Funding Wizard

ERDC seeks applications to conduct mist-netting and radio telemetry of bats on US Army Garrison West Point. Many of the land bases where US Army installations reside are ecologically significant, providing refuge for a large number of the nation's threatened and endangered plants and animals. The benefits of biodiversity to the public and the environment have long been recognized and the Army’s role as land managers can influence the floral and faunal diversity both within the installation and on nearby lands. To fulfill long-term mission requirements, the military must achieve environmental objectives of sustainability of training lands and full compliance with conservation requirements under law. The Army is committed to maintaining its role as a national leader in the conservation and management of sensitive natural resources on Army lands. US Army Garrison West Point (USAG WP) is potentially home to bat species that are federally endangered or under review for listing under the Endangered Species Act, and previous surveys have documented multiple species of conservation concern. Periodic surveys are integral for documenting long-term trends in bat occupancy on USAG WP. In summer 2023, ERDC-CERL will conduct an acoustic survey for bats on USAG WP. The government seeks research and technical support to conduct mist-netting in conjunction with the planned acoustic survey. Work under this proposal will provide support to ongoing research and management efforts by ERDC-CERL on USAG WP.Program Description/Objective:The government seeks research and technical support to live-capture imperiled bat species via mist-netting. Bats will be tagged with radio transmitters to track movements and locate roosts on USAG WP. This work will require close collaboration with ERDC-CERL to successfully achieve objectives. Details of the primary tasks are as follows: Task 1: Mist-net surveys to capture bats on USAG WPPrevious surveys of USAG WP have documented the following species: northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), eastern small-footed bat (Myotis leibii), tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) may also occur in the area. An Endangered/Threatened Species License from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is required to conduct this work. Preference will be given to applicants that possess this license and/or a Federally-listed Bat Species Recovery Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Mist-netting will be conducted at four sites over a two-week period between 15 July and 15 August 2023. Sites will be chosen in coordination with ERDC-CERL and USAG WP personnel, based on past survey results and locations of interest. Exact timing will depend on site access, weather, and other logistical considerations in coordination with the sponsor. At each survey site, a combination of single-, double-, and/or triple-high mist-nets will be placed in potential travel corridors and checked every 10 minutes for five hours, starting at dusk. All weather, lighting, and other environmental conditions for surveys will be met according to USFWS guidelines. Task 2: Radiotrack bats to determine roost locations on USAG WPUpon capture, up to 20 bats will be affixed with radio transmitters (Lotek NanoTags, provided by ERDC-CERL) to enable fine-scale and long-distance tracking of movements. Beginning immediately following capture, radiotagged bats will be located daily via handtracking (i.e., using a handheld receiver and antenna) to determine roost locations on or near West Point. Intensive tracking of each individual will continue for approximately two weeks post-capture. Because mist-netting will take place over a two-week period, we anticipate a four-week intensive radiotracking period to account for bats captured from the first to last day of mist-netting. Radio transmitters will be configured so a subset of batteries last long enough for the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to capture fall migration away from USAG WP. Public BenefitThe public will be the primary beneficiary of this work through enhanced management and conservation of threatened and endangered species on public lands, private lands, and DoD installations. Designation of species as federally threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that a species is a nationally important component of biodiversity in the United States and that federal agencies must support, as necessary, conservation and recovery objectives for listed species. The benefits of biodiversity to the public good have long been recognized, and this work will aid in managing and monitoring that biodiversity. Bats also provide critical economic and ecological services to the public. For example, insect-eating bats in the United States are worth more than $3.7 billion per year in reduced agricultural crop damage and pesticide use (Boyles et al. 2011). Furthermore, as volant species, bats do not recognize DoD installation boundaries and range over public lands across the continent. Therefore, their conservation involves many public and private stakeholders.Authorization: 10 USC 4001 Legal RequirementsEach Cooperative Agreement awarded under this announcement will be governed by 2 CFR 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”, 2 CFR 1100 Subchapter D—Administrative Requirements Terms and Conditions for Cost-Type Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Nonprofit and Governmental Entities and the DoD research general terms and conditions located at https://www.nre.navy.mil/work-with-us/manage-your-award/manage-grant-aw…. Program-Specific Requirements I. Federal Award Information The following information applies to awards issued under this announcement: This is a one-time initiativeThe Government anticipates one Federal award from this announcement, but reserves the right to award more or lessThe total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this announcement is $25,000Award(s) from this announcement will be Cooperative Agreement(s)The anticipated period of performance is six months.Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awardsThe government reserves the right to accept only portions of an application and to negotiate with potential awardeesGovernment’s substantial involvement includes 1) monitoring the project as a whole and 2) technology transfer of project products to DoD natural resource managers. Government participation in monitoring the project as a whole will involve clarifying project objectives, assisting with study design and data collection, interpreting and evaluating intermediate findings on an ongoing basis, and facilitating coordination with DoD personnel. II. Eligibility Information Eligible ApplicantsThis opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). Disclosures of current and pending support made in this application may render an applicant ineligible for funding. Prior to award and throughout the period of performance, ERDC may continue to request updated continuing and pending support information, which will be reviewed and may result in discontinuation of funding. Religious organizations are entitled to compete on equal footing with secular organizations for Federal financial assistance as described in E.O. 13798, “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.” Conflict of Interest General Requirement for Disclosure You and your organization must disclose any potential or actual scientific or nonscientific conflict of interest(s) to us. You must also disclose any potential or actual conflict(s) of interest for any identified sub recipient you include in your application. We may have to ask you more questions if we need more information. At our discretion, we may ask you for a conflict-of-interest mitigation plan after you submit your application. Your plan is subject to our approval. Scientific Conflict of Interest Scientific collaborations on research and development projects are generally the result of close collaboration prior to the submission of applications for support. Accordingly, these collaborations should be considered when considering potential conflicts of interest. The potential conflict is mitigated by the disclosure of these collaborations, and the list of current and pending support you provide for senior and key researchers. Therefore, you must include in your list of current and pending support all collaborators, even if they did not formally provide support. OtherCertifications, representations, and assurances To apply for grants and other funding opportunities the applicant entity must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). Applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov or other methods unless the entity is registered in SAM. Registration in SAM now includes the acceptance of Certifications and Assurances. See https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-standard-language.ht… for details on how to register in SAM, and Grants.gov The Federal Assistance Certifications Report is an attestation that the entity will abide by the requirements of the various laws and regulations; therefore, as applicable, you are still required to submit any documentation, including the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if award value exceeds $100,000.00), and, if applicable, informing DoD of unpaid delinquent tax liability or a felony conviction under any Federal law. Certification Regarding Disclosure of Funding Sources. By checking "I Agree" on the SF 424 (R&R) block 17 you agree to abide by the following statement: "By signing this application, I certify the proposing entity is in compliance with Section 223(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which requires that: (a) the PI and other key personnel certify that the current and pending support provided on the proposal is current, accurate and complete; (B) agree to update such disclosure at the request of the agency prior to the award of support and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the award; and (c) the PI and other key personnel have been made aware of the requirements under Section 223(a)(1) of this Act. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. code, Title 218, Section 1001)." III. Application and Submission Information (2 Phase Process) A. Phase I: Submission of Statement of Interest (SOI) 1. Materials Requested for Statement of Interest/Qualifications: a. Please provide the following via e-mail attachment to: Angela D. Holcomb via e-mail: Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil Maximum length: 2 pages, single-spaced 12 pt. font. i. Name, Organization and Contact Information ii. Brief Statement of Qualifications (including):• Biographical Sketch,• Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects,• Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise,• Any brief description of capabilities to successfully complete the project you may wish to add (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, etc.). Note: A proposed budget is NOT requested at this time. The administrative point of contact is Angela D. Holcomb, e-mail: Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil 2. ERDC will only accept SOIs submitted on or before 1700 Central Time (CT), 21 March 2023. Based on a review of the Statements of Interest received, an investigator or investigators will be invited to move to Phase II which is to prepare a full study proposal. Statements will be evaluated based on the investigator’s specific experience and capabilities in areas related to the study requirements. B. Phase II (if invited): Submission of Full Application Package - Requirements of a Phase II application are included and can be made available upon request, and will be included with Phase II invitations.

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description Background: Gravel bed rivers in the Missouri Ozarks are notoriously unstable. At many locations, the channels are depositing sediment in the middle of over-widened sections while eroding both banks. In previous years, landowners would manually remove the deposition by bull-dozing the gravel from the channel center to the eroding bank. However, these unpermitted actions perpetuated the channel instability, and after a local landowner was fined for not obtaining a permit, landowners have been reluctant to do anything. The Engineering with Nature program is developing simplified design methods and a streamlined permit process so landowners can apply successful bank stabilization that will also result in ecosystem lift. These methods will be based on parametric designs, i.e. sizing riprap and floodplain benches based on ranges of stream configurations that exist in the Ozarks, in order to develop a simplified, conservative procedure that landowners can follow. This CESU agreement is to derive and quantify the range of stream geomorphology existing in the Missouri Ozarks to inform the parametric design methodology. Major Tasks Are To: Derive hydrologic and geomorphic parameters from selected sub-watersheds in the Missouri Ozarks that are needed for design of a rock toe and a floodplain bench. These parameters include channel slope, bank height, wetted perimeter, bankfull area, and bankfull width. Describe the geomorphic change, including erosion rates, at sites where either bank stabilization or gravel manipulation was implemented. This may require field data collection utilizing drone-based LIDAR and/or Structure From Motion. (Option for future) Describe the geomorphic change over time of pilot bank stabilization projects on Crider Creek and the Maries River following implementation of pilot bank stabilization design. (Option for future) Quantify geomorphic change and bank instability in and near Pershing State Park, MO. Public Benefit: Streambank erosion, and difficulties that individual landowners have in dealing with it, are well known in the Missouri Ozarks. In the past, landowners have proposed largely ineffective methods such as bulldozing mid-channel gravel bars and placing the material on eroding banks. On the other hand, full slope rock revetments are effective but often too expensive for individual landowners to implement and have only limited ecological value. By providing a streamlined permitting process for bank stabilization incorporating natural and nature-based features such as floodplain benches with a rock toe, landowners will be facilitated in proposing solutions that result in ecological lift as well as bank stabilization. This CESU agreement is the first important step of describing the range of geomorphic parameters and erosion rates for streams in the region. Section II: Award Information Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest will be used to identify potential investigators for studies to be sponsored by the Kansas City District and the Engineer Research and Development Center to provide geomorphic analysis and coding to support efforts to use local material in bank stabilization. The estimated level of funding for FY22 is approximately $120k, with the work to be performed over two years. Additional funds of $75k each year for an additional four years may be available, providing the potential funding of $420k over five years to the successful Recipient/Awardee. Government Involvement: USACE will participate in selecting the bank stabilization sites to be assessed and in reviewing and co-authoring a journal paper documenting the geomorphic parameters. Moreover, USACE will use the developed geomorphic values to author a paper documenting the parametric design analysis and develop training material based on this method. Section III: Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants – This opportunity is open to CESU non-federal partners in the Great Rivers region. Cost Sharing – This action will be 100% funded by USACE. Section IV: Application and Submission Information – Two Phase Process Phase I: Submission of a Statement of Interest/Qualifications. Materials Requested for Statement of Interest/Qualifications: Please provide a statement of interest as an attachment via e-mail with statement of interest number, W81EWF-22-SOI-0035 in the subject line of e-mail to: chl-ct-quotes@usace.army.mil (Maximum length: 2 pages, single-spaced 12 pt. font). Name, Organization and Contact Information Brief Statement of Qualifications (including): Biographical Sketch, Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects, Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise, Any brief description of capabilities to successfully complete the project you may wish to add (equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, etc.). Note: A proposed budget is NOT requested at this time. Phase I Responses: Statement of Interest (SOI)/Qualifications shall be submitted NO LATER THAN 5 pm or 1700 August 1, 2022, COB Central time. Administrative point of contact is Angela Holcomb,: chl-ct-quotes@usace.army.mil. Based on a review of the Statements of Interest received, an investigator or investigators will be invited to move to Phase II which is to prepare a full study proposal. Statements will be evaluated based on the investigator’s specific experience and capabilities in areas related to the study requirements. Phase II: Submission of a complete application package (Full Proposal) to include a full technical proposal including budget, if invited. All SOI submitted will be evaluated and selected for participation in Phase II. The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov. The administrative point of contact is Specialist; Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil. All mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms must be completed in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below: SF 424 R&R - Application for Federal Assistance Full Technical Proposal – Discussion of the nature and scope of the research and technical approach. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities, and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included. Cost Proposal/Budget – Clear, concise, and accurate cost proposals reflect the offeror’s financial plan for accomplishing the effort contained in the technical proposal. As part of its cost proposal, the offeror shall submit cost element breakdowns in sufficient detail so that a reasonableness determination can be made. Any deficiencies in the cost information will delay the processing of the proposal. A detailed budget with complete written justification is required. The SF 424 Research & Related Budget Form can be used as a guide. The cost breakdown should include the following, if applicable: Direct Labor: Direct labor should be detailed by level of effort (numbers of hours, hourly rate etc.) of each labor category and the applicable labor rate. The source of labor rates shall be identified and verified. If rates are estimated, please provide the historical based used and clearly identify all escalation applied to derive the proposed rates. Fringe Benefit Rates: The source of fringe benefit rate shall be identified and verified. Travel: Travel costs must include a purpose and breakdown per trip to include destination, number of travelers, and duration. Materials/Equipment: List all material/equipment items by type and kind with associated costs and advise if the costs are based on vendor quotes and/or engineering estimates; provide copies of vendor quotes and/or catalog pricing data. Subrecipient costs: Submit all subrecipient proposals and analyses. Provide the method of selection used to determine the subrecipient. Tuition: Provide details and verification for any tuition amounts proposed. Indirect Costs: Currently the negotiated indirect rate for awards through the CESU is 17.5%. Any other proposed costs: The source should be identified and verified. Application package shall be submitted NO LATER THAN August 22, 2022 the announced Suspense date for submission of Full Proposals. Submission Instructions: Applications may be submitted by mail, e-mail, or Grants.gov. Choose ONE of the following submission methods: E-mail: Format all documents to print on Letter (8 ½ x 11”) paper. E-mail proposal as an attachment with W81EWF-22-SOI-0035 in the subject line of e-mail to chl-ct-quotes@usace.army.mil Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/: Applicants are not required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. However, if applications are submitted via the internet, applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety. All applicants choosing to use Grants.gov to submit proposals must be registered and have and account with Grants.gov. It may take up to three weeks to complete Grants.gov registration. For more information on registration, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html. Section V: Application Review Information Peer or Scientific Review Criteria: In accordance with DoDGARs 22.315(c), an impartial peer review will be conducted. Subject to funding availability, all proposals will be reviewed using the criteria listed below (technical and cost/price). All proposals will be evaluated under the following two criteria which are of descending importance.: a. Technical (items i. and ii. are of equal importance): i. Technical merits of proposed R&D. ii. Potential relationship of proposed R&D to DoD missions. b. Cost/Price: Overall realism of the proposed costs will be evaluated. Review and Selection Process: Based on the Peer or Scientific Review, proposals will be categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable. The selection of the source for award will be based on the Peer or Scientific Review, as well as importance to agency programs and funding availability. Selectable: Proposals are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available. Not Selectable: Even if sufficient funding existed, the proposal should not be funded. Note: The Government reserves the right to award some, all, or none of proposals. When the Government elects to award only a part of a proposal, the selected part may be categorized as Selectable, though the proposal as a whole may not merit such a categorization. No other criteria will be used. Prior to award of a potentially successful offer, the Grants Officer will make a determination regarding price reasonableness. Section VI: Award Administration Information Award Notices: Written notice of award will be given in conjunction with issuance of a cooperative agreement signed by a Grants Officer. The cooperative agreement will contain the effective date of the agreement, the period of performance, funding information, and all terms and conditions. The recipient is required to sign and return the document before work under the agreement commences. Work described in this announcement SHALL NOT begin without prior authorization from a Grants Officer. Administrative Requirements: The cooperative agreement issued as a result of this announcement is subject to the administrative requirements in 2 CFR Subtitle A; 2 CFR Subtitle B, Ch. XI, Part 1103; and 32 CFR Subchapter C, except Parts 32 and 33. Reporting: See 2 CFR Sections 200.327 for financial reporting requirements, 200.328 for performance reporting requirements, and 200.329 for real property reporting requirements. Section VII: Agency Contact: Angela Holcomb US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center 2902 Newmark Drive Champaign, Illinois 61822-1076 Angela.D.Holcomb@usace.army.mil