Notice of Intent - Review of USGS Laboratories: Processes, Procedures, and Best Practices to Meet National Needs | USGS FA 17 0245

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS FA 17 0245

This opportunity is a discretionary federal funding notice from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announcing an intent to make a cooperative agreement award for a project called "Review of the U.S. Geological Survey's Laboratories: Processes, Procedures, and Best Practices to Meet National Needs." In practical terms, it is not a broad, open competition aimed at many applicants; it is a targeted notice signaling that USGS plans to fund a specific kind of independent assessment of its laboratory system, focused on whether USGS lab operations are positioned to support national science and public service needs.

The planned work centers on an external review of representative USGS laboratory facilities and how they operate. The scope is meant to cover major USGS mission areas, including energy and minerals, natural hazards, surface water and groundwater, and ecosystems and environmental health. Rather than evaluating only the scientific outputs of particular labs, the emphasis implied by the title is on the underlying operational backbone: the processes and procedures labs use, the standards and practices they follow, and the broader set of best practices that help ensure quality, consistency, safety, and relevance. The goal is to identify what is working well, what gaps or inefficiencies may exist, and what improvements could better align USGS laboratory capabilities with evolving national priorities.

The intended recipient is the National Academy of Sciences, operating through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (often referred to collectively as the National Academies). The notice describes this as a cooperative agreement, which generally suggests a relationship where the federal agency expects to have meaningful involvement during the project compared to a typical grant. Cooperative agreements commonly involve coordination on project direction, deliverables, timelines, access to information or facilities, and review of interim products, while still relying on the awardee to carry out the substantive work independently and according to the agreement terms.

Key administrative details in the listing include the funding opportunity number USGS FA 17 0245 and the CFDA program number 15.808. The eligible applicant category is nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, which aligns with the National Academies organizational structure. The posted award ceiling is $723,521, indicating the maximum anticipated federal funding amount for the agreement. The opportunity was created on June 22, 2017, with an original closing date of July 6, 2017, which is consistent with a notice of intent format where the agency is announcing a planned award rather than inviting a large volume of competing proposals. The funding activity category is listed as "Other," reflecting that the project is more of an institutional review and best-practices assessment than a conventional research program.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as USGS commissioning an independent, credible, and nationally respected body to examine how USGS laboratories function across several mission-critical domains, then provide findings and recommendations. The expected value to USGS is a structured review of laboratory governance and operations that can inform modernization, strengthen quality management and consistency across facilities, and ensure laboratory capabilities remain fit for purpose in meeting national needs in areas like hazard preparedness, water resources, environmental health, and responsible energy and mineral development.

• The Geological Survey in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent - Review of USGS Laboratories: Processes, Procedures, and Best Practices to Meet National Needs" 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 2017-06-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-07-06. (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 $723,521.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS FA 17 0245

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