[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 190 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51078-51081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24883]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 190 / Monday, September 30, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 51078]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Notice of Availability of Program Description and Solicitation 
for Applications for Fiscal Year 1997 National Research Initiative 
Competitive Grants Program

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------.


    Applications are invited for competitive grant awards in 
agricultural, forest, and related environmental sciences under the 
National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP) 
administered by the Competitive Research Grants and Awards Management 
Division, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
(CSREES), for fiscal year 1997.

Authority

    The authority for this program is contained in Section 2(b) of the 
Act of August 4, 1965, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)). Under this 
program, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary may award 
competitive research grants, for periods not to exceed five years, for 
the support of research projects to further the programs of the 
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Proposals may be submitted by any 
State agricultural experiment station, college, university, other 
research institution or organization, Federal agency, private 
organization, corporation, or individual. Proposals submitted by non-
United States organizations will not be considered for support.
    Section 712 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997, Pub. L. 
No. 104-180, prohibits CSREES from using the funds available for the 
NRICGP for fiscal year 1997 to pay indirect costs exceeding 14 per 
centum of the total Federal funds provided under each award on 
competitively awarded research grants. Pursuant to section 716 of the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997, Pub. L. No. 104-180, 
recipients of grant funds are encouraged to use such funds to purchase 
only American-made equipment or products in the case of any equipment 
or product that may be authorized to be purchased with the funds 
provided under this program.

Applicable Regulations and Statutory Guidance

    The regulations governing the NRICGP currently are found at 7 CFR 
part 3411. The regulations set forth procedures to be followed when 
submitting grant proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals 
and the awarding of grants, and regulations relating to the post-award 
administration of grant projects.
    Other regulations and statutes applicable to this program (as 
specified in those regulations) include, but are not limited to, the 
following: (a) The USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Agreements with Institutions of Higher-Education, Hospitals, and 
Other Non-Profit Organizations, 7 CFR Part 3019; (b) the USDA Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments, 7 CFR Part 3016; (c) the USDA Uniform 
Federal Assistance Regulations, 7 CFR 3015; (d) Section 1402 of the 
National Agricultural Research, extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3101); and (e) Section 1404 of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 3103), which defines ``sustainable agriculture.''

Conflicts of Interest

    For the purpose of determining conflicts of interest in accordance 
with 7 CFR 3411.12, the academic and administrative autonomy of an 
institution shall be determined by reference to the January 1996 issue 
of the Codebook for Compatible Statistical Reporting of Federal Support 
to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit institutions, prepared by 
Quantum Research Corporation for the National Science Foundation. 
Copies may be obtained from Quantum Research Corporation, 7315 
Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 631W, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Project Types

    The project types for which proposals are solicited include:

I. Conventional Projects

    (a) Standard Research Grants: Research will be supported that is 
fundamental or mission-linked, conducted by individual investigators, 
co-investigators within the same discipline, or multidisciplinary 
teams. Any State agricultural experiment station, college, university, 
other research institution or organization, Federal agency, private 
organization, corporation, or individual may apply. Proposals submitted 
by non-United States organizations will not be considered for support.
    (b) Conferences: Scientific meetings that bring together scientists 
to identify research needs, update information, or advance an area of 
research are recognized as integral parts of research efforts. Any 
State agricultural experiment station, college, university, other 
research institution or organization, Federal agency, private 
organization, corporation, or individual is an eligible applicant in 
this area. Proposals submitted by non-United States organizations will 
not be considered for support.

II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards

    In order to contribute to the enhancement of research capabilities 
in the research program areas described herein, applications are 
solicited for Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards. Such 
applications may be submitted by any State agricultural experiment 
station, college, university, other research institution or 
organization, Federal agency, private organization, corporation, or 
individual; however, further eligibility requirements are defined in 7 
CFR 3411.3(d) and restated in the FY 1997 NRICGP Program Description. 
Applications submitted by non-United States organizations will not be 
considered for support. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards are 
available in the following categories:
    (a) Postdoctoral Fellowships.

[[Page 51079]]

    (b) New Investigator Awards.
    (c) Strengthening Awards: Institutions in USDA EPSCoR states are 
eligible for strengthening awards. For FY 1997, USDA EPSCoR states 
consist of the following:

Alaska
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Idaho
Maine
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming
All U.S. territories and possessions and the District of Columbia.

    Investigators at small and mid-sized institutions (total enrollment 
of 15,000 or less) may also be eligible for Strengthening Awards. An 
institution in this instance is an organization that possesses a 
significant degree of autonomy, as determined by reference to the 
January 1996 issue of the Codebook for Compatible Statistical Reporting 
of Federal Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit 
Institutions, prepared by Quantum Research Corporation for the National 
Science Foundation. Copies may be obtained from Quantum Research 
Corporation, 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 631W, Bethesda, MD 20814.
    Institutions which are among the top 100 universities and colleges, 
except those in USDA ESPCoR states, are ineligible for strengthening 
awards. The top 100 institutions excluding those in USDA EPSCoR states, 
as listed in the table Federal obligations for science and engineering 
research and development to the 100 universities and colleges receiving 
the largest amounts, ranked by total amount received, by agency: fiscal 
year 1994 (National Science Foundation, accessible at www.grc.com/nsf/
srs/fs92/pubs/dst94/start.htm), are as follows:

Baylor College of Medicine
Boston University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie-Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Colorado State University
Columbia University
Cornell University
CUNY Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Duke University
Emory University
Florida State University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Indiana University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Johns Hopkins University
Louisiana State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical College Wisconsin
Michigan State University
New York University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Oregon Health Sciences University
Oregon State University
Pennsylvania State University
Princeton University
Purdue University
Rockefeller University
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Stanford University
State University of New York Stony Brook
State University of New York at Buffalo
Texas A&M University
Thomas Jefferson University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Alabama Birmingham
University of Arizona
University of California Santa Barbara
University of California San Francisco
University of California Irvine
University of California San Diego
University of California Davis
University of California Los Angeles
University of California Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Illinois Urbana
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Iowa
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland Baltimore Prof Sch
University of Maryland College Park
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Med Schl Worcester
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
University of Texas Health Sci. Center San Antonio
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston
University of Texas SW Medical Center Dallas
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin Madison
Vanderbilt University
Virginia Polytech Institute and State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Wake Forest University
Washington University
Wayne State University
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Yeshiva University

    See the FY 1997 Program Description for complete details on 
programs and eligibility.

Funding Categories for Fiscal Year 1997

    CSREES is soliciting proposals, subject to the availability of 
funds, for support of high priority research of importance to 
agriculture, forestry, and related environmental sciences, in the 
following research categories (Anticipated FY 1997 funding and Actual 
FY 1996 funding, rounded to the $0.1M, follows in parentheses):
     Natural Resources and the Environment (FY97: $16.6M, FY 
96: $16.2M).
     Nutrition, Food Quality, and Health (FY97: $7.0M, FY96: 
$6.8M).
     Plant Systems (FY97: $34.7M, FY96: $33.8M).
     Animal Systems (FY97: $22.2M, FY96: $21.7M).
     Markets, Trade, and Policy (FY97: $3.8M, FY96: $3.7M).
     New Products and Processes (FY97: $6.5M, FY96: $6.4M).
    Support for research areas listed below may be derived from one or 
more of the above funding categories based on the nature of the 
scientific topic to be supported.
    Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b)(10) of the Act of August 
4, 1965, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)(10)), no less than 10 percent 
(FY97: $9.1M, FY96: $8.8M) of the available funds listed above will be 
made available for Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards (excluding 
New Investigator Awards), and no more than 2 percent (FY97: $1.8M, 
FY96: $1.8M) of the available funds listed above will be made available 
for equipment grants. Further, no less than 30 percent (FY97: $27.2M, 
FY96: $26.5M) of the funds listed above shall be made available for 
grants for research to be conducted by multidisciplinary teams, and no 
less than 40 percent (FY97: $36.3M) (FY96: $17.7M (20 percent of 
available funds)) of the funds listed above shall be made available for 
grants for mission-linked research.
    The funds appropriated as listed above will be used to support 
research grants in the following areas:

Natural Resources and the Environment

[[Page 51080]]

    Plant Responses to the Environment
    Forest/Range/Crop/Aquatic Ecosystems
    Soils and Soil Biology
    Water Resources Assessment and Protection--not offered in FY 1997
Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health
    Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health
    Ensuring Food Safety
Animals
    Enhancing Animal Reproductive Efficiency
    Improving Animal Growth and Development
    Identifying Animal Genetic Mechanisms and Gene Mapping
    Sustaining Animal Health and Well-Being
Pest Biology, Biological Control, and Integrated Pest Management
    Plant Pathology
    Entomology
    Nematology
    Weed Science
    Biologically Based Pest Management
Plants
    Genomes, Genetics, and Diversity
    Plant Genome
    Plant Genetic Mechanisms
    Plant Growth and Development
    Energy and Metabolism
    Photosynthesis and Respiration
    Nitrogen Fixation/Nitrogen Metabolism
Markets, Trade, and Rural Development
    Markets and Trade
    Rural Development
Enhancing Value and Use of Agricultural and Forest Products
    Value-Added Products Research
    Food Characterization/Process/Product Research
    Non-Food Characterization/Process/Product Research
    Improved Utilization of Wood and Wood Fiber
Agricultural Systems

Application Materials

    The solicitation, which contains research topic descriptions, and 
the NRICGP Application Kit, which contains detailed instructions on how 
to apply and the requisite forms, may be obtained by writing or calling 
the office indicated below. Please note that applicants who submitted 
NRICGP proposals for fiscal year 1996 or who have recently requested 
placement on the list for fiscal year 1997 will automatically receive a 
copy of the fiscal year 1997 solicitation and any supplements. Proposal 
Services Unit, Office of Extramural Programs, Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, STOP 2245, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 
20250-2245, Telephone: (202) 401-5048.
    Requests for solicitations and application materials may also now 
be made via Internet by sending a message with your name, complete 
mailing address, phone number, and materials that you are requesting to 
[email protected]. Materials will be mailed as quickly as possible.

Materials Available on Internet

    The following materials are available on the USDA Cooperative 
Research, Education, and Extension Service Home Page at 
www.reeusda.gov:

NRICGP Program Description

    This document is available for the current fiscal year, and 
describes all of the NRICGP funding programs. To apply for a grant, it 
is also necessary to obtain the NRICGP Application Kit.

NRICGP Application Kit

    This document contains guidelines for proposal preparation and the 
requisite forms.

NRICGP Abstracts of Funded Research

    The abstracts available on this searchable database are 
nontechnical abstracts written by the principal investigator of each 
individual grant, starting with fiscal year 1993. Each entry also 
includes the title, principal investigator(s), awardee institution, 
dollar amount, and proposal number for each grant. The first two digits 
of the proposal number indicate the fiscal year in which the proposal 
was submitted.

NRICGP Annual Report

    The NRICGP Annual Reports starting with fiscal year 1995 are 
available. These reports include descriptions of the program concept, 
the authorization, policy, inputs to establish research needs, program 
execution, and outcomes, including relevant statistics. Also included 
are examples of recent research funded by the NRICGP.

Electronic Subscription to NRICGP Documents

    The National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program 
(NRICGP) has set up a mailserver which will notify subscribers when 
publications such as its Program Description or Abstracts of Funded 
Research are available electronically on the World Wide Web. 
Subscribers will not receive the document itself, but instead will 
receive an e-mail containing an announcement regarding the document's 
availability on the Web.
    To subscribe: Send an e-mail message to: [email protected]
    In the body of the message, include only the words: subscribe nri-
epubs
    To unsubscribe: Send an e-mail message to: [email protected]
    In the body of the message, include only the words: unsubscribe 
nri-epubs Please note that this is not a forum. Messages, other than 
those related to subscription, can not be posted to this address.

NRICGP Deadline Dates

    The following fixed dates have been established for proposal 
submission deadlines within the National Research Initiative 
Competitive Grants Program, Cooperative State Research Education and 
Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture. To be 
considered for funding in any fiscal year, proposals must be 
transmitted by the date listed below (as indicated by postmark or date 
on courier bill of lading). When the deadline date falls on a weekend 
or Federal holiday, transmission must be made by the following business 
day.
    Programs offered in any fiscal year depend on availability of funds 
and deadlines may be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Consult 
the pertinent NRICGP solicitation in the Federal Register, the NRICGP 
Program Description, or the NRICGP WWW home page for up-to-date 
information.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Program                                                     
                Postmarked dates                     codes                       Program areas                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 15.....................................         22.1  Plant Responses to the Environment.              
                                                         23.0  Forest/Range/Crop/Aquatic Ecosystems.            
                                                         25.0  Soils and Soil Biology.                          
                                                         31.0  Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health.    
                                                         51.4  Weed Science.                                    
 December 15....................................         52.1  Plant Genome.                                    
                                                         52.2  Plant Genetic Mechanisms.                        
                                                         53.0  Plant Growth and Development.                    

[[Page 51081]]

                                                                                                                
                                                         54.1  Photosynthesis and Respiration.                  
                                                         61.0  Markets and Trade.                               
                                                         62.0  Rural Development.                               
                                                         71.1  Food Characterization/Process/Product Research.  
                                                         71.2  Non-Food Characterization/Process/Product        
                                                                Research.                                       
January 15......................................         32.0  Ensuring Food Safety.                            
                                                         41.0  Enhancing Animal Reproductive Efficiency.        
                                                         44.0  Sustaining Animal Health and Well-Being.         
                                                         51.1  Plant Pathology.                                 
                                                         51.2  Entomology.                                      
                                                         51.3  Nematology.                                      
                                                         51.7  Biologically-Based Pest Management.              
                                                         73.0  Improved Utilization of Wood and Wood Fiber.     
February 15.....................................         42.0  Improving Animal Growth and Development.         
                                                         43.0  Identifying Animal Genetic Mechanisms and Gene   
                                                                Mapping.                                        
                                                         54.2  Nitrogen Fixation/Nitrogen Metabolism.           
                                                         80.1  Research Career Enhancement Awards.              
                                                         80.2  Equipment Grants.                                
                                                         80.3  Seed Grants.                                     
                                                        100.0  Agricultural Systems.                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Water Resources Assessment and Protection program, previously 
announced as having a December 15 deadline, will not be offered in FY 
1997.

    Done at Washington, D.C., this 18th day of Sept. 1996.
B.H. Robinson,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24883 Filed 9-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-M