Overview of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network
What is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network?
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network is a national consortium of federal agencies, tribes, academic institutions, state and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations, and other partners working together to support informed public trust resource stewardship. The CESU Network includes more than 450 nonfederal partners and 16 federal agencies across seventeen CESUs, including the North Atlantic Coast CESU, representing biogeographic regions encompassing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. insular areas. The CESU Network is well positioned as a platform to support research, technical assistance, education and training that is responsive to long-standing and contemporary science and resource management priorities.
Why is the CESU Network necessary?
Many of the elements of a CESU and the CESU Network currently exist in other organizations. However, there is no multi-agency, multi-partner, broadly interdisciplinary, and ecosystem-oriented system currently providing scientific research, technical assistance, and education to federal resource managers. The CESU Network complements existing federal research programs and is an innovation in the delivery of federal science and assistance to support the broad and complex problems associated with resource management in the 21st century.
Is there a lead Federal Agency of the National CESU Network?
No. The National CESU Network is coordinated and administered by the CESU Council. The Council includes representatives of the participating federal agencies operating under a Memorandum of Understanding for the CESU Network. A CESU Council Coordinator is elected by the members.
How were CESUs selected?
The CESU Council developed criteria for selection of the CESUs and initiated a competitive selection process. For each biogeographic region, the CESU Council issued a widely distributed Request for Proposals. Research I universities interested in serving as the host university for a particular region submitted detailed proposals to be reviewed by the National Council. The first four CESUs were established in 1999, including the North Atlantic Coast CESU. The selection process continued through 2003 when the seventeenth CESU was established. There are no plans to add more CESUs to the National Network. The selection process is detailed here on the National CESU website.
How are non-federal partner institutions associated with each CESU selected?
With submission and approval of the proposal to become a CESU host university, non-federal partner institutions are identified and become affiliated with the respective regional CESU. Additional partners can join individual regional CESUs by submitting an application package to the host university; the materials are reviewed and approved for membership, if appropriate, by the federal and non-federal partners. The North Atlantic CESU host university proposal contained just one non-federal partner (the Historically Black College and University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore), whereas over the past two decades this CESU has grown to over 35 non-federal partners. Tribes and tribal organizations, institutions of higher education, state and local government units, nongovernmental organizations, and other nonfederal entities may join one or more CESUs. If interested in becoming a new NAC-CESU non-federal partner, please see JOIN.
Can federal and non-federal partners become members in more than one CESU?
Yes. However, a federal agency must commit technical and administrative representatives and a one-time ‘entrance fee’ of $10,000 to each CESU that it joins, as well as provide an annual fee of $1,800 for administrative support of the given CESU’s host university. The benefit of joining multiple CESUs to federal agencies is access to a larger pool of non-federal partners and the expertise that they provide to implement projects in support of agency missions. Non-federal partners may join one or multiple CESUs at no cost, but they would have to submit a separate application to each one. They also must provide names and contact information of their technical and administrative representatives. The benefit of joining multiple CESUs to non-federal partners is access to more federal partners, and sources of potential funding, because not all federal partners are members of every CESU.
The CESU Cooperative and Joint Agreement
What are the basic terms of a cooperative and joint venture agreement?
Each regional CESU is established by a cooperative and joint venture agreement. This serves to formalize the relationship among the participating federal agencies, host university, and non-federal partners. Among other items, the cooperative and joint venture agreement provides the following: states the objectives of the CESU; identifies the authorities of each federal agency to enter into cooperative agreements; highlights the roles and responsibilities of the participating federal agencies, host university, and non-federal partners; identifies the term of the agreement (five years, with provision for renewal); identifies the process for amending the agreement and transferring funds by cooperative agreement, task agreement or modification from the federal agencies to the host university and non-federal partners; identifies the allowable indirect or Facilities and Administrative costs rate. See here under ADMIN MATTERS for the current (2019-2024) and previous NAC-CESU cooperative and joint venture agreements.
What is the indirect cost rate on CESU projects?
The indirect cost rate, established by the CESU National Council, is currently 17.5% for all of the participating federal agencies in the North Atlantic Coast CESU, except for the Natural Resources Conservation Service with a 10% rate that was established by legislation for all cooperative agreements. The National CESU website provides more information on the indirect cost rate here.
What is the term or duration of the CESU cooperative and joint venture agreement?
Each regional CESU cooperative and joint venture agreement is in effect for five years. The process for renewing the agreement for another five-year term is designed to ensure that the CESU is effectively meeting the needs of the participating federal agencies and non-federal partners. There are multiple rigorous steps to the renewal process, including documentation of the CESU activities and accomplishments, review and evaluation by the participating federal agencies, external peer review, and final review by the CESU National Council and decision to approve, conditionally approve, or deny the renewal. The National CESU website provides details on the renewal process here.
Financial Assistance: Cooperative Agreements
What is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement is a financial assistance mechanism to transfer funds from a federal agency to a non-federal entity where the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support authorized by federal statute. It can be a stand-alone cooperative agreement applied to the project level, or a master cooperative agreement comprised of funded task agreements applied at the partner or project level. Processes and policies for awarding cooperative agreements vary by agency, so please consult your agency financial assistance representative for details.
How does a cooperative agreement differ from a procurement contract with a federal agency?
The primary purpose of projects conducted under a CESU cooperative or task agreement must accomplish a public purpose. For example, involvement of students in CESU projects will promote and stimulate public purposes of education, career training, and responsible stewardship of the nation’s natural and cultural resources. Moreover, information derived from CESU projects will likely be shared through a variety of strategies to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for stewardship of the nation’s natural, cultural and historical heritage. Note that projects that offer direct benefit to the government as the primary project purpose require procurement contracts. Another significant distinction between cooperative agreements and contracts is that “substantial involvement” of federal agency employees is required under cooperative agreements. As each CESU project is implemented, federal agency scientists and managers often provide technical guidance, participate in data collection, analysis and interpretation, and assist with report preparation or outreach, among other collaborative activities. The joining of different perspectives of agency and non-federal project participants enriches the quality and successful attainment of each project’s research and management objectives. Also, policies governing financial assistance awards may vary by agency, so please consult your agency financial assistance representative for details.
Non-federal Partners: Funding Opportunities and Proposal Preparation
How do I learn about funding opportunities?
Funding opportunities (requests for statements of interest and qualifications, or pre-proposals) are displayed on the North Atlantic CESU home page and are emailed by the North Atlantic Coast CESU Director to the technical contact(s) of each North Atlantic Coast CESU partner. An important role for the non-federal partner technical contacts is to promptly and widely distribute these funding opportunities throughout their respective institutions. Based on the agency review of requests for statements of interest, a lead principal investigator will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Are there more informal ways to learn about agency funding initiatives?
Non-federal scientists are encouraged to contact the federal agency CESU technical representatives (see PARTNERS) or visit the federal units and meet with the federal scientists and managers to learn about resource issues and needs. This communication also allows the non-federal partner to inform the agency personnel of their particular expertise. Non-federal scientists are welcome to offer research questions to address specific management issues and suggest appropriate methods and study designs. These discussions among federal and non-federal partners may lead to future funding opportunities.
If invited to submit a full proposal, where can I find information on the agency’s proposal guidelines, forms required, etc.?
Each federal agency has different guidance for preparing and submitting a full proposal. PROPOSAL PROCEDURES contains information on the procedures, forms, etc. currently available for the federal agencies. Also, see Section 7 in ADMIN MATTERS for federal agency guidance and forms. Prior to beginning the proposal preparation process, obtain specific details regarding the federal agency’s proposal process by contacting the agency CESU contact person and/or the technical contact person referenced in the request for statements of interest.
Federal Partners: Using a CESU Cooperative Agreement
How do federal partners learn of non-federal partner expertise?
The NAC-CESU plans to develop an experts database, similar to the one hosted by the Chesapeake Watershed CESU, that can be searched by expertise, non-federal partner, geographical area, etc. In the meantime, fields of expertise are listed for each NAC-CESU non-federal partner on the PARTNERS page. Also search the Projects and Products page for principal investigators working on projects with similar emphases. Finally, contact your federal agency CESU research coordinator for ideas.
How do federal partners announce a funding opportunity?
Prepare a “request for statements of interest” and submit it to the NAC-CESU Director for distribution. As guidance on the types of information contained and format of these funding opportunity announcements, visit the current and past requests for statements of interest posted on the home page. Note that these announcements differ by federal agency.
How do federal partners execute projects?
Contact your agency’s CESU research coordinator and financial assistance staff. NPS staff should visit the CESU Agreements SharePoint site for details specific to this region and agency.