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| 15.978 UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER SYSTEM LONG TERM RESOURCE MONITORING PROGRAM |
| (LTRMP) |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Upper Mississippi River Management Act of 1986, Public Law 99-662, Section 1103, 33 U.S.C. 652. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| To provide decision makers with information needed to maintain the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) as a sustainable large river ecosystem given its multiple-use character. Congress has declared the UMRS to be both a nationally significant ecosystem and a nationally significant commercial navigation system. The long-term goals of the LTRMP are to: understand the UMRS ecosystem, monitor trends and effects with respect to selected resources, develop resource management alternatives, manage information, and develop useful products. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements). |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| Cooperative Agreements are entered into for the purpose of conducting resource monitoring and research as specified in the LTRMP Operations Plan and for other activities to carry out the purposes of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| States, local governments, intrastate/interstate agencies, sponsored organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations for the purposes stated in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| UMRS State, Federal, and private natural resource managers, users, and the general public. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| Proposals must furnish evidence of the applicant's qualifications for performance of the proposed activity. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| Limited discussions regarding funding availability and program interest are permitted. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. |
| Application Procedure |
| Application form Standard Form (SF) 424, 424-A, and 424-B. The States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin; the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association; or any other agency established under paragraph (d)(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, Public Law 99-662 are exempt from the application procedures by virtue of the Act. In order to comply with the Department of Interior regulations, the United States Geological Survey is now requiring all applications for grants and cooperative agreements to be submitted electronically via the Grants.gov website. Grants.gov is a central online system for applicants to find and apply for grants and cooperative agreements across the Federal government. |
| Award Procedure |
| Notification of an award is by a cooperative agreement document signed by a contracting officer. |
| Deadlines |
| None. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| Up to 3 months. |
| Appeals |
| None. The application may be revised and resubmitted. |
| Renewals |
| The LTRMP is a permanent program. Agreements may be renewed on an annual basis dependent upon funding availability. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| None. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Cooperative Agreements will be awarded in 12-month budget periods. Funds are released as required. |
| Reports |
| Annual and final technical and financial reports are required. |
| Audits |
| Covered awardees are responsible for obtaining audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501 et. seq.). In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit 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 |
| (Cooperative Agreements) FY 07 $2,950,136; FY 08 $2,691,425; and FY 09 est. $2,429,261. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| $307,493 to $777,324; $448,571. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| In fiscal year 2008, 6 cooperative agreements were made to support the LTRMP. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| Public Law 99-662, Section 1103, as amended. Information regarding LTRMP publications may be found at the web site address. |
| Regional or Local Office |
| Inquiries regarding the LTRMP may be addressed to the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603, POC: Michael Jawson, Center Director, (608) 781-6221, Fax: (608) 783-6066, E-mail: Linda_Leake@usgs.gov; or Thomas S. Kelly, Management Analyst, (608) 781-6229, Fax: (608) 783-6066, E-mail: Tom_Kelly@usgs.gov; UMESC web site address, http://www.umesc.usgs.gov. |
| Headquarters Office |
| None. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.usgs.gov/ltrmp.html |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| None. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| To date, cooperative agreements and amendments in the amount of approximately $44,089,000 have been granted to States, universities, and other recipients to conduct resource (fisheries, water quality, invertebrate, vegetation) monitoring and research of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| The States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and their institutions and agencies; States, universities, and others having expertise and experience conducting monitoring and research of the Upper Mississippi River System; States, universities, and others having expertise and experience conducting monitoring and research of large, impounded river systems. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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