GM-19-04-03-Impact of non-linear sedimentation on dredge-area benthic ecosystem on Louisiana shelf | M20AS00174

Opportunity Information: Apply for M20AS00174

GM-19-04-03, published by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) under Funding Opportunity Number M20AS00174, is a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity in the environmental research area (CFDA 15.422). The project focus is the Louisiana continental shelf and, more specifically, how non-linear sedimentation processes affect benthic (seafloor) ecosystems in and around dredged areas, with particular attention to "mud-capped pits." These pits are dredged depressions that later become covered by fine-grained sediments, and the opportunity is aimed at improving the scientific understanding of how that infilling and capping process changes local seafloor conditions and biological communities over time.

The proposed study is expected to blend multiple lines of evidence and methods rather than relying on a single approach. BOEM is calling for work that integrates existing datasets with new field observations, sediment coring, broad data synthesis, and modeling. The intent is to develop a more complete picture of the system that connects (1) sedimentation dynamics (including non-linear or episodic deposition patterns), (2) physical conditions (such as sediment structure and hydrodynamic influences), (3) biogeochemical processes (for example, oxygen dynamics, nutrient cycling, and organic matter breakdown within the sediments), and (4) benthic ecology (the composition, abundance, and function of organisms living in or on the seabed). In practice, this means the funded work should not just describe what is in the pits, but also explain the processes that produce those conditions and how those processes translate into ecological impacts.

Eligibility is narrowly centered on Louisiana State University. Louisiana State University faculty and staff are the only parties eligible to apply directly under this announcement, and every research project must list an LSU faculty or staff member as the Principal Investigator. At the same time, BOEM signals that collaboration is welcome: other universities, researchers, and organizations that want to participate are encouraged to coordinate with LSU using the contact information referenced in the announcement (Section VII). Cooperative research involving LSU scientists and state agencies is described as encouraged as well, reflecting the applied management relevance of the work and the value of aligning federal research with state coastal and ocean priorities.

Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, applicants should generally expect more ongoing federal involvement than with a standard grant. Cooperative agreements commonly involve coordination on study design elements, deliverables, data management expectations, and periodic technical communication, especially when the results are intended to inform management or environmental assessment decisions. While the opportunity text here does not list specific deliverables, the emphasis on integrated observations, coring, synthesis, and modeling indicates BOEM is looking for products that can support practical understanding of dredge-site evolution and its ecological consequences, not just isolated measurements.

The funding details provided indicate an award ceiling of $175,000. The opportunity record also lists an original closing date of 2020-06-19 and a creation date of 2020-06-18. The expected number of awards is not clearly specified in the supplied source data, but the ceiling provides a sense of the maximum federal share anticipated for a single award under this announcement.

A key administrative requirement is cost share: a one-to-one (1:1) match of BOEM funds is required, meaning the non-federal share is generally expected to equal the federal amount requested. The announcement notes that exceptions may be considered, but only rarely. It also clarifies important boundaries on what can count toward the match. The match may not include the value associated with collection costs for samples that were previously collected, so applicants cannot claim past sampling expenses as match simply because the samples will be used in the new project. For instrumentation and other equipment, the match value must be prorated to reflect the period of use within the project compared to the item’s full life cycle, rather than claiming the entire purchase value if the equipment will outlast the project. The opportunity points applicants to the federal cost-sharing standards at 2 CFR 200.306 for additional detail on allowable matching contributions and valuation principles.

Overall, this opportunity is designed to strengthen BOEM and partner understanding of how dredging-created seafloor features on the Louisiana shelf evolve under real-world sedimentation patterns and what those changes mean for benthic habitat quality and ecosystem function. It is framed to be collaborative, methodologically integrated, and directly relevant to managing and assessing the environmental effects of offshore sediment disturbance and seabed modification.

• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GM-19-04-03-Impact of non-linear sedimentation on dredge-area benthic ecosystem on Louisiana shelf" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.422.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-19. (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 $175,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for M20AS00174

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