Model Intercomparison and Improvement for Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimation from Agriculture

SUMMARY INFORMATION

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Model Intercomparison and Improvement for Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimation from Agriculture

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-SSRA-24-NOFO001387

Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.903, which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home.  

SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government’s trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing this funding opportunity for a cooperative agreement to support the coordination, implementation, and management of model intercomparison studies in agricultural systems. The model intercomparison study supports the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Quantification efforts. The IRA GHG Quantification work for agriculture is a collaboration among several USDA agencies. This study will be supported through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The purpose of the cooperative model intercomparison study is to assess and advance the state of science for carbon (C) sequestration and GHG emission modeling for agriculture. Soil C sequestration and GHG emissions in cropland and grassland systems and their interactions with different climate-smart mitigation practices will be the focus of the study. This award will support the coordination unit (awardee) and provide the funding for subawards to model groups. Participating models for the study will be identified by the coordination unit through communications or meetings with different model groups in conjunction with USDA and NRCS priorities and the scope of intercomparison work and subject to the funding allocation. The model intercomparison study will build on existing efforts or initiate a new effort and be designed and implemented through coordination involving all participating model groups. Data sets including field measurements and model input-output will be compiled, stored, and managed for easy access to facilitate model intercomparison activities.    

Proposals are requested for competitive consideration of the award with $1.9 million total funding available for a 4-year agreement. The proposal must include a breakdown of funds to be used for process coordination, management, and analysis, as well as funds for subawards to support the participation of multiple modelling groups for 3 years of the agreement. Eligibility is limited to institutions in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network (http://www.cesu.psu.edu/). 

All proposals must include a data management plan and all data and deliverables must be made publicly available per USDA regulations - https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dr-1020-006.pdf.

For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.

Key Dates

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on October 4, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. 

The agency anticipates making selections by November 15, 2024 and expects to execute awards by January 15, 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. 

Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts

The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $1.9 million, and the estimated funding ceiling is $1.9 million. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period.

Federal Financial Assistance Training

The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

NRCS Commitment to Equity 

NRCS is committed to the success of all of our nation’s producers, businesses, and partners. Some of our nation's producers belong to communities which have been or are marginalized in ways that have reduced their ability to farm and ranch successfully -- despite the vital role that they have played in securing a healthy agricultural economy for our country and protecting, enhancing, and sustaining our valuable natural resources. NRCS encourages proposal submissions from entities that represent, are partnered with, or are composed entirely of producers belonging to such communities.

Buy America Preference

Build America, Buy America. “Buy America” preference applies to Federal financial assistance programs for infrastructure. A Buy America preference applies to an entire infrastructure project, even if it is funded by both Federal and non-Federal funds under one or more awards. Subawards should conform to the terms and conditions of the Federal award from which they flow. A Buy America preference only applies to the iron and steel, manufactured products, and construction materials incorporated into an infrastructure project receiving a Federal award. Refer to the Federal Awarding Agency’s General Terms and Conditions for additional information: https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html   

Miscellaneous

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