Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Eastern Ecological Science Center is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement under solicitation G27AS00064 to conduct bioinformatic analysis of avian microbiome metatranscriptomic datasets. This research focuses on the genome assembly-based identification of viruses, prokaryotic, and eukaryotic microorganisms, with a specific emphasis on wildlife and zoonotic pathogens. The project involves analyzing shotgun metatranscriptomic data to identify taxonomic domains and estimate microbial diversity and abundance across various host species, tissues, and geographic regions. Awardees are expected to develop reproducible bioinformatic workflows, collaborate on peer-reviewed publications, and make derived data products available through repositories like ScienceBase or the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The program has a total funding ceiling of 459,000 dollars with one expected award. The anticipated period of performance runs from April 1, 2027, to March 31, 2030. Applications must be submitted via grants.gov by December 7, 2026, and must be submitted by an Authorized Organization Representative. Proposals are evaluated based on purpose and relevance, technical approach, qualifications and past performance, and budget justification. Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier and must provide a signed biographical sketch and current and pending support documentation. Payments will be administered through the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments system.