2017 RFA for Great Lakes Long-Term Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Benthos, Mysis and Chlorophyll a Components | EPA R5 GL2017 ZBC

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA R5 GL2017 ZBC

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released this FY2017 discretionary funding opportunity under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan II to support a single, large cooperative agreement focused on long-term biological monitoring in the open waters of the Great Lakes. The opportunity is titled "2017 RFA for Great Lakes Long-Term Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Benthos, Mysis and Chlorophyll a Components" (Funding Opportunity Number: EPA R5 GL2017 ZBC). The core purpose is to keep an established, long-running monitoring program going so agencies and partners can track biological conditions and trends over time, rather than relying on one-off studies that do not show long-term change.

The work emphasizes four main biological indicators that are widely used to understand food-web structure and ecosystem productivity in large lakes: zooplankton, benthos (bottom-dwelling invertebrates), Mysis (commonly Mysis relicta, an important prey item and mid-food-web organism in many Great Lakes), and chlorophyll-a (a standard measure used as a proxy for algal biomass and overall primary productivity). The RFA calls for continued, consistent sampling of these components in the offshore/open-lake environment across the Great Lakes, reflecting the program's role as a long-term dataset that supports trend detection, lake-to-lake comparisons, and evaluation of management actions tied to GLRI priorities.

In addition to the continuation of routine long-term monitoring, the EPA also sought proposals to add a "synoptic whole lake assessment of benthos." In practical terms, this means a more comprehensive, lakewide benthic survey intended to provide a broad snapshot of benthic condition across an entire lake (or lakes) during a defined period, supplementing the ongoing monitoring stations or time series. This kind of synoptic assessment is typically used to improve spatial coverage, identify areas of change or concern that fixed stations might miss, and strengthen the ability to link benthic community patterns to stressors such as nutrient loading, invasive species impacts, or habitat changes.

The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that the EPA expected substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on study design, coordination with other Great Lakes monitoring efforts, alignment on methods and quality assurance, and shared decision-making about deliverables and data management. The opportunity sits within the broader GLRI funding landscape for FY2017, meaning it was one of multiple federal funding solicitations aimed at restoring and protecting Great Lakes ecosystems, with this particular RFA targeted specifically at long-term biology monitoring and the data continuity needed for credible environmental assessment.

Key administrative details from the notice include an award ceiling of $6,000,000, with one expected award, indicating an intent to fund a single lead entity (or consortium led by one applicant) capable of executing a large-scale, multi-lake monitoring effort. The opportunity was posted January 30, 2017, with an original closing date of March 17, 2017 (with the notice advising applicants to consult Section IV for official close date instructions). The assistance listing is CFDA 66.469, and the activity category is Environment. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with clarification directed to the funding announcement's eligibility section, implying that eligibility may extend beyond standard categories and could include certain institutions, organizations, or partnerships as defined in the full RFA.

Overall, this grant opportunity was designed to maintain and enhance a cornerstone Great Lakes offshore biological monitoring program by funding continued sampling of major food-web and productivity indicators and adding a more complete, whole-lake benthic assessment. The underlying value proposition is the production of consistent, high-quality biological data that can be compared over years and across lakes to inform restoration priorities, detect ecosystem shifts, and measure progress under GLRI goals.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 RFA for Great Lakes Long-Term Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Benthos, Mysis and Chlorophyll a 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 Jan 30, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 17, 2017 See Section IV of funding opportunity for close date 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 $6,000,000.00 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 GL2017 ZBC

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