Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G22AS00417

Opportunity Information: Apply for G22AS00417

This funding opportunity (G22AS00417) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement aimed at supporting state-of-the-art sediment geochemical research in the Gulf of Mexico in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The core purpose is to improve understanding of how deep Gulf sediment environments differ between areas designated as impacted by the spill and comparable reference zones, and to generate defensible, decision-ready information that can be used during long-term restoration planning and adaptive management. The work is tied directly to restoration science needs, specifically supporting a sediment geochemical assessment for the project described as the "DWH Gulf of Mexico Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community Restoration sediment geochemical assessment in support of the Habitat Assessment and Evaluation Project."

The opportunity is being offered through the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) in Gainesville, Florida, and it sits within a broader USGS role of conducting ecological and environmental studies that inform Gulf restoration efforts. The USGS notes this work is coordinated with NOAA and other state and federal partners, reflecting that the results are expected to be used in a multi-agency restoration context rather than as a purely academic exercise. In practical terms, the selected partner would help USGS evaluate sediment conditions and how they change over time, which is essential for tracking environmental recovery, understanding ongoing stressors, and judging the effectiveness of restoration actions in deepwater habitats.

The scope emphasizes the ability to sample, quantify, and synthesize sediment geochemistry data from affected regions and to identify best practices for tracking changes in key constituents. While the announcement does not list specific analytes, the language points to comprehensive geochemical characterization and comparative analysis between impacted and reference sites, along with consistent methods that enable trend detection and credible comparisons across sampling years. The structure of the work is long-horizon: it anticipates up to three years of field sampling followed by two additional years focused on analysis and synthesis, suggesting an expectation of both repeated sampling and a final integrative phase that translates data into broader interpretations and usable guidance.

Administratively, this is a discretionary financial assistance opportunity with a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning substantial involvement or collaboration with USGS is typically expected during the project period (for example, coordination on study design, field plans, data management, interpretation, and alignment with restoration information needs). The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the listed CFDA number is 15.808. The award ceiling is $1,000,000, indicating the total potential support may be significant, though the notice does not specify an exact number of awards.

Eligibility is restricted to partners within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically those participating in the Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast CESU Program. CESUs are designed to streamline partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education for federal agencies, so this competition is not open to the general public or to institutions outside that CESU affiliation. The original closing date for applications was August 25, 2022, and the opportunity was created July 25, 2022, which places it in the context of ongoing post-DWH restoration science planning and implementation.

Overall, the grant is best understood as a targeted, partner-based research effort to deliver rigorous sediment geochemical monitoring and interpretation in deep Gulf environments, explicitly framed to support habitat assessment and restoration decision-making after the Deepwater Horizon spill.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-07-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G22AS00417

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