[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 164 (Thursday, August 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-20992]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 25, 1994]
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Part VI
Department of Agriculture
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Cooperative State Research Service
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National Research Initiative Competitive
Grants Program; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cooperative State Research Service
National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program
AGENCY: USDA, Cooperative State Research Service.
ACTION: Solicitation for applications for Fiscal Year 1995 National
Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (Competitive Research
Grants Program).
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Applications are invited for competitive grant awards in
agricultural, forest, and related environmental sciences under the
National Competitive Research Initiative Grants Program (NRICGP)
administered by the Office of Grants and Program Systems, Cooperative
State Research Service (CSRS), for fiscal year 1995.
Authority
The authority for this program is contained in Section 2(b) of the
Act of August 4, 1965, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)). Under this
program, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary may award
competitive research grants, for periods not to exceed five years, for
the support of research projects to further the programs of the
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Proposals may be submitted by any
State agricultural experiment station, college, university, other
research institution or organization, Federal agency, private
organization, corporation, or individual. Proposals from scientists at
non-United States organizations will not be considered for support.
It is expected that Congress, in the Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 1995, will prohibit CSRS from using the funds
available for the NRICGP for fiscal year 1995 to pay indirect costs
exceeding 14 per centum of the total Federal funds provided under each
award on competitively-awarded research grants.
Applicable Regulations and Statutory Guidance
Regulations applicable to this program include, but are not limited
to, the following: (a) the regulations governing the NRICGP, 7 CFR Part
3200, which set forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant
proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals and the awarding
of grants, and regulations relating to the post-award administration of
grant projects; (b) the USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations, 7
CFR Part 3015; (c) the USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, 7 CFR
Part 3016; (d) Section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended by (7 U.S.C.
3101), which sets forth purposes that research supported by the NRICGP
should address; and (e) Section 1404 of the National Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended by (7
U.S.C. 3103), which defines ``sustainable agriculture.''
Project Types
The project types for which proposals are solicited include:
I. Conventional Projects
(a) Standard Research Grants: Research will be supported that is
fundamental or mission-linked, conducted by individual investigators,
co-investigators within the same discipline, or multidisciplinary
teams. Any State agricultural experiment station, college, university,
other research institution or organization, Federal agency, private
organization, corporation, or individual may apply. Proposals from
scientists at non-United States organizations will not be considered
for support.
(b) Conferences: Scientific meetings that bring together scientists
to identify research needs, update information, or advance an area of
research are recognized as integral parts of research efforts. Any
State agricultural experiment station, college, university, other
research institution or organization, Federal agency, private
organization, corporation, or individual is an eligible applicant in
this area. Proposals from scientists at non-United States organizations
will not be considered for support.
II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards
In order to contribute to the enhancement of research capabilities
in the research program areas described herein, applications are
solicited for Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards. Such
applications may be submitted by any State agricultural experiment
station, college, university, other research institution or
organization, Federal agency, private organization, corporation, or
individual. Applications from scientists at non-United States
organizations will not be considered for support. Agricultural Research
Enhancement Awards are available in the following categories:
(a) Postdoctoral Fellowships: In accordance with Section 2(b)(3)(D)
of the 1965 Act, as amended, for individuals who have received their
doctoral degree after January 1, 1992, and no later than June 15, 1995.
(b) New Investigator Awards: Pursuant to Section 2(b)(3)(E) of the
1965 Act, as amended, for investigators or co-investigators who have
completed graduate or post-doctoral training, and are beginning their
independent research careers.
(c) Strengthening Awards: Pursuant to Section 2(b)(3) (D) and (F)
of the 1965 Act, as amended, proposals are solicited that request funds
for Research Career Enhancement Awards, Equipment Grants, Seed Grants,
or Strengthening Standard Research Project Awards.
Funding Categories for Fiscal Year 1995
CSRS is soliciting proposals, subject to the availability of funds,
for support of high priority research of importance to agriculture,
forestry, and related environmental sciences, in the following research
categories (anticipated FY 1995 funding follows in parentheses):
Natural Resources and the Environment ($15.288 M)
Nutrition, Food Quality, and Health ($6.797 M)
Plant Systems ($33.962 M)
Animal Systems ($21.238 M)
Markets, Trade, and Policy ($3.386 M)
New Products and Processes ($6.359 M)
Water Quality ($4.311 M)
Integrated Pest Management ($2.126 M)
Pesticide Impact Assessment ($1.194 M)
Support for research areas listed below may be derived from one or
more of the above funding categories based on the nature of the
scientific topic to be supported.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b)(10) of the Act of August
4, 1965, as amended by Section 1615 of the FACT Act, no less than 10
percent (anticipated FY 1995 funding, $9.466 M) of the available funds
listed above will be made available for Agricultural Research
Enhancement Awards (excluding New Investigator Awards), and no more
than 2 percent (anticipated FY 1995 funding, $1.893 M) of the available
funds listed above will be made available for equipment grants.
Further, no less than 30 percent (anticipated FY 1995 funding, $28.399
M) of the funds listed above shall be made available for grants for
research to be conducted by multidisciplinary teams, and no less than
20 percent (anticipated FY 1995 funding, $18.933 M) of the funds listed
above shall be made available for grants for mission-linked research.
The funds appropriated as listed above will be used to support
research grants in the following areas:
Natural Resources and the Environment
Plant Responses to the Environment
Forest/Range/Crop/Aquatic Ecosystems
Soils and Soil Biology
Water Resources Assessment and Protection
Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health
Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health
Ensuring Food Safety
Animals
Enhancing Animal Reproductive Efficiency
Improving Animal Growth and Development
Indentifying Animal Genetic Mechanisms and Gene Mapping
Sustaining Animal Health and Well-Being
Pest Biology, Biological Control, and Integrated Pest Management
Plant Pathology
Entomology
Nematology
Weed Science
Biological Control Research
Assessing Pest Control Strategies
Plants
Genomes, Genetics, and Diversity
Plant Genome
Plant Genetic Mechanisms
Plant Growth and Development
Energy and Metabolism
Photosynthesis and Respiration
Nitrogen Fixation/Nitrogen Metabolism
Markets, Trade, and Rural Development
Markets and Trade
Rural Development
Enhancing Value and Use of Agricultural and Forest Products
Value-Added Products Research
Food Characterization/Process/Product Research
Non-Food Characterization/Process/Product Research
Biofuels Research
Improved Utilization of Wood and Wood Fiber
Agricultural Systems
The solicitation, which contains research topic descriptions, and
the NRICGP Application Kit, which contains detailed instructions on how
to apply and the requisite forms, may be obtained by writing or calling
the office indicated below. Please note that applicants who submitted
NRICGP proposals for fiscal year 1994 or who have recently requested
placement on the list for fiscal year 1995 will automatically receive a
copy of the fiscal year 1995 solicitation and any supplements.
Proposal Services Branch, Awards Management Division, Cooperative State
Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ag Box 2245,
Washington, DC 20250-2245, telephone: (202) 401-5048.
Requests for solicitations and application materials may also now
be made via Internet by sending a message with your name, complete
mailing address, phone number, and materials that you are requesting to
psb@darth.esusda.gov. Materials will be mailed as quickly as possible.
Materials Available on Internet Gopher
The following materials are available on the USDA Extension Service
Internet Gopher (courtesy of the USDA Extension Service). To reach
these items using a gopher, starting with ``Gopher Servers in the
USA,'' make the following selections:
``Washington, DC''
``Extension Service USDA Information''
``USDA and Other Federal Agency * * *''
NRICGP Program Description (``CSRS-NRI Program Description'')
This document is available for the current fiscal year, and
describes all of the NRICGP funding programs. To apply for a grant, it
is also necessary to obtain the NRICGP Application Kit as described
above (not available electronically).
NRICGP Abstracts of Funded Research (``CSRS-NRI Funded Research * * *
Searchable'')
The abstracts available on this searchable database are
nontechnical abstracts written by the principal investigator of each
individual grant, starting with Fiscal Year 1993. Each entry also
includes the title, principal investigators, awardee institution,
dollar amount, and proposal number for each grant. The first two digits
of the proposal number indicate the fiscal year in which the proposal
was submitted.
NRICGP Annual Reports (``CSRS-NRI Annual Reports'')
The NRICGP Annual Reports starting with Fiscal Year 1993 are
available. These reports include descriptions of the program concept,
the authorization, policy, inputs to establish research needs, program
execution, and outcomes, including relevant statistics. Also included
are examples of recent research funded by the NRICGP.
The Extension Service USDA Gopher is on port 70 of zeus.esusda.gov.
To be considered for funding during FY 1995, proposals must be
shipped by the following dates (as indicated by postmark or date on
courier bill of lading):
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Postmarked dates Program areas Contacts (202)
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Nov. 14, 1994............... Improving Human 205-0250
Nutrition for Optimal
Health.
Plant Genome............ 401-1901
Plant Genetic Mechanisms 401-5042
Nov. 21, 1994............... Plant Responses to the 401-4871
Environment.
Dec. 5, 1994................ Plant Pathology......... 401-4310
Photosynthesis and 401-6030
Respiration.
Dec. 12, 1994............... Soils and Soil Biology.. 401-4082
Dec. 19, 1994............... Water Resources 401-4504
Assessment and
Protection.
Biological Control 401-5114
Research.
Jan. 9, 1995................ Entomology.............. 401-5114
Nematology.............. 401-5114
Weed Science............ 401-4310
Sustaining Animal Health 401-6303
and Well-Being.
Jan. 17, 1995............... Food Characterization/ 401-1952
Process/Product
Research.
Non-Food 401-1952
Characterization/Proces
s/Product Research.
Biofuels Research....... 401-1952
Enhancing Animal 401-6234
Reproductive Efficiency.
Jan. 23, 1995............... Forest/Range/Crop/Aquati 401-4082
c Ecosystems.
Plant Growth and 401-5042
Development.
Jan. 30, 1995............... Ensuring Food Safety.... 401-4399
Assessing Pest Control 401-5114
Strategies.
Agricultural Systems.... 401-1901
401-6303
Feb. 6, 1995................ Nitrogen Fixation/ 401-6030
Nitrogen Metabolism.
Markets and Trade....... 401-4772
Rural Development....... 401-4425
Feb. 13, 1995............... Improved Utilization of 401-4871
Wood and Wood Fiber.
Feb. 21, 1995............... Improving Animal Growth 205-0250
and Development.
Identifying Animal 401-4399
Genetic Mechanisms and
Gene Mapping.
Feb. 27, 1995............... Research Career 401-6234
Enhancement Awards.
Equipment Grants........ 401-6234
Seed Grants............. 401-6234
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Done at Washington, DC, this 22 day of August 1994.
William D. Carlson,
Associate Administrator, Cooperative State Research Service.
[FR Doc. 94-20992 Filed 8-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-M