94-20992. National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program  

  • [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):
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Postmarked dates              Program areas        Contacts (202) 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        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
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
08/25/1994
Department:
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Solicitation for applications for Fiscal Year 1995 National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (Competitive Research Grants Program).
Document Number:
94-20992
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: August 25, 1994