

FY 2025 Priority 2 – Digital and Physical Infrastructure Development In FY 2025, states may request funds in support of the development and/or improvement of digital and/or physical infrastructure supporting preservation, archiving, compilation, integration, and/or delivery of geological and geophysical data, samples, and/or related historical materials. Data production activities for Priority 2 must be limited to establishing workflows related to new digital and/or physical infrastructure.

Proposed activities may include but are not limited to the following:

· Construction, remodel, or repair of buildings (or parts thereof) that house geological or geophysical data and/or samples and/or related archival materials that are made publicly available. Funds must be used only for relevant portions of the building.

· Creation or updating of digital systems that improve the access to and delivery of geological and geophysical data (e.g. databases, web services, websites, APIs, etc.). If web services or databases create or change access to a collection, the collection needs to be created or updated in ReSciColl.

· Purchase and/or installation of equipment that facilitates the production of data from historical samples or documents (e.g. scanners, hyperspectral scanners, X-Ray Diffraction scanners, photographic equipment, etc.). The proposed purchase must include planned file formats and methods for providing access to the acquired data in the Data Management Plan. The file formats must be in non-proprietary, industry standards. Data preparation methods and delivery systems must be described associated with the new equipment. Data preservation projects using the equipment should be proposed separately under Priority 1 or Priority 3 as appropriate.

· Development of workflows and methodologies for new equipment. Note: This activity does not support new research. Collected data cannot be embargoed. They must be released to the public in a usable state with the least amount of processing within three months of data acquisition. If data is produced as part of a pilot project, a Data Management Plan must be submitted and collection metadata records describing the data collection must be created in ReSciColl adhering to the current ReSciColl metadata requirements.

As required by Section 70914 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), P.L. 117-58, on or after May 14, 2022, none of the funds under a federal award that are part of Federal financial assistance program for infrastructure may be obligated for a project unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States, unless subject to an approved waiver. The requirements of this section must be included in all subawards, including all contracts and purchase orders for work or products under this program. The details for the Buy America Domestic Procurement Preference are provided in the 2025 NGGDPP Terms and Conditions (Attachment C, Section F).

All Federal funds requested for Priority 2 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 2 activities. The state portion can be larger than the federal portion.

FY 2025 Priority 3 – Critical Minerals Data Preservation In FY 2019, the USGS established an initiative, known as Earth MRI (Mapping Resources Initiative), with a goal of modernizing the surface and subsurface geologic mapping of the United States, with a focus on identifying areas that may have the potential to contain mineral resources. The minerals on the 2022 Final List of Critical Minerals[1] are the current focus of the USGS component of Earth MRI. In FY 2019, the NGGDPP established a new program priority, critical mineral resources, supporting states to preserve and make publicly available online mineral deposit, drill core, geochemical, geophysical, and other relevant data, in support of the Earth MRI effort.

In FY 2025, state geological surveys may request funds, up to $50,000 of federal match, to support the process of preserving and making publicly available data and information on critical minerals in the United States through the following types of activities that meet the intent of Priority 3.

Priority 3 focuses on 4 main themes: (1) making publicly available drill hole/core data through the ReSciColl, (2) development of a preservation plan for critical minerals-related data and materials, (3) development of a preservation plan and list of critical minerals in mine waste, and (4) preservation and submission of geochemical samples relevant for evaluating critical mineral content.

The FY 2025 Priority 3 themes are defined as:

· State compilation of borehole data with metadata to ReSciColl - identifying and providing digital access to publicly available drill hole/core data and information for areas with the potential for hosting critical mineral resources. Drill hole/core data will be compiled in the borehole template and will include location (in decimal degrees) and total depth and should include, if the information is available, identification of stratigraphic tops, lithology, driller’s logs, construction information, imagery, geophysical data, and analytical results. If applicable, depth to bedrock and identification of basement rock relevant to the terrane, including depth to Precambrian basement, depth to consolidated rock beneath Quaternary deposits, or depth to consolidated rock beneath coastal plain deposits should be documented. The compiled borehole spreadsheet containing point and interval data must be documented as a collection and uploaded to ReSciColl. Compiled subsurface information should be connected in the National Index of Borehole Information (NIBI).

· Preservation Plan for Critical Minerals – States that have not previously requested to develop a strategic plan for critical minerals data preservation for their state may request up to $5,000 (including fringe rates and indirect costs) to complete the plan. A detailed description of the activity must be provided. All new states requesting these funds will receive them.

· Preservation Plan and List of Critical Minerals in Mine Waste – States may request up to $5,000 (including fringe rates and indirect costs) to develop a strategic plan for critical minerals data preservation focused on mine waste for their state. Available funding for a mine waste strategic preservation plan is in addition to the more general critical mineral science plan described above. A detailed description of the activity must be provided. All new states requesting these funds will receive them.

· Preserving samples for Geochemical Analyses for Characterizing Critical Mineral Resources – For FY2025 the USGS will support the whole-rock analytical geochemical needs required to characterize preserved samples relevant to characterizing critical mineral resources by providing analyses generated on samples submitted to the USGS through a “credit” system. These samples may include material from borehole, outcrop, or other materials associated with critical mineral resources. The state geological survey will be credited with 200 unknown samples of any type over the period of performance of the award. The state geological survey will be credited with an additional 100 unknown samples related specifically to boreholes. Borehole materials may include core samples, cuttings, and (or) unconsolidated sedimentary material provided they were previously collected through drilling activity and have a distinct critical mineral association. The funds to support the analyses being transferred internally to the USGS Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center in Denver, CO. Funds will not be transferred to the state geological survey for this effort. The USGS assumes the responsibility of sample processing for whole-rock major and trace element analyses for the samples, acquiring the data through the contract laboratory, appropriate QA/QC protocols and data review, submitting QC duplicates, and data validation. The collection of samples must be documented to include item-level metadata for submittal to ReSciColl. The laboratory data are combined into the periodic USGS data releases hosted on the Earth MRI website (see https://doi.org/10.5066/P9WHRLXH) to assure all geochemical data processed are released to the public. Earth MRI offers analyses for major elements through by wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WDXRF). A 61-element ICP-OES-MS sodium peroxide fusion (ICP-60) package is to support minor and trace element analyses, including the rare earth elements. Processing, costs, and publication of results associated with non-standard samples (e.g., heavy mineral separates, specialty sample processing, etc.) are the responsibility of the State Geological Surveys. Upon approval of the proposed effort, please communicate to the USGS sample control group lead by Jamie Azain (jsazain@usgs.gov) prior to submittal of the samples under this effort to obtain the sample submittal forms and procedures.

Collection metadata records describing the preserved materials must be submitted to ReSciColl using the current ReSciColl metadata profile. If applicable to the proposed activity, metadata for individual collection items should also be submitted. NGGDPP-required metadata attributes for collection metadata and item metadata, as well as upload and/or access protocols, are available on ReSciColl.

NGGDPP’s aim is to facilitate and promote the availability of preserved data and materials to further geoscientific research. Therefore, all attempts should be made to publicly expose the preserved data and materials sponsored by NGGDPP grants, avoiding copyrights and restrictions.

All Federal funds requested for Priority 3 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 3 activities. The state portion can be larger than the federal portion.

[1] Federal Register, 2022, 2022 Final List of Critical Minerals, accessed May 23, 2023, at URL https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/24/2022-04027/2022-final-list-of-critical-minerals.

Funding Opportunity Goals

· Research for natural hazards, energy and mineral resources, ecosystems and environmental health, and water resources.

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding

Estimated Total Funding $4,000,000

B2. Award Amount Maximum Award $0 Minimum Award $0 The approximate range for an individual award is a minimum of $5,000 up to a maximum of $800,000.

B3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates Anticipated Award Date April 15, 2025 April 15, 2025 to August 15, 2026 Proposal Announcement Date: May 31, 2024 Closing Date and Time for Proposal Submission: December 12, 2024, 6:00 p.m. ET

Proposals received after the deadline will NOT be considered for an award.

The earliest start date will be April 15, 2025 and the latest start date is September 1, 2026.

For applications that include Priority 3 projects, the start date will be after USGS receives its final FY 2025 appropriation. All deliverables are due 90 days after the end of the grant period of performance.

Awards will be made for up to a 36-month period of performance.

B4. Number of Awards Expected Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award

Funding Instrument Type G - Grant

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Applicants 00 – State governments Additional Information on Eligibility Only state geological surveys are eligible to apply to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 105-58, Sec. 351). A university may submit a proposal on behalf of a state geological survey if the state geological survey is organized under a state university system.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement Yes This program has a match requirement.

All Federal funds requested for Priority 1 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 1 activities.

All Federal funds requested for Priority 2 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 2 activities.

All Federal funds requested for Priority 3 must be matched at 100% (minimum) with state funds for Priority 3 activities.

Verify the federal share of the cost of the proposed activities is no more than 50 percent of the total cost for each Priority individually. The state portion can be larger than the federal portion. Priority activities must be budgeted separately and within the itemized budget for that Priority. Review and verify budget numbers prior to proposal submission.

In-kind services proposed as match, e.g., software or volunteer time, must have documentation of value of the contribution.

C3. Other Preserving USGS assets (e.g. maps, reports, photos etc.) using NGGDPP funds is not allowed; collections proposed for preservation should be owned by your state geological organization. Strong justification and documentation that the data will be made public (e.g., data sharing agreement or transfer of ownership), is required for preserving collections owned by a private or another state entity (for example, state oil and gas commission).

Non-allowable expenses under the NGGDPP include preservation of USGS assets, duplicate digitization/conversion of artifacts produced and preserved by other agencies, tuition, computer maintenance or travel to a conference or workshop.

Excluded Parties: USGS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. USGS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

D. Application and Submission Information Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures This section provides the application submission and receipt instructions for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) program applications. Please read the following instructions carefully and completely.

1. Electronic Delivery USGS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. USGS encourages applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov.

2. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a. Instructions: Read the instructions below about registering to apply for USGS funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information Organizations must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, then you may begin with step 3, Create a Grants.gov Account, listed below.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but SAM registration may take several weeks.Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Note: An entity will be assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) by SAM. No Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number is required after April 4, 2022.

Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here: https://training.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

1) Register with SAM: All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

2) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with Grants.gov. Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here: https://training.grants.gov/register

3) Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter UEI assigned by SAM in the UEI field while adding a profile. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/

4) EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://training.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ebiz-poc-authorizes-profile-roles 5)Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to: Grants.gov Online Help

b. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

3. How to Submit an Application to USGS via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

1) Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2) Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and UEI Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4) Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the USGS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

4. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

a. Online Submission. All applications must be received by the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When USGS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by USGS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role attempting to submit the application.