Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a scientific agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, is offering a cooperative agreement through the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) for a specialized research initiative. This opportunity is tailored exclusively for existing CESU-affiliated partners, emphasizing the unit’s mission to support research, technical assistance, and education in ecosystem management. CESUs are structured as collaborative networks among federal agencies and academic or non-profit partners to deliver high-quality science and education. This particular funding opportunity—Discovery Research for Expedited Project Authorization—reflects USGS’s commitment to advancing environmental science that supports timely, evidence-based federal permitting and resource management decisions. The initiative centers on developing digital and procedural tools to streamline the federal environmental review and project authorization process. The project will contribute to the Permitting Council’s efforts to enhance environmental review workflows, with a focus on building a cloud-native Environmental Review Partner Portal. This portal aims to improve the availability, accessibility, and use of ecological science data that inform regulatory decisions. The ultimate objective is to improve transparency, reduce delays, and ensure scientifically credible evidence guides decision-making. The USGS underscores the importance of domain expertise in ecological science, ecosystem processes, and regulatory review in order to fulfill the project’s objectives. Funded through a single cooperative agreement, the program provides $47,632 in total support for a one-year period. Funds will be fully obligated upon award. Matching funds are not required. The recipient will be expected to undertake comprehensive discovery research, including mapping existing project authorization workflows, identifying critical data resources and repository access barriers, and synthesizing information across jurisdictions and land ownership types. Research deliverables include a defined set of system requirements to improve process efficiency while preserving scientific rigor and policy compliance. Applicants must be current partners in the Rocky Mountain CESU. Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the funding opportunity number G26AS00076. The required technical narrative must include a detailed introduction, objectives, work plan, planned deliverables, dissemination strategy, timeline, and references. Applicants must also submit a budget narrative in accordance with SF-424A categories, outlining personnel, fringe, travel, supplies, and any applicable indirect costs (limited to 17.5% under the CESU agreement). The application package must include a Data Management Plan, Current and Pending Support, and Biographical Sketches, using formats provided by the Department of the Interior. Applications are evaluated by USGS personnel and scored on four main criteria: the clarity and relevance of research objectives (25 points), technical approach (25 points), budget justification (25 points), and qualifications/past performance (25 points). The closing date for this application is March 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Awards are expected to be announced following internal review and grant processing. The project will begin upon issuance of the award and continue for twelve months. Reporting requirements include a final technical report within 120 days of project completion and standard annual financial reports. This opportunity is not recurring and does not accept rolling submissions. Applicants seeking support for future cycles should monitor Grants.gov and USGS announcements. Inquiries regarding submission should be directed to Grant Specialist Katie Calder at [email protected]. Technical questions related to research objectives should be addressed to Bethany Straw, Supervisory Biologist at [email protected]. This award supports the federal mandate under EO 14303 to reinforce the use of impartial scientific evidence in federal decision-making processes.

Proposals are evaluated based on clarity of objectives, quality of technical approach, budget alignment with effort, and qualifications of personnel. Ensure strong alignment with USGS goals and clear articulation of workflows.