Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The U.S. Geological Survey, under the Department of the Interior, is soliciting applications through a cooperative agreement with a partner of the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to develop authoritative knowledge infrastructure for GeoAI applications supporting the Intelligent National Map. The solicitation, numbered G26AS00132 and posted on June 5, 2026, with a response deadline of July 5, 2026, targets research that integrates agentic technology into geospatial systems, requiring proposers to submit a detailed technical approach including a clear problem statement, measurable objectives with defined geographic scope, comprehensive methods for field and laboratory work, and a full inventory of available resources. Proposals must include specific deliverables such as reports, digital data, a dissemination plan, and a one-page Project Abstract Summary limited to approximately 4,000 characters in 12-point Times New Roman font, which will be made publicly available on USAspending.gov. All geospatial data must comply with the Geospatial Data Act of 2018, FGDC standards, and be provided in open formats with complete feature-level metadata, with prior verification via GeoPlatform.gov required before production. Proposers must adhere to strict documentation requirements including the submission of Biographical Sketches for all senior/key personnel using the DOI/OMB 3145-0279 form, Current and Pending Support documentation for each individual, and certification that all information is accurate, complete, and that no individual is involved in a malign foreign talent recruitment program, as mandated by NSPM-33. Applicants must also disclose all foreign government-sponsored support, including through intermediaries. The evaluation process consists of pass/fail gates for completeness, eligibility, and category compliance, followed by a weighted scoring system prioritizing purpose and relevance (30 points), qualifications and past performance (25 points), and justification and clarity of budget and staffing (20 points), with the remaining 25 points unspecified. Financial compliance requires adherence to 2 CFR §§ 200.332 and 1402.315, with all costs incurred before the award start date non-reimbursable, and awards exceeding $500,000 subject to Appendix XII on recipient integrity. Annual progress reports are due every 12 months via GrantSolutions, with a final technical report required within 120 days of project end date, summarizing quantitative outcomes with supporting