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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
Bioremediation
EPA/DOE/NSF/ONR
Interagency Announcement of Opportunity
OPENING DATE: December 8, 1997
CLOSING DATE: February 27, 1998
BACKGROUND
In the past, the goal for cleanup of toxic and hazardous
waste sites has been to clean up to levels that would meet all applicable,
relevant or appropriate environmental standards, such as the MCL (maximum
contaminant level) for drinking water. Clean-up to such levels through
bioremediation has often required nearly complete mineralization of
wastes to carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic materials. It has become
clear, however, that in certain situations these clean-up levels may
be unrealistic and unnecessary. There may be alternative endpoints
that will protect ecosystems and human health when the bioavailability
of contaminants is considered.
In fiscal years 1996 and 1997, the Department of Energy, Environmental
Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, and Office of Naval
Research collaborated to solicit research grant applications that
would address some of the limitations to the use of bioremediation
for clean-up of hazardous wastes. The interagency committee focused
the previous solicitations on understanding the fundamental issue
of the bioavailability of chemicals for bioremediation processes in
complex mixtures under field situations. In the current competition,
these emphases will continue.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Research proposals are solicited that aim
to further our fundamental understanding of the chemical, physical,
and biological processes influencing the bioavailability and release
of chemicals in soil, sediments, and groundwater under natural conditions
Research is also needed on the role of chemical contaminants which,
when released from the medium and assimilated by living organisms,
result in an adverse effect. The objective of the research should
be to understand the commonality of processes and/or environmental
effects involved in contaminant release, movement, and assimilation
in order to determine broadly applicable techniques for measuring
the potential impacts of contaminants in complex matrices. Mechanistic
and kinetic studies are encouraged. These data can then be used
to construct models that increase our understanding of bioavailability.
Bioavailability, defined for the purpose of this solicitation as
the availability of contaminants to an organism (including microbes,
plants, and animals) that might degrade or otherwise transform it,
is one of the principal factors controlling bioremediation processes.
Research is urgently needed that examines:
* the chemical, physical, and biological processes (including weathering
and aging) that determine bioavailability of contaminants in waste
matrices, particularly metals and metal compounds in complex matrices;
* interactions between waste chemicals, organisms, and the environment
to identify fundamental mechanisms controlling sorption and sequestration;
and
* the potential for toxic effects of various intermediate metabolites
that might be released during biodegradation of wastes.
The emphasis in proposed research projects should be on the behavior
of mixtures of chemicals in field situations, for example, chemicals
of disparate types found together in hazardous waste situations,
like chlorinated solvents, PAHs, and metals. Research that includes
the influence of metals and their compounds on complex mixtures
is particularly desired. Factors which limit interactions between
contaminants and microorganisms (in situ bioremediation) and/or
plants (phytoremediation) are emphasized. Interdisciplinary research
is encouraged. While studies on chemicals that impact ecosystem
and human health are desired, studies dealing simply with the toxicity
of chemicals and their degradation products are not eligible. Similarly,
studies focusing on pure cultures in the laboratory or bioreactors
will not be considered to be responsive to this solicitation.
Studies conducted under field conditions are desired. Studies conducted
entirely in the laboratory are not eligible for this competition.
To avoid the high cost of establishing new field research sites,
field studies should use well-instrumented, characterized, and documented
sites. Some appropriate sites that are available for field research
are listed below. The named individuals should be contacted to make
logistical and financial arrangements for research that is proposed
at the site.
* Various U.S. EPA sites
Contact: Fran Kremer, 513-569-7346
kremer.fran@epamail.epa.gov
* Various Department of Energy sites
Contact: Paul Bayer, 301-903-5324
paul.bayer@oer.doe.gov
* The U.S. Navy's Port Hueneme, CA, site
Contact: Ernest Lory, 805-982-1299
elory@nfesc.navy.mil
* McClelland Air Force Base, California
Contact: Phil Mook, 916-643-5443
mook.phil@sma1.mcclellan.af.mil
* Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan
Contact: Michael Barcelona, 313-763-9666
mikebar@engin.umich.edu
* Dover Air Force Base, Delaware
Contact: Charles Mikula, 302-677-6845
FAX: 302-677-6837
Applicants must document where proposed field research will be conducted
and must include a letter from the site management indicating commitment
to participate in the research. Arrangements must be made in advance
regarding the possible need for funding of activities at the field
site. Do not presume that site management will be able to cover
add-on research costs.
Applicants specifically interested in research at Department of
Energy sites should focus their applications on radioactive and
heavy metal mixtures as outlined in the most recent (November 1996)
solicitation for the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research
(NABIR) Program. Although the NABIR solicitation has closed, research
that addresses the NABIR objectives will also be funded through
this joint program solicitation. A copy of the closed November 1996
NABIR solicitation is a available at the following internet web
site: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/fr97_04.html.
The DOE Biotransformation and Biodegradation, Biogeochemical Dynamics,
Acceleration, and Assessment program elements are those most closely
aligned with this EPA/NSF/DOE/ONR Joint Program on Bioremediation.
Research that addresses long-term stability of microbial-sequestered
metals and radionuclides, novel metal-sequestering agents, processes
controlling behavior at solid/aqueous interfaces, and tools to assess
bioavailability are particularly desired.
Research funded through this solicitation will be used to better
understand the various factors that will impact the risk to ecosystem
and human health of waste chemicals and their degradation products
during the process of bioremediation, including phytoremediation
and natural attenuation. The results of this research can then be
considered within the regulatory framework to develop environmentally
acceptable alternative endpoints for site remediation.
A more detailed statement of interagency interests and priorities in bioremediation research can be found in the Environmental Biotechnology chapter of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) report, Biotechnology for the 21st Century: New Horizons [ http://www.nalusda.gov/bic/bio21].
Who May Submit
Academic and not-for-profit institutions located
in the U.S., and state or local governments are eligible to apply.
Profit-making firms are eligible only under certain laws, and then
under restrictive conditions, including the absence of any profit
from the project. Federal agencies and federal employees are not
eligible to submit applications in this program. All potential applicants
are encouraged to contact one of the agency representatives identified
below before submitting a formal proposal.
Awards
Proposals may request funding for projects with a duration not to exceed three years and a total budget not to exceed $500,000. Although proposals submitted in response to this Interagency Announcement will be sent to EPA, the participating agencies will jointly manage the review and administration of the program. Final selection of awardees by the agencies will be determined by the review panel's recommendations and programmatic considerations. Each award will be supported by a single agency. Overall estimated amount of funding up to $5.0 M, depending on the availability of funds and the programmatic relevancy of recommended projects to the participating agencies. Each agency supporting an award will act as the sole administrative unit for that award. Principal Investigators recommended for funding may be requested to modify their budgets and work plans to comply with special requirements of the particular agency supporting their award.
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. If it is not, the application may be rejected on administrative
grounds. 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 in the
funding agency. The application should not be bound or stapled
in any way. The Application contains the following:
A. Standard Form 424: The applicant must complete Standard Form
424 (see attached form and instructions). 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. Sorting Code 98-NCERQA-N1
must be entered in block 10 of the SF-424.
B. Key Contacts: The applicant must complete the Key Contacts Form
(attached) as the second page of the submitted application.
C. Abstract: The abstract is a very important document. Prior
to attending the peer review panel meetings, some of the panelists
may read only the abstract. Therefore, 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 should include the following
information:
1. Sorting Code: Use the code that corresponds to
this topic: 98-NCERQA-N1.
2. Title: Use the exact title as it appears in the
rest of the application.
3. Investigators: List the names and affiliations
of each investigator who will significantly contribute to the project.
Start with the Principal Investigator.
4. Project Summary: This should summarize: (a) the
objectives of the study (including any hypotheses that will be tested),
(b) the experimental approach to be used (which should give
an accurate description of the project as described in the proposal),
(c) the expected results of the project and how it addresses
the research needs identified in the solicitation, and (d) the estimated
improvement in risk assessment or risk management that will result
from successful completion of the work proposed.
D. Project Description: This description must not exceed fifteen
(15) consecutively numbered (center bottom), 8.5x11 inch pages of
single-spaced standard 12-point type with 1 inch margins. The description
must provide the following information:
1. Objectives: List the objectives of the proposed
research and the hypotheses being tested during the project and
briefly state why the intended research is important. This section
can also include any background or introductory information that
would help explain the objectives of the study (one to two pages
recommended).
2. Approach: Outline the methods, approaches, and
techniques that you intend to employ in meeting the objective stated
above (five to 10 pages recommended).
3. Expected Results or Benefits: Describe the results
you expect to achieve during the project and the benefits of success
as they relate to the topic under which the proposal was submitted.
This section should also discuss the utility of the research project
proposed for addressing the environmental problems described in
the solicitation (one to two pages recommended).
4. General Project Information: Discuss other information
relevant to the potential success of the project. This should include
facilities, personnel, project schedules, proposed management, interactions
with other institutions, etc. (one to two pages recommended).
5. Important Attachments: Appendices and/or other
information may be included but must remain within the 15 page limit.
References are in addition to the 15 pages.
E. Resumes: The resumes of all principal investigators and important
co-workers should be presented. Resumes must not exceed two consecutively
numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced standard
12-point type with 1-inch margins for each individual.
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. Complete 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. Budget: The applicant must present a detailed, itemized budget
for the entire project, including costs associated with field research
sites utilized for the research. This budget must be in the format
provided (see attachment) and not exceed two consecutively numbered
(bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages with 1-inch margins. Please note
that institutional cost sharing is not required and, therefore,
does not have to be included in the budget table. If desired, a
brief statement concerning cost sharing can be added to the budget
justification.
H. Budget Justification: This section should describe the basis
for calculating the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment,
supplies, contractual support, field site costs, and other
costs identified in the itemized budget and explain the basis for
their calculation (special attention should be given to explaining
the travel, equipment, and other categories). Include
an explanation of how indirect costs were calculated. This justification
should not exceed two consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch
pages of single-spaced standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.
I. Quality Assurance Narrative Statement: For any project involving
data collection or processing, conducting surveys, environmental
measurements, and/or modeling, provide a statement on how quality
processes or products will be assured. This statement should not
exceed two consecutively numbered, 8.5x11 inch pages of single-spaced
standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins. This is in addition
to the 15 pages permitted for the Project Description. The Quality
Assurance Narrative Statement should, for each item listed below,
either present the required information or provide a justification
as to why the item does not apply to the proposed research. For
awards that involve environmentally related measurements or data
generation, 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," must be in place.
1. The activities to be performed or hypothesis to be tested (reference
may be made to the specific page and paragraph number in the application
where this information may be found); criteria for determining the
acceptability of data quality in terms of precision, accuracy, representativeness,
completeness, comparability.
2. The study design including sample type and location requirements
and any statistical analyses that were used to estimate the types
and numbers of samples required for physical samples or similar
information for studies using survey and interview techniques.
3. The procedures for the handling and custody of samples, including
sample identification, preservation, transportation, and storage.
4. The methods that will be used to analyze samples or data collected,
including a description of the sampling and/or analytical instruments
required.
5. The procedures that will be used in the calibration and performance
evaluation of the sampling and analytical methods used during the
project.
6. The procedures for data reduction and reporting, including a
description of statistical analyses to be used and of any computer
models to be designed or utilized associated with verification and
validation techniques.
7. The intended use of the data as they relate to the study objectives
or hypotheses.
8. The quantitative and or qualitative procedures that will be used
to evaluate the success of the project.
9. 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.
J. Postcard: The Applicant must include with the application a self-addressed,
stamped 3x5 inch post card. This will be used to acknowledge receipt
of the application and to transmit other important information to
the applicant.
Proprietary Information
By submitting an application in response to this
solicitation, the applicant grants permission to share the application
with technical reviewers both within and outside of the Agencies.
Applications containing proprietary or other types of confidential
information will be returned to the applicant without review.
Review and Selection
All grant applications are initially reviewed
by the participating agencies to determine their legal and administrative
acceptability. Acceptable applications are then reviewed by an appropriate
technical peer review group. This review is designed to evaluate
each proposal according to its scientific merit. In general, each
review group is composed of scientists, engineers, social scientists,
and/or economists who are experts in their respective disciplines
and are proficient in the technical areas they are reviewing. The
reviewers use the following criteria to help them in their reviews:
1. The originality and creativity of the proposed research, the
potential contribution the proposed research could make to advance
scientific knowledge in the environmental area, the appropriateness
and adequacy of the research methods proposed, and the appropriateness
and adequacy of the Quality Assurance Narrative Statement
2. The qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and other
staff, including knowledge of pertinent literature, experience,
and publication records as well as the probability that the proposed
research will be successfully completed
3. The availability and/or adequacy of the facilities and equipment
proposed for the project
4. The responsiveness of the proposal to the research needs set
forth in the solicitation
5. Although budget information is not used by the reviewers as the
basis for their evaluation of scientific merit, the reviewers are
asked to provide their view on the appropriateness and/or adequacy
of the proposed budget and its implications for the potential success
of the proposed research. Input on requested equipment is of particular
interest.
Applications that receive scores of "excellent" and "very
good" from the peer reviewers are subjected to programmatic
review within the Agencies, the object being to assure a balanced
research portfolio. Scientists from the Agencies review these applications
in relation to program priorities and recommend selections for award.
Copies of comments from the scientific review panel will be provided
to each applicant. Funding decisions are the sole responsibility
of the funding agency. Grants are selected on the basis of technical
merit, relevancy to the research priorities outlined, program balance,
and budget.
How to Apply
The original and ten (10) copies of the fully
developed research grant application and five (5) additional copies
of the abstract (15 in all), must be received (post-marked if sent
by U.S. Mail) by the National Center for Environmental Research
and Quality Assurance no later than 4:00 P.M. EST on the closing
date: February 27, 1998.
The application and abstracts must be prepared in accordance
with these instructions. Informal, incomplete, or unsigned proposals
will not be considered. Completed applications should be sent via
regular or express mail.
For regular mail applications, the following address must be used:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: 98-NCERQA-N1
401 M Street, SW
Washington DC 20460
For applications sent by express mail or courier services, the
following address must be used:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Peer Review Division (8703R)
Sorting Code: 98-NCERQA-N1
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Room B-10105
Washington, DC 20004
Applications sent via express mail should have the following
telephone number listed on the express mail label: (202) 564-6939
CONTACTS
EPA: Dr. Robert E. Menzer
menzer.robert@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 565-2444, voice (202) 564-6849
DOE: Mr. Paul Bayer
paul.bayer@oer.doe.gov
fax (301) 903-8519, voice (301) 903-5324
NSF: Dr. James Rodman
jrodman@nsf.gov
fax (703) 306-0367, voice (703) 306-1480 Ext. 6436
ONR: Dr. Anna Palmisano
palmisa@onr.navy.mil
fax (703) 696-1212 , voice (703) 696-1449
You need the required forms to complete an application for this grant. The grant forms are available in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) and can be downloaded and then read on screen and printed only if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader 2.1 or higher. The same forms can also be obtained via our Hotline automated FAX server (1-800-490-9194).
I need Adobe Acrobat Reader first...please take me to the Adobe download site.
I have it already and I have printed the HTML of the announcement above..... please let me download the PDF version of the STAR Research Grant Forms.
I have it already.....but I would like the PDF of this Announcement and the Grant Application Forms