Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North and West Alaska CESU | G20AS00036

Opportunity Information: Apply for G20AS00036

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through its Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC), announced a discretionary federal funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network for the North and West Alaska CESU (Funding Opportunity Number G20AS00036). The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means USGS expects to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply providing a grant with minimal federal participation. The funding is aimed at supporting science and technology research and development focused on marine geology and related hazards in a high-priority region.

The core purpose of the opportunity is to partner with an eligible CESU member institution to conduct research on seafloor geology and the shallow subsurface in offshore areas of southeastern Alaska and western Canada. The project emphasis is on characterizing seafloor geology and shallow substrate conditions, and then using that information to better understand how shallow geohazards shape the marine environment. The opportunity specifically calls out geohazards such as earthquakes, submarine landslides, and seabed fluid seeps, and it links those processes to potential impacts on benthic habitats along the offshore continental margin. In practical terms, this kind of work can inform how scientists and managers think about habitat distribution, ecosystem vulnerability, and physical drivers that influence seafloor communities.

A defining feature of this effort is the collaborative role of USGS PCMSC. The announcement states that the PCMSC research group will provide expertise in marine geology and geophysics to help ensure effective collaboration with the selected CESU partner. That implies the recipient would be expected to work closely with USGS scientists, likely coordinating on study design, data collection or integration, interpretation of marine geophysical and geological information, and production of usable scientific outputs that advance understanding of the region. The focus on both seafloor and shallow subsurface suggests an emphasis on mapping and interpretation approaches common in marine geoscience, with attention to hazards and habitat relationships rather than purely academic characterization.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on February 24, 2020, with an original closing date of March 11, 2020. USGS anticipated making one award, with a maximum federal funding amount (award ceiling) of $150,000. The listing is associated with CFDA number 15.808 and is administered by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. Eligibility is limited to applicants that qualify under the CESU framework, with the notice indicating "Others" and directing readers to additional eligibility language in the full announcement; in other words, the intent is to fund a CESU partner rather than open competition to any entity.

Overall, this is a targeted, single-award cooperative agreement intended to leverage a CESU partnership to advance applied marine geoscience in the southeastern Alaska and western Canada offshore margin, with a clear thematic intersection between seafloor and shallow subsurface geology, geohazard processes, and benthic habitat implications.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North and West Alaska CESU" 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 Feb 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 11, 2020. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for G20AS00036

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