Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS FA 20 0037
This grant opportunity is a Notice of Intent from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to make a cooperative agreement award to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to partially support the Joint USGS-Caltech Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) under the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). The overall purpose is to sustain and strengthen the day-to-day earthquake monitoring backbone for Southern California by ensuring the seismic network continues operating to national ANSS standards and continues delivering high-quality data products that support public safety, science, and hazard response.
The core work supported by the agreement centers on operating and maintaining the region's seismic stations and the full set of station metadata required to make those stations useful and trustworthy within ANSS. That includes routine station operations, equipment upkeep, repairs, calibration, and maintaining accurate, standardized descriptions of each station (for example, precise locations, instrument types, response characteristics, and configuration history). A major emphasis is that both waveform data (the raw ground-motion recordings) and accurate station metadata must be delivered reliably to other ANSS networks and to ANSS-designated archives, so the broader national system can use Southern California data seamlessly and in near real time.
Another major objective is compliance with ANSS-approved software standards so that data and information move efficiently through the system and remain interoperable. In practical terms, this means using shared approaches and approved tools for data acquisition, processing, formatting, and distribution, which helps ensure that ANSS products and services remain robust, consistent across regions, and usable by many different downstream users ranging from scientists to emergency managers.
The opportunity also highlights the production of authoritative earthquake catalogs and related products that meet ANSS standards. These catalogs typically include earthquake source parameters such as origin time, location, depth, and magnitude, along with other derived products and services ANSS depends on. The language "authoritative" signals that the SCSN is expected to produce official, quality-controlled earthquake information for the region rather than informal or experimental outputs.
A specific system development and coordination role is also spelled out: Caltech will contribute to the operation and development of the Station Information System (SIS). SIS is described as the tool for station inventory control and for describing and maintaining station metadata. The agreement expects Caltech to work with ANSS leadership and the ANSS National Implementation Committee (NIC) toward using SIS or populating it so that the national program has standardized, up-to-date information about station assets and configurations. Beyond technical tasks, the work includes coordinating seismic monitoring activities with ANSS management and other ANSS participants, reinforcing that the SCSN is part of a national enterprise rather than a standalone regional network.
The Notice of Intent justifies why Caltech is the intended recipient by describing unique qualifications and practical constraints. It emphasizes that the principal investigators and Caltech personnel have deep, specialized expertise in Southern California seismicity and deformation and extensive experience operating seismic networks. It also notes that Caltech has an established, capable network staff and that specialized monitoring equipment has already been deployed by Caltech in the target region. Some of the key sensors and central recording and computing infrastructure are university-owned and would not be available through another provider, and the current telemetry and data reception pathways are already routed to university facilities. Moving those receiving points and telemetry systems to a different organization would be expensive and time-consuming, potentially disrupting monitoring continuity.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity from the USGS in the natural resources activity category, offered as a cooperative agreement (which generally implies substantial involvement and collaboration between the federal agency and the recipient compared to a standard grant). The listed eligible applicant type is public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the intended awardee is Caltech as stated in the notice. The opportunity number is USGS FA 20 0037, the CFDA number is 15.808, the posting/creation date is 2019-12-11, and the original closing date is 2019-12-25. The award ceiling is listed as $13,400,000, and the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided text.Apply for USGS FA 20 0037
- The Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Partial Support of Joint USGS-Caltech Southern California Seismic Network" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2019-12-11.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-12-25. (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 $13,400,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to make a cooperative agreement award to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to partially support the Joint USGS-Caltech Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) under the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS).
What is the overall purpose of the award?
The purpose is to sustain and strengthen the day-to-day earthquake monitoring backbone for Southern California. The award supports continued seismic network operations to national ANSS standards and continued delivery of high-quality data products that support public safety, science, and hazard response.
What program is this work associated with?
The work is supported under the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) and relates specifically to the Joint USGS-Caltech Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN).
What kind of award is being offered?
The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement and collaboration between USGS and the recipient compared with a standard grant.
Which organization is the intended recipient?
The Notice of Intent identifies the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as the intended awardee.
Who is eligible to apply, based on the notice?
The listed eligible applicant type is public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The notice also states the intended recipient is Caltech.
What core activities will the agreement support?
The core work focuses on operating and maintaining Southern California seismic stations and maintaining the full set of station metadata required for stations to be useful and trustworthy within ANSS. This includes routine operations, equipment upkeep, repairs, calibration, and maintaining accurate standardized station descriptions.
What does "station metadata" mean in this notice?
Station metadata refers to standardized descriptive information about each seismic station, such as precise station locations, instrument types, response characteristics, and configuration history. The notice emphasizes maintaining accurate, up-to-date metadata as essential for reliability and trust in the data within ANSS.
Why are both waveform data and metadata emphasized?
The notice states that both waveform data (raw ground-motion recordings) and accurate station metadata must be delivered reliably to other ANSS networks and to ANSS-designated archives, so the national system can use Southern California data seamlessly and in near real time.
What are "waveform data" in this context?
Waveform data are the raw ground-motion recordings produced by seismic stations. The notice highlights reliable delivery of these recordings as part of near-real-time data sharing within ANSS.
Where must data and metadata be delivered?
The notice specifies reliable delivery to other ANSS networks and to ANSS-designated archives, enabling broader national use of Southern California data.
What standards must the network meet?
The network is expected to continue operating to national ANSS standards and to comply with ANSS-approved software standards to keep products robust and interoperable across regions.
What does compliance with ANSS-approved software standards involve?
It involves using shared approaches and approved tools for data acquisition, processing, formatting, and distribution so that data and information move efficiently through the ANSS system and remain interoperable.
What kinds of products are expected from the SCSN?
The opportunity highlights production of authoritative earthquake catalogs and related products that meet ANSS standards. These products typically include earthquake source parameters such as origin time, location, depth, and magnitude, along with other derived products and services ANSS depends on.
What does "authoritative earthquake catalogs" mean here?
In the notice, "authoritative" signals that SCSN is expected to produce official, quality-controlled earthquake information for the region rather than informal or experimental outputs.
What is the Station Information System (SIS)?
SIS is described as the tool for station inventory control and for describing and maintaining station metadata. The agreement expects Caltech to contribute to the operation and development of SIS.
How is SIS expected to be used under this agreement?
The notice expects Caltech to work with ANSS leadership and the ANSS National Implementation Committee (NIC) toward using SIS or populating it so the national program has standardized, up-to-date information about station assets and configurations.
What coordination activities are included?
Beyond technical tasks, the work includes coordinating seismic monitoring activities with ANSS management and other ANSS participants, reinforcing that SCSN is part of a national enterprise.
Why does the notice identify Caltech as uniquely qualified?
The notice cites deep, specialized expertise among Caltech personnel in Southern California seismicity and deformation, extensive experience operating seismic networks, an established and capable network staff, and specialized monitoring equipment already deployed in the region.
What practical constraints are mentioned that support awarding to Caltech?
The notice explains that some key sensors and central recording and computing infrastructure are university-owned and would not be available through another provider, and that telemetry and data reception pathways are already routed to university facilities. Moving receiving points and telemetry systems elsewhere would be expensive and time-consuming and could disrupt monitoring continuity.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is USGS FA 20 0037.
What is the CFDA number listed?
The CFDA number is 15.808.
What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The notice lists the activity category as natural resources.
What is the posting/creation date?
The posting/creation date is 2019-12-11.
What is the original closing date?
The original closing date is 2019-12-25.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling is listed as $13,400,000.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided information.
Is this described as discretionary or mandatory funding?
The notice describes this as a discretionary funding opportunity from USGS.
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