RFAs: Cooperative Training Partnership in Aquatic Toxicology & Ecology Research (US)

Deadline: 12-Jan-23

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) Office of Research and Development (ORD) is seeking applications for the Cooperative Training Partnership in Aquatic Toxicology and Ecology Research to support a Research Training Program for college and university students.

The Research Training Program will substantially benefit future environmental scientists and technicians. The goal of the Research Training Program is to increase the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists and technicians by allowing trainees to collaborate with EPA-ORD scientists while conducting projects in a fully operational federal research laboratory. The overall goal is to train the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers to further the Agency’s mission to manage chemical risks and protect America’s water. The training projects will be conducted at EPA’s facilities in Duluth, Minnesota.

ORD’s Consolidated Research/Training/Fellowships program supports research and development to: (1) determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides; (2) identify, develop, and demonstrate effective pollution control techniques to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution; (3) perform risk assessments to characterize the potential adverse health effects of human exposures to environmental hazards; and (4) facilitate training and program participant support in these areas.

Focus Areas

• Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern
• Invasive Species
• Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health
• Habitats and Species
• Foundations for Future Restoration Actions

Goals and Objectives

• Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
  • Objective: Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
• Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
  • Objective: Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
  • Objective: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
• Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
  • Objective: Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
  • Objective: Promote Pollution Prevention

Specific Areas of Interest

The Cooperative Training Partnership in Aquatic Toxicology and Ecology Research application should address the following components:

• The educational and technical merit of the training program should be described and support EPA’s goal and objective of training the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers. The program should provide for a partnership between a successful institution and GLTED in Duluth, Minnesota for on-site training of a new generation of undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral trainees who will pursue careers in environmentally related fields. For students, the training/mentorship will occur during the academic year with the option for continued training/mentorship during the summer session, while for postdoctoral trainees, the training/mentorship is expected to occur on a year-round basis.
• The applicant is expected to describe the process and procedures for matching the identified trainees with the available training opportunities related to GLTED’s research topics/themes.
• The applicant should propose how it will provide and manage financial support to trainees. Training will be conducted on-site at GLTED’s facilities in Duluth, Minnesota, and the applicant must describe its approach for managing any logistics that are necessary to meet this objective.
• The applicant should propose how it will 1) disseminate guidance and direction to trainees to ensure they are following the health and safety and quality assurance requirements as described by GLTED Mentors while at the EPA laboratory; 2) evaluate training/research plans to ensure human subjects research (if applicable) is identified and properly managed according to EPA’s Human Subject Research Regulations and Policies and 3) assist trainees to accomplish the required coursework for their chosen degree without undue interference from their research responsibilities.
• The applicant should describe how the program will advertise the training opportunity in as wide a manner as practicable and on a competitive basis, and how it will receive and evaluate applications from prospective students and postdocs.
• The applicant should identify an individual who will be designated to serve as the Principal Investigator/Project Manager. This individual should have the background capable of managing a research training program including administrative experience.

Funding Information

• It is anticipated that a total of approximately $3,500,000 will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding one award under this RFA.
• Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $3,500,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed five years.

Outputs and Outcomes

• Outputs from the Research Training Program funded under this RFA are expected to include, but are not limited to:
  • The training of approximately 8 trainees per year;
  • Progress reports that summarize the trainees’ projects, objectives, approaches, outputs/outcomes, learning experiences, and budget allocations;
  • Honors/capstone projects, theses, and dissertations that fulfill requirements for undergraduate or advanced degrees
  • Scientific and technical publications authored or co-authored by trainees;
  • Attendance and presentations of research results by the trainees at scientific meetings;
  • Generation of data and information essential to conducting environmental studies.
• Examples of expected outcomes include, but are not limited to:
  • Increase in the number of environmental scientists and technicians that have the training and experience to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation;
  • Increase in the number of environmental scientists who can productively contribute to the understanding of the science needed to manage environmental risks;
  • Increase in the overall knowledge and experience of the trainees being mentored and trained.

Eligibility Criteria

• This solicitation is available to U.S. States, territories and possessions, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments of the U.S., and the District of Columbia; public and private universities and colleges, public and private nonprofit institutions, hospitals, and laboratories located in the U.S. and its territories or possessions; State and local government departments; and foreign entities. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.
• Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. The term includes tax-exempt nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s), public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. 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.
• 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.
• The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.