Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- G26AS00130
- Agency
-
US Geological Survey
Department of the Interior
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $292,531
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
-
- Rachel Miller rachel_miller@ios.doi.gov
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Geological Survey is soliciting a cooperative agreement from a North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partner for research collecting and analyzing environmental DNA samples to evaluate the efficacy of detecting small populations of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle in the Hawaiian Islands, with applications due July 5, 2026.
Eligible applicants are restricted to CESU partner organizations under the North Atlantic Coast unit. No cost share is required. Total estimated funding is $292,531 across three budget years, with $92,531 available for Budget Year 1; the USGS anticipates making one award. The approved negotiated indirect cost rate for CESU partners is 17.5 percent. Period of performance spans three years with field sampling and laboratory work conducted in Hawaii.
The CESU partner will co-develop sampling design and site selection with USGS scientists, conduct field sampling of environmental DNA from palm tree trunks, run laboratory assays including technical replicates, and collaborate on data analysis and interpretation. The research will evaluate the probability of detection via eDNA in locations where populations are small, including distances from pheromone lures. Work directly supports Department of War biosecurity and port monitoring programs. The partner may collaborate on additional biosecurity and biosurveillance work contingent on available funding and interest.
Evaluation criteria weighted as follows: Purpose and Relevance (30 points), Technical Approach (25 points), Qualifications and Experience (25 points), and Budget Justification (20 points). Reviewers emphasize eDNA expertise for invasive species, field sampling capabilities in Hawaii, laboratory protocol proficiency, and project completion history. Applicants must submit through Grants.gov (Funding Opportunity Number G26AS00130) and include technical narrative, data management plan, biographical sketches, current and pending support disclosures, project abstract summary, and detailed budget with SF-424A forms for all three years. The assistance listing is CFDA 15.808 (USGS Research and Data Collection).
Synopsis
The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research collecting and analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA) samples to evaluate the efficacy of detecting small populations of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB; Oryctes rhinoceros) in the Hawaiian Islands. The research will involve sampling environmental DNA from the trunks of palm trees, providing a rigorous test of an emerging technology. The CESU partner is expected to co-develop a sampling design and site selection in collaboration with USGS scientists, with the aim of evaluating the probability of detection via eDNA in locations where CRB populations are small, such as the limit of the known range. This study may also assess how detection probability is affected by distance from a pheromone lure, by sampling eDNA from trunks of palm trees at a variety of distances from a lure-based trap. The CESU partner is expected to conduct field sampling and subsequently run laboratory assays, including technical replicates, to test for presence of the focal species" DNA. This work is being developed to inform the design of monitoring programs, including Department of War (DoW) biosecurity programs and port monitoring programs. The CESU partner will collaborate with USGS scientists as the data are analyzed and interpreted. The CESU partner may collaborate on work related to biosecurity and biosurveillance, as determined by available funding and interest.
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