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15.807 EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION PROGRAM

FEDERAL AGENCY
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

AUTHORIZATION
42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.

OBJECTIVES
To support earthquake hazards research in order to develop information, knowledge, and methods relevant to the major Earthquake Hazards Program elements: national and regional earthquake hazards assessments; research related to earthquake information, monitoring, and notification; research on earthquake occurrence, physics, and effects; and earthquake safety policy. Specific objectives and research tasks identified as measures of progress towards the goals of these program elements are described in greater detail in the Research Priorities section of the annual Program Announcement.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE
Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS
Specific research objectives are identified in the annual program announcement. Applications for research projects not covered by one of the objectives are not solicited.

Applicant Eligibility
Colleges, universities, profit-making, and nonprofit organizations, and State and local governments may make application for support by a named principal investigator.

Beneficiary Eligibility
Research scientists, engineers, and the general public will ultimately benefit from the program.

Credentials/Documentation
Proposals must furnish evidence of the applicant's qualifications for performance of the proposed research.

Preapplication Coordination
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure
This program is subject to the Department of the Interior regulations at 43 CFR Part 12, Subparts C and D, or any subsequent revisions. The application requirements as contained in the announcement package and the above regulations must be used for this program. Applications may be made only through the internet site http//www.grants.gov. Links to USGS program announcements are available through the internet site http://www.usgs.gov/contracts.

Award Procedure
Notification of an award is by a grant or cooperative agreement document signed by a contracting officer.

Deadlines
The application period for grants is generally open from mid-February until mid-May each year. Deadline for proposals for funding in fiscal year 2008 was May 16, 2007.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 5 to 9 months.

Appeals
None.

Renewals
None.

Formula and Matching Requirements
No statutory requirement. Recipients are encouraged to share in the cost of each research project.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants and cooperative agreements will normally be awarded in 12 or 36 month budget periods.

Reports
Progress reports covering 12 months of activities and final technical and financial reports are required, and must be submitted electronically as described in the award package.

Audits
Applicants agree to give the sponsoring agency, the Comptroller General or other authorized audit agency access to and the right to examine records related to the award. Awards to educational institutions and nonprofit organizations are subject to the audit requirements of OMB Circular No. A-110, or superseding regulations. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations", nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program- specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 or more in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records
All records must be maintained for 3 years after submission of the final financial report.

Account Identification
14-0804-0-1-306.

Obligations
(Grants and Cooperative Agreements) FY 07 $12,800,000; FY 08 $13,138,000; and FY 09 est $9,800,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$6,000 to 1,300,000; average $75,000.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program has funded projects covering recent tectonics and earthquake potential, research on earthquake occurrence and effects, and evaluation of regional and urban earthquake hazards. During fiscal year 2007, 92 out of 195 applications received funding.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE
None.

Regional or Local Office
None.

Headquarters Office
Elizabeth Lemersal, External Research Support Manager, Earthquake Hazards Program Office, Geologic Division, Geological Survey, 905 National Center, Reston, VA 20192. Telephone: (703) 648-6701. Use same number for FTS. Fax: (703) 648-6642. E-mail: gd-erp-coordinator@usgs.gov.

Web Site Address
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/external/

RELATED PROGRAMS
47.041, Engineering Grants; 47.049, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; 47.050, Geosciences.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS
Source zone characteristics; Earthquake monitoring and forecasting experiments; Induced seismicity studies; and Fault zone studies; and Seismic zonation and engineering studies.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS
Panels composed of expert scientists and engineers drawn from government, universities, and private industry evaluate all grant applications. Criteria for judging applications includes: relevance and timeliness of the proposed research to the goals of the program; technical quality of the proposal; competence of the principal investigator and recipient organization; and appropriateness and reasonableness of the budget.


General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)