[Federal Register: April 28, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 82)]
[Notices]
[Page 23182-23186]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ap04-55]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2004-019; FRL-7352-5]
OPP Pesticide Research and Training Program; Notice of Funds
Availability
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is soliciting
proposals from colleges, universities, and other institutions to train
graduate and undergraduate students from culturally diverse backgrounds
in the Agency's regulatory support and laboratory research activities.
These activities are undertaken to provide safer, reduced risk
pesticides and to protect public health and the environment. The
laboratory research and regulatory support projects with OPP
laboratories (located in Ft. Meade, MD) and divisions will be funded
separately over a 5-year period. The total funding available for award
for laboratory research projects involving graduate students in fiscal
year (FY) 2004 is expected to be approximately $90,000. The total
funding for regulatory support projects involving graduate and
undergraduate students in FY 2004 will range from $60,000 to $100,000.
At the conclusion of the first 1-year period of performance on each
project, incremental funding may be available for each year, allowing
the project to continue for up to 5 periods of performance
(approximately 5 years), depending on applicant need and the Agency
budget in outlying years. This program will support laboratory research
training in areas such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) microarray
analysis of toxicogenomic effects of pesticides on cell response and
regulatory support training in areas such as the development of
assessments of pesticide use patterns, as provided for in section 20 of
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
DATES: Applications must be received by EPA on or beforeMay 28, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Applications may be submitted by mail, fax, or
electronically. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in
Unit IV.H.1. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Doucoure, Biological and
Economic Analysis Division (7503C), Office of Pesticide Programs,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8133; fax
number: (703) 308-8091; e-mail address: doucoure.cynthia@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Overview Information
The following listing provides certain key information concerning
the funding opportunity.
Federal agency name: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
Funding opportunity title: OPP Pesticide
Research and Training Program.
Announcement type: The initial announcement of a
funding opportunity.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
number: Training and Fellowships for the Environmental Protection
Agency (Training and Fellowship Grants) No. 66.607. Research Grants No.
66.500, or under Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Training
Demonstrations and Educational Outreach No. 66.716
Dates: Applications must be received by EPA on
or beforeMay 28, 2004.
[[Page 23183]]
II. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action may be of particular interest to colleges,
universities, and other institutions who have experience and expertise
in science and technology programs, specifically in chemical
engineering, biology, biochemistry, DNA microarray, entomology,
agronomy, toxicology, ecology, and plant/weed science. Since other
entities may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to
describe all the specific entities that may be interested in this
action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this
action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this
Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket identification (ID) numberOPP-2004-019. The
official public docket is the collection of materials that is available
for public viewing at the Public Information and Records Integrity
Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis
Hwy., Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The docket
telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the``Federal Register''
listings athttp://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. An electronic version of the
public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and
comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA Dockets athttp://www.epa.gov/edocket/
to access the index listing of the contents of the
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically. Although not all docket
materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of
the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility
identified in the Unit II.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,''
then key in the appropriate docket ID number.
III. Introduction
OPP has provided funding for several grants designed to train
graduate and undergraduate students from culturally diverse backgrounds
in the Agency's regulatory support and laboratory research activities.
In 2002, OPP funded two grants. Through these grants, 10 students
received training in various areas including assessment of use patterns
to help formulate regulatory decisions on pesticides in EPA's
Biological and Economic Analysis Division (BEAD) and in the analysis of
residues in peach samples treated with four different insecticides at
the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at Ft. Meade, MD. In 2003, OPP
funded a grant to provide DNA microarray technology training at the Ft.
Meade laboratory to determine the effects of various pesticides on
bacterial cell response. Through this grant, a Ph.D. candidate and a
postdoctoral student gained experience in working with and developing
this innovative new method that will provide useful data for healthcare
facilities, patients, and scientists.
To continue this multifaceted training program, OPP is soliciting
proposals from colleges, universities, and other institutions with
reputable science and engineering programs to train students in either
laboratory research or regulatory support activities. Approximately
$90,000 is available to fund grants for laboratory research with
universities that have accredited chemical engineering, molecular
biology, biochemistry, and DNA microarray programs; another $60,000 to
$100,000 is available to fund regulatory support grants with
educational institutions that have accredited entomology, agronomy,
toxicology, ecology, biology, and plant/weed science programs.
IV. Program Description
A. Purpose and Scope
This program was initiated to train graduate and undergraduate
students from culturally diverse backgrounds in OPP's regulatory
support and laboratory research activities undertaken to provide safer,
reduced risk pesticides and protect public health and the environment.
Students are afforded an opportunity to get involved in a broad range
of projects that provide hands on OPP training in laboratory research
employing the latest technology and in the generation of biological and
economic data to support the formulation of regulatory decisions on
pesticides. Students receive environmental training and are encouraged
to pursue public service careers in various environmentally related
fields. These programs are included in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under numbers 66.607, 66.500, and 66.716 at http://www.cfda.gov/public/whole.pdf
.
B. Goal and Objectives
Through the proposals sought under this OPP Pesticide Research and
Training Program, EPA intends to work with colleges, universities, and
other institutions with reputable science and engineering programs,
specifically in chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry,
DNA microarray, entomology, agronomy, toxicology, ecology, biology, and
plant/weed science, to develop an effective environmental training
program. Highly motivated and academically qualified graduate and
undergraduate students, from culturally diverse backgrounds, will
participate in projects designed to educate them about the scientific
and economic data needed to support the formulation of regulatory
decisions on pesticides. For example, students assigned to BEAD's
branches will be trained in the development of assessments of pesticide
use patterns, and students assigned to BEAD's laboratories will learn
how to perform research using newly developing technology and methods
to generate supporting data. Other projects may include training in the
development of human health and ecological risk assessments, pesticide
registration/reregistration support, or information technology support
activities.
C. Eligibility
1. Applicants. Grant funds are available to accredited 4-year
colleges, universities, and other institutions with reputable science
and engineering programs specifically in chemical engineering, biology,
biochemistry, DNA microarray, entomology, agronomy, toxicology,
ecology, and plant/weed science.
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet all of the
following criteria. Failure to meet the following criteria will result
in the automatic disqualification for consideration of the proposal for
funding:
Be an applicant who is eligible to receive
funding under this announcement.
The proposal must address all of the high
priority areas for consideration.
The proposal must meet all format and content
requirements contained in this notice.
The proposal must comply with the directions for
submittal contained in this notice.
There are no cost sharing requirements for this project.
2. Qualifications. Applicants will be evaluated on the following
criteria:
Experience and expertise in science and
engineering programs,
[[Page 23184]]
specifically in chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry,
DNA microarray, entomology, agronomy, toxicology, ecology, biology, and
plant/weed science.
Commitment by the college, university, or other
institution to provide highly motivated and academically qualified
graduate and undergraduate students from culturally diverse backgrounds
to participate in this training program; use of the institution's
biotechnology laboratories, graphics, slides, etc. for preparation of
publications and presenting seminars, which will result from these
projects.
The college, university, or other institution
has historically attracted a substantial number of highly qualified
students from culturally diverse backgrounds.
The college, university, or other institution
has qualified faculty needed to provide detailed instructions in the
type of courses that will prepare students for the type of training and
easy comprehension expected in the training program.
D. Authority
EPA expects to enter into cooperative agreements under the
authority provided in FIFRA section 20 which authorizes the Agency to
issue grants or cooperative agreements for research, public education,
training, monitoring, demonstration, and studies. Regulations governing
these cooperative agreements are found at 40 CFR part 30 for
institutions of higher education, colleges and universities, and non-
profit organizations; and 40 CFR part 31 for states and local
governments. In addition, the provisions in 40 CFR part 32, governing
government wide debarment and suspension; and the provisions in 40 CFR
part 40, regarding restrictions on lobbying apply. All costs incurred
under this program must be allowable under the applicable OMB Cost
Circulars: A-87 (states and local governments), A-122 (nonprofit
organizations), or A-21 (universities). Copies of these circulars can
be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/. In accordance
with EPA policy and the OMB circulars, as appropriate, any recipient of
funding must agree not to use assistance funds for lobbying, fund-
raising, or political activities (e.g., lobbying members of Congress or
lobbying for other Federal grants, cooperative agreements, or
contracts). See 40 CFR part 40.
E. Activities to be Funded
The grant will fund training of graduate and undergraduate students
from culturally diverse backgrounds in OPP regulatory support and
laboratory research projects. Graduate students will be trained in
laboratory research using newly developing technology and methods. They
will receive DNA microarray analysis training used by OPP to determine
the effects of pesticides on cell response. Graduate and undergraduate
students will be trained in projects such as the development of
assessments on pesticide use patterns, human health, and ecological
risk that are used to generate data to provide support in formulating
regulatory decisions on pesticides. Other possible projects include
registration and reregistration support or information technology
support activities.
F. Award and Distribution of Funds
1. Available funding. The funding for the selected award projects
are in the form of cooperative agreements awarded under FIFRA section
20. The total funding available for award in FY 2004 is expected to be
approximately $90,000. The total funding available for award for
regulatory support projects will range from $60,000 to $100,000. At the
conclusion of the first 1-year period of performance on each project,
incremental funding of up to $200,000 may be made available for
distribution to all training projects each year allowing the project to
continue for a total of 5 periods of performance (approximately 5
years) and totaling up to $990,000 for the 5-year period, depending on
applicant need and the Agency budget in outlying years.
2. Evaluation process and criteria. Applicants will be screened to
ensure that they meet all eligibility criteria and will be disqualified
if they do not meet all eligibility criteria. All laboratory research
and regulatory support proposals will be reviewed, evaluated, and
ranked by a selected panel of EPA reviewers based on the following
evaluation criteria and weights:
Laboratory Research Proposals (100 points)
Project proposals must meet minimum requirements
for experience and expertise in science and engineering programs,
specifically in DNA microarray technology, biochemical engineering,
molecular biology, andbiochemistry (Weighting: 40 points)
Qualification and experience of the applicant in
providing highly motivated and academically qualified graduate students
to participate in training programs. This project will be carried out
at EPA's Fort Meade, Maryland Laboratory, and students are expected to
be able to conduct literature searches and carry out all aspects of
laboratory research projects, prepare publications, and present
seminars, which will result from projects. (Weighting: 40 points)
Experience of the applicant in attracting a
substantial number of highly qualified students from culturally diverse
backgrounds. (Weighting: 10 points)
Provisions for a quantitative or qualitative
evaluation of the project success at achieving stated goals.
(Weighting: 10 points)
Regulatory Support Proposals (100 points)
Regulatory support proposals must meet minimum
requirements for experience and expertise in science programs,
specifically in entomology, agronomy, toxicology, ecology, biology, and
plant/weed science (Weighting: 40 points)
Qualification and experience of the applicant in
providing highly motivated and academically qualified graduate and
undergraduate students to participate in training programs that
included the use of the university's or other entities' facilities for
preparation of publications and presenting seminars, which will result
from projects. (Weighting: 25 points)
Experience of the applicant in attracting a
substantial number of highly qualified students from culturally diverse
backgrounds. (Weighting: 25 points)
Provisions for a quantitative or qualitative
evaluation of the project success at achieving stated goals.
(Weighting: 10 points)
3. Selection official. The funding decision will be made from the
group of top rated proposals by the Division Director of the Biological
and Economic Analysis Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. The
Agency reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards.
4. Dispute resolution process. The procedures for dispute
resolution at 40 CFR 30.63 and 40 CFR 31.70 apply.
G. Application Requirements
1. Content requirements. Proposals must be typewritten, double-
spaced in 12 point or larger print using 8.5 x 11 inch paper with
minimum 1 inch horizontal and vertical margins. Pages must be numbered
in order starting with the cover page and continuing through the
appendices. One original and one electronic copy (e-mail or disk) is
required.
All proposals must include:
Completed Standard Form SF 424*, Application for
Federal Assistance. Please include organization fax number and e-mail
address. The
[[Page 23185]]
application forms are available on line athttp://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm
.
Completed Section B--Budget Categories, on page
1 of Standard Form SF 424A* (see allowable costs discussion below).
Blank forms may be located athttp://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm
.
Detailed itemization of the amounts budgeted by
individual Object Class Categories (see allowable costs discussion
below). Statement regarding whether this proposal is a continuation of
a previously funded project. If so, please provide the assistance
number and status of the current grant/cooperative agreement.
Executive Summary. The Executive Summary shall
be a stand alone document, not to exceed one page, containing the
specifics of what is proposed and what you expect to accomplish
regarding measuring or movement toward achieving project goals. This
summary should identify the measurable results you expect including
general and specific public service benefits.
Table of contents. A one page table listing the
different parts of your proposal and the page number on which each part
begins.
Proposal narrative. Includes Parts I-V as
identified below (not to exceed 10 pages).
Part I--Project title. Self explanatory.
Part II--Objectives. A numbered list (1, 2,
etc.) of concisely written project objectives, in most cases, each
objective can be stated in a single sentence.
Part III--Justification. For each objective
listed in Part II, discuss the potential outcome in terms of either
regulatory support or laboratory research training to provide safer,
reduced risk pesticides and protect public health and the environment.
Part IV--Approach and methods. Describe in
detail how the program will be carried out. Describe how the system or
approach will support the program goals.
Part V--Impact assessment. Please state how you
will evaluate the success of the program in terms of measurable
results. How and with what measures will humans be better protected as
a result of the program.
2. Appendices. These appendices must be included in the cooperative
agreement proposal. Additional appendices are not permitted.
Timetable. A timetable that includes what will
be accomplished under each of the objectives during the project and
when completion of each objective is anticipated.
Major participants. List all affiliates or other
organizations, educators, trainers, and others having a major role in
the proposal. Provide name, organizational affiliation, or occupation
and a description of the role each will play in the project. A brief
resume (not to exceed two pages) should be submitted for each major
project manager, educator, support staff, or other major participant.
3. Allowable costs. EPA grant funds may only be used for the
purposes set forth in the cooperative agreement, and must be consistent
with the statutory authority for the award. Cooperative agreement funds
may not be used for matching funds for other Federal grants, lobbying,
or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In
addition, Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal government
or any other governmental entity. All costs identified in the budget
must conform to applicable Federal Cost Principles contained in OMB
Circular A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate.
4. Federal requirements for recipients. An applicant whose proposal
is selected for Federal funding must complete additional forms prior to
award (see 40 CFR 30.12 and 31.10), and will be required to certify
that they have not been debarred or suspended from participation in
Federal assistance awards in accordance with 40 CFR part 32. In
addition, Applicants must comply with the Intergovernmental Review
Process. Further information regarding this requirement will be
provided if your proposal is selected for funding.
H. Application Procedures
1. Submission instructions. You may submit an application through
the mail, by fax, or electronically. Regardless of submission method,
all applications must be received by EPA on or beforeMay 28, 2004.
As indicated above, each application must include the original
paper copy of the submission, along with one electronic copy. The
electronic copy of your application package, whether submitted
separately by e-mail or on a disk, please ensure that the electronic
copy is consolidated into a single file, and that you use Word Perfect
WP8/ 9 for Windows, or Adobe pdf 4/5. If mailing a disk, please use a
3.5 disk that is labeled as a proposal for the Office of Pesticide
Programs Pesticide Research and Training Program, and include your
pertinent information. Please check your electronic submissions to
ensure that it does not contain any computer viruses.
Submit your application using one of the following methods:
By mail to: Cynthia Doucoure, Biological and Economic Analysis
Division (7503C), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
By fax to: Cynthia Doucoure at fax number: (703) 308-8091.
By e-mail to: doucoure.cynthia@epa.gov.
2. Notification process. The Biological and Economic Analysis
Division in OPP will mail an acknowledgment to applicants upon receipt
of the application. Once all of the applications have been reviewed,
evaluated, and ranked, applicants will be notified of the outcome of
the competition. A listing of the successful proposal will be posted on
thehttp://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ website at the conclusion of the
competition. The website may also contain additional information about
this announcement including information concerning deadline extensions
or other modifications.
I. Recipient Reporting Requirements
The successful recipient will be required to submit annual reports,
and to submit annual financial reports. The specific information
contained within the report will include at a minimum, a comparison of
actual accomplishments to the objectives established for the period.
The Biological and Economic Analysis Division may request additional
information relative to the scope of work in the cooperative agreement
and which may be useful for Agency reporting under the Government
Performance and Results Act.
V. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General
Grant solicitations such as this are considered rules for the
purpose of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).
The CRA generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the
agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report, which includes
a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the
Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will submit a report
containing this grant solicitation and other required information to
the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller
General of the United States prior to its publication in the Federal
Register. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2).
[[Page 23186]]
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Grants, Pesticides, Training.
Dated: April 20, 2004.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 04-9616 Filed 4-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S