final pa g16as00009.docx

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSCIAL

DATA PRESERVATION PROGRAM

(NGGDPP)

Authorized by The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58, Sec. 351)

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT No. G16AS00009

For Fiscal Year 2016

ISSUE DATE: December 14, 2015

CLOSING DATE & TIME:

February 8, 2016, 6:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST)

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY –

THE PROPOSAL FORMAT HAS BEEN CHANGED

Paperwork Reduction Act Approval— OMB Control No. 1028-0087 Expiration Date: 08/31/2018 PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act states that the agency must disclose why information is being collected, how it will be used, and whether you have to provide it. The National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program is collecting this information to evaluate submitted proposals seeking funding for data preservation-related activities. Your response is required to receive funding. A Federal agency cannot conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number (1028-0087). The average burden associated with this collection is estimated to average 36 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions and completing the required information. Comments regarding this collection of information should be directed to the Bureau Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS807, Reston, VA 20192.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS i

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS i

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT CHANGES ii

POINTS TO REMEMBER ii PART I: Public Law, Program Priorities, and NGGDPP Reports and Products

PART II: Timetables, Eligibility, Format Instructions, and Proposal Evaluation

PART III. Proposal Guidelines

PART IV. General Provisions

List of Attachments

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT CHANGES

States are encouraged to develop stand-alone projects that may be completed in one year. Program priorities are no longer segregated into separate objectives. Instead, the Program seeks fully developed proposals describing all aspects of preservation of geoscience materials and data, including collection inventory, sample metadata cataloging and improvement, sample preservation and storage, and more. States may also submit proposals that include an individual preservation activity.

States may request Program support for the enhancement or development of data archiving systems, databases, and web applications to promote understanding, interpretation, and use of geoscience materials.

The Program is no longer encouraging states to minimize proposed funding requests. As a result, a smaller number of projects may be funded.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

READ this Program Announcement carefully. The proposal format has changed from FY 2015. NGGDPP no longer requires applicants to use an application template. States are required to write their proposals using Part II, C. 5 through 9 (Proposal Format Instructions) as their guide. The proposal review panel cannot make assumptions about or interpret what is or is not included in your submitted proposal.

DESCRIBE the project and the process you expect to follow to complete the required work. If you are proposing multiple activities to complete the project, clearly state the work you will be doing for each activity. Please note that if reduced funds are awarded, portions of the proposal may need to be adjusted to accommodate this change.

VERIFY the federal share of the cost of the proposed activities is no more than 50 percent of the total cost. The State portion can be larger than the Federal portion; however, if the Federal contribution is more than the State portion - regardless of the amount - the grant proposal shall be disqualified and will not be evaluated by the grant review panel. Review and verify budget numbers prior to submission. Proposals that do not meet the more than 50 percent rule will be rejected.

PROVIDE detailed information for project personnel including senior staff, students, and contractors. If any of the aforementioned personnel have not been hired at the time of proposal submission, provide a description of desired skills, experience, and knowledge that will be necessary for filling those positions.

ENSURE appropriate salary allocation for supervisory input/oversight. Assigning senior staff to NGGDPP funded projects (or in-kind salary offsets) for an extended period of time for supervisory or other management purposes without a description and specific justification relating to the senior staff’s NGGDPP work may result in disqualification of the grant proposal or reduced funding. If your project personnel include contractors, include a detailed description of the scope of work and the experience and skills necessary for completing the work. Provide a description of how contractors will be integrated into the workflow and/or how the work will be evaluated. Submission of separate curriculum vitae (CVs) or resumes for key personnel is not required but highly recommended.

PROVIDE rationale for choosing which data to inventory and describe in metadata records. If you propose preserving multiple collections, prioritize the collections and provide rationale. All collections you propose to work on must be owned by your State.

MAKE THE CASE for why your State geological survey is the appropriate source to request NGGDPP funds to “preserve data and collections” if the collection is owned by another State entity. Make the case if the data for which you are requesting funding might logically be available from another source (for example, state oil and gas commission).

EQUIPMENT funding requests including scanners, computers, storage media, and relevant software licenses are acceptable provided they are sufficiently justified. For example, the equipment is necessary for the successful completion of the work funded by the NGGDPP. NGGDPP will not fund general software licenses, database software systems, or equipment that would be required for your State’s IT infrastructure and operation, regardless of your proposed NGGDPP-related work.

DOCUMENT your prior work. The review panel may not know about your State’s prior work. Include all preliminary results and prior work on a separate sheet. This separate sheet does not count toward the 15 page grant proposal page limit.

HAVE a Long-Range Data Preservation Plan (LRDPP) in place and describe how the proposal specifically meets the LRDPP. If you do not have a LRDPP, provide a brief explanation of how your State is creating or will create its LRDPP.

NON-ALLOWABLE EXPENSES: excessive supervisory hours without appropriate justification; digitization/conversion of artifacts produced by USGS and other federal agencies if this work duplicates federal agencies’ activities; travel to conferences and workshops; tuition; and computer maintenance.

ALWAYS contact us if you have questions, we are here to help. Questions specific to your proposal as to what will or will not be funded cannot be addressed.

START submitting your proposal to Grants.gov well in advance of the due date. Do not wait until the due date to begin the submission process. See Part III, Section A for more information.

PART I: Public Law, Program Priorities, and NGGDPP Reports and Products A. Public Law 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). Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 recognizes the need for the preservation and cataloging of, and access to geological and geophysical data for future economic importance. To read Section 351 or the entire Act, visit: http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/page/policy_act.

The objectives of the Program as outlined in the Act 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.

For more information about the NGGDPP, read the “Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program” (2006) which is available at: http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/docs/2006DataPreservation.pdf. In early 2016, “The USGS National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program: A Five Year Plan (2016-2021)” will be posted at http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/.

B. Program Priorities PLEASE NOTE: Proposals that do not specifically address NGGDPP FY 2016 priorities will NOT be considered for an award.

The NGGDPP FY 2016 priorities require participants to 1) preserve geoscience materials, 2) describe the preserved materials and data in conformance with NGGDPP metadata schema, and 3) submit the metadata records to the National Digital Catalog of archived and preserved materials and data. Components of the National Digital Catalog include metadata describing geological and geophysical data collections and individual items in those collections.

A proposal should describe a cohesive project that addresses the FY 2016 priorities to complete comprehensive activities to preserve specific collections. Proposals will be funded wholly or not at all. Funding will be reduced in only limited circumstances. Random and disparate activities are discouraged in favor of well-thought out, practical and related activities, with a start and end point that advance preservation and dissemination of specific physical collections and data.

FY 2016 Priority – Preserve geoscience materials

In FY 2016, State geological surveys may request funds to inventory, preserve, archive, and modernize geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, notebooks, publications, well logs, aerial photos and samples. Preservation activities may include the following:

conversion of paper records and/or analog data to digital formats for preservation and access;

maintaining digital data in modern formats and on permanent media to preserve accessibility;

updating digital data to new formats to maintain accessibility as older digital storage technology becomes obsolete and newer technology becomes available;

creating metadata records for submission to the National Digital Catalog;

supporting computer programming equipment and staff to create new, or improve existing databases that provide and pertain to the collection and curation of digital or physical data;

preserving and/or rescuing time-dependent, unique geologic data or collections of significant value in imminent danger of loss from deteriorating physical surroundings, threat of disposal, or rapidly deteriorating media on which they reside (for example, data stored on magnetic tape or aging aerial photos); and enhancing or developing data archiving systems, databases, and web applications to enhance understanding, interpretation, and use of geoscience materials.

Metadata records at the collection or individual sample level (depending on proposed activities) for the improved materials must be provided to the National Digital Catalog. Collections shall be described using an online metadata form. Individual collection items shall be described in flat files (CSV format) or XML-formatted files conforming to the NGGDPP metadata schema that specifies specific metadata elements.

C. NGGDPP Reports and Products All recipients of funds shall submit a Final Technical Report within 90 days after the end of the grant performance period. The Final Technical Report documents and summarizes the results of the work performed during the grant performance period. This report must contain a cover page and a main body. The cover page must include the following information: award number, title, author and affiliation to include address and zip code, author's telephone number and e-mail address, term covered by the award (start and end dates), submittal date of Final Technical Report, and abstract describing work performed. The main body must include 1) the comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals established for the project; 2) if established goals were not met, explanation of circumstances and impediments; and 3) specific examples of user success stories that highlight State’s preservation accomplishments.

When the work performed includes creation of metadata, the metadata submitted to National Digital Catalog must describe 1) inventoried collections using supported methods documented in web page titled “Data Provider Dashboard” (http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/page/data_dashboard), and/or 2) individual samples using one of the supported methods documented at “Prepare Metadata Files for Upload to National Digital Catalog” (http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/page/prepare_metadata_for_NDC) for collections already entered in the National Digital Catalog.

PART II. Timetables, Eligibility, Format Instructions, and Proposal Evaluation A. Timetables Proposal Announcement Date: December 14, 2015 Closing Date and Time for Proposal Submission: February 8, 2016, 6:00PM EST

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

The earliest start date for new grants will be after the USGS receives its final FY 2016 appropriation, notice of full-year continuing resolution, or June 1, 2016, whichever is later.

The latest start date is September 15, 2016. Awards will be made for a 12-month period only. No awards will be issued for less or more than 12 months.

B. Eligibility – Who May Submit a Proposal Only State geological surveys are eligible to apply to this Program Announcement 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.

C. Proposal Format Instructions Proposals must be arranged according to the format provided below. Following this format ensures that every proposal contains all essential information and is evaluated equitably. The proposal may be in MS Word or PDF format. The proposal and associated forms shall be submitted to www.grants.gov. Provide requested information in the correct locations within the proposal template. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of the proposal.

All proposals must include the following documents:

1. Standard Form 424. Application for Federal Assistance (mandatory form provided in grants.gov). The person who electronically submits the SF-424 must have the authority to bind the State to the terms of the assistance award.

2. Standard Form 424A. Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs (mandatory form provided in grants.gov).

3. Standard Form 424B. Assurances – Non-construction Programs (mandatory form provided in grants.gov).

4. Negotiated Rate Agreement/Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. Most states and universities have a rate agreement, which may be titled “State and Local Rate Agreement” or “Colleges and Universities Rate Agreement”. This agreement provides the rates approved for use in grants, contracts, and other agreements with the Federal Government. Some state organizations may be required to conduct an individual audit review to provide an agreement. Indirect cost rate determined by the state organization shall be provided in the proposal budget. If you request fringe benefits or indirect costs, the indirect cost rate agreement is requested to verify rates requested. In the absence of an indirect rate agreement, applicants may charge no more than 10% indirect costs.

5. FY 2016 NGGDPP Proposal Information Sheet (Attachment A). Summary sheet shall clearly list project and a brief budget summary. Be sure to include a mailing address for the principal investigator. Outcome notifications will be sent to the principal investigator and the authorized institution representative.

6. Abstract. The abstract shall be no longer than one single-spaced page. It shall include identification of the project goal (for example, collection inventory, generate sample metadata, or both), a summary of the approach, project activities, and anticipated results.

7. Table of Contents.

8. Proposal Technical Section. The technical section of the proposal is limited to 15 single space pages (including figures, tables), with no smaller than 11-point font size, and 1-inch margins. All text, figures, and tables must be labeled and shall be sized to fit on 8½” x 11” paper. The Standard Forms 424s, preliminary results and prior work, project personnel justification and expertise table or list, letters from stakeholders, negotiated rate and cost agreements, and equipment quotes do not count toward the 15-page limit. The technical section of your proposal should include the following:

(a) Introduction: The introduction should provide a brief overview of the project activities and timelines, and how the project complies with your State’s long-range data preservation plan. Provide information about how the project addresses societal and scientific problems as appropriate. Keep this section clear and concise.

(b) Purpose and Justification: This section should answer a few simple, but important, questions. Why are you proposing this project? What is the justification for the proposed preservation project? Who are the state’s primary customers? How often are collections accessed by those customers? What benefits will society receive from this project? Why is this important to your state? A statement of use or a letter of support from a stakeholder may be included. Letters of support from a stakeholder do not count against the 15-page limit.

(c) Strategy for Data Preservation: This section should explain in detail how the proposed project addresses the state’s long-range data preservation plan. If your state does not have a formal long-range data preservation plan, what actions is your state taking to address this? How do you know what is important to your state if a long-range data preservation plan is not in place?

(d) Preliminary Results and Prior Work: If your state previously received NGGDPP funds, a brief summary of findings or outcomes should be provided on a separate sheet. Describe previous data preservation efforts and ongoing preservation activities. This information does not count toward the 15-page limit.

(e) Products/Reports: The types of products/reports to be completed (other than the Final Technical Report) should be specified in the proposal (for example, metadata for specific collections, improved database cataloging metadata records).

(f) Project Personnel: Provide a table or list that includes information about the principal investigator, staff, and support positions (such as geologist, information technologist, or database developer). Briefly discuss each person’s role on the project so that it links to the budget. For each person, give a brief statement of their background or vitae (no more than two pages) that includes expertise relevant to the proposed activities, and indicate whether the person works for your organization or elsewhere (contractor or volunteer). Define the roles and responsibilities of each project member. Vitae do not count against the 15-page proposal limit.

(g) For proposals to inventory or rescue collections indicate whether you received NGGDPP funds in prior years to inventory or rescue collections and if so, which collections were inventoried. If a collection was only partially inventoried in a prior year, explain the impediments to completing that inventory and whether it will be completed in this grant cycle. List all collections you propose to inventory in FY 2016. Explain how this proposed activity relates to your State’s long-range data preservation plan.

(h) For proposals to create metadata for individual items in a collection, the following shall be included in the technical proposal:

(i) The proposal shall indicate the collections for which metadata will be created, the number and type of sampling sites reported, the process by which metadata will be generated and submitted to the catalog, and the quality assurance processes that will be used to check the data. Explain how this proposed activity relates to the State’s long-range data preservation plan.

(ii) The plan for producing a file format for metadata submission to the National Digital Catalog shall be documented in the proposal.

(iii) Outline quality assurance/quality control processes used to check the data before submission to the National Digital Catalog. Provide a brief description of the methods that will be used.

(iv) For states that do not have technical resources to produce the requested files, proposals should include provisions to obtain technical assistance. This may take the form of partnerships with other State geological surveys, state agencies, or federal sources.

(v) Proposals shall include a plan for long-term maintenance and updating of catalog records. This should include a plan for integrating catalog updates into the business process of the agency, the planned update period, an update process, and a technical plan for how new or modified records in the catalog will be identified and updated. For file-based data uploads, the upload mechanism will help in the versioning process. Service-provided data should include attribution to establish the currency of the data.

9. Detailed Budget. Your proposal must include one completed detailed budget sheet (Attachment B). The detailed proposed budget must match the “Amount Requested” on the NGGDPP Proposal Information Summary Sheet (Attachment A). These attachments provide format guidance. You may create your own budget sheet with the same format which has additional rows for needed itemization. The sum of contributions from a State geological survey shall be equal to or greater than the amount requested from the NGGDPP and shall be derived from non-Federal sources. Failure to provide a detailed budget itemizing State expenditures shall result in rejection of the proposal.

Please read each category description below and provide the detailed breakdown for each cost. This information will help avoid delays processing a funded proposal, as an award will not be issued until all required information is provided.

The detailed budget shall include the amount proposed for each of the following:

(a) Salaries and wages. List names, positions, number of hours individuals will spend on various activities, their rate of compensation, and the role they will play in the project. Salaries or wages for student assistants (both undergraduates and graduate students) are an acceptable cost to the program. If a position is vacant, indicate the position title. Include only personnel actively involved in this preservation project. Under many circumstances senior management salary/time is covered by the overhead (indirect cost) portion of the budget; if this is the case, senior management salary/time should not be included. The portion of staff time involved in inventorying, creating metadata, and transferring information to the National Digital Catalog can be charged here. If senior management personnel do some of this work, include an explanation of their roles. Non-state survey staff working on the project should also be included if they are being supported by other state funding. The detailed proposed budget shall include the total time worked on the project (in units of hours), rate-of-compensation (dollars/hour for hourly employees, salary/year, or salary/month), and job title or role of each person.

(b) Fringe benefits. Indicate the rates/amounts in conformance with normal accounting procedures. Explain what costs are covered in this category and the basis of the rate computations. Indicate whether rates are used for proposal purposes only or whether they are also fixed or provisional rates for billing purposes. Include a copy of the Negotiated Rate Agreement or internal memo supporting the proposed rates. The Negotiated Rate Agreement or internal memo does not count toward the 15-page limit.

(c) Travel expenses. State the purpose of the trip(s) and itemize estimated travel costs (including number of people, number of travel days, per diem rate, mileage rate, airfare, or other travel costs) necessary to perform the activities in your proposal.

(d) Other Direct-Cost Line Items to List.

· Supplies. List costs for office and laboratory/facility supplies. Itemize by including the number and cost for each item.

· Equipment. Federal NGGDPP funds may be used to purchase computer hardware, GPS, vehicles, or other nonexpendable property. If necessary, Federal NGGDPP funds may be used to purchase software site licenses needed to complete data preservation projects. Show the cost of all proposed equipment/software site licenses necessary for achieving goals of the project. Each item should be itemized and include a full justification and a dealer or manufacturer quote, if available. If full justification for equipment is not provided, equipment costs will not be supported.

Routine computer maintenance contracts and charges for computer time are not acceptable costs (these should be covered by indirect costs). Explain and justify any extraordinary items.

Generalpurpose equipment must be purchased from the applicant's operating funds. Title to non-expendable personal property shall be vested solely with the recipient. Non-expendable equipment means equipment having a useful life of more than one (1) year and having an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per item. Under no circumstances shall property title be vested in a sub-tier recipient.

· Contractual services. Identify the activities for which such services would be used. Identify proposed contractors (individual or corporate) and provide criteria by which contractors will be, or have been, selected. Include their total time, rate of compensation, total per person, and job titles.

(e) Total direct costs. Total items (a) through (d).

(f) Indirect Charges. Show the proposed rate, cost base, and proposed amount for allowable indirect costs based on the cost principles applicable to the applicant's organization. If applicant has separate rates for recovery of labor overhead and general and administrative costs, each charge should be shown. Explain the distinction between items included in the two cost pools. Applicant should propose rates for evaluation purposes, which they are also willing to establish as fixed or ceiling rates in any resulting award. A copy of the indirect negotiated cost agreement with the Federal Government must be included. If one is not established, applicants may charge 10% indirect costs. A copy of the Indirect Negotiated Cost Agreement does not count against the 15-page limit.

(g) Total charges. Total items (a) to (f). The total budget proposed must show that the Federal share of the cost of the activity does not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the activity as required by Public Law 109-58, Energy Policy Act of 2005. The non-Federal share (direct and indirect costs) may be more than the Federal contribution and may include services or cash provided to contractors to perform services directly applicable to the proposed project.

D. Proposal Evaluation Criteria NGGDPP proposals will be reviewed by a ten (10) member peer panel. Approximately five (5) members will be State geological survey representatives and five (5) members will be Federal agency representatives, including one representative from outside of the USGS. These panel members represent the professional areas of science, data management and preservation.

Evaluation Criteria. All proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed below. NOTE: To avoid conflict of interest, no panelist may vote on a proposal from his or her State geological survey or State agency nor may any panelist discuss with other panel members his or her State’s proposal. This does not prohibit cooperation or collaboration between USGS and non-USGS scientists once a grant is in place.

All proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria with each criterion having equal weight:

Technical merit of the proposal. This factor considers the merit and technical viability of the proposed approach and the probability of achieving positive results within the designated period.

Relevance. This factor considers the relevance of the proposed data preservation activities and will be evaluated relative to the USGS NGGDPP goals and the State’s long-range data preservation plan (LRDPP). A case must be made for how the proposed work is specifically relevant to both the NGGDPP and the State’s LRDPP.

Competence and recent performance of principle investigator and team members. This factor considers experience and competence of the principal investigator and coworkers, and the promptness with which the results from previously funded projects were submitted to the NGGDPP. This factor includes the performance records and capability to provide necessary facilities and support to ensure satisfactory completion of the proposed work. The recent performance element refers to whether the Final Technical Report reporting requirements from previous USGS awards have been satisfied.

Appropriateness and reasonableness of the budget. This factor considers whether the proposed budget: 1) describes how Federal funds will not exceed 50 percent of total cost of proposed activities and be matched by State funds; 2) is commensurate with the level of effort needed to accomplish the project; and 3) is reasonable relative to the value of the anticipated results.

PART III: Proposal Guidelines A. Electronic Proposal Submission Requirement Applicants are responsible for electronically submitting the proposal to www.grants.gov by February 8, 2016, 6:00PM EST. Be sure to read the instructions carefully. Paper copies will NOT be accepted.

Please be aware the electronic submission process requires first-time users to register using an e-Authentication process. This registration process can be complex and can take up to 3 weeks to complete. Be advised that you may not be successful completing electronic submission for the first time if you begin the process a few days before the due date. If you are from a university, contact your Office of Sponsored Programs. They may already have completed the registration process and should work with you to submit the proposal.

If you have any questions or problems with the registration process, or the completion of the application package, please contact the grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov

Briefly, when you submit a grant application package to Grants.gov, you will receive a confirmation screen as well as three additional emails over two business days from Grants.gov informing you of your application processing status:

1. Confirmation screen

2. Submission Receipt (with “Track My Application” link)

3. Submission Validation (or Rejection with Errors)

4. Agency Retrieval

1. CONFIRMATION: Submission Confirmation Screen After a grant application package is submitted, a confirmation message will appear on the computer screen. This screen confirms that an application has been submitted to Grants.gov. This page contains a tracking number and a “Track My Application” link for monitoring the progress of the submission.

2. NOTIFICATION 1: Submission Receipt Email Within two business days after the application package has been received by the Grants.gov system, a submission receipt email will be sent that indicates the submission has entered the Grants.gov system and is ready for validation. This email contains the same tracking number and a “Track My Application” link that is shown in submission confirmation screen for monitoring the progress of the submission.

3. NOTIFICATION 2: Submission Validation Receipt Email – This is the important one!

This second email will include a message validating or rejecting the submitted application package due to errors. The Grants.gov system is designed to check for technical errors within the submitted application package. Grants.gov does not review application content for award determination.

4. NOTIFICATION 3: Grantor Agency Retrieval Email Once the application package has passed validation, it is delivered to the grantor for award determination and further approval. After the grantor has confirmed receipt of the application, a third and final email will be sent from Grants.gov. The grantor may also assign the application package an agency-specific tracking number for use within their internal system. IF THIS E-MAIL HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE CLOSING DATE, PLEASE CONTACT THE CONTRACTING OFFICER, Margaret Eastman, (703) 648-7366, mrussell@usgs.gov.

If you need help entering your proposal, you can reach the Grants.gov Contact Center at: 1-800-518-4726. Their hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, and they are closed on Federal Holidays.

When contacting the Grants.gov Contact Center, please have the following information available to help expedite the inquiry:

· Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

· Name of Agency You Are Applying To

· Specific Area of Concern The electronic submission will consist of required forms SF-424, SF-424a, and SF-424b, plus the items described below.

B. Long-Range Data Preservation Plans Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of a comprehensive proposal and Long-Range Data Preservation Plan. States are not required to submit their Long-Range Data Preservation Plans to the USGS, but they must explain how their proposed activities address their long-range plans. A suggested format for such plans is included as Attachment C in this announcement.

C. Involvement of Federal Employees Federal employees, including USGS employees, are prohibited from assisting in any capacity (paid or unpaid) with preparation of any proposal submitted under this Announcement. Proposals that have a real, or apparent, conflict of interest related to Federal employees will not be processed for evaluation.

D. Rejection of Proposals after Initial Review If the proposal does not meet all requirements specified in the Program Announcement, as determined by the Contracting Officer in consultation with the NGGDPP management, the applicant will be promptly notified in writing of the rejection along with the reason for the rejection. If the federal share of the cost of the proposed activities is more than 50 percent of the total cost, the proposal will be rejected.

E. NGGDPP Products and Reports

1) Metadata submitted to National Digital Catalog

a) Describe inventoried collections using the supported methods documented at “Data Provider Dashboard Instructions” (http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/page/submit_data/).

b) Provide metadata for individual samples in collections already inventoried and entered in the National Digital Catalog through one of the supported methods documented at “Prepare Metadata Files for Upload to National Digital Catalog” (http://datapreservation.usgs.gov/page/prepare_metadata_for_NDC).

2) Final Technical Report Following project completion, all awards made under the NGGDPP will require submittal of a final technical report that must document and summarize the results of the work. The final technical report must contain:

· Cover page

· Award Number

· Title

· Author and affiliation with address and zip code

· Author's telephone number and e-mail address

· Term covered by the award (start and end dates)

· Submittal date of final technical report

· Abstract

· Main body

· Comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals established for the period.

· If established goals were not met, explanation of circumstances and impediments.

· Specific examples of user success stories that highlight State’s preservation accomplishments.

A final technical report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the grant performance period. Failure to submit a final technical report may hinder receipt of future NGGDPP funds. Final technical reports shall be submitted electronically to Natalie Latysh, NGGDPP Grants Program Manager, nlatysh@usgs.gov. A copy of the transmittal letter shall be submitted to Margaret Eastman, USGS Contract Specialist, mrussell@usgs.gov.

PART IV. General Provisions A. Funding The total amount of NGGDPP FY 2016 funding available for state efforts is expected to be approximately $750,000. In FY 2016, the NGGDPP anticipates awarding successful proposals that propose diverse projects of variable funding levels under this Program Announcement. Each State geological organization is allowed to submit one proposal that addresses the FY 2016 program priorities to preserve geoscience materials and describe them using NGGDPP metadata format in the National Digital Catalog.

NOTE: Notification of a successful proposal does not constitute authority to incur costs. Costs may be incurred only after the receipt of a grant award signed by a Contracting Officer of the USGS.

B. Outcome Notification Following the peer panel reviews, the USGS will make funding decisions and notify applicants of one of three possible decisions:

1. the proposal has been recommended for funding in FY 2016, subject to appropriations;

2. the proposal is being declined and will not be funded in FY 2016; or

3. the proposal will be funded at a reduced amount, requiring the applicant to submit an amended proposal and budget.

C. Award Terms and Conditions Award Recipient must comply with award Terms and Conditions (Attachment D) and Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Attachment E). Submittal of an application constitutes the applicant’s acceptance of the terms and conditions for inclusion on any award resulting from their application. Any concerns with the requirements of the Special Terms and Conditions shall be presented to the Contracting Officer at least three (3) days prior to the closing date of the Announcement.

Pre-award costs are not authorized.

Requests for no-cost extensions to the project period are discouraged and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The timely conduct of funded projects is important to achieving program goals. Applicants should consider time commitments prior to applying for a grant. The USGS reserves the right to limit the length of time and number of no-cost extensions. Please note that no-cost extensions are not intended to be used merely for the purpose of expending unobligated balances. Applicants should supply documentation supporting their request for an extension, as described in Attachment D.

Requests for increases in funds beyond the amount awarded are also discouraged. Funding is awarded based on grant review panel evaluations/consensus and this panel’s expert knowledge of expenses likely to be incurred during the project.

A final technical report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the grant performance period.

Please review the Attachment E, Cost Principles, Audit, and Administrative Requirements.

D. Contacts For Grants.gov issues, go to the grants.gov website: support@grants.gov

For contract issues, contact Margaret Eastman, (703) 648-7366, mrussell@usgs.gov.

For questions about the NGGDPP, contact Natalie Latysh, the NGGDPP Grant Program Manager, (303) 202-4852, nlatysh@usgs.gov, or, Betty Adrian, the NGGDP Program Coordinator, (303) 202-4828, badrian@usgs.gov.

END OF PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Attachment A

FY 2016 NGGDPP Proposal Information Summary

Name of the State Geological Survey:

Project Title:

Proposed Start Date: (Date) (The date you would like to start work must be between June 1, 2016, and September 15, 2016). The earliest start date for new grants will be after the USGS receives its final FY 2016 appropriation, notice of full-year continuing resolution, or June 1, 2016, whichever is later.

Proposed Duration: (12 months from Proposed Start Date) No awards are issued for less than or more than 12 months.

Has this proposal been submitted to any other agency for funding: (List name of agency and program or division to which this proposal was submitted)

Active NGGDPP-related grants: (List project title and funding source for all active awards)

END OF PROPOSAL INFORMATION SUMMARY

Attachment B

NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL

DATA PRESERVATION PROGRAM

FY 2016 DETAILED BUDGET TEMPLATE

State: _______________________________________

Proposal Short Title: _________________________________________

Budget Category

Federal Funds Requested State Funds Proposed

Survey Staff (Name)

Students (if any)

Total Salaries:

Survey Staff (Name)

Students (if any)

Total Fringe Benefits:

Attachment B

NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL

DATA PRESERVATION PROGRAM

FY 2016 DETAILED BUDGET TEMPLATE

State: _______________________________________

Proposal Short Title: _________________________________________

Travel Expenses (itemize):

Other Direct Costs:

END OF FY2016 DETAILED BUDGET

FY 16 NGGDPP Program Announcement – G16AS00009 Page | 40

Attachment C

Suggested format and elements of a Long-Range Data Preservation Plan

A. Overview

(1) Brief description of activities and repository

(2) Purpose and justification for repository

(3) Goals for repository

(a) Goals

(b) Milestones (timeline) and measurable results (depends on funding)

(c) Strategy to meet goals

(4) Timeframe – looking out 5 years B. Physical Data

(5) Purpose/justification

(6) Goals for preserving physical collections

(a) Milestones and measurable results

(b) Strategy to meet goals

(7) Priority setting

(a) How will priorities be set for preserving physical data?

(b) What are the priorities?

(8) Acquisition and disposal

(a) How will decisions be made about what to accept, keep, or discard?

(b) How will collection data be updated?

(c) What is the plan to find collections and determine which need rescuing?

(9) Documentation/metadata

(a) What are the metadata requirements?

(b) How do those requirements map into the National Digital Catalog requirements?

(10) Preservation

(a) Infrastructure

(i) Describe the current infrastructure.

(ii) What issues exist with the current infrastructure?

(iii) What are the infrastructure needs?

(b) Collection needs

(i) Storage (e.g., cabinetry, specimen containers)

(ii) Describe the current storage situation.

(iii) What issues exist with the current storage situation?

(iv) What are the storage needs?

(11) Access and use

(a) Define user community

(b) Describe outreach plan; how will you encourage awareness of geologic data and collections and their availability and potential application (from the Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program)

(i) Example: Training sessions and workshops to foster use and application of geologic data and collections

(ii) Example: Hands-on seminars on stratigraphy and rock characteristics of cores, well logs, etc.

(c) Demonstrate accessibility

(d) Advisory or user committee (Each repository will establish an advisory committee to develop procedures and protocols appropriate for that facility that are consistent with the national standards).

(i) Describe advisory committee structure or plans to create an advisory committee.

(12) Funding model

(a) Requirements and constraints

(b) User fees

(c) Investment plans

(d) Endowments

(e) Base funding

(f) Cost sharing

(13) Partnerships C. Digital Data

(14) Purpose/justification

(15) Goals for preserving digital data/collections

(a) Milestones and measurable results

(b) Strategy to meet goals

(16) Priority setting

(a) How will priorities be set for preserving digital data?

(b) What are the priorities?

(17) Acquisition and disposal

(a) How will decisions be made about what to accept, keep, or discard?

(b) How will collection inventory and metadata be updated?

(c) What is the plan to find collections and determine which need rescuing?

(18) Documentation/metadata

(a) What are your metadata requirements?

(b) How do those requirements map into the National Digital Catalog requirements?

(19) Preservation

(a) Infrastructure

(i) Describe the current digital data infrastructure.

(ii) What issues exist with the current infrastructure?

(iii) What are the infrastructure needs?

(iv) What are the disaster recovery and backup plans?

(v) What are the technology migration plans?

(b) Database/digital collections needs

(i) Storage requirements

(ii) Data conversion and data capture

(iii) Scanning and digitization of paper records

(iv) Data formats (e.g., open source, proprietary)

(20) Access and use (may be the same as for physical collections)

(a) Define user community

(b) Describe outreach plan; how will you encourage awareness of geologic data and collections and their availability and potential application (from the Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program)

(i) Examples: Coordinating activities between this program and other preservation activities to minimize duplication and maximize interoperability.

(c) Demonstrate accessibility

(i) How will proprietary data be dealt with (if applicable)?

(d) Advisory or user committee (Each repository will establish an advisory committee to develop procedures and protocols appropriate for that facility that are consistent with the national standards. There does not need to be a separate advisory committee for digital and physical collections.)

(i) Describe advisory committee structure or plans to create an advisory committee.

(21) Funding model (may be the same as for physical collections)

(a) Requirements and constraints

(b) User fees

(c) Investment plans

(d) Endowments

(e) Base funding

(f) Cost sharing

(22) Partnerships

END OF LONG-RANGE DATA PRESERVATION PLAN

Attachment D

Special Terms and Conditions

1. Acceptance

Acceptance of a Federal Financial Assistance award from the Department of the Interior (DOI) carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award by signature or electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to and approved by DOI and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated either directly or by reference below.

2. Cooperative Agreement Administration This cooperative agreement will be administered by:

U.S. Geological Survey Office of Acquisition and Grants Margaret Eastman, Grants Specialist 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 211 Reston, VA 20192 Telephone (703) 648-7366 Email: mrussell@usgs.gov

Written communication shall make reference to the Cooperative Agreement number and shall be mailed to the address above or mrussell@usgs.gov.

3. Method of Payment Payments under financial assistance awards must be made using the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system (www.asap.gov).

a. The Recipient agrees that it has established or will establish an account with ASAP. USGS will initiate enrollment in ASAP. If the Recipient does not currently have an ASAP account, they must designate an individual (name, title, address, phone and e-mail) who will serve as the Point of Contact (POC). All recipients, including foreign entities, must have a DUNS number and a EIN/TIN number in order to receive payment.

b. With the award of each grant, a sub-account will be set up from which the Recipient can draw down funds. After recipients complete enrollment in ASAP and link their banking information to the USGS ALC (14080001), it may take 7-10 days for sub-accounts to be activated and for funds to be authorized for drawdown in ASAP.

c. Inquiries regarding payment should be directed to ASAP at 855-868-0151.

d. Payments may be drawn in advance only as needed to meet immediate cash disbursement needs.

4. Program Personnel A. Principal Investigator The Principal Investigator is the individual designated by the Recipient (and approved by the USGS) who is responsible for the technical direction of the research project. The Principal Investigator cannot be changed or become substantially less involved than was indicated in the Recipient's proposal, without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B. Grants Program Manager The Grants Program Manager will work closely with the Principal Investigator to ensure that all technical requirements are being met.