Surveys, Studies, Investigations and Special Purpose Grants within the Office of Research and Development

The Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solution (OASES) supports surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides. Th

Support surveys, studies, investigations, and special purpose projects that supports EPA's Strategic Plan. This includes providing hands-on experience to individuals in these areas and supporting conferences/workshops to discuss and disseminate information relating to the Agency's mission of protecting human health and the environment.

Only these types of organizations may apply. Organization types are consistent with definitions at 2 CFR 200.1: U.S. States. U.S. territories and possessions. Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments. Public and private institutions of higher education located in the U.S. and its territories or possessions. Public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations located in the U.S. and its territories or possessions. State and local government departments. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities. Note that 2 CFR § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR § 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this program. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR § 200.1 are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611. National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCs") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. An award recipient may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement. Federal employees may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations through awards made under this program unless authorized by law to receive such funding.

Public nonprofit institutions/organizations and private nonprofit institutions/organizations; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; U.S. territories or possessions; anyone/general public; education professionals; health professionals; students/trainees; graduate students; scientists/researchers; hospitals; foreign universities/organizations; and individuals.

Funds awarded via grants/cooperative agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures associated with the performance of research plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with the established policies of EPA. Funds may be available to support activities including but not limited to experiments, surveys, studies, investigations, public education programs, and monitoring where authorized by specific statutes, in both science and engineering disciplines. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA.

The funding mechanism for all awards issued under this program will consist of assistance agreements from the EPA. All award decisions are subject to the availability of funds. In accordance with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act, 31 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., the primary purpose of an assistance agreement is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by federal statute, rather than acquisition for the direct benefit or use of the Agency. EPA award recipients may incur allowable project costs 90 calendar days before the Federal awarding agency makes the Federal award. Expenses more than 90 calendar days pre-award require prior approval of EPA. All costs incurred before EPA makes the award are at the recipient's risk. EPA is under no obligation to reimburse such costs if for any reason the recipient does not receive a Federal award or if the Federal award is less than anticipated and inadequate to cover such costs. Each proposed project must be able to be completed within the project period. Applicants should request the entire amount of money needed to complete the project.

Grants are normally funded for a minimum of 3 years (over 180 days). Total approved project period may not exceed 5 years.

Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solution (OASES) as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement. Consistent with the merit review regulations in 2 CFR 200.205, non-competitive awards will be evaluated for merit including: overlap or duplication of proposed work with other ongoing or completed projects; the relevancy of the proposed project to EPA's strategic plan; quality of the proposed work with regard to the soundness/feasibility and/or uniqueness of approach and significance of anticipated results (outputs/outcomes); the qualifications and competency of the staff identified for the project in light of their demonstrated prior performance in the proposed or other research areas; adequacy of the support offered by the applicant's organization in terms of general facilities, support personnel and services, library, specific equipment and/or facilities available to the investigator; appropriateness of the proposed plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the project and the overall program; and appropriateness of the proposed project period and project budget.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant. Customarily, applicants are notified about award decisions within six months of the receipt of the application. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract and may be requested to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by reviewers, a revised budget, and/or make appropriate revisions. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.

For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the competitive announcement. For noncompetitive awards, contact headquarters for application deadlines.

Approximately 120-180 days.

None. For competitive awards, a standard grant application should be prepared and submitted electronically as a new grant using Grants.gov, which will be reviewed in the same manner as the original application and will compete for available funds. For non-competitive awards, a standard grant application should be prepared and submitted electronically as a new grant using Grants.gov, which will be reviewed in the same manner as the original application.

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.