Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components | EPA R5 GL2021 ZMB

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA R5 GL2021 ZMB

The Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components opportunity is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Request for Applications for a single, multi-year cooperative agreement to carry out field sampling and laboratory analysis that support core biological monitoring in the Great Lakes. The project focus is on three key parts of the food web and ecosystem condition: zooplankton (small drifting animals), Mysis (opossum shrimp, an important prey species and energy link in deeper waters), and benthic components (bottom-dwelling organisms and related measures). The funded work is meant to generate consistent, comparable data that help track biological conditions and changes across the lakes over time, aligning with the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program (GLBMP) and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan III.

Funding is expected to total about $6,750,000 over roughly five years, delivered as incremental funding of about $1,350,000 per year. Only one award is anticipated. Because the agreement is incrementally funded, continued support each year depends on factors such as the availability of appropriations, ongoing program priorities, and satisfactory performance. Applicants are asked to propose a start date around January 17, 2022, and an end date that accommodates the full cycle of collecting, processing, and analyzing samples from the 2022 through 2026 field seasons. In practical terms, this means the work is not just seasonal field collection; it also includes the downstream laboratory processing, data management, and analyses needed to complete each year of monitoring and to deliver usable outputs.

The mechanism is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which generally signals substantial federal involvement during the project period. While the RFA summary does not spell out the exact roles, cooperative agreements typically involve closer coordination with EPA on elements like sampling design, methods, schedules, quality assurance, reporting, and deliverables to ensure the monitoring program stays consistent across years and supports broader Great Lakes management needs.

This opportunity is offered under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, with statutory authority referenced in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. EPA cites its authority to fund planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation projects that further the GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, placing this work within a larger framework of binational and federal efforts to protect and restore Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health.

Eligible applicants are broadly defined and include governmental entities (such as state agencies, interstate agencies, Indian tribes, and local governments), institutions of higher education (colleges and universities), and nonprofit organizations as defined in 2 CFR Part 200. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding, under CFDA 66.469, and is administered by EPA (Region 5 indicated by the opportunity number). The original application closing date is October 29, 2021, and the listed annual award ceiling is $1,350,000, consistent with the incremental yearly funding approach.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.469.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 30, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 29, 2021 See Section II for Award Information. (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 $1,350,000.00 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 EPA R5 GL2021 ZMB

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