National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Fiscal Year 1999: Amendment of Solicitation of Applications and Request for Input

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Fiscal

Year 1999: Amendment of Solicitation of Applications and Request for

Input

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Amendment of Solicitation of Applications Fiscal Year

1999 National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program and

Request for Input.

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SUMMARY: This notice amends the fiscal year (FY) 1999 Solicitation of

Applications for competitive grant awards in agricultural, forest, and

related environmental sciences under the National Research Initiative

(NRI) Competitive Grants Program published at 63 FR 46110, August 28,

1998. This amendment replaces the estimated amounts of funds available

in each research program area with the actual amounts available and

imposes a lower indirect cost ceiling in accordance with subsequent

legislation. This amendment also adds a new research program area and

new topics within two previously published research program areas. By

this notice, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension

Service (CSREES) additionally solicits stakeholder input from any

interested party regarding the FY 1999 NRI solicitation of applications

for use in the development of the next request for proposals for this

program.

DATES: This amendment does not alter the original deadlines for receipt

of proposals as set forth previously in this solicitation of

applications as published on August 28, 1998 (63 FR 46110). Proposals

submitted in response to the amended research topics for animal genome

and genetic mechanisms and for agricultural systems must be postmarked

by February 15, 1999. Proposals submitted in response to the new

research program area Epidemiological Approaches to Food Safety must be

postmarked by April 5, 1999. Comments regarding this solicitation of

applications are requested within six months from the issuance of this

notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the

extent practicable.

For Further Information Contact: USDA/CSREES/NRI, Stop 2241, 1400

Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-2241. Phone: (202) 401-

5022. E-mail: [email protected]. Written comments should be submitted

by first-class mail to: Office of Extramural Programs; Competitive

Research Grants and Awards Management; USDA-CSREES; STOP 2299; 1400

Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, D.C. 20250-2299, or via e-mail to:

[email protected] In your comments, please include the name of the

program and the fiscal year solicitation of applications to which you

are responding.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

Stakeholder Input

Authority and Applicable Regulations

Conflicts of Interest

Project Types and Eligibility Requirements

I. Conventional Projects

II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards

Funding Categories for FY 1999

Research Opportunities

Application Materials

Materials Available on Internet

Electronic Subscription to NRI Documents

NRI Deadline Dates

Stakeholder Input

CSREES is soliciting comments regarding this solicitation of

applications from any interested party. These comments will be

considered in the development of the next request for proposals for the

program. Such comments will be forwarded to the Secretary or his

designee for use in meeting the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of

the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998

(Pub. L. 105-185). This section requires the Secretary to solicit and

consider input on a current request for proposals from persons who

conduct or use agricultural research, education, or extension for use

in formulating the next request for proposals for an agricultural

research program funded on a competitive basis.

In your comments, please include the name of the program and the

fiscal year solicitation of applications to which you are responding.

Comments are requested within six months from the issuance of the

solicitation of applications. Comments received after that date will be

considered to the extent practicable.

Authority and Applicable Regulations

The authority for this program is contained in 7 U.S.C. 450i(b).

Under this program, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary

may award competitive research grants, for periods not to exceed five

years, for the support of research projects to further the programs of

the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Regulations applicable to this program include the following: (a)

the regulations governing the NRI, 7 CFR part 3411, which set forth

procedures to be followed when submitting grant proposals, rules

governing the evaluation of proposals and the awarding of grants, and

regulations relating to the post-award administration of grant

projects; (b) the USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants

and Agreements with Institutions of Higher-Education, Hospitals, and

Other Non-Profit Organizations, 7 CFR part 3019; (c) the USDA Uniform

Federal Assistance Regulations, 7 CFR part 3015; (d) the USDA Uniform

Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to

State and Local Governments, 7 CFR part 3016; and (e) 7 U.S.C. 3103,

which defines ``sustainable agriculture.''

Conflicts of Interest

For the purpose of determining conflicts of interest in accordance

with 7 CFR part 3411.12, the academic and administrative autonomy of an

institution shall be determined by reference to the January 1998 issue

of the Codebook for Compatible Statistical Reporting of Federal Support

to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, prepared by

Quantum Research Corporation for the National Science Foundation.

Copies may be obtained from Quantum Research Corporation, 7315

Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 400W, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Project Types and Eligibility Requirements

The project types for which proposals are solicited include:

I. Conventional Projects

(a) Standard Research Grants: Research will be supported that is

fundamental or mission-linked, and that is conducted by individual

investigators, co-investigators within the same discipline, or

multidisciplinary teams. Any State agricultural experiment station,

college, university, other research institution or organization,

Federal agency, national laboratory, private organization, corporation,

or individual may apply. Proposals submitted by non-United States

organizations will not be considered for support.

(b) Conferences: Scientific meetings that bring together scientists

to identify research needs, update information, or advance an area of

research are recognized as integral parts of research efforts. Any

State agricultural experiment station, college, university,

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other research institution or organization, Federal agency, national

laboratory, private organization, corporation, or individual is an

eligible applicant in this area. Proposals submitted by non-United

States organizations will not be considered for support.

II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards

To contribute to the enhancement of research capabilities in the

research program areas described herein, applications are solicited for

Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards. Such applications may be

submitted by any State agricultural experiment station, college,

university, other research institution or organization, Federal agency,

national laboratory, private organization, corporation, or individual;

however, further eligibility requirements are defined in 7 CFR part

3411.3(d) and restated in the FY 1999 NRI Program Description.

Applications submitted by non-United States organizations will not be

considered for support. However, United States citizens applying as

individuals for Postdoctoral Fellowships may perform all or part of the

proposed work at a non-United States organization. Agricultural

Research Enhancement Awards are available in the following categories:

(a) Postdoctoral Fellowships

(b) New Investigator Awards

(c) Strengthening Awards: Institutions in USDA EPSCoR entities are

eligible for strengthening awards. For FY 1999, USDA EPSCoR states

consist of the following:

Alaska

Arkansas

Connecticut

Delaware

Hawaii

Idaho

Maine

Mississippi

Montana

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Mexico

North Dakota

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Utah

Vermont

West Virginia

Wyoming

For FY 1999, other USDA-EPSCoR entities consist of the following:

American Samoa

District of Columbia

Guam

Micronesia

Northern Marianas

Puerto Rico

Virgin Islands

Investigators at small and mid-sized institutions (total enrollment

of 15,000 or less) may also be eligible for Strengthening Awards. An

institution in this instance is an organization that possesses a

significant degree of autonomy, as determined by reference to the

January 1998 issue of the ``Codebook for Compatible Statistical

Reporting of Federal Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit

Institutions'', prepared by Quantum Research Corporation for the

National Science Foundation. Copies may be obtained from Quantum

Research Corporation; 7315 Wisconsin Avenue; Suite 400W; Bethesda, MD

20814.

Institutions which are among the top 100 universities and colleges,

except those in USDA EPSCoR states, are ineligible for strengthening

awards. The top 100 institutions excluding those in USDA EPSCoR states,

as listed in the table ``Federal obligations for science and

engineering research and development to the 100 universities and

colleges receiving the largest amounts, ranked by total amount

received, by agency: fiscal year 1996'' of the ``Survey of Federal

Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and

Nonprofit Institutions'' (National Science Foundation, accessible

through the Internet at www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/sfsucni/start.htm), are as

follows:

Baylor College of Medicine

Boston University

California Institute of Technology

Carnegie-Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

Colorado State University

Columbia University

Cornell University

CUNY Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Duke University

Emory University

Florida State University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Harvard University

Indiana University

Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Johns Hopkins University

Louisiana State University (All Campuses)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Medical College of Wisconsin

Michigan State University

New York University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Northwestern University

Ohio State University

Oregon Health Sciences University

Oregon State University

Pennsylvania State University

Princeton University

Purdue University

Rockefeller University

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Stanford University

State University of New York at Stony Brook

State University of New York at Buffalo

Texas A&M University

Thomas Jefferson University

Tufts University

Tulane University

University of Alabama Birmingham

University of Arizona

University of California Santa Barbara

University of California San Francisco

University of California Irvine

University of California San Diego

University of California Davis

University of California Los Angeles

University of California Berkeley

University of Chicago

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois Chicago

University of Iowa

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky (All Campuses)

University of Maryland Baltimore Prof Sch

University of Maryland College Park

University of Massachusetts Amherst

University of Massachusetts Med Schl Worcester

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

University of Rochester

University of Southern California

University of Texas at Austin

University of Texas Health Science Center Houston

University of Texas Health Sci. Center San Antonio

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston

University of Texas SW Medical Center Dallas

University of Virginia

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin Madison

Vanderbilt University

Virginia Polytech Institute and State University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Wake Forest University

Washington University

Wayne State University

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Yeshiva University, New York

See the FY 1999 NRI Program Description for complete details on

programs and eligibility.

Funding Categories for FY 1999

CSREES is soliciting proposals, subject to the availability of

funds, for support of high priority research of importance to

agriculture, forestry, and related environmental sciences, in the

following research categories with the available funding:

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Natural Resources and the Environment ($19,177,982).

Nutrition, Food Quality, and Health ($14,947,581).

Plant Systems ($38,255,800).

Animal Systems ($27,076,707).

Markets, Trade, and Policy ($4,304,510).

New Products and Processes ($7,670,370).

Support for research opportunities listed below may be derived from

one or more of the above funding categories based on the nature of the

scientific topic to be supported.

Pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 450i(b)(10), no less than 10 percent ($11.1M)

of the available funds listed above will be made available for

Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards (excluding New Investigator

Awards), and no more than 2 percent ($2.2M) of the available funds

listed above will be made available for equipment grants. Further, no

less than 30 percent ($33.4M) of the funds listed above shall be made

available for grants for research to be conducted by multidisciplinary

teams, and no less than 40 percent ($44.6M) of the funds listed above

shall be made available for grants for mission-linked systems research.

Pursuant to section 711 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food

and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for

Fiscal Year 1999, (section 101(a) of Pub. L. No. 105-277), CSREES is

prohibited from paying indirect costs exceeding 14 per centum of the

total Federal funds provided under each award on competitively awarded

research grants.

Research Opportunities: In addition to those published in the

Federal Register August 28, 1998, (63 FR 46110) CSREES is soliciting

proposals, for support of high priority research of importance to

agriculture, forestry, and related environmental sciences, in the

following Research Program areas:

Epidemiological Approaches for Food Safety: Deadline date: April 5,

1999.

Anticipated Program: Based on availability of funds, CSREES

anticipates a future NRICGP solicitation of applications for a United

States Rice Genome Sequencing Project Program, to be jointly

administered by USDA, the National Science Foundation and Department of

Energy.

CSREES is broadening the scope of existing program areas in the

following manner:

Animal Genetics and Genome: In addition to topics solicited in the

Federal Register announcement of August 28, 1998, (63 FR 46110) CSREES

encourages research proposals on Animal Genome Basic Reagents and

Tools. Deadline Date remains at February 15, 1999.

Agricultural Systems: In addition to topics solicited in the

Federal Register announcement of August 28, 1998, (63 FR 46110) CSREES

encourages systems research that will impact the small or mid-sized

producer, land manager or land owner. Deadline date remains at February

15, 1999.

Application Materials

The FY 1999 Supplemental NRI Program Description, which contains

research topic descriptions, and the NRI Application Kit, which

contains detailed instructions on how to apply and the requisite forms,

are available on the NRI home page, www.reeusda.gov/nri. Paper copies

of these application materials may be obtained by sending an e-mail

with your name, complete mailing address (not e-mail address), phone

number, and materials that you are requesting to [email protected].

Materials will be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as quickly as possible.

Alternatively, paper copies may be obtained by writing or calling the

office indicated below.

Proposal Services Unit, Office of Extramural Programs, Cooperative

State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, STOP 2245, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C.

20250-2245, Telephone: (202) 401-5048.

Materials Available on Internet

The following are among the materials available on the NRI home

page (www.reeusda.gov/nri).

NRI Program Description

This document is available for the current fiscal year, and

describes all of the NRI funding programs. To apply for a grant, it is

also necessary to obtain the NRI Application Kit.

NRI Supplemental Program Description

This document is available for supplemental programs or emphasis

areas offered for the current fiscal year. To apply for a grant, it is

also necessary to obtain the NRI Application Kit.

NRI Application Kit

This document contains guidelines for proposal preparation and the

requisite forms.

NRI Abstracts of Funded Research

The abstracts available on this searchable database are

nontechnical abstracts written by the principal investigator of each

individual grant, starting with FY 1993. Each entry also includes the

title, principal investigator(s), awardee institution, dollar amount,

and proposal number for each grant. The first two digits of the

proposal number indicate the fiscal year in which the proposal was

submitted.

NRI Annual Report

The NRI Annual Reports starting with FY 1995 are available. These

reports include descriptions of the program concept, the authorization,

policy, inputs to establish research needs, program execution, and

outcomes, including relevant statistics. Also included are examples of

recent research funded by the NRI.

Electronic Subscription to NRI Documents

The NRI mailserver will notify subscribers when publications such

as its Program Description or Abstracts of Funded Research are

available electronically on the World Wide Web. Subscribers will not

receive the document itself, but instead will receive an e-mail

containing an announcement regarding the document's availability on the

NRI home page.

To subscribe:

Send an e-mail message to: [email protected]

In the body of the message, include only the words: subscribe nri-

epubs.

To unsubscribe:

Send an e-mail message to: [email protected]

In the body of the message, include only the words: unsubscribe

nri-epubs.

Please note that this is not a forum. Messages, other than those

related to subscription, can not be posted to this address.

NRI Deadline Dates

The following fixed dates have been established for proposal

submission deadlines for this supplementary Solicitation of

Applications. To be considered for funding in any fiscal year,

proposals must be transmitted by the date listed below (as indicated by

postmark or date on courier bill of lading). When the deadline date

falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, transmission must be made by the

following business day.

Programs offered in any fiscal year depend on availability of funds

and deadlines may be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Consult

the pertinent NRI solicitation in the Federal Register, the NRI Program

Description, or the NRI home page (www.reeusda.gov/nri) for up-to-date

information.

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Postmarked dates Program codes Program areas

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February 15, 1999........................ 43.0 Animal Genome and Genetic Mechanisms.

100.0 Agricultural Systems.

April 5, 1999............................ 31.1 Epidemiological Approaches to Food Safety.

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Done at Washington, D.C., this 28 day of December 1998.

Colien Hefferan,

Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and

Extension Service.

[FR Doc. 98-34784 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-22-P