PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMAT -- QUICK RESPONSE PROGRAM

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: This proposal is to be developed jointly between
the FWS Project Officer and the Principal Investigator (see Attachment
1: Roles and Responsibilities). Only one proposal per management problem
is to be developed.

The following resources will be helpful in identifying investigators:

-   The Biological Resources Discipline Regional Offices and Science
    Centers within the USGS
    <http://biology.usgs.gov/pub_aff/centers.html>);

-   The Cooperative Research Units program within the USGS, located at
    40 Universities across the country, (<http://www.coopunits.org/>);

-   The Geology, Mapping, and Water disciplines within the USGS
    (<http://www.usgs.gov/>).

If unable to identify a USGS Principal Investigator to address the
specific management problem, the FWS Project Officer should contact the
Regional Research Coordinator for further assistance. It may be
necessary to solicit a proposal from a non-USGS investigator.

Electronically submit the proposal using Rich Text Format (.rtf)
documents. Both Microsoft Word and WordPerfect can read and write this
format, which preserves the original formatting.

Proposals should not exceed 5 pages (3 page maximum for proposal, 1 page
for budget breakout, and 1 signature page).

The proposal format begins on the following page.

**1. ORGANIZATION CODE:** Enter the FWS org code.

**2. TITLE:** Provide a brief descriptive title for the project.

**3. FWS PROJECT OFFICER**: Provide the name, title, mailing address,
telephone, fax, and e-mail. The FWS Project Officer is to work in
collaboration with the Principal Investigator to develop the proposal.

**4. USGS CONTACT OR SUGGESTED PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR**: Provide the
name(s), title, affiliation, mailing address, telephone, fax, and
e-mail. The Principal Investigator is to work in collaboration with the
FWS Project Officer to develop the proposal.

**5. FWS REGIONAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR**: Provide the name, title,
mailing address, telephone, fax, and e-mail of the Research Coordinator.

**6. PARTNERSHIPS AND ROLES:** Provide the names (excluding the Project
Officer and Principal Investigator), titles, mailing addresses,
telephones, faxes, email addresses, and the specific roles of each
partner (including FWS contributions) that will be involved in this
project through added expertise, funding, in-kind contributions, etc.
Identify how specific fund contributions will be transferred to the
project (e.g. intra-agency agreement, cooperative agreements, etc.).
Itemize contributions in the budget section of the proposal.

**7. TYPE OF SUPPORT REQUESTED:** Identify whether this proposal is a
request for technical assistance or research.

[Technical Assistance]{.underline} is the process of scientists working
in close cooperation with land and resource managers and other
scientists to interpret, implement, and evaluate research results,
technical information, findings, techniques, recommendations and/or
provide special equipment and assist with its operation.

[Research]{.underline} is a systematic investigation designed to test a
hypothesis, address specific questions, represent a descriptive
inventory, status survey, modeling or information system; and permit
accurate conclusions to be drawn. Research is usually described in a
formal protocol that sets forth an objective and a set of procedures
designed to reach that objective.

**8. PROBLEM STATEMENT AND IMPLICATIONS**: Clearly describe the
management problem and how the scientific information would be used. For
example, "The present distribution of the Southwest Willow Flycatcher is
unknown in Colorado, which makes it difficult to conduct meaningful
Section 7 consultations." State how resolving the problem will result in
better management or conservation of the resource.

**9. OBJECTIVES:** Clearly describe the goals and objectives and how
they will address the management problem.

**10. METHODS AND STUDY AREA:** Clearly describe methods and how they
will achieve the stated objectives. Include a description of the
proposed study area(s).

**11. PROJECT DURATION:** Provide the start and completion dates (the
completion date is when deliverables are provided to the FWS Project
Officer).

**12. PRIORITY**: Describe how the project addresses the priorities of
FWS regional director(s), ecosystem team(s), resource program(s),
management plan(s), or recovery plan(s).

**13. PRODUCTS AND SCHEDULE**: Provide the specific products expected
and delivery dates. Specify the form (e.g., written report, technical
assistance, software, GIS layers, maps, literature reviews, management
options) in which these results would be most useful, including a
statement about the expected content or what the product will be used
for.

For example:

> July 31, 2009: Final Report, including results of field work, analysis
> of data, and management recommendations, .rtf format.
>
> August 31, 2009: Briefing on report content in FWS Regional Office,
> .ppt format.
>
> September 30, 2009: Workshop to implement management actions

It is imperative that the Principal Investigator and Project Officer
understand and agree to the expected products. These expectations should
be clearly stated in detail at the time of proposal development. Simply
requesting a 'final report' leaves a great deal of latitude in both
format and content, sometimes resulting in a less than desired outcome.

Electronic documents are required to use Rich Text Format (.rtf) or
Portable Document Format (.pdf). Electronic copies of all appropriate
products streamline dissemination as well as enable the FWS to include
products in its electronic library.

Special requests for hard copies, in addition to electronic products,
should be included in this section of the proposal.

QR projects must be complete within 18 months of the start date.

**13. BUDGET:** Provide realistic costs and itemize in the following
budget categories: (1) Operating Expenses; (2) Supplies & Equipment; (3)
Salaries.

The budget must apply only to the 2009 federal government fiscal year
(10/1 -- 9/30). The budget must be submitted as a contiguous table in
this section of the proposal (Attachment 7 has an example budget for
both SSP and QR; ignore or delete the columns for additional fiscal
years).

Salaries for USGS Principal Investigators, technical support staff, and
temporary or contract employees are eligible for funding.

Overhead costs for the USGS Cooperative Research Unit Program (10% --
15%, depending on the Unit) and agreements with universities, state
agencies and other federal agencies are eligible for funding.

USGS science center indirect rates are eligible for funding. The full
USGS science center indirect (overhead) rates shall be used. See
Attachment 8 for a table of current science center rates. Rates for the
upcoming fiscal year may change after the QR proposal process is
complete this year.

If a project involves researchers with different overhead rates, please
apply the appropriate rates to each portion. For example, if \$15,000 is
to be split between the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (\$10,000) and
the Florida Integrated Science Center (\$5,000), use the PWRC rate for
\$10,000 only, and the FISC rate for \$5,000 only.

Itemize partner contributions in the budget breakout:

  --------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------
  **Project Title:**                      

                                          

  **BUDGET TABLE**                        

                                          

  **COSTS**                               **TOTAL**

                                          

  **Direct Costs**                        

                                          

  Operating Expenses                      

  Travel/Per Diem                         

  Vehicle Costs                           

  Contracts                               

                                          

  Supplies/Equipment                      

  Telemetry Equipment                     

  Fencing                                 

  Computer Equipment                      

  Chemicals                               

                                          

  Salaries                                

  Temp Field Technician                   

  Graduate Student                        

  Temp Lab Technician                     

                                          

  **Indirect Costs**                      

                                          

  up to 15% (Coop Unit)                   

  variable% (Science                      
  Center)                                 

                                          

                                          

  **Total Request**                       

                                          

  **In-Kind                               
  Contributions**                         

  PI Salary                               

  Housing                                 

  Other Salaries                          

                                          

  **Other                                 
  Contributions**                         

  Cash                                    

  Equipment                               

                                          

  **Project Total**                       
  --------------------- ----------------- --------------------------------

**15. APPROVALS**: Include the proposal title and signatures (including
date of signature) on the last page of the proposal (see following
page). For submittal within FWS, approvals are required from the FWS
Project Officer, the Principal Investigator, and the Science Center
Director or Coop Unit Leader. If a non-USGS investigator is proposed,
the USGS Eastern Region FWS Coordinator must approve. FWS regional
approvals are dependent on the review process following submittal within
the Service.

Signatures should be submitted electronically; scanning signatures into
the proposal is preferred. However, an email message from approving
officials may be attached to the proposal.

Project Title:

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

FWS Project Officer

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

Principal Investigator

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

Science Center Director/Coop Unit Leader

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

USGS Eastern Region FWS Coordinator

**(required only if non-USGS investigator)**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

FWS Regional Research Coordinator

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\[type name below line\] Date

FWS Regional Director