Opportunity Information: Apply for G17AS00122
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G17AS00122) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary research award offered through a cooperative agreement mechanism. It was created on July 27, 2017, with an original closing date of August 11, 2017. The Department of the Interior, USGS is the sponsoring agency, and the opportunity sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category under CFDA 15.808. The program anticipates making one award with a maximum (ceiling) amount of $150,000, and eligibility is limited to qualified CESU partners (with additional eligibility specifics referenced in the full announcement text).
The purpose of the award is to bring in a CESU partner to provide practical, on-the-ground support for a USGS research project investigating whether microbial communities in subsurface coal beds can convert coal into methane and whether that natural process can be enhanced. The field experiment at the center of this award is a small-scale "push-pull" injection test conducted in situ (directly within the coal bed underground). In a push-pull test, researchers inject a prepared solution into the subsurface (the "push"), allow time for the injected materials to interact with the formation and resident microbes, and then extract fluids and gases back out (the "pull") to see how conditions and outputs changed. Here, the goal is to evaluate whether introducing nutrients can stimulate microbes in a way that increases biogenic coalbed methane production.
The CESU partner is expected to provide both laboratory and field assistance before, during, and after the injection. Before field deployment, the USGS specifically requests laboratory help to determine an optimal nutrient formulation and concentration for the stimulation test, and to supply the nutrient material that will ultimately be injected at the field site. This implies bench-scale or analytical work to select concentrations that are likely to support the targeted microbial activity while remaining practical and safe for field use. In parallel, the partner is also expected to assist with permitting and compliance-related coordination, helping determine which field procedures and approvals are required to conduct the injection and sampling correctly.
After the injection takes place, the work shifts into collaborative monitoring and analysis. USGS and CESU researchers are expected to jointly evaluate key response indicators that reveal whether the nutrient addition influenced the subsurface system. The announcement highlights three main categories of analysis: changes in subsurface gas concentrations, shifts in geochemistry, and changes in microbial community populations. In practical terms, this could include measuring methane and other gas constituents, tracking chemical parameters that signal microbial metabolism or altered formation chemistry, and assessing microbial community composition and abundance to see if nutrient addition favored methane-producing organisms or altered the broader ecosystem.
Finally, the opportunity makes clear that the CESU partner should bring specialized capabilities that USGS needs for this type of subsurface field experiment. This includes access to equipment such as field laboratory capacity and downhole sampling tools, which are essential for collecting representative samples from depth and for processing or stabilizing samples under field conditions. Overall, the grant is structured as a targeted, single-award collaboration where the CESU partner supplies technical expertise, lab and field infrastructure, permitting assistance, and post-test analytical support to help USGS evaluate nutrient-stimulated microbial methane generation in coal beds.Apply for G17AS00122
- The Department of the Interior, Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecoystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain 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 Jul 27, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 11, 2017. (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).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Rocky Mountain CESU funding opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is G17AS00122.
Which agency is sponsoring the award?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the Department of the Interior.
Is this considered a research award?
Yes. It is described as a USGS discretionary research award.
What funding mechanism will be used?
The award is offered through a cooperative agreement mechanism.
When was this opportunity created and when did it originally close?
It was created on July 27, 2017, and the original closing date was August 11, 2017.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The opportunity sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.808.
How many awards does the program anticipate making?
The program anticipates making one award.
What is the maximum funding amount available (ceiling)?
The maximum (ceiling) amount is $150,000.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to qualified CESU partners. The opportunity notes that additional eligibility specifics are referenced in the full announcement text.
What is the overall purpose of this award?
The purpose is to bring in a CESU partner to provide practical, on-the-ground support for a USGS research project investigating whether microbial communities in subsurface coal beds can convert coal into methane and whether that natural process can be enhanced.
What research question is the USGS trying to answer?
The project investigates whether microbes in subsurface coal beds can generate methane (biogenic coalbed methane) and whether adding nutrients can stimulate that microbial process to increase methane production.
What type of field experiment is central to this award?
The core field experiment is a small-scale in situ "push-pull" injection test conducted directly within the coal bed underground.
What is a "push-pull" injection test in the context of this project?
In a push-pull test, researchers inject a prepared solution into the subsurface (the "push"), allow time for interaction with the formation and resident microbes, and then extract fluids and gases back out (the "pull") to evaluate how conditions and outputs changed after the interaction period.
What is being injected during the push phase?
A prepared solution that includes nutrients intended to stimulate subsurface microbial activity is injected.
What is the goal of adding nutrients in this experiment?
The goal is to evaluate whether introducing nutrients can stimulate microbes in a way that increases biogenic coalbed methane production.
What kinds of support is the CESU partner expected to provide?
The CESU partner is expected to provide both laboratory and field assistance before, during, and after the injection, along with permitting/compliance coordination and post-test analytical support.
What laboratory support is requested before field deployment?
Before field deployment, USGS requests laboratory help to determine an optimal nutrient formulation and concentration for the stimulation test and to supply the nutrient material that will be injected at the field site.
Does the partner need to provide the nutrient material used for injection?
Yes. The announcement specifies that the partner should supply the nutrient material that will ultimately be injected at the field site.
What does "optimal nutrient formulation and concentration" imply for the lab work?
It implies bench-scale or analytical work to select nutrient concentrations that are likely to support the targeted microbial activity while remaining practical and safe for field use.
What permitting or compliance help is expected from the CESU partner?
The partner is expected to assist with permitting and compliance-related coordination, including helping determine which field procedures and approvals are required to conduct the injection and sampling correctly.
What happens after the injection test is completed?
After the injection, the work shifts to collaborative monitoring and analysis, where USGS and CESU researchers jointly evaluate indicators of whether nutrient addition influenced the subsurface system.
What types of indicators will be evaluated to assess the response to nutrient addition?
The announcement highlights three main categories: changes in subsurface gas concentrations, shifts in geochemistry, and changes in microbial community populations.
What does "changes in subsurface gas concentrations" refer to?
It refers to measuring methane and other gas constituents to see whether gas composition or concentrations changed after nutrient stimulation.
What does "shifts in geochemistry" refer to?
It refers to tracking chemical parameters that may signal microbial metabolism or altered formation chemistry following nutrient injection.
What does "changes in microbial community populations" refer to?
It refers to assessing microbial community composition and abundance to determine whether nutrient addition favored methane-producing organisms or altered the broader microbial ecosystem.
What specialized capabilities should the CESU partner bring to support the field experiment?
The partner should bring specialized capabilities needed for subsurface field work, including access to equipment such as field laboratory capacity and downhole sampling tools.
Why are downhole sampling tools and field laboratory capacity important for this project?
They are essential for collecting representative samples from depth and for processing or stabilizing samples under field conditions so the monitoring and analyses are meaningful.
Is the work described as a collaborative effort with USGS?
Yes. The announcement describes joint evaluation by USGS and CESU researchers, and the cooperative agreement mechanism typically reflects close collaboration during the project.
Is this opportunity designed as a broad competition or a targeted collaboration?
Based on the description, it is structured as a targeted, single-award collaboration where one CESU partner provides specific technical expertise, lab and field infrastructure, permitting assistance, and post-test analytical support.
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| Migratory Bird Monitoring Assessment and Conservation Apply for F17AS00356 Funding Number: F17AS00356 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $60,000 |
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| Endangered Species - Candidate Conservation Action Funds, Endangered Species - Recovery Implementation Funds Apply for F17AS00372 Funding Number: F17AS00372 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Endangered Species Conservation Recovery Implementation Funds Apply for F17AS00373 Funding Number: F17AS00373 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
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