Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is providing funding through a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partnership for research that supports the long-term water quality monitoring program at Lake Powell reservoir. The funded research focuses on developing data entry software, reproducible workflows for data visualizations, and versioned data releases. The project also includes designing and building a web interface to enhance accessibility and stakeholder interaction with data and visualizations. The awardee will collaborate closely with USGS scientists, including reservoir limnologists and biogeochemists, to organize, QA/QC data, visualize findings, and improve communication for research applications. Specific research objectives address phosphorus cycling, plankton community dynamics, dissolved oxygen minima development, and enhancements to a two-dimensional water quality model for Lake Powell. The funding opportunity anticipates one award, which includes one base year and up to four additional renewal years. The total estimated funding for this project is $150,000, with $20,000 expected to be available for FY 2025. Continued funding depends on satisfactory project progress and the availability of funds. Eligible applicants must be active partners of the Colorado Plateau CESU program, a network designed to support research, education, and technical assistance among federal agencies and institutions. Applications must be submitted electronically via grants.gov and include several key components. These include details about the recipient and project team, technical and administrative contacts, a description of available laboratories and equipment, and staff experience. The proposal text should include an introduction and statement of the problem, clear project objectives, detailed methods, dissemination plans for research results, and references. A comprehensive budget is also required, detailing salaries, benefits, equipment, field expenses, laboratory analyses, and indirect costs capped at the CESU-negotiated rate of 17.5%. A USGS-compliant Data Management Plan (DMP) must be included, outlining standards for data sharing, archiving, and public accessibility. Evaluation criteria are divided into four key areas: data management and troubleshooting, application development, data visualization, and overall technical competence. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in SQL database management, .NET and C# application development, and Python-based data visualization libraries such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Plotly. The scoring emphasizes the integration of these technical skills to achieve project goals and ensure long-term reproducibility of workflows and data releases. Applicants must include supporting documentation such as a biographical sketch, disclosures of current and pending support, and a project abstract summary. Reporting requirements include annual progress reports, financial reports, and a final technical report summarizing results and performance metrics. Publications resulting from the research must acknowledge USGS support and comply with federal requirements for sharing data and findings. The award administration includes monitoring to ensure compliance with federal requirements and achievement of performance goals. The award recipient will draw funds through the Department of the Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system. Questions regarding this funding opportunity should be directed to Faith Graves, CESU Contract Specialist, at fgraves@usgs.gov.