[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 159 (Thursday, August 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43048-43051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20632]



[[Page 43047]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part II





Department of Agriculture





-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service



-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Applications for FY 2002 National Research Initiative Competitive 
Grants Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 159 / Thursday, August 16, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 43048]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Applications for FY 2002 National Research Initiative Competitive 
Grants Program

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

ACTION: Notice of the Availability of the Solicitation for Applications 
for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 National Research Initiative Competitive 
Grants Program, and Request for Stakeholder Input.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the FY 2002 
solicitation for applications which is titled the ``NRI Program 
Description and Guidelines for Proposal Preparation'' for the National 
Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program administered by 
the Competitive Research Grants and Awards Management Division, 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). 
The solicitation invites applications for competitive grant awards in 
agricultural, forest, and related environmental sciences for FY 2002.
    By this notice, CSREES also requests stakeholder input regarding 
the FY 2002 NRI program solicitation from any interested party. These 
comments will be considered in the development of the next solicitation 
for this program.

DATES: Proposals must be postmarked on or before the dates provided in 
the table at the end of this notice.
    Comments regarding this solicitation are invited for six months 
from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: The address for hand-delivered proposals or proposals 
submitted using an express mail or overnight courier service is: NRI; 
c/o Proposal Services Unit; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 1307, 
Waterfront Centre; 800 9th Street, SW.; Washington, DC 20024; 
telephone: 202-205-0241.
    Proposals sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be sent to the 
following address: NRI; 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.
    Written stakeholder 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]. (This e-mail address is intended 
only for receiving comments regarding this solicitation and not for 
requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that 
you are responding to the FY 2002 NRICGP solicitation for applications.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USDA/CSREES/NRI; Stop 2241; 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-2241. Phone: (202) 401-
5022. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

Table of Contents
Stakeholder Input
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Authority and Applicable Regulations
Conflicts of Interest
Project Types and Eligibility Requirements
    I. Conventional Projects
    II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards
Funding Categories for FY 2002
Strategic Issues
Research Opportunities
Application Materials
Electronic Subscription to NRI Documents
NRI Deadline Dates
Stakeholder Input

    CSREES is requesting comments regarding the FY 2002 NRI 
solicitation for applications from any interested party. In your 
comments, please include the name of the program and the fiscal year 
solicitation for applications to which you are responding. These 
comments will be considered in the development of the next solicitation 
for applications 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). Comments 
should be submitted as provided in the ``Addresses'' and ``Dates'' 
portions of this notice.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program 
is 10.206.

Authority and Applicable Regulations

    The authority for this program is contained in 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 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
    Regulations applicable to this program include the following: (a) 
the regulations governing the NRI, 7 CFR part 3411, which 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; (b) the USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and 
Other Non-Profit Organizations, 7 CFR part 3019; (c) the USDA Uniform 
Federal Assistance Regulations, 7 CFR part 3015; (d) the USDA Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments, 7 CFR part 3016; and (e) 7 U.S.C. 
3103(17), 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 2001 Higher 
Education Directory, published by Higher Education Publications, Inc., 
6400 Arlington Boulevard, Suite 648, Falls Church, Virginia 22042. 
Phone: (703) 532-2305. The internet address is: http://www.hepinc.com/.

Project Types and Eligibility Requirements

    The FY 2002 NRI program solicitation solicits proposals for the 
following types of projects:

I. Conventional Projects

    (a) Standard Research Grants: Research will be supported that is 
fundamental or mission-linked, and that is 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, national laboratory, 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, national 
laboratory, private organization, corporation, or individual is an 
eligible

[[Page 43049]]

applicant in this area. Proposals submitted by non-United States 
organizations will not be considered for support.

II. Agricultural Research Enhancement Awards

    To contribute to the enhancement of research capabilities in the 
research program areas described herein, the FY 2002 NRI program 
solicitation solicits applications 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, national laboratory, 
private organization, corporation, or individual; however, further 
eligibility requirements are defined in 7 CFR 3411.3 and restated in 
the FY 2002 NRI program solicitation. Applications submitted by non-
United States organizations will not be considered for support. 
However, United States citizens applying as individuals for 
Postdoctoral Fellowships may perform all or part of the proposed work 
at a non-United States organization. Agricultural Research Enhancement 
Awards are available in the following categories:
    (a) Postdoctoral Fellowships.
    (b) New Investigator Awards.
    (c) Strengthening Awards: Institutions in USDA Experimental Program 
for Stimulating Competitive Research (EPSCoR) entities are eligible for 
strengthening awards. 7 CFR 3411.2(o) sets forth how EPSCoR entities 
are determined. For FY 2002, USDA EPSCoR states consist of the 
following:
    Alaska
    Arkansas
    Connecticut
    Delaware
    Hawaii
    Idaho
    Kentucky
    Maine
    Mississippi
    Montana
    Nevada
    New Hampshire
    New Mexico
    North Dakota
    Rhode Island
    South Carolina
    South Dakota
    Vermont
    West Virginia
    Wyoming
    For FY 2002, other USDA-EPSCoR entities consist of the following:
    American Samoa
    District of Columbia
    Guam
    Micronesia
    Northern Marianas
    Puerto Rico
    Virgin Islands
    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. Significant degree of autonomy is 
defined by being independently accredited as determined by reference to 
the 2001 Higher Education Directory.
    Institutions which are among the most successful universities and 
colleges for receiving Federal funds for science and engineering 
research, except those in USDA EPSCoR entities, are ineligible for 
strengthening awards. The most successful universities and colleges for 
receiving these funds, excluding those in USDA EPSCoR entities, 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 Purdue University at Indianapolis
    Iowa State University
    Johns Hopkins University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Medical College of Wisconsin
    Michigan State University
    New York University
    North Carolina State University
    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
    Scripps Research Institute
    Stanford University
    State University of New York at Stony Brook
    Thomas Jefferson University
    Tufts University
    University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
    University of Alabama Birmingham
    University of Arizona
    University of California Berkeley
    University of California Davis
    University of California Irvine
    University of California Los Angeles
    University of California San Diego
    University of California San Francisco
    University of California Santa Barbara
    University of Chicago
    University of Cincinnati
    University of Colorado Boulder
    University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
    University of Florida
    University of Georgia
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois Chicago
    University of Iowa
    University of Maryland Baltimore Prof Sch
    University of Maryland College Park
    University of Massachusetts Amherst
    University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
    University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
    University of Miami
    University of Michigan Ann Arbor
    University of Minnesota Twin Cities
    University of Missouri Columbia
    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 Science 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 Utah
    University of Virginia
    University of Washington
    University of Wisconsin Madison
    Vanderbilt University
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    Virginia Commonwealth University
    Wake Forest University
    Washington University
    Wayne State University
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
    Yeshiva University, New York
    See 7 CFR 3411.3 and the FY 2002 NRI program solicitation for 
complete details on programs and eligibility.

Funding Categories for FY 2002

    The FY 2002 NRI program solicitation solicits proposals, subject to 
the availability of funds, for support of high priority research of 
importance to agriculture, forestry, and related

[[Page 43050]]

environmental sciences, in the following research categories 
(ANTICIPATED FY 2002 (FY02) funding and ACTUAL FY 2001 (FY01) funding, 
rounded to the $0.1M, follows in parentheses):
     Natural Resources and the Environment (FY02: $16.3M, FY01: 
$16.3M)
     Nutrition, Food Quality, and Health (FY02: $16.7M, FY01: 
$16.7M)
     Plant Systems (FY02: $32.3M, FY01: $32.3M)
     Animal Systems (FY02: $22.9M, FY01: $22.9M)
     Markets, Trade, and Policy (FY02: $3.6M, FY01: $3.6M)
     New Products and Processes (FY02: $6.5M, FY01: $6.5M)
    Support for research opportunities 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. In addition, the funds described 
above may be used to fund proposals submitted to supplementary NRI 
Program Descriptions and/or solicitations for multiagency programs in 
which the NRI is participating.
    Pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 450i(b)(10), no less than 10 percent (FY02: 
$9.8M, FY01: $9.8M) 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 (FY02: $1.9M, FY01: 
$1.9M) of the available funds listed above will be made available for 
equipment grants. Further, no less than 30 percent (FY02: $29.5M, FY01: 
$29.5M) 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 (FY02: $39.4M, FY01: $39.4M) of the funds listed above 
shall be made available for grants for mission-linked systems research.
    CSREES is prohibited from paying indirect costs exceeding 19 per 
centum of the total Federal funds provided under each award on 
competitively awarded research grants (7 U.S.C. 3310). An alternative 
method of calculation of this limitation is to multiply total direct 
costs by 23.456 percent.

Strategic Issues

    The NRI includes a broad portfolio of programs that address 
critical agricultural research needs. The NRI has now also identified 
two strategic issues where a robust investment in science will 
accelerate the generation of critically needed agricultural solutions. 
The issues are: Agricultural Security and Safety Through Functional 
Genomics and New and Re-Emerging Disease and Pest Threats. It is 
anticipated that up to $25 million (from the six funding categories) 
will be available for awards in FY 2002 for each of these issues, 
contingent upon the quality of the proposals received and the 
availability of funds. Both of these high priority issues cut across 
research programs in the NRI divisions and are directly applicable to a 
broad agricultural and consumer spectrum. Expectations are that these 
strategic issues will exist within the NRI for a minimum of 3-5 years. 
Clearly there are more than two strategic issues warranting increased 
emphasis, and which are currently supported by individual NRI programs. 
Dependent on future funding, additional strategic issues may be 
possible in future years.
    Research proposed for these issues must be appropriate to one of 
the existing NRI programs listed under Research Opportunities. A 
separate peer review panel will not be assembled to review proposals 
addressing strategic issues. Numerous NRI programs address various 
components of these issues.

Research Opportunities

    The funds appropriated as listed above will be used to support 
research grants in the following areas:
Natural Resources and the Environment
    Plant Responses to the Environment
    Managed Ecosystems
    Soils and Soil Biology
    Watershed Processes and Water Resources
Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health
    Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health
    Food Safety
    Epidemiological Approaches for Food Safety
Animals
    Animal Reproduction
    Animal Growth and Nutrient Utilization
    Animal Genome and Genetic Mechanisms
    Animal Health and Well-Being
Biology and Management of Pests and Beneficial Organisms
    Entomology and Nematology
    Biologically Based Pest Management
    Biology of Plant-Microbe Associations
    Biology of Weedy and Invasive Plants
Plants
    Plant Genetic Mechanisms
    Plant Growth and Development
    Plant Biochemistry
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

Application Materials

    This notice does not constitute the FY 2002 NRI program 
solicitation. Those wishing to apply for a grant under this program 
should obtain a copy of the FY 2002 NRI program solicitation, which is 
titled the ``NRI Program Description and Guidelines for Proposal 
Preparation,'' and a copy of the CSREES ``Application Forms''. The NRI 
Program Description and Guidelines for Proposal Preparation and the 
CSREES ``Application Forms'' (May 2001) contain the information and 
materials necessary to prepare and submit a proposal and are available 
on the CSREES web site (www.reeusda.gov) under Funding Opportunities. 
CSREES encourages the use of these electronic documents. However, if 
necessary, paper copies of these application materials may be obtained 
by sending an e-mail with your name, complete mailing address (not e-
mail address), phone number, and materials that you are requesting to 
[email protected]. Materials will be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as 
quickly as possible. Alternatively, paper copies may be obtained by 
writing or calling the office indicated below.
    Proposal Services Unit, Office of Extramural Programs, Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, STOP 2245, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC. 
20250-2245, Telephone: (202) 401-5048.

Electronic Subscription to NRI Documents

    The NRI 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 NRI home page.
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, cannot be posted to this address.

[[Page 43051]]

NRI Deadline Dates

    The following fixed dates have been established for proposal 
submission deadlines within the NRI. 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 NRI notice in the Federal Register, the NRI Program 
Description, or the NRI home page (www.reeusda.gov/nri) for up-to-date 
information.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Program
         Postmarked dates            codes          Program areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 15                           22.1   Plant Responses to the
                                              Environment
                                      23.1   Managed Ecosystems
                                      25.0   Soils and Soil Biology
                                      26.0   Watershed Processes and
                                              Water Resources
                                      31.0   Improving Human Nutrition
                                              for Optimal Health
                                      51.9   Biology of Weedy and
                                              Invasive Plants
December 15                           52.2   Plant Genetic Mechanisms
                                      53.0   Plant Growth and
                                              Development
                                      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   Food Safety
                                      32.1   Epidemiological Approaches
                                              for Food Safety
                                      41.0   Animal Reproduction
                                      44.0   Animal Health and Well-
                                              Being
                                      51.2   Entomology and Nematology
                                      51.7   Biological Control
                                      51.8   Biology of Plant-Microbe
                                              Associations
February 15                           42.0   Animal Growth and Nutrient
                                              Utilization
                                      43.0   Animal Genome and Genetic
                                              Mechanisms
                                      54.3   Plant Biochemistry
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Done at Washington, D.C., this 9th day of August 2001.
George E. Cooper,
Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service.
[FR Doc. 01-20632 Filed 8-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P