[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 43 (Friday, March 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11720-11726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5176]



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Part VII





Department of Agriculture





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Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service



Request for Proposals (RFP): Special Research Grants Program, Citrus 
Tristeza Research; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 43 / Friday, March 3, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Request for Proposals (RFP): Special Research Grants Program, 
Citrus Tristeza Research

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals and request for input.

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SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) announces the availability of grant funds and requests 
proposals for the Special Research Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza 
Research for fiscal year (FY) 2000. The purpose of the program is to 
support research that focuses on problems caused by Citrus Tristeza 
Virus (CTV) and the Brown Citrus Aphid. This request for proposals 
(RFP) sets forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant 
proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals, the awarding of 
grants, and regulations relating to the post-award administration of 
such grants.
    CSREES also is soliciting comments regarding this RFP from any 
interested party. These comments will be considered in the development 
of the next RFP for this program. Such comments will be used in meeting 
the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998.

DATES: All proposals must be received at USDA on or by April 17, 2000. 
Proposals not received on or by this date will not be considered for 
funding.
    User comments are requested within six months from the issuance of 
the RFP. Comments received after that date will be considered to the 
extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Proposals should be submitted to the following mailing 
address: Special Research Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza Research; c/o 
Proposal Services Unit; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2245.
    The address for hand-delivered proposals or proposals submitted 
using an express mail or overnight courier service is: Special Research 
Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza Research; c/o Proposal Services Unit; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D Street, 
SW; Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 401-5048.
    Written user comments should be submitted by mail to: Policy and 
Program Liaison Staff; Office of Extramural Programs; USDA-CSREES; STOP 
2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2299; or via 
e-mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robin Huettel; Manager, Citrus 
Tristeza Research Program; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2220; 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2220; telephone (202) 
401-5804; fax (202) 401-6869; internet: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

Part I--General Information
    A. Legislative Authority
    B. Definitions
    C. Eligibility
Part II--Program Description
    A. Purpose and Scope of the Program
    B. Available Funds and Award Limitations
    C. Applicant Peer Review Requirements
Part III--Preparation of a Proposal
    A. Program Application Materials
    B. Content of a Proposal
Part IV--Submission of a Proposal
    A. What to Submit
    B. Where and When to Submit
    C. Acknowledgment of Proposals
Part V--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
    A. Selection Process
    B. Evaluation Criteria
Part VI--Supplementary Information
    A. Access to Review Information
    B. Grant Awards
    C. Use of Funds; Changes
    D. Applicable Federal Statutes and Regulations
    E. Confidential Aspects of Proposals and Awards
    F. Regulatory Information
    G. Stakeholder Input

Part I--General Information

A. Legislative Authority

    The authority for this program is contained in section (c)(1)(A) of 
the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, section 2 
of Pub. L. 89-106, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(1)(A)). This program is 
subject to the administrative regulations found in 7 CFR Part 3400.
    In accordance with the statutory authority, the Secretary may make 
grants for the purpose of conducting research to facilitate or expand 
promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences 
of importance to the United States.

B. Definitions

    For the purpose of awarding grants under this program, the 
following definitions are applicable:
    (1) Administrator means the Administrator of the Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service and any other officer or 
employee of the Department to whom the authority involved may be 
delegated.
    (2) Authorized departmental officer or awarding official means the 
Secretary or any employee of the Department who has the authority to 
issue or modify grant instruments on behalf of the Secretary.
    (3) Authorized organizational representative means the president, 
director, chief executive officer, or other designated official of the 
applicant organization who has the authority to commit the resources of 
the organization.
    (4) Budget period means the interval of time (usually 12 months) 
into which the project period is divided for budgetary and reporting 
purposes.
    (5) Department or USDA means the United States Department of 
Agriculture.
    (6) Grantee means the organization or entity designated in the 
grant award document as the responsible legal entity to which a grant 
is awarded.
    (7) Peer review panel or group means an assembled group of experts 
or consultants qualified by training and experience in particular 
scientific or technical fields to give expert advice on the scientific 
and technical merit of grant applications in those fields. The panel 
members will evaluate eligible proposals submitted to this program in 
their personal and professional area(s) of expertise.
    (8) Prior approval means written approval evidencing prior consent 
by an authorized departmental officer as defined in (2) above.
    (9) Project means the particular activity within the scope of the 
program supported by a grant award.
    (10) Principal Investigator means the single individual designated 
by the grantee in the grant application and approved by the 
Administrator who is responsible for the scientific and technical 
direction of the project.
    (11) Project period means the total length of time that is approved 
by the Administrator for conducting the research project as outlined in 
an approved grant application.
    (12) Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture and any other 
officer or employee of the Department to whom the authority involved 
may be delegated.

[[Page 11721]]

C. Eligibility

    Proposals may be submitted by State agricultural experiment 
stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions 
and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or 
corporations, and individuals. Although an applicant may be eligible 
based on its status as one of these entities, other factors may exclude 
an applicant from receiving Federal assistance under this program 
(e.g., debarment or suspension, a determination of non-responsibility 
based on submitted organizational management information).

Part II--Program Description

A. Purpose and Scope of the Program

    Proposals are invited for competitive grant awards under the 
Special Research Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza Research for fiscal 
year (FY) 2000. The purpose of this grant program is to support 
research that focuses on problems caused by CTV and the Brown Citrus 
Aphid. This research should aim to facilitate promising breakthroughs 
in this important area of the food and agricultural sciences.
    CTV is a pathogen of citrus vectored by several aphid species. This 
disease has been found in all the citrus producing regions of the 
United States and is of world-wide importance. The virus strain complex 
can cause a variety of symptoms, from mild to severe, depending upon 
the host and its environment. Recently, in Florida, a new aphid vector, 
the Brown Citrus Aphid was introduced. This vector is capable of 
transmitting a severe stem-pitting form of the virus. The Brown Citrus 
Aphid also occurs in Central America and the Caribbean Basin and thus 
poses a threat to citrus in other citrus producing areas in the United 
States (e.g., Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, and California).
    The research priority areas that have been identified are (1) 
Characterization and detection of CTV strains; (2) biology and control 
of the Brown Citrus Aphid; (3) host plant resistance; (4) epidemiology 
and crop loss assessment; and (5) development of cross-protecting CTV 
strains.

B. Available Funds and Award Limitations

    Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to support research 
projects that focus on solving problems caused by the CTV and Brown 
Citrus Aphid. The total amount of funds available in FY 2000 for 
support of this program is approximately $595,000. Each proposal 
submitted in FY 2000 shall request funding for a period not to exceed 
two years. FY 2000 awardees would need to recompete in future years for 
additional funding.

C. Applicant Peer Review Requirements

    Subsection (c)(5) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities 
Research Grant Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(5)), requires 
applicants to conduct a scientific peer review of a proposed research 
project in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary 
prior to the Secretary making a grant award under this authority. 
Regulations implementing this requirement are set forth in 7 CFR 
3400.20. The regulations impose the following requirements for 
scientific peer review by applicants of proposed research projects:
    1. Credible and independent. Review arranged by the grantee must 
provide for a credible and independent assessment of the proposed 
project. A credible review is one that provides an appraisal of 
technical quality and relevance sufficient for an organizational 
representative to make an informed judgment as to whether the proposal 
is appropriate for submission for Federal support. To provide for an 
independent review, such review may include USDA employees, but should 
not be conducted solely by USDA employees.
    2. Notice of completion and retention of records. For FY 2000, 
CSREES requires that a notice of completion of the review be conveyed 
in writing to CSREES as part of the submitted proposal. The written 
notice constitutes certification by the applicant that a review in 
compliance with these regulations has occurred. Applicants are not 
required to submit results of the review to CSREES; however, proper 
documentation of the review process and results should be retained by 
the applicant.
    3. Renewal and supplemental grants. Review by the grantee is not 
automatically required for renewal or supplemental grants as defined in 
7 CFR 3400.6. A subsequent grant award will require a new review if, 
according to CSREES, either the funded project has changed 
significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, 
or the need for the project has changed. Note that a new review is 
necessary when applying for another standard or continuation grant 
after expiration of the grant term.

Part III--Preparation of a Proposal

A. Program Application Materials

    Program application materials will be made available to interested 
entities upon request. These materials include information about the 
purpose of the program, how the program will be conducted, and the 
required contents of a proposal, as well as the forms needed to prepare 
and submit grant applications under the program. Program application 
materials can be downloaded from the Internet at the following website: 
 http://www.reeusda.gov/ipm/funding.htm or may be obtained by writing 
or calling the following office: Proposal Services Unit; Office of 
Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2245; Telephone: (202) 
401-5048. When contacting the Proposal Services Unit, please indicate 
that you are requesting application materials for the FY 2000 Special 
Research Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza Research. Application 
materials also may be requested via Internet by sending a message with 
your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and telephone number to 
[email protected] that states that you wish to receive a copy of the 
application materials for the FY 2000 Special Research Grants Program, 
Citrus Tristeza Research. The materials will then be mailed to you (not 
e-mailed) as quickly as possible.

B. Content of a Proposal

(1) General
    The proposal should follow these guidelines, enabling reviewers to 
more easily evaluate the merits of each proposal in a systematic, 
consistent fashion:
    (a) The proposal should be prepared on only one side of the page 
using standard size (8\1/2\" x 11") white paper, one inch margins, 
typed or word processed using no type smaller than 12 point font 
regardless of whether it is single or double spaced. Use an easily 
readable font face (e.g., Geneva, Helvetica, CG Times). Once accepted 
for review, your proposal will be read by at least three expert 
reviewers. Thus it is to your advantage to ensure that your proposal is 
not difficult to read.
    (b) Each page of the proposal, including the Project Summary, 
budget pages, required forms, and appendices, should be numbered 
sequentially in the upper right-hand corner.
    (c) The proposal should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. 
Do not bind. An original and 9 copies (10 total) must be submitted in 
one package, along with 20 copies of the Project Summary as a separate 
attachment.

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(2) Cover Page
    Complete Form CSREES-661, Application for Funding, in its entirety. 
This form is to be utilized as the Cover Page. Form CSREES-661 serves 
as a source document for the CSREES grant database; it is therefore 
important that it be completed accurately.
    (a) In Block 6, complete the title of the project. The project 
title must be brief (80-character maximum), yet represent the major 
thrust of the effort being proposed. Project titles are read by a 
variety of nonscientific people; therefore, highly technical words or 
phraseology should be avoided where possible. In addition, introductory 
phrases such as ``investigation of'' or ``research on'' should not be 
used.
    (b) Blocks 7 and 8 should be completed to read ``Special Research 
Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza Research.''
    (c) In Block 13, the Type of Award Request is ``new.''
    (d) In Block 14., note the total amount of Federal dollars being 
requested.
    (e) In Block 15, designate Principal Investigator(s)/Project 
Directors(s) (PI/PD). Listing multiple co-PIs beyond those required for 
genuine collaboration is discouraged. Note that providing a Social 
Security Number is voluntary, but is an integral part of the CSREES 
information system and will assist in the processing of the proposal.
    (f) Type of Performing Organization (Block 18). A check should be 
placed in the box beside the type of organization which actually will 
carry out the effort. For example, if the proposal is being submitted 
by an 1862 Land-Grant institution but the work will be performed in a 
department, laboratory, or other organizational unit of an agricultural 
experiment station, box ``03'' should be checked. If portions of the 
effort are to be performed in several departments, check the box that 
applies to the individual listed as PI/PD #1 in Block 15.a.
    (g) In Block 22 list the names or acronyms of all other public or 
private sponsors including other agencies within USDA and other 
programs funded by CSREES to whom your application has been or will be 
sent. In the event you decide to send your application to another 
organization or agency at a later date, you must inform the identified 
CSREES program manager as soon as practicable. Submitting your proposal 
to other potential sponsors will not prejudice its review by CSREES; 
however, duplicate support for the same project will not be provided.
    (h) The original copy of the Application for Funding form must 
contain the pen-and-ink signatures of the PI/PD(s) and authorized 
organizational representative for the applicant organization.
    (i) Note that by signing the Application for Funding form, the 
applicant is providing the required certifications set forth in 7 CFR 
Part 3017, regarding Debarment and Suspension and Drug-Free Workplace, 
and 7 CFR Part 3018, regarding Lobbying. The three certification forms 
are included in this application package for informational purposes 
only. It is not necessary to sign and submit the forms to USDA as part 
of the proposal.
(3) Table of Contents
    For consistency and ease in locating information, each proposal 
must contain a detailed Table of Contents just after the Cover Page. 
The Table of Contents should include page numbers for each component of 
the proposal. Page numbers, shown in the upper right-hand corner, 
should begin with the first page of the Project Summary.
(4) Project Summary
    The proposal must contain a Project Summary of 250 words or less on 
a separate page. The summary must be self-contained and describe the 
overall goals and relevance of the project. The summary should also 
contain a listing of the major organizations participating in the 
project. The Project Summary should immediately follow the Table of 
Contents. In addition to the summary, this page must include the title 
of the project, the name of the applicant organization, the authorized 
organizational representative, and the PI(s), followed by the summary.
(5) Project Narrative

    Note: The Project Narrative shall not exceed 10 pages. To ensure 
fair and equitable competition, reviewers are instructed that they 
need to read only the first 10 pages of the Project Narrative and to 
ignore information on additional pages. The Project Narrative should 
contain the following items:

    (a) Objectives--Clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged 
statement(s) of the specific aims of the proposed effort must be 
included in all proposals.
    (b) Procedures--The procedures or methodology to be applied to 
the proposed effort should be explicitly stated. This section should 
include but not necessarily be limited to a description of the 
proposed investigations and/or experiments in the sequence in which 
it is planned to carry them out; techniques to be employed, 
including their feasibility; kinds of results expected; means by 
which data will be analyzed or interpreted; pitfalls which might be 
encountered; and limitations to proposed procedures.
    (c) Justification--This section should include in-depth 
information on the magnitude of the problem and its relevance to 
ongoing food and agricultural research programs; the importance of 
starting the work during the current fiscal year, and reasons for 
having the work performed by the proposing institution.
    (d) Cooperation and Institutional Units Involved-- Cooperative 
and multi-State applications are encouraged. Identify each 
institutional unit contributing to the project. Identify each State 
in a multiple-State proposal and designate the lead State. When 
appropriate, the project should be coordinated with the efforts of 
other State and/or national programs. Clearly define the roles and 
responsibilities of each institutional unit of the project team, if 
applicable.
    If it will be necessary to enter into formal consulting or 
collaborative arrangements with other individuals or organizations, 
such arrangements should be fully explained and justified. For 
purposes of proposal development, informal day-to-day contacts 
between key project personnel and outside experts are not considered 
to be collaborative arrangements and thus do not need to be 
detailed.
    All anticipated subcontractual arrangements also should be 
explained and justified in this section. A proposed statement of 
work, budget, and budget narrative for each arrangement involving 
the transfer of substantive programmatic work or the providing of 
financial assistance to a third party must be provided. Agreements 
between departments or other units of your own institution and minor 
arrangements with entities outside of your institution (e.g., 
requests for outside laboratory analyses) are excluded from this 
requirement. If you expect to enter into subcontractual 
arrangements, please note that the provisions contained in 7 CFR 
part 3019, USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, 
and Other Non-Profit Organizations, and the general provisions 
contained in 7 CFR 3015.205, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance 
Regulations, flow down to subcontractors. In addition, when 
applicable, required clauses from 7 CFR 3019.40 through 3019.48 
(``Procurement Standards'') and Appendix A (``Contract Provisions'') 
should be included in final contractual documents, and it is 
necessary for the subcontractor to make a certification relating to 
debarment/suspension.
    (e) Literature Review--A summary of pertinent publications with 
emphasis on their relationship to the effort being proposed should 
be provided and should include all important and recent publications 
from other institutions, as well as those from the applicant 
institution. The citations themselves should be accurate, complete, 
and written in an acceptable journal format.
    (f) Current Work--Current unpublished institutional activities 
to date in the program area under which the proposal is being 
submitted should be described.
    (g) Facilities and Equipment--All facilities which are available 
for use or assignment to

[[Page 11723]]

the project during the requested period of support should be 
reported and described briefly. Any potentially hazardous materials, 
procedures, situations, or activities, whether or not directly 
related to a particular phase of the effort, must be explained 
fully, along with an outline of precautions to be exercised. 
Examples include work with toxic chemicals and experiments that may 
put human subjects or animals at risk.
    All items of major instrumentation available for use or 
assignment to the proposed project should be itemized. In addition, 
items of nonexpendable equipment not currently accessible and needed 
to conduct and bring the project to a successful conclusion should 
be listed, including dollar amounts and, if funds are requested for 
their acquisition, justified.
    (h) Project Timetable--The proposal should outline all important 
phases as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, 
including periods beyond the grant funding period.
(6) Key Personnel
    All senior personnel who are expected to be involved in the effort 
must be clearly identified. For each person, the following should be 
included:
    (a) An estimate of the time commitment involved; and
    (b) Vitae of all key persons who are expected to work on the 
project, whether or not CSREES funds are sought for their support. Each 
vitae should be limited to two (2) pages in length, excluding 
publications listings. A chronological list of the most representative 
publications during the past five (5) years must be provided for each 
professional project member for whom a vitae appears. Authors should be 
listed in the same order as they appear on each paper cited, along with 
the title and complete reference as these usually appear in journals.
(7) Conflict-of-Interest List
    A separate Conflict-of Interest List form (Form CSREES-1233) must 
be submitted for each investigator for whom a curriculum vitae is 
required. This form is necessary to assist program staff in excluding 
from proposal review those individuals who have conflicts-of-interest 
with the project personnel in the grant proposal. The Program Manager 
must be informed of additional conflicts-of-interest that arise after 
the proposal has been submitted.
(8) Budget
    A detailed budget for each year of requested support must be 
submitted. In addition, a cumulative budget is required detailing 
requested support for the overall project period. The budget form may 
be reproduced as needed by applicants. Funds may be requested under any 
of the categories listed on the form, provided that the item or service 
for which support is requested is allowable under the authorizing 
legislation, the applicable Federal cost principles, and these program 
guidelines, and can be justified as necessary for the successful 
conduct of the proposed project. Applicants must also include a budget 
narrative to explain and justify their budgets. The following 
guidelines should be used in developing the proposal budget(s):
    (a) Salaries and Wages--Salaries and wages are allowable charges 
and may be requested for personnel who will be working on the project 
in proportion to the time such personnel will devote to the project. If 
salary funds are requested, the number of Senior and Other Personnel 
and the number of CSREES Funded Work Months must be shown in the spaces 
provided. Grant funds may not be used to augment the total salary or 
rate of salary of project personnel or to reimburse them for time in 
addition to a regular full-time salary covering the same general period 
of employment. Salary funds requested must be consistent with the 
normal policies of the institution and with the applicable OMB Cost 
Principles. Administrative and clerical salaries are normally 
classified as indirect costs. (See Item i. below.) However, if 
requested under A.2.e., they must be fully justified.
    (b) Fringe Benefits--Funds may be requested for fringe benefit 
costs if the usual accounting practices of your institution provide 
that institutional contributions to employee benefits (social security, 
retirement, etc.) be treated as direct costs. Fringe benefit costs may 
be included only for those personnel whose salaries are charged as a 
direct cost to the project. See, e.g., OMB Circular No. A-21, Cost 
Principles for Educational Institutions, for further guidance in this 
area.
    (c) Nonexpendable Equipment--Nonexpendable equipment means tangible 
nonexpendable personal property including exempt property charged 
directly to the award having a useful life of more than one year and an 
acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. (However, institutions may 
establish lower limits.) As such, items of necessary instrumentation or 
other nonexpendable equipment should be listed individually by 
description and estimated cost in the budget narrative. This applies to 
revised budgets as well, as the equipment item(s) and amount(s) may 
change.

    Note: For projects awarded under the authority of subsection 
(c)(1)(A) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant 
Act, no funds will be awarded for the renovation or refurbishment of 
research spaces; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in 
such spaces; or for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, 
acquisition, or construction of a building or facility.

    (d) Materials and Supplies--The types of expendable materials and 
supplies which are required to carry out the project should be 
indicated in general terms with estimated costs in the budget 
narrative.
    (e) Travel--The type and extent of travel and its relationship to 
project objectives should be described briefly and justified. If travel 
is proposed, provide the purpose, the destination, method of travel, 
number of persons traveling, number of days, and estimated cost for 
each trip. If details of a trip are not known at the time of proposal 
submission, provide a basis for determining the amount requested. 
Airfare allowances normally will not exceed round-trip jet economy air 
accommodations. U.S. flag carriers must be used when available. See 7 
CFR 3015.205(b)(4) for further guidance.
    (f) Publication Costs/Page Charges--Anticipated costs of preparing 
and publishing results of the research being proposed (including page 
charges, necessary illustrations, and the cost of a reasonable number 
of coverless reprints) may be estimated and charged against the grant.
    (g) Computer (ADPE) Costs--Reimbursement for the costs of using 
specialized facilities (such as a university or department-controlled 
computer mainframe or data processing center) may be requested if such 
services are required for completion of the work.
    (h) All Other Direct Costs--Anticipated direct project charges not 
included in other budget categories must be itemized with estimated 
costs and justified in the budget narrative. This applies to revised 
budgets as well, as the item(s) and dollar amount(s) may change. 
Examples include space rental at remote locations, subcontractual 
costs, charges for consulting services, telephone, facsimile, e-mail, 
shipping costs, and fees for necessary laboratory analyses. You are 
encouraged to consult the ``Instructions for Completing Form CSREES-55, 
Budget,'' of the Application Kit for detailed guidance relating to this 
budget category.
    (i) Indirect Costs--The recovery of indirect costs under this 
program may not exceed the lesser of the grantee institution's official 
negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 19 percent of total 
Federal funds awarded. This limitation also applies to any 
subcontractor, and should be reflected in the subcontractor's budget.

[[Page 11724]]

    (j) Cost-sharing--Cost-sharing is encouraged; however, cost-sharing 
is not required.
(9) Budget Narrative
    All budget categories for which support is requested, must be 
individually listed (with costs) and justified on a separate sheet of 
paper and placed immediately behind the Budget Form.
(10) Current and Pending Support
    All proposals must list any other current public or private support 
(including in-house support) to which key personnel identified in the 
proposal have committed portions of their time, whether or not salary 
support for person(s) involved is included in the budget for each 
project. Analogous information must be provided for any pending 
proposals that are being considered by, or that will be submitted in 
the near future to, other possible sponsors, including other USDA 
programs or agencies. Concurrent submission of identical or similar 
proposals to other possible sponsors will not prejudice proposal review 
or evaluation by the Administrator for this purpose. However, a 
proposal that duplicates or overlaps substantially with a proposal 
already reviewed and funded (or that will be funded) by another 
organization or agency will not be funded under this program. The 
application material includes Form CSREES-663, Current and Pending 
Support, which should be used for listing current and pending support. 
Note that the project being proposed should be included in the pending 
section of the form.
(11) Assurance Statement(s) (Form CSREES-662)
    A number of situations encountered in the conduct of projects 
require special assurance, supporting documentation, etc., before 
funding can be approved for the project. In addition to any other 
situation that may exist with regard to a particular project, it is 
expected that some applications submitted in response to these 
guidelines will include the following:
    (a) Recombinant DNA or RNA Research. As stated in 7 CFR 
3015.205(b)(3), all key personnel identified in the proposal and all 
endorsing officials of the proposing organization are required to 
comply with the guidelines established by the National Institutes of 
Health entitled, ``Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA 
Molecules,'' as revised. If your project proposes to use recombinant 
DNA or RNA techniques, the application must so indicate by checking the 
``yes'' box in Block 19 of Form CSREES-661 and by completing Section A 
of Form CSREES-662. For applicable proposals recommended for funding, 
Institutional Biosafety Committee approval is required before CSREES 
funds will be released.
    (b) Animal Care. Responsibility for the humane care and treatment 
of live vertebrate animals used in any grant project supported with 
funds provided by CSREES rests with the performing organization. Where 
a project involves the use of living vertebrate animals for 
experimental purposes, all key project personnel and all endorsing 
officials of the proposing organization are required to comply with the 
applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
2131 et seq.) and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the 
Secretary in 9 CFR parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 pertaining to the care, 
handling, and treatment of these animals. If your project will involve 
these animals or activities, you must check the ``yes'' box in Block 20 
of Form CSREES-661 and complete Section B of Form CSREES-662. In the 
event a project involving the use of live vertebrate animals results in 
a grant award, funds will be released only after the Institutional 
Animal Care and Use Committee has approved the project.
    (c) Protection of Human Subjects. Responsibility for safeguarding 
the rights and welfare of human subjects used in any grant project 
supported with funds provided by CSREES rests with the performing 
organization. Guidance on this issue is contained in the National 
Research Act, Pub. L. 93-348, as amended, and implementing regulations 
established by the Department under 7 CFR part 1c. If you propose to 
use human subjects for experimental purposes in your project, you 
should check the ``yes'' box in Block 21 of Form CSREES-661 and 
complete Section C of Form CSREES-662. In the event a project involving 
human subjects results in a grant award, funds will be released only 
after the appropriate Institutional Review Board has approved the 
project.
(12) Compliance With the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
    As outlined in 7 CFR part 3407 (the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service regulations implementing NEPA), the 
environmental data for any proposed project is to be provided to CSREES 
so that CSREES may determine whether any further action is needed. In 
most cases, based on previously funded projects, the preparation of 
environmental data is not usually required. Certain categories of 
actions are excluded from the requirements of NEPA.
    In order for CSREES to determine whether any further action is 
needed with respect to NEPA, pertinent information regarding the 
possible environmental impacts of a particular project is necessary; 
therefore, Form CSREES-1234, NEPA Exclusions Form, must be included in 
the proposal indicating whether the applicant is of the opinion that 
the project falls within a categorical exclusion and the reasons 
therefor. If it is the applicant's opinion that the proposed project 
falls within the categorical exclusions, the specific exclusion must be 
identified. Form CSREES-1234 and supporting documentation should be the 
last page of the proposal.
    Even though a project may fall within the categorical exclusions, 
CSREES may determine that an Environmental Assessment or an 
Environmental Impact Statement is necessary for an activity. This will 
be the case if substantial controversy on environmental grounds exists 
or if other extraordinary conditions or circumstances are present which 
may cause such activity to have a significant environmental effect. 
However, this rarely occurs.

Part IV--Submission of a Proposal

A. What To Submit

    An original and nine copies of the complete proposal must be 
submitted. Each copy of the proposal must be stapled in the upper left-
hand corner. DO NOT BIND. In addition, submit 20 copies of the 
proposal's Project Summary. All copies of the proposal and Project 
Summary must be submitted in one package.

B. Where and When To Submit

    Proposals must be received on or before April 17, 2000. Proposals 
that are hand-delivered, delivered by courier, or sent via overnight 
delivery services must be sent or delivered to: Special Research Grants 
Program, Citrus Tristeza Research; c/o Proposal Services Unit; Office 
of Extramural Programs; USDA/CSREES; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D 
Street, SW; Washington, DC 20024; Telephone: (202)401-5048.

    Note: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their 
completed proposals via overnight mail or delivery services to 
ensure timely receipt by the USDA.

    Proposals sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be sent to the 
following address: Special Research Grants Program, Citrus Tristeza 
Research; c/o Proposal Services Unit; Office of

[[Page 11725]]

Extramural Programs; USDA/CSREES; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW; Washington, DC 20250-2245; Telephone: (202) 401-5048.

C. Acknowledgment of Proposals

    The receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged in writing or by 
e-mail, therefore applicants are encouraged to provide e-mail 
addresses, where designated, on the Form CSREES-661. The acknowledgment 
will contain an identifying proposal number. Once your proposal has 
been assigned a proposal number, please cite that number in future 
correspondence.

Part V--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

A. Selection Process

    Applicants should submit fully developed proposals that meet all 
the requirements set forth in this RFP.
    Each proposal will be evaluated in a two-part process. First, each 
proposal will be screened to ensure it meets the requirements as set 
forth in this RFP. Proposals not meeting the requirements as set forth 
in this RFP will not be considered for funding. However, USDA retains 
the right to conduct discussions with applicants to resolve technical 
and/or budget issues as it deems necessary. Second, each proposal that 
meets the requirements will be technically evaluated by a peer review 
panel.
    The individual peer panel members will be selected from among those 
recognized as specialists who are uniquely qualified by training and 
experience in their respective fields to render expert advice on the 
merit of proposals being reviewed. The individual reviews of the panel 
members will be used to determine which proposals should be recommended 
to the Administrator (or his designee) for final funding decisions.
    There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular proposal or 
to make a specific number of awards. Care will be taken to avoid 
actual, potential, and/or the appearance of conflicts of interest among 
reviewers. Evaluations will be confidential to USDA staff members, peer 
reviewers, and the principal investigator(s), to the extent permitted 
by law.
    The specificity of these organisms and their host limits the areas 
in which relevant research can be carried out. The brown citrus aphid 
has recently been introduced into the citrus growing areas of Florida. 
Research on both the virus/aphid and on field biology of the aphid is 
largely conducted in the areas of Florida and Puerto Rico where it is 
established. CSREES anticipates that the expertise necessary to review 
proposals will be found at organizations in these geographic areas. 
Therefore, conflict-of-interest rules will be amended to allow 
reviewers to evaluate submitted proposals from their own university as 
long as the applicant and reviewer do not work on the same campus. 
Thus, for this program, the scientists from the University of Florida 
but from other campuses (i.e., Research and Education Centers) are not 
considered to be in conflict.

B. Evaluation Criteria

    The evaluation of proposals will be based on the following 
criteria, weighted relative to each other as noted in the parentheses 
following each criterion listed.
    (1) Overall scientific and technical quality of the proposal (15 
points);
    (2) Scientific and technical quality of the approach (10 points);
    (3) Relevance and importance of proposed research to solution of 
specific areas of inquiry, and application of expected results for 
States in which the grantee resides and will perform the work (30 
points);
    (4) Feasibility of attaining objectives; adequacy of professional 
training and experience, facilities and equipment (40 points);
    (5) The appropriateness of the level of funding requested (5 
points).

Part VI--Supplementary Information

A. Access To Review Information

    Copies of summary reviews will be sent to the applicant principle 
investigator automatically, as soon as possible after the review 
process has been completed. The identity of the individual peer 
reviewers will not be provided.

B. Grant Awards

(1) General
    Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the awarding 
official of CSREES shall make grants to those responsible, eligible 
applicants whose proposals are judged most meritorious under the 
procedures set forth in this RFP. The date specified by the 
Administrator as the effective date of the grant shall be no later than 
September 30 of the Federal fiscal year in which the project is 
approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, 
unless otherwise permitted by law. It should be noted that the project 
need not be initiated on the grant effective date, but as soon 
thereafter as practical so that project goals may be attained within 
the funded project period. All funds granted by CSREES under this RFP 
shall be expended solely for the purpose for which the funds are 
granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, the 
regulations, the terms and conditions of the award, the applicable 
Federal cost principles, and the Department's assistance regulations 
(parts 3015, 3016, and 3019 of 7 CFR).
(2) Organizational Management Information
    Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be 
submitted on a one-time basis as part of the responsibility 
determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this part 
if such information has not been provided previously under this or 
another program for which the sponsoring agency is responsible. Copies 
of forms recommended for use in fulfilling the requirements contained 
in this section will be provided by the sponsoring agency as part of 
the preaward process.
(3) Grant Award Document and Notice of Grant Award
    The grant award document shall include at a minimum the following:
    (a) Legal name and address of performing organization or 
institution to whom the Administrator has awarded a grant under the 
terms of this request for proposals;
    (b) Title of project;
    (c) Name(s) and address(es) of principal investigator(s) chosen to 
direct and control approved activities;
    (d) Identifying grant number assigned by the Department;
    (e) Project period, specifying the amount of time the Department 
intends to support the project without requiring recompetition for 
funds;
    (f) Total amount of Departmental financial assistance approved by 
the Administrator during the project period;
    (g) Legal authority(ies) under which the grant is awarded;
    (h) Approved budget plan for categorizing allocable project funds 
to accomplish the stated purpose of the grant award; and
    (i) Other information or provisions deemed necessary by CSREES to 
carry out its respective granting activities or to accomplish the 
purpose of a particular grant.
    The notice of grant award, in the form of a letter, will be 
prepared and will provide pertinent instructions or information to the 
grantee that is not included in the grant award document.
    CSREES will award standard grants to carry out this program. A 
standard grant

[[Page 11726]]

is a funding mechanism whereby CSREES agrees to support a specified 
level of effort for a predetermined time period without additional 
support at a future date.

C. Use of Funds; Changes

(1) Delegation of Fiscal Responsibility
    Unless the terms and conditions of the grant state otherwise, the 
grantee may not in whole or in part delegate or transfer to another 
person, institution, or organization the responsibility for use or 
expenditure of grant funds.
(2) Changes in Project Plans
    (a) The permissible changes by the grantee, principal 
investigator(s), or other key project personnel in the approved project 
grant shall be limited to changes in methodology, techniques, or other 
aspects of the project to expedite achievement of the project's 
approved goals. If the grantee and/or the principal investigator(s) are 
uncertain as to whether a change complies with this provision, the 
question must be referred to the CSREES Authorized Departmental Officer 
(ADO) for a final determination.
    (b) Changes in approved goals or objectives shall be requested by 
the grantee and approved in writing by the CSREES ADO prior to 
effecting such changes. In no event shall requests for such changes be 
approved which are outside the scope of the original approved project.
    (c) Changes in approved project leadership or the replacement or 
reassignment of other key project personnel shall be requested by the 
grantee and approved in writing by the awarding official of CSREES 
prior to effecting such changes.

D. Applicable Federal Statutes and Regulations

    This program is subject to the administrative provisions for the 
Special Research Grants Program found in 7 CFR part 3400, which set 
forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant proposals, the 
processes regarding the awarding of grants, and regulations relating to 
the post-award administration of such grants. However, where there are 
differences between this RFP and the administrative provisions, this 
RFP shall take precedence to the extent that the administrative 
provisions authorize such deviations.
    Several other Federal statutes and regulations apply to grant 
proposals considered for review and to project grants awarded under 
this program. These include but are not limited to:
    7 CFR part 3019--USDA implementation of OMB Circular A-110, Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements With 
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit 
Organizations.
    7 CFR part 3052--USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-133, 
Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-profit Organizations.

E. Confidential Aspects of Proposals and Awards

    When a proposal results in a grant, it becomes a part of the record 
of the Agency's transactions, available to the public upon specific 
request. Information that the Secretary determines to be of a 
privileged nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by 
law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have 
considered as privileged should be clearly marked as such and sent in a 
separate statement, two copies of which should accompany the proposal. 
The original copy of a proposal that does not result in a grant will be 
retained by the Agency for a period of one year. Other copies will be 
destroyed. Such a proposal will be released only with the consent of 
the applicant or to the extent required by law. A proposal may be 
withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

F. Regulatory Information

    For the reasons set forth in the final Rule-related Notice to 7 CFR 
part 3015, subpart V (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983), this program is 
excluded from the scope of the Executive Order 12372 which requires 
intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. Under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), the collection of information requirements 
contained in this Notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 
0524-0022.

G. Stakeholder Input

    CSREES is soliciting comments regarding this solicitation of 
applications from any interested party. In your comments, please 
include the name of the program and the fiscal year of the RFP to which 
you are responding. These comments will be considered in the 
development of the next RFP for the program. Such comments will be used 
in meeting the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural 
Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 
7613(c)(2)). Comments should be submitted as provided for in the 
ADDRESSES and DATES portions of this Notice.

    Done at Washington, D.C., this 28th day of February 2000.
Charles W. Laughlin,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-5176 Filed 3-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P