Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Piedmont South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity through a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partnership with the Piedmont South Atlantic Coast CESU. The initiative seeks to develop and enhance a flood disturbance extension for the Landis-II framework to simulate forest growth, succession, and ecosystem processes affected by flooding. This research focuses on improving efficiency and accuracy in modeling floodplain forest dynamics along the Upper Mississippi River floodplain. The project objectives include updating and recoding the existing flood disturbance extension to align with the Biomass Succession extension, developing a compatible extension for other models (Pnett and Net Ecosystem Carbon and Nitrogen extensions), and conducting calibration and validation experiments to ensure proper functionality. Applicants are expected to propose a detailed technical approach for these tasks, including coding, model validation, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) processes. This funding opportunity anticipates one award with a total funding amount of $90,000 for a single year. Eligible applicants must be CESU partners affiliated with the Piedmont South Atlantic Coast CESU. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, and questions regarding the application process should be directed to Faith Graves, CESU Contract Specialist at USGS. Applications must include a project narrative detailing the introduction and problem statement, research objectives, technical methods, and dissemination plans. A comprehensive budget with detailed breakdowns of salaries, field and lab expenses, equipment, and other direct costs must also be included. Additionally, applicants must provide a Data Management Plan (DMP) explaining how data will be managed, preserved, and shared, in compliance with USGS policies. The evaluation criteria include project relevance, technical approach, budget justification, and the applicant’s qualifications and past performance. Proposals will be reviewed and scored by USGS technical personnel based on these factors. Awardees are responsible for submitting annual and final technical reports documenting progress, results, and recommendations. Publications resulting from the project must acknowledge USGS support and include disclaimers clarifying that the findings represent the authors' views and not necessarily USGS policy. Payment will be facilitated through the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system, and award recipients must comply with federal reporting and integrity requirements. For additional information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact Faith Graves.