A--Cooperative Partnership Notice and Opportunity

The USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) is entering into a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) with Exponent, Inc. to enhance and expand the governmental database concerning the pesticide terbufos and its degradates in ground and surface waters. This collaborative effort builds on several years of research conducted by NAWQA on terbufos, aiming to consolidate and share new data through USGS and other federal repositories. Unlike a traditional procurement, this partnership involves mutual contributions of funds, equipment, and in-kind services from both parties. The CRADA facilitates a cooperative approach to advancing scientific understanding and technology transfer related to terbufos pesticide contamination. Key contacts include Walton Low, who oversees the scientific operations for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, and Julia M. Giller, who manages technology transfer activities. The agreement is managed by the Department of the Interior’s Office of Acquisition Grants in Reston, Virginia, and was publicly announced in December 2004 as an opportunity to foster joint research and data-sharing initiatives without direct financial procurement.