OFFICE
OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
AUTHORIZATION:
Clean
Air Act, Sections 103 and 104, as amended; Public Law 95-95; 42
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.; Clean Water Act, Section 104, as amended; Public
Law 95-217; 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section
8001, as amended; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976,
as amended; Public Law 94-580; 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.; Safe Drinking
Water Act, Section 1442, as amended; Public Law 93- 523; Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, as amended;
Public Law 92-516; Public Laws 94-140 and 95-396; 7 U.S.C. 136 et
seq.; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, as amended; Public
Law 94-469; 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.; Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Section 311,
as amended; Public Law 95-510; Public Law 99-499; Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203.
The
Office of Research and Development supports research and engineering
to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking
water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides;
(2) identify, develop, and demonstrate effective pollution control
techniques; and (3) perform risk assessments to characterize the
potential adverse health effects of human exposures to environmental
hazards. Investigator initiated grants/cooperative agreements may
be funded in broad areas such as environmental chemistry and physics,
environmental engineering; and health and ecological effects of
pollution. Please check the Federal Register or the EPA/ORD website
- http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm for an updated
listing of programs. Funding Priority: It is estimated that $50,000,000
will be allocated in the FY 03 President's budget for the Office
of Research and Development. This amount excludes the STAR Program
(see CFDA Number 66.509). The Office of Research and Development
supports research and engineering to determine the environmental
effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous
waste, toxic substances, and pesticides; (2) identify, develop,
and demonstrate effective pollution control techniques; and (3)
perform risk assessments to characterize the potential adverse health
effects of human exposures to environmental hazards. This also includes
funding for our building decontamination research under Homeland
Security.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Generally,
ORD does not fund unsolicited proposals. Funds awarded via grants/cooperative
agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures
incident to performance of research plus allocable portions of allowable
indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with the established
policies of EPA.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: These programs are available to
each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S.,
including the District of Columbia, for public and private State
universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local
government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions,
and in some cases, individuals who have demonstrated unusually high
scientific ability.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: State and local governments,
U.S. territories and possessions, public and private universities
and colleges, hospitals, nonprofit institutions and individuals.
Credentials/Documentation:
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87
for State and local governments, OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational
institutions, and OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations.
Pre-application
Coordination: Discussion with the Office of
Research and Development National Laboratories/Centers is advisable
for research cooperative agreement applications. Contact points
are shown in the RFAs. Generally, no preapplication assistance is
available for research related applications. An environmental impact
assessment is made by the Office of Research and Development as
required by the National Environmental Protection Act. The standard
application forms as furnished by the EPA and required by OMB Circulars
No. A-102 and No. A-110 must be used for this program. This program
is eligible for coverage under E.O.12372, "Intergovernmental Review
of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or
official designated as the single point of contact in his or her
State for more information on the process the State requires to
be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected
the program for review.
Application
Procedure: Completed applications must be
submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants Administration
Division, GAD 3903R, Washington, DC 20460, or as shown in the
specific RFAs, which are accessible through the EPA/ORD website
at http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm. These programs
are subject to the provisions of OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No.
A-110.
Award
Procedure: Each application shall be subjected
to administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the
application in relation to grant regulations and to program evaluation;
technical and extramural review determines the merit and relevance
of the project to Agency programs.
Deadlines:
As stated in the RFA.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: Approximately
180 days.
Appeals:
As described in 40 CFR Part 30.63, and Part 31, Subpart F.
Renewals:
None. A standard grant application should be prepared and submitted
as a new grant, which will be reviewed in the same manner as the
original application and will compete for available funds.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: None.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants/cooperative
agreements are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual). Total
approved project period may not exceed 5 years.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Annual interim progress, and final results, expenditure, equipment
and invention reports.
Audits:
Grants are subject to inspections and audit by representatives
of the Comptroller General of the United States and EPA or any
authorized representative. Federal audits will be made in accordance
with the policies of OMB Circular No. A-73 to ensure that funds
have been applied efficiently, economically, and effectively without
waste fraud or abuse. Periodic audits by the recipient institution
should be made as part of the recipient's systems of financial
management and internal controls to meet terms and conditions
of grants and other agreements. The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Circular No. A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments,
and Non- Profit Organizations," was published in the Federal Register
on June 30, 1997. The Circular implements the Single Audit Act
Amendments of 1996. The Circular requires nonfederal entities
that expend more than $300,000 in Federal award dollars, to have
an audit conducted in accordance with the Circular's provisions.
With the revised Circular, the previous OMB Circular No. A-128
for single audits of State and local governments was rescinded
and the single audit requirements for these entities were incorporated
among the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133. Recipients that
are State or local governments, institutions of higher education,
or non-profit organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements
contained in OMB Circular No. A-133 "Audits of States, Local Governments,
and Non-Profit Institutions."
Records:
Financial records, including all documents to support entries
on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant,
must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA
grant accounts. All records must be maintained until three years
from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If
questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit,
related records should be retained until the matter is completely
resolved.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 68-0107-0-1-304.
Obligations:
FY 02 $42,500,000; FY 03 est $48,300,000; and FY 04 est $50,000,000.
These amounts exclude the STAR Program (see CFDA Number 66.509)
and resources directed by Congress to specific recipients.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
Awards range for new grants/cooperative agreements from $75,000
to $950,000, and average $250,000.
Estimated awards during each year: 125 grants/cooperative agreements.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
General Grant Regulations and Procedures, Environmental Protection
Agency (40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31); Interim Regulations,
Research and Demonstration Grants, Environmental Protection Agency
(40 CFR Part 40). "EPA Assistance Administration Manual," available
from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA
22161 on a subscription basis and "EPA and the Academic Community,
Solicitation for Grant Proposals."
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Individuals are encouraged
to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in
Appendix IV of the Catalog or the contact listed on the RFA.
Headquarters
Office: For information on grant applications
and procedures, contact Environmental Protection Agency, Grants
Administration Division, 3903R, Washington, DC 20460. To obtain
information via the Internet for research opportunities, see http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm.
Web
Site Address: http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
For information on EPA research programs see http://www.epa.gov/ord.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
A proposal is judged for (A) scientific merit in terms of quality
and originality of the proposed work, the qualifications of the
investigator(s), the adequacy of the quality assurance plan, the
responsiveness of the proposed research to needs identified in the
RFA, the appropriateness of the proposed budget, and the probability
that the project will accomplish stated objectives, and (B) program
interest in terms of the need for the proposed research and a balanced
ORD research portfolio. See the Web page for specific criteria.
