FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.docx

Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Funding Opportunity Description The US Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research in understanding interactions between zoonotic and wildlife pathogens, microbiome, and environmental stressors in Alaska (AK) seabirds, which will: 1) use shotgun metatranscriptomic and other omics analyses to evaluate the interactions among all members of seabird microbiota from multiple domains (prokaryotes, eukaryotes, viruses) with zoonotic/wildlife pathogens, and 2) conduct field-based and laboratory comparative studies addressing effects of environmental factors on seabird physiology, immune system, and health.

Background

Zoonotic and wildlife diseases are of great concern to the public health and food production and security. Due to limited resources, it is important to identify priorities for pathogen surveillance in wildlife. Believe that priority should be given to wildlife species that are regularly come into close contact with humans. One of the examples of regular human-wildlife interaction is subsistence harvest of wildlife by Native Americans. Furthermore, intercontinental migratory species (e.g., seabirds, waterfowl, etc.) are of particular interest because they can potentially spread emerging pathogens along their migratory routs.Seabirds and their eggs, for example, are an important subsistence resource for Native Americans living on islands and Pacific coast of Alaska. Native communities of Alaska, regard subsistence food as more nutritious than food sold in a store. They also maintain that harvesting of food from the ocean and land keeps their language and culture alive and is an important component to the mental health and well-being of the community members. In the spring of 2018, there was a highly unusual mass die-off of thick-billed murres in the Bering Strait area that greatly affected subsistence hunters. Spring die-offs of the thick-billed murres have never been recorded before. The 2018 adult murre and egg harvest by residents of Savoonga, St. Lawrence Is., AK dropped to just one quarter of the average annual harvest recorded during 1993-2015. Population counts of thick-billed murres conducted there in 2019 (one year after the die-off) confirmed that their numbers were about one quarter of the 2017 counts (the year before the die-off). The food security became of a great concern for Savoonga community (former tribal president D. Pungowiyi pers. Comm.). This concern is twofold. First, the die-off significantly reduced the availability of this nutritious and culturally important resource that showed no recovery in recent years. Given that the murres are long living birds that start reproducing at age of 3-7 years and have an extremely low reproductive rate (<1 fledgling/year), the detrimental effects of the 2018 die-off may linger for many years into the future. Second, the cause of this die-off remains unknown, leaving the community of Savoonga to worry about the safety of the remaining seabird resources and whether birds are infected with a potentially zoonotic pathogen(s). St. Lawrence Island is located at the north of the Bering Sea at the migratory crossroads of the North American, Australasian, and Pacific flyways. Some seabirds, including the thick-billed murre, breeding on St. Lawrence Island winter in Asia while others in North America.

Furthermore, during spring and fall migration, waterfowl, cranes, and shorebirds use St. Lawrence Island as a stopover site on their way to and from breeding grounds on one continent and wintering grounds on the other. Large number of birds arriving from different geographic areas and concentrating on seabird colonies and stopover sites provide ample opportunity for transferring pathogens to each other and to Indigenous people using these opportunities for traditional subsistence.

Research Objectives

Objective 1: To develop efficient methods from field sampling to molecular laboratory and bioinformatic analyses and necessary resources including reference genomes for viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protists potentially associated with zoonotic and wildlife diseases. While focusing on this primary objective, will collect data and survey pathogens in migratory seabirds used by Native Americans for subsistence.

Objective 2: To test effects of potential environmental stressors (e.g., Mercury, Fukushima water releases, PFAS) on physiology, immune system, health, and prevalence of zoonotic and wildlife pathogens in migratory seabirds used by Native Americans for subsistence.

Award information

It is anticipated that one award will be made of $100,000 with 1 base year of funding available for FY 2024. Additional funding will be based upon satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESU’s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of The Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Program.

Application and Submission Information

1. Recipient’s Name

2. Principal Investigator (individual who will oversee the cooperative agreement) including address, phone number, fax number, and email address

3. Technical contact (Staff member(s) who will administer the cooperative agreement) including address, phone number, fax number, and email address

4. List laboratories, field equipment, and facilities available for project work.

5. Experience of staff to conduct the stated work objectives of the project.

Proposal Text - Please include the following:

a. Introduction and Statement of Problem. Give a brief introduction to the research problem. Provide a brief summary of findings or outcomes of any prior work that has been completed or is ongoing in this area

Budget Sheets - This information will provide more details than what is required under the SF 424A form. Please include the following:

n. Provide copy of recipient’s rate agreement

USGS Data Management Plan Requirements

Proposals submitted to USGS must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled "Data Management Plan" (DMP). This supplementary document should describe how the proposal will conform to USGS policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results and associated data. A valid DMP may include only the statement that no detailed plan is needed (e.g. “No data are expected to be produced from this project”), as long as the statement is accompanied by a clear justification. This supplementary document may include:

· the types of data, samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials, and other materials to be produced in the course of the project;

· the standards to be used for data and metadata format and content (where existing standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed solutions or remedies);

· policies for access and sharing including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property, or other rights or requirements;

· provisions for re-use, re-distribution, and the production of derivatives; and

· plans for archiving data, samples, and other research products, and for preservation of free public access to them.

Additional guidance on data management plans is available from the USGS Data Management web site here: http://www.usgs.gov/datamanagement/plan/dmplans.php

Simultaneously submitted collaborative proposals and proposals that include subawards are a single unified project and should include only one supplemental combined DMP by the lead PI that also addresses all subaward data management needs, regardless of the number of non-lead collaborative proposals or subawards included.

Prohibition on Issuing Financial Assistance Awards to Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements

Section 743 of Division E, Title VII of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Resolution Appropriations Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available under that or any other Act for grants or cooperative agreements to an entity that requires employees or contractors of such entity seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or contractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

Recipients must not require their employees or contractors seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such employees or contractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a federal department or agency authorized to receive such information.

Recipients must notify their employees or contractors that existing internal confidentiality agreements covered by this condition are no longer in effect.

Application review information

Review and Selection Process: Applications are considered based on the completeness of documentation, meeting of stated basic eligibility, and other category requirements. Specific evaluation factors are identified in the proposal narrative. Budget information is evaluated for reasonableness and appropriateness to applicant project goals.

Proposals are reviewed by the U.S. Geological Survey technical personnel. Individual proposals are evaluated and scored. The evaluations and scores will be submitted to the contracting officer for final award determination.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Purpose, Objectives, and Relevance: (25 points)

(a) How well does the proposed research clearly address synthesizing the risk of tick occurrence and tick-borne disease in the northeastern U.S.to provide tools to decision makers for evaluating and managing risk?

(b) How well does the proposed research clearly address development of expertise and infrastructure for developing decision support tools that explore alternative actions and critical uncertainties?

(c) How well are the objectives defined, measurable, and realistic for the project’s anticipated timeframe?

Technical Approach: (25 points)

(c) How well does the applicant demonstrate they can work with taxa specialists and management agencies to develop causal chains for wildlife species, identify possible control points, estimate spillover risk, and provide decision support tools using accepted models, software, and methodologies?

(d) How well does the applicant demonstrate that they can work as part of a complex team of researchers, decision-makers, and other agency partners to develop decision support tools that are useful in a diversity of tick-related disease contexts?

Budget Justification and Clarity: (25 points)

Qualifications, Experience, Past Performance: (25 points)

(a) How well does the applicant demonstrate their expertise in fields of wildlife disease research and management, decision science, and zoonotics?

(b) What is their depth of experience in such research as demonstrated by scientific publications and completed projects in the research area?

Award Administration Information Award recipients are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the grant/cooperative agreements and sub-award supported activities to assure compliance with applicable Federal requirements, and that performance goals are being achieved. Recipient monitoring must cover each program, function or activity.

Progress Reports

a) The Recipient shall submit two copies of each Progress Report to the USGS Project Officer and one copy of the transmittal letter to the USGS Contracting Officer. Unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, annual progress reports should be submitted at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the current budget period to allow adequate time for the designated office to review the report. In the case of multi-year Agreements, failure to submit timely reports may delay processing of funding increments. For Agreements with a total anticipated performance period of twelve months (12) months or less, only a Final Technical Report will be required. A progress report is not required in the final budget year, unless the Recipient requests an extension to the project period.

b) The progress reports shall include the following information:

(i) A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives of the Agreement established for the budget period and overall progress in response to the performance metrics.

(ii) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate.

(iii) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

(iv) An outline of anticipated activities and adjustments to the program during the next budget period.

c) Between the required reporting dates, events may occur which have significant impact upon the project or program. In such cases, the Recipient shall inform the USGS as soon as the following types of conditions become known:

(i) Problems, delays, or adverse conditions which will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Agreement. This disclosure must include a statement of the action taken, or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation.

(ii) Favorable developments which enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different beneficial results than originally planned.

Final Technical Report

a) The Recipient shall submit two copies of the final technical report to the USGS Project Officer and one copy of the transmittal letter to the USGS Contracting Officer. The final performance report will be due 90 calendar days after the period of performance end date.

b) The final technical report shall document and summarize the results of Recipient’s work. The report shall include a quantitative description of activities and overall progress in response to the performance metrics which documents and summarizes the results of the entire Agreement. The final report shall include tables, graphs, diagrams, sketches, etc., as required to explain the results achieved under the Agreement. The report shall also include recommendations and conclusions based upon both the experience and the results obtained.

Annual Financial Reports

a) The Recipient will submit an annual SF 425, Federal Financial Report, for each individual USGS award. The SF 425 is available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html The SF 425 will be due in accordance with the following schedule. USGS acknowledges that this annual reporting schedule may not always correspond with a specific budget period.

b) The SF 425 must be submitted electronically through Grant Solutions or, if GS is not available, by e-mail to SF425@usgs.gov with a cc to the Contracting Officer. Recipient must include the USGS award number in the subject line of all correspondence. If, after 90 days, Recipient has not submitted a report, the Recipient’s account in ASAP will be placed in a manual review status until the report is submitted.

Final Financial Report

Publications

a) Acknowledgment of Support Recipient is responsible for assuring that an acknowledgment of USGS support:

1. is made in any publication (including World Wide Web pages) of any material based on or developed under this Agreement, in the following terms:

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Grant/Cooperative Agreement No. (insert agreement number).

Recipient is responsible for assuring that every publication of material (including World Wide Web pages) based on or developed under this Agreement, contains the following disclaimer:

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Geological Survey. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.

c) Publication

Publication of the results of any project carried out under this assistance award is authorized in professional journals, trade magazines, or may be made by the USGS. Such manuscripts or publications submitted to journals or professional publications for publication shall be accompanied by the following notation:

This manuscript is submitted for publication with the understanding that the United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes.

d) Copies for USGS

Recipient is responsible for assuring that the USGS Project Office is provided a digital version, preferably as a MS Word DOCx file, of every accepted manuscript upon acceptance for publication by the journal.

e) Department of the Interior Requirements

Two copies of each publication produced under a Grant or Cooperative Agreement shall be sent to the Natural Resources Library with a transmittal that identifies the sender and the publication. The address of the library is:

U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resources Library Division of Information and Library Services Gifts and Exchange Section 18th and C Streets, NW Washington, DC 20240

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).

b) With the award of each grant/cooperative agreement, 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 up to 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.

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System FAPIIS Checks (PPIRS)

Funding Opportunity (2 CFR 200 Appendix I) For awards expected to exceed SAT ($150K), This is to inform applicants that, prior to award, agency is required to review and consider any information in FAPIIS about the applicant.

Pre-Award Review of FAPIIS (2 CFR 200.205) Where Federal share is expected to exceed SAT ($150,000) during Period of Performance, Information must demonstrate satisfactory record of executing programs under Federal grants, agreements, or procurements; and integrity and business ethics.

Agency Contacts Contractual Point of Contact:

Faith D. Graves CESU Contract Specialist U.S. Geological Survey Mail Stop 205G 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192 Phone: (703) 648-7356 Fax: (703) 648-7901 Email: fgraves@usgs.gov