Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G22AS00335

Opportunity Information: Apply for G22AS00335

This grant opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, to support applied research on emerging contaminants. The central focus is on providing high-quality chemical analysis and research collaboration related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other wastewater-associated constituents found in environmental and experimental samples. The work is meant to strengthen understanding of where these contaminants occur, how they move through different settings, and what happens to them over time (their fate and transport) across a range of natural and built environments.

The project scope is intentionally broad in terms of where contamination may be studied. It includes coastal watershed systems, shallow soils and sediments, groundwater, and infrastructure such as wastewater treatment facilities. It also allows for constructed or model environments, which suggests the program is open to controlled experiments or test systems that simulate real-world hydrogeologic and infrastructure conditions. In practice, this points to a mix of laboratory analytical capacity (PFAS and wastewater constituent chemistry) and interpretive scientific collaboration with USGS to connect the chemical results to processes in the environment, such as transport pathways, retention in sediments, transformation, and potential sources.

Because the award is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, substantial involvement by the federal agency is implied. That typically means the USGS expects to work closely with the selected partner during the project, including coordination on study design, sampling strategy, analytical approaches, data interpretation, and potentially reporting or publication. The intent is not just to purchase lab services, but to support a collaborative research effort that advances scientific understanding of PFAS and wastewater-related contaminants in complex settings relevant to water resources and environmental management.

Eligibility is narrow and tied to the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Only organizations that are official participating partners of the Chesapeake Watershed CESU are eligible to apply. CESUs are formal partnerships designed to facilitate research, technical assistance, and education that support public land and resource management, and this opportunity is being issued under that program framework.

The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number G22AS00335, under CFDA 15.808, within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. The award ceiling listed is $235,000, and the original closing date was 2022-05-28, with a creation date of 2022-04-28. In short, the funding is aimed at a Chesapeake Watershed CESU partner that can combine strong analytical chemistry capability for PFAS and wastewater constituents with research collaboration to interpret contaminant behavior across watersheds, subsurface environments, and wastewater systems.

• 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 Chesapeake Watershed 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 2022-04-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-28. (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 $235,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G22AS00335

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