Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, has announced a funding opportunity for CESU-affiliated partners within the Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU to undertake research in support of coastal ecosystem restoration. The CESU program is designed to facilitate collaborative research, technical assistance, and education through partnerships among federal agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations. This cooperative agreement specifically seeks to strengthen scientific knowledge and applied tools that resource managers can use to address ecological stressors in the Great Lakes Basin, with a focus on Cladophora algae, invasive dreissenid mussels, native fish, and nutrient dynamics. The overarching purpose of this opportunity is to advance restoration and management of Great Lakes coastal ecosystems by improving the scientific understanding of biophysical processes. The project will provide crucial information to support native fish restoration and the management of nuisance Cladophora algae. The scope of work includes enhancing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods to detect both beneficial and invasive aquatic species, supporting ongoing benthic data collection, and improving datasets necessary for hydrodynamic modeling. These models will be used to interpret species distributions, nutrient interactions, and the spread of invasive organisms in coastal environments. The effort builds upon previous work since 2018 that has monitored Cladophora at sentinel sites and informed ecosystem task teams and modeling groups under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Funding for this cooperative agreement is structured as one base year with the possibility of three additional budget years, contingent upon performance and availability of funds. The total anticipated funding is $493,039, with an estimated $200,000 available in the first year. Allowable expenses include personnel, fringe benefits, supplies, equipment, contractual services, travel, and other direct costs necessary to achieve project objectives. Title to equipment purchased under this award will remain with the recipient. Indirect costs are capped at the CESU-negotiated rate of 17.5 percent. All budget narratives must align with federal requirements and include justifications, cost breakdowns, and adherence to U.S. General Services Administration travel rates. Eligibility for this program is limited to official partners of the Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov under the funding opportunity number G25AS00346. The technical narrative should include an introduction, objectives, methodology, expected products, dissemination plan, project timeline, references, and applicable considerations for sensitive legal or ethical aspects. Required attachments include a biographical sketch for key personnel, a current and pending support disclosure, and a data management plan that aligns with USGS policies on data sharing, archiving, and metadata standards. The proposal must also include a budget narrative and completed federal forms such as SF-424 and SF-424A. Applications will be evaluated by USGS technical reviewers based on purpose and relevance, technical approach, budget clarity, and the qualifications and past performance of the applicant team. The review process uses a 100-point scale across these criteria, with the final funding decision made by the Contracting Officer. Successful applicants will be expected to provide annual progress reports, annual financial reports, and a final technical report summarizing results, outcomes, and recommendations within 120 days of project completion. Compliance with the Geospatial Data Act and Department of the Interior data availability requirements is mandatory for any geospatial data produced. The application submission deadline is published in the Grants.gov opportunity listing, and late applications will not be considered. All inquiries regarding administrative or eligibility questions should be directed to Grant Specialist Katie Calder at kcalder@usgs.gov. Technical questions related to project content or objectives should be directed to Muruleedhara Byappanahalli at byappan@usgs.gov, U.S. Geological Survey, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, Chesterton, Indiana. The cooperative agreement is structured to begin with an approved start date in the recipient’s proposal and extend for up to four years depending on performance and available funding.