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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program

CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY

Hazardous Substances Research Centers

Opening Date: March 9, 2001
Closing Date: June 12, 2001

Introduction
EPA's Mission and R&D Strategy
Background
Center Program Objectives
Focus Areas for HSRCs
Training, Technology Transfer and Technical Assistance (outreach) Focus Areas
Center Administration Features
Long-Term Self-Sufficiency
Center Leadership and Management
Administrative and Operating Requirements
Eligibility
Standard Instructions for Submitting Applications
How to Apply
Review and Selection
Contacts

Get Standard Forms
Get Additional Forms  (PDF)  (MSWord)
View the past work of HSRCs

INTRODUCTION

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently concluded a competition to establish five new university-based Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRCs), to be funded for up to five years.  In the original competition for the new Centers, no application to cover research related to mining waste or outreach for the geographic extent of EPA Region 8 (the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) was successful.  In this announcement, the EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) invites applications to establish an HSRC to address priority hazardous substance research on mining waste and training, technology transfer, and technical assistance (referred to throughout this document as "outreach") for the Region 8 states.  A total of $800,000 per year, split $665,000 for research and $135,000 for other Center activities, including training, technology transfer, technical assistance, and outreach, is available to support this effort.  The award is subject to the availability of funds.  The Center funded under this solicitation will be managed by ORD's National Center for Environmental Research (NCER).

This announcement provides background information, summarizes EPA’s interest in establishing this Center, and describes the application and review process.

EPA'S MISSION AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The mission of EPA is to protect public health and to safeguard the natural environment (air, water, and land) upon which life depends.  To achieve this mission, EPA must apply sound science to assess environmental problems and evaluate possible solutions.  A significant challenge is to support both long-term research that anticipates future environmental problems and research that fills gaps in today's knowledge.  This Request for Applications (RFA) is an important step toward establishing a sound scientific foundation for both current and future environmental protection.

EPA's research programs focus on reduction of risks to public health and ecosystems and on the reduction of uncertainty associated with environmental health risk assessment and management.  Through its laboratories and grants to academic and other non-profit institutions, EPA promotes research in both human health and ecology, according the highest priority to those areas of risk assessment where uncertainty is high, and which are in critical need of new concepts, methods, and data.  EPA also fosters the development and evaluation of new risk reduction technologies including pollution prevention, end-of-pipe controls, remediation, and monitoring.  In all areas, EPA is interested in research that recognizes issues relating to environmental justice, the concept of achieving equal protection from environmental hazards for all people without regard to race, economic status, or culture.

BACKGROUND

Recognizing that scientific knowledge and existing science-based technologies are inadequate to fully address the identification, remediation, and management of hazardous substance problems, Congress enacted the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), which amended the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to include a new Section 311, entitled Research, Development and Demonstration.  The broad purpose of Section 311 is to establish a comprehensive Federal program of research, development, demonstration, and training to promote alternative and advanced treatment technologies and to improve the scientific capability to detect, assess, and mitigate risks associated with all major aspects of the manufacture, use, and disposal of hazardous substances.

To support the broad purpose, Section 311(d) of SARA authorized EPA to provide Federal assistance to geographically distributed, university-based centers throughout the United States.  In 1989, five HSRCs were established in the United States to provide the following:

Each of these HSRCs encompassed two adjoining Federal regions established according to a predetermined regional pairing plan designed to provide equitable distribution of technical resources nationally so as to better address hazardous substance problems being experienced in each region.  The pairings were based on contiguity and, to the extent possible, on similarities of regional profiles and technical issues.

On November 3, 1999, a solicitation was issued by EPA to establish up to five new HSRCs.  It is expected that four new HSRCs will be established as a result.  However, no application was successful that addressed research on mining waste, and that included outreach and assistance in the EPA Region 8 states.  In this Request for Applications (RFA), the Agency is soliciting proposals to develop a research Center which will construct a well defined, integrated program to address hazardous substance research needs in areas of risk management and risk assessment associated with mining and mining wastes, as well as outreach programs to transfer research results addressing the breadth of all hazardous substance problems to the public.

A successful application will recognize that hazardous substance research priorities evolve as new data are generated and will include a detailed description of the process by which the Center will set priorities and phase in new activities.  An institution submitting a proposal should recommend scientific research priorities associated with mining significant for the region in which it is located.  The Center may be funded for up to five years; applicants should clearly show how the program might evolve during that time.

DEFINITION OF A “HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE”

For purposes of this solicitation, "hazardous substances” is defined according to Section l01(14) of Superfund, as amended by SARA.  This definition, quoted from the law, combines specific provisions of several Federal environmental protection statutes and is specific to the description of the hazardous substance research centers:

 The term "hazardous substance" means (A) any substance designated pursuant to section 1321(b)(2)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, (B) any element, compound, mixture, solution, or substance designated pursuant to section 9602 of [Superfund], (C) any hazardous waste having the characteristics identified under or listed pursuant to section 3001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (but not including any waste the regulation of which under the Solid Waste Disposal Act has been suspended by Act of Congress), (D) any toxic pollutant listed under section 1317(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, (F) any hazardous air pollutant listed under section 112 of the Clean Air Act, and (F) any imminently hazardous chemical substance or mixture with respect to which the Administrator has taken action pursuant to section 2606 of the Toxic Substances Control Act.  The term does not include petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof which is not otherwise specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance under subparagraph (A) through (F) of this paragraph, and the term does not include natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquefied natural gas, or synthetic gas usable for fuel (or mixtures of natural gas and such synthetic gas).

CENTER PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To achieve the goal of advancing the next generation of research, training, technology transfer, and technical assistance on hazardous substance problems, the HSRC must include, at a minimum, the program objectives defined below:

FOCUS AREA FOR THE HSRC

Described below is a brief overview of the priority for HSRC research that has been identified in consultation with EPA program office and regional staffs, and which HSRC applicants should consider in the formulation of their programs.

Mining and Mining Wastes

Most of the metals manufacturing industries begin with the extraction of metals from ores during mining operations.    Due to significant changes in extraction technology, ecological and human health risks need to be better understood.  In the U.S. mining companies have been utilizing poorer grade deposits which require the generation of higher and higher amounts of waste.  All metal mining and processing generate a wide range of wastes containing virtually all of the toxic heavy metals.  Gold, lead, zinc, copper, selenium and aluminum are the metals primarily obtained from the largest volume mining operations.

One of major pollutants associated with mining operations is acidic mine water.  In addition, ores frequently contain large percentages of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, other toxic elements, and  nitrate.  As a result, many mining sites have been placed on the National Priorities List for cleanup under the Superfund program.  The following specific approaches are needed:

TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (OUTREACH) FOCUS AREAS

Technology transfer activities, training courses, and other outreach efforts must be conducted by the HSRC to encourage the application, demonstration, and dissemination of research results.  The Center should maintain such programs for the benefit of a broad base of academia, industry, communities, and government.  Tech transfer, training, and technical assistance as defined by this solicitation include, but are not limited to:  seminars; workshops; field demonstrations; handbooks and user manuals; newsletters; programs to assist in the development and commercialization of research technologies to better manage hazardous substances; the use of innovative multimedia tools such as web-based educational modules; web-casting and digital composition, animation, and special effects.

There is a need for the Center to help communities better understand the technical issues and choices associated with all types of contaminated sites, not just mining sites.  By doing so, communities can more fully participate in solving their environmental problems.  This outreach effort should be designed to provide independent and credible technical assistance to communities affected by hazardous substance problems and to provide technical background for community members who become active in cleanup and environmental development activities.  There are a variety of community services that can be provided, including:

The Center should also develop the capacity to be of assistance to local communities in clean-up of properties that have been damaged or devalued by environmental contamination.  The target audiences for such efforts might include community groups, municipal officials, developers, and leaders of lending institutions.  The activities of this effort might include: Information on two outreach programs which have been supported by HSRCs in the past, the Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) Program and the Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Program, is found in the Appendix to this solicitation.

CENTER ADMINISTRATION FEATURES

The HSRC should have a unifying focus involving area(s) of research and outreach needs identified in this solicitation or developed in response to the unique needs of its region.  The size, structure and operation of the HSRC will be determined by the proposed research, education, knowledge transfer, and resource capabilities. The several Centers may vary in size and exhibit diverse forms of organization, participation, and operation.  No single type of Center fits the needs of every scientific discipline.   While the Center will be unique in some aspects, it must:

LONG-TERM SELF-SUFFICIENCY

EPA expects the HSRC to become self-sustaining beyond the end of its term of EPA support.  By that time, it will have developed an effective and productive collaboration with others who are deriving a range of benefits from the partnerships.  EPA expects the HSRC to develop a plan for becoming self-sufficient.  This plan should indicate year-by-year resource needs based on achieving full self-sufficiency by the end of the five-year term.

CENTER LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

A HSRC requires a Director who will develop and lead a team to fulfill a shared vision.  The Director should be supported in that role by a management team comprised of, at a minimum, an Assistant Director for Technical Transfer, Training and Outreach who will oversee the integration of center research with application and educational opportunities.  Additional staff support may be necessary.  Other Center personnel will include principal investigators on all research projects and outreach activities supported by HSRC funds and training staff, who design, develop, and/or administer the HSRC’s training program.

The Center Director is responsible for overall management, staffing, and budgeting for the Center.  The Director will provide intellectual leadership, technical vision and operational guidance for the Center.  The Director should be a full-time member of the faculty or administrative staff of the designated lead institution of the HSRC, in the event that it is a consortium arrangement.

The Assistant Director is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Center with those of other institutions engaged in similar pursuits.  The Assistant Director should be a full-time member of the faculty at the designated lead institution or a faculty member at a consortium university.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATING REQUIREMENTS

Funds Available: A total of $800,000 per year is available for funding the Center.  Awards depend on the availability of funds.  The total available funds will be split in two parts: $665,000 for research and $135,000 for technology transfer/outreach activities.

Lead Institution:  An HSRC may be either a single institution or a consortium.  (See "Eligibility Requirements" below for additional information on consortium arrangements.)  If a consortium arrangement is proposed, a lead institution must be identified and must be located within EPA Region 8.  The lead institution must be a university, and the Center Director must be at that institution.  The lead institution should plan to link with appropriate communities and institutions beyond the sponsoring institution - other colleges, universities, non-profit research organizations, government laboratories, industry, state, local, and/or international entities - to enhance involvement and knowledge transfer.  Participating consortium members other than the lead institution are not constrained to only institutions located within Region 8.

Research Planning:  At least once per year, the Center Director will solicit technical proposals for research within all of the institutions of the HSRC, indicating subject areas of interest. Proposals will be evaluated by a science advisory committee (see section titled "Science Advisory Committee" below) for technical quality and relevance to the HSRC's research plan.  The Center Director will select proposals for funding based on the recommendations of the science advisory committee and the availability of research funds.

Training, Technology Transfer, and Technical Assistance:  Training and technology transfer activities must be conducted by the HSRC. Training as used here does not include work leading to a baccalaureate or advanced degree.  Training, technology transfer, and technical assistance (outreach) as defined in this solicitation include, but are not limited to: seminars, workshops, demonstrations, handbooks, user manuals, bibliographies, data bases, newsletters, professional exchange programs, information clearinghouses, or non-academic courses of a length less than one academic term.  Courses should be directed toward State and local regulators, manufacturers, disposers, other handlers of hazardous substances, or the public at large.

Committees:  To ensure that the Center continues to fulfill its mission in ensuing years, the following bodies must be established upon initiation of a Center and maintained throughout the life of the Center:

Science Advisory Committee:  This committee is chaired by the Center Director, who is also responsible for selecting members, within certain limitations established by this announcement.  The membership of this committee will consist of 6-9 technical peers drawn from the public and private sectors and academia.  Up to one-third of the membership may consist of appropriate personnel from EPA’s Regional Offices and Laboratories.  At least one-third of the membership must be drawn from the academic community.  The remaining members may come from industry or other Federal, State, or local governmental units.  Appointments to this committee are subject to approval by the EPA project officer.  Duties include reviewing the HSRC's research plan, annual development of a list of relevant research topics, preparing recommendations regarding the relevance and technical merit of project proposals, and reviewing ongoing projects.  Meetings will be held twice a year.  Members must be chosen from outside the institutions comprising the HSRC.

Training and Technology Advisory Committee:  This committee is chaired by the Center Director.  Membership should include representatives from relevant EPA Regional Offices, EPA's Office of Emergency Response, academia, and States or localities.  Others may be added by the Center Director with approval by the EPA project officer.  Duties include annual meetings to recommend outreach activity plans for the next year, review progress, and recommend changes to current year programs.

Annual Meeting of Center Directors: Center Directors of all 5 HSRCs will be required to budget for and attend an initial meeting and subsequent annual meetings in the Washington, DC, area with the EPA project officer and other EPA personnel to review progress, coordination, and future directions.

Annual Report:  Not more than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Center Director must submit an annual report to the project officer in a format to be specified by the project officer.  This report will include accomplishments for the fiscal year immediately ending, plans for the next fiscal year, and listings of publications, courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, and other measurable outputs.

Regional Office Contact:  The EPA Region 8 Office will assign a contact person to advise the EPA project officer and the Center on its problems and issues.  The Center may collaborate with regional personnel in a manner to be decided by the Project Officer.

ELIGIBILITY

Academic institutions located in the U.S. with research and training programs in areas relating to hazardous substances are eligible to receive grants from EPA under this program.  Proposals involving consortia - limited to universities and two and four year colleges - are encouraged.  However, a single institution in the consortium, designated as the lead institution, must accept overall management responsibilities for the Center.  The lead institution must be a university located in Region 8.  In accordance with requirements established in Section 3 11(d) of SARA, the institution (the lead institution in the case of a consortium) must meet the following additional requirements in order to be eligible for HSRC status:

Section 311(d)(4)(A):  "The Hazardous Substance Research Center shall be located in a State which is representative of the needs of the region in which such State is located for improved hazardous waste management,"

Section 311(d)(4)(B):  "The grant recipient shall be located in an area which has experienced problems with hazardous substance management."

For purposes of this solicitation, “region” is defined as the multi-state area in which the Center is to be located, the extent of which is dictated by the proposed programmatic focus of the Center.  A university may be listed on more than one application in the case of proposed Centers involving consortia arrangements.  EPA reserves the right to negotiate adjustments in geographic coverage to meet the intent of the statutory requirement of equitable distribution of resources among regions of the United States.

Profit-making firms, not-for-profit institutions, state or local governments, national laboratories funded by Federal agencies (FFRDCs), and Federal agencies are not eligible to submit applications to this program.

Employees of profit-making firms, not-for-profit institutions, state or local governments, national laboratories funded by Federal agencies (FFRDCs), and Federal agencies may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations.  They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the Center.   The Center may provide funds through its grant from EPA to a FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research.  However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism.

Federal employees may not receive salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriations through grants made by this program.  However, Federal employees may interact with Center investigators so long as their involvement is not essential to achieving the basic goals of the grant.  The Center may also subcontract to a Federal agency to purchase unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector.  Examples are purchase of satellite data, census data tapes, chemical reference standards, analyses or instrumentation not available elsewhere, etc.  A written justification for federal involvement by subcontract must be included in the application, along with an assurance from the federal Agency involved which commits it to supply the specified service.

Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Jack Puzak in NCER, phone (202) 564-6825, Email: puzak.jack@epa.gov.

STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

This section contains instructions on how applicants should apply for an NCER HSRC grant.  There are two set of forms, the standard forms and the 3 additional (tables) forms. Both sets are necessary to complete this application . Get Standard Forms    Get Additional Forms (MSWord)   (PDF)

Sorting Codes

In order to facilitate proper assignment and review of applications, each applicant is asked to identify the topic area in which their application is to be considered. At various places within the application, applicants will be asked to identify this topic area by using the Sorting Code: 2001-STAR-Q1.

The Sorting Code must be placed at the top of the abstract (as shown in the abstract format), in Box 10 of Standard Form 424 (as described in the section on SF424), and should also be included in the address on the package that is sent to EPA (see the section on How to Apply).

The Application

The initial application is made through the submission of the materials described below.  It is essential that the application contain all the information requested and be submitted in the formats described.  Do not append additional material to the proposal, as it will not be considered and will not be forwarded to reviewers.  Requests to add or correct material to a submitted proposal will not be considered, unless the additional material is requested by EPA.  If an application is considered for award, (i.e., after external peer review and internal review) additional forms and other information will be requested by the Project Officer.  The original, signed copy of the application should not be bound or stapled in any way.  Other copies may be stapled or clipped together.  The Application contains the following:

A. Standard Form 424:  The applicant must complete Standard Form 424 (Get Standard Forms).  This form will act as a cover sheet for the application and should be its first page.  Instructions for completion of the SF424 are included with the form. The form must contain the original signature of an authorized representative of the applying institution.  Please note that both the Principal Investigator and an administrative contact should be identified in Section 5 of the SF424.

B. Key Contacts:  The applicant must complete the Key Contacts Form as the second page of the submitted application.

C. Abstract: The abstract is a very important document.  It is critical that the abstract accurately describe the research being proposed and convey all the essential elements of the research.  Also, in the event of an award, the abstracts will form the basis for an Annual Report of awards made under this program.  The abstract, limited to one page, must include the following information, as indicated in the example format provided:

 1. Research Category and Sorting Code:  Enter the full name of the solicitation to which your application is submitted and use the correct code: 2001-STAR-Q1.

 2. Title:  Use the title of the Center which reflects the region in which it is located.

 3. Investigators:  Start with the Principal Investigator. Also list the names and affiliations of each major co-investigator who will significantly contribute to the Center.

 4. Institution:  List the name and city/state of each participating university or other applicant institution, in the same order as the list of investigators.

 5. Project Period:  Provide the proposed project dates.

 6. Project Cost:  Provide the total request to EPA for the entire project period.

 7. Project Summary:  This must include three subsections that summarize: (a) the objectives of the Center, (b ) the approach to be used (which should give an accurate description of the projects and activities described in the proposal), (c) the expected results of the projects and how they address the research, technology transfer, training, and outreach needs identified in the solicitation, including the estimated improvement in risk assessment or risk management that will result from successful completion of the work proposed.

 8. Supplemental Keywords:  A list of suggested keywords is provided for your use. Do not duplicate terms already used in the text of the abstract.

D. Technical Proposal:  This proposal must not exceed twenty-five (25) consecutively numbered (center bottom), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.  Each proposal must include the following items:

  1.  Hazardous substance problems in the region
  2.  Research plan/project descriptions
  3.  Training and technology transfer plan
  4.  Long-term self-sufficiency plan
  5.  Coordination plan

1.  Discussion of Hazardous Substance Problems in the Region.  The proposal must include a summary of the major hazardous substance problems experienced within the region of its programmatic focus and discuss the magnitude of the problems wherever possible.  To the extent possible specify individual chemical problems of concern that the Center would focus on.  When the proposal specifies a hazardous substance by chemical or physical class, that substance must be consistent with the definition of hazardous substances as provided earlier in this solicitation.  (About 5 pages.)

2.  Research Plan/Project Descriptions.   To provide a context for future research, a discussion of the general approach to the Center’s research program should be included.  Based on the discussion of regional problems, the proposal must present an overall plan for the conduct of this research, briefly indicating the technical issues and research approach.  The research plan must cover the five-year period, but emphasize the specific projects that would be initiated in the first year, the way this work would be conducted, and the expected results of the first year's work.  It is understood that since the operation of Centers would continually bring in new (and currently unknown) proposals, significant uncertainties are necessarily contained in the initial research plan.  This section must also address the Center's plan for disseminating results.  (About 12-15 pages.)

Each of the initial specific research projects should be completely described according to the instructions in NCER’s Standard Instructions for Submitting a STAR Application, which will be found on the NCER web site, http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa.  An additional 15 pages is permitted for each of these individual project descriptions.

3.  Technology Transfer, Training, and Outreach Plans.  Plans must be presented for the development and dissemination of training courses and technology transfer to be conducted by the HSRC, emphasizing specific activities to be conducted during at least the first year of operation.  To the extent possible, this plan should specify the activity (training course, workshop, handbooks, etc.).  For each activity, include subject matter, target audience, recruitment procedures, instructors, and other information of use in evaluating the quality of the training and technology transfer plans.  Refer to the definition of training and technology transfer in the "Administrative and Operating Requirements" section above.  (About 5-8 pages.)

Each of the initial outreach activities should be completely described according to the instructions in NCER's Standard Instructions for Submitting a STAR Application, which will be found on the NCER web site.  An additional 15 pages is permitted for each of these individual activity descriptions.  Do not append copies of proposed course material, syllabuses, etc. Tie the prescribed training and technology transfer activities as closely as possible to the description of the needs of the region.

4.  Long-Term Self-Sufficiency Plan.  EPA expects the HSRCs to become self-sustaining beyond the end of EPA funding.  A business plan must be prepared that describes how the HSRC will decrease its dependence on EPA funding to become self-sufficient after five years.  This plan should, at a minimum, define goals, objectives, and strategies for achieving self-sufficiency consistent with regional needs; identify and analyze distinct groups of potential supporters; and identify specific products, services, or intellectual property the HSRC can market.

5.  Coordination Plan.  The proposal must include a plan for coordinating the activities of the Center with those of organizations engaged in similar or related pursuits, other HSRCs, for example.  This plan must strive to make connections with other efforts in the hazardous substance field in this country and around the world.  The purpose is fourfold:  to strengthen the capacity of the HSRC to fulfill its goals, to provide an opportunity for others to benefit from involvement in the HSRC, to enhance the capacity of the HSRC to involve a new generation in engineering and science, and to build linkages to other significant efforts already underway.  The HSRC is free to explore as broad a range of connections as necessary.

The following sections are in addition to the 25-page Technical Proposal and the individual project and activity descriptions.

E. Resumes:  The resumes of all principal investigators and key co-workers should be presented. Each resume must not exceed two consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.

F. Current and Pending Support:  The applicant must identify any current and pending financial resources that are intended to support research related to that included in the proposal or which would consume the time of principal investigators. This should be done by completing the appropriate form (see attachment) for each investigator and other senior personnel involved in the proposal. Failure to provide this information may delay consideration of your proposal.

G. Facilities and Equipment:  The proposal must identify the facilities and equipment which will be available to the Center and, to the extent possible, the ways in which these items will be used.

H. Quality Assurance Statement:  For any project involving data collection or processing, conducting surveys, environmental measurements, and/or modeling, or the development of environmental technology (whether hardware-based or via new techniques) for pollution control and waste treatment, provide a statement on quality processes that will be used to assure that results of the research satisfy the intended project objectives. The statement must describe a quality system that complies with the requirements of ANSI/ASQC E4, "Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs," and must not exceed two consecutively numbered, 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.  This Statement should, for each item listed below, present the required information, reference the specific page and paragraph number of the Research Plan containing the information, or provide a justification as to why the item does not apply to the proposed research.

 1. Discuss the activities to be performed or hypothesis to be tested and criteria for determining acceptable data quality.  (Note: Such criteria may be expressed in terms of precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, and comparability or in terms of data quality objectives or acceptance criteria.  Furthermore, these criteria must also be applied to determine the acceptability of existing or secondary data to be used in the project.  In this context secondary data may be defined as data previously collected for other purposes or from other sources, including the literature, compilations from computerized data bases, or results from models of environmental processes and conditions.)

 2. Describe the study design, including sample type and location requirements, all statistical analyses that were or will be used to estimate the types and numbers of physical samples required, or equivalent information for studies using survey and interview techniques.

 3. Describe the procedures for the handling and custody of samples, including sample collection, identification, preservation, transportation, and storage.

 4. Describe the procedures that will be used in the calibration and performance evaluation of all analytical instrumentation and all methods of analysis to be used during the project.  Explain how the effectiveness of any new technology will be measured and how it will be benchmarked to improve existing processes, such as those used by industry.

 5. Discuss the procedures for data reduction and reporting, including a description of statistical methods, with reference to any statistical software to be used, to make inferences and conclusions; discuss any computer models to be designed or utilized with associated verification and validation techniques.

 6. Describe the quantitative and/or qualitative procedures that will be used to evaluate the success of the project, including any plans for peer or other reviews of the study design or analytical methods prior to data collection.

 ANSI/ASQC E4, "Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs" is available for purchase from the American Society for Quality Control, phone 1-800-248-1946, item T55. Only in exceptional circumstances should it be necessary to consult this document. An EPA guidance document, Guidance on Satisfying EPA Quality System Requirements for STAR Grants (EPA QA/G-1STAR) is available for potential applicants which addresses in detail how to comply with ANSI/ASQC E4 for STAR grants.  This may be found on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa.

I. Budget:  Section 311(d) of Superfund requires that certain conditions must be met for an institution to qualify for funds under the HSRC program.  We draw your attention particularly to the following:

Section 3l1(d)(4)(E):  "The grant recipient shall make a commitment to support ongoing hazardous substance research programs with budgeted institutional funds of at least $100,000 per year."

Section 311(d)(6): "Federal share.  The Federal share of a grant under this subsection shall not exceed 80 percent of the costs of establishing and operating the regional hazardous substance research center and related research activities carried out by the grant recipient.”

Thus, for a single applicant or a consortium arrangement, the total commitment from all institutions in the consortium must equal or exceed 20 percent of the total grant (EPA and grantee shares) or at least $100,000 per year, whichever is greater.  The proposal must explain how this requirement will be met.

The applicant must present a five year overall budget and a detailed budget for the first year.  This budget must be presented using the format provided in Tables 1-3 (appended), according to the following instructions:

Table 1: The purpose of this table is to summarize the entire budget for the first year of operation of the HSRC.

Table 2: There must be a table 2 prepared for each individual project, activity, and item that will be funded by the HSRC in the first year of its operation.  Table 3: This table provides summary information for the Center’s operations in years 2 through 5. J.  Budget Justification: For each Table 2 submission briefly describe the basis for calculating the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual support and other costs identified in the itemized budgets and explain the basis for their calculation (special attention should be given to explaining the travel, equipment, and other categories).  This should also include an explanation of how the indirect costs and cost share were calculated.

Explanations and justification for any unusual aspects of the Table 1 and Table 3 budgets should be briefly explained.  An explanation of the EPA funds reduction schedule and plans for HSRC self-sufficiency should be provided in connection with the budget presentation in Tables 1-3.

K. Postcard:  The Applicant must include with each application a self-addressed, stamped 3x5-inch post card indicating the title of the application.  This will be used to acknowledge receipt of the application and to transmit other important information to the applicant.

How to Apply

The original and ten (10) copies of the fully developed application and one (1) additional copy of the abstract (11 in all), must be received by NCER no later than 4:00 P.M. EST on the closing date: June 12, 2001.

The application and abstract must be prepared in accordance with these instructions. Informal, incomplete, or unsigned proposals will not be considered. The application should not be bound or stapled in any way. The original and copies of the application should be secured with paper or binder clips.

Completed applications should be sent via regular mail to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: 2000-STAR-Q1
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20460

For express mail-delivered applications, the following address must be used:

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: 2000-STAR-Q1
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Room B-10105
Washington, DC 20004

Phone: (202) 564-6939 (for express mail applications)

The sorting code must be identified in the address (as shown above).

Courier- or personally-delivered applications must be brought to the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.  The courier must come to the EPA Visitors Lobby (see map), tell the security guard that he/she has a delivery for the EPA mail room.  The courier will be required to sign a visitor’s log, and will be directed to the EPA mail room.  The mail room is open 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. weekdays, exclusive of Federal holidays.  If the applicant requires a receipt for the delivery, you will need to provide a form which the mail room personnel will sign.

Review and Selection

All applications are reviewed by an appropriate technical peer review panel.  This review is designed to evaluate each application according to its scientific, administrative merit.  In general, each review group is composed of non-EPA scientists, engineers, social scientists, and economists who are experts in their respective disciplines and are proficient in the technical subjects they are reviewing.

The application will be evaluated in the following areas for technical merit: (1) the individual research project and outreach activity plans, and (2) the overall Center administrative structure and the management plan for research and outreach.

Reviewers use the following criteria to guide their reviews of individual projects and activities:

1. The originality and creativity of the proposed research project or outreach activity, the appropriateness and adequacy of the methods proposed, and the appropriateness and adequacy of the Quality Assurance Statement.  Is the approach practical and technically defensible, and can the project or activity be performed within the proposed time period?  Will the project or activity contribute to knowledge in the topic areas of this solicitation?  Is the proposal well-prepared with supportive information that is self-explanatory and understandable?

 2. The responsiveness of the application to the research and outreach needs identified in the solicitation.  Does the application adequately address the objectives specified for this topic?

 3. The qualifications of the Center Director, principal investigators, and other key personnel, including background and training for the project or activity in which they are to be involved, demonstrated knowledge of pertinent literature, experience, and publication records.  Will all key personnel commit significant time to the project or activity?

 4. The availability and/or adequacy of the facilities and equipment proposed for the project or activity.  Are there any deficiencies that may interfere with the successful completion of the project or activity?

 5. Although budget information is not used by the reviewers as the basis for their evaluation of scientific and technical merit, the reviewers are asked to provide their views on the appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed budget and its implications for the potential success of the proposed projects and activities, including the specific amount of the matching funds and the reliability of the sources of these resources.  Input on requested equipment is of particular interest.

Applying the above listed criteria, the application will also be evaluated by the peer review panel on the basis of the overall plan for the Center, its multi-disciplinary scope, degree of interrelationships of research projects and outreach activities, collaboration, coordination and interdependence of individual projects and activities, and their capacity to contribute to the overall goals of the Center.  Particularly important elements of the overall plan are the adequacy of arrangements for external review and the adequacy, completeness, and implementability of the Center’s long-term self-sufficiency plan.

Applications that receive scores of excellent and very good from the peer reviewers are subjected to a programmatic review within EPA.  Scientists from the ORD Laboratories and EPA Program and Regional Offices review these applications in relation to program priorities and recommend selections to NCER.

Funding decisions are the sole responsibility of EPA.  Grants or cooperative agreements are selected on the basis of technical merit, relevancy to the research priorities outlined, program balance, and budget.  A summary statement of the review by the peer panel will be provided to each applicant.

Applications selected for funding will require additional certifications, possibly a revised budget, and responses to any comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers.  Project Officers will contact Center Directors to obtain these materials.

Proprietary Information

By submitting an application in response to this solicitation, the applicant grants EPA permission to share the application with technical reviewers both within and outside of the Agency. Applications containing proprietary or other types of confidential information will be returned to the applicant without review.

Funding Mechanism

The funding mechanism for all awards issued under this solicitation will consist of a grant agreement from EPA and depends on the availability of funds.  In accordance with Public Law 95-224, the primary purpose of a grant or cooperative agreement is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute rather than acquisition for the direct benefit of the Agency.  Two funding actions may be negotiated with the applicant, one for research and one for outreach activities.  In issuing a grant for the research, EPA anticipates that there will be no substantial EPA involvement in the design, implementation, or conduct of the research funded by the grant.  However, there may be substantial EPA involvement in the implementation of the outreach portion of the program, which will be funded with a cooperative agreement.  EPA will monitor the Center's progress, based in part on annual reports.

Contacts

Additional general information on the grants program, forms used for applications, etc., may be obtained by exploring this Web page at http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa.  EPA does not intend to make mass-mailings of this announcement.  Information not available on the Internet may be obtained by contacting:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Center for Environmental Research (8703R)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC  20460

Phone: 1-800-490-9194

In addition, a contact has been identified below who can respond to inquiries regarding the solicitation and can respond to any technical questions related to your application.

Thomas Veirs   202-564-6831
veirs.thomas@epa.gov

Steve Lingle  202-564-6820
lingle.stephen@epa.gov
 

APPENDIX

The existing Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) Program is a collaborative effort between the HSRCs and the Superfund Community Involvement and Outreach Center (CIOC) to provide free-of-charge, non-advocacy technical assistance to communities.  TOSC provides early, proactive technical assistance to communities faced with hazardous substance management issues that potentially threaten their health and/or immediate environment.  The mission of the TOSC Program is to assist communities to participate in the process of protecting and restoring their environment through innovative public outreach techniques.  The goals of the TOSC Program are to inform, educate, and empower communities affected by hazardous substance management issues and to advance both the technical content and process of outreach services for communities.

TOSC Services to Communities:

Activities of TOSC Staff: The Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Program leverages the capabilities of the Centers' member universities to help communities facing brownfields problems accomplish the goals of the Brownfields Initiative.  Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.  EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative strives to empower States, Tribes, municipal governments, local communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean-up, and sustainably reuse brownfields.

 The Brownfields Initiative is an organized commitment to provide technical assistance to help communities revitalize such properties both environmentally and economically, mitigate potential health risks, and restore economic vitality to areas where brownfields exist.  This assistance benefits localities within existing Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot and Showcase Communities as well as other communities who may not be designated as such but still face the myriad environmental, public health, and economic problems associated with brownfields.  TAB assistance is geared mainly toward community groups and municipal officials.  Developers, leaders with lending institutions, and related stakeholders may constitute a secondary audience.

The type(s) and amount of TAB training, technical assistance, and outreach provided to communities varied within each of EPA’s Regions but involved an average of four or five communities per year in each Region.  Activities have been tailored to the specific community needs and included the following:

Leadership Training. Leadership training for community leaders focuses on the technical side of clean-up activities, interaction with government agencies, environmental regulations, clean-up technologies, and risk assessment.

Risk Assessment. Risk assessment training is provided for local government planners, developers, and community members to help build knowledge of the basic mechanisms and protocols of risk assessment.  Topics include site inventory, characterization, end use, and environmental quality requirements as part of the measurement of risk.

Brownfields Processes. Training covering the technical aspects of the brownfield redevelopment process is provided to a variety of stakeholders.  Specific subject matter is tailored to local requirements and interests.

Site Assessment. Training on the assessment of hazardous waste sites helps community leaders and local government environmental professionals develop a better understanding of site assessment principles.  Sessions focus on integration of the assessment with land use decisions and provide information about the acceptable tools for data collection.

Clean-up Alternatives. Local government officials, developers, and environmental/planning professionals are provided with the technical information needed and taught how to make decisions on the use of appropriate technology for sustainable land use.

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