Critical Agricultural Materials

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: CSREES announces the availability of grant funds and requests applications for the Critical Agricultural Materials Program for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to develop and demonstrate industrial polymers that are manufactured from domestically produced crop materials.  The amount available for support of this program in FY 2009 is approximately $1,000,000.

This notice identifies the objectives for Critical Agricultural Materials projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a Critical Agricultural Materials grant. CSREES additionally requests stakeholder input from any interested party for use in the development of the next RFA for this program.

B. Purpose and Priorities
Crop-based materials used in polymer formulations can serve as building blocks to replace petroleum-based materials.  Advances in polymer science have resulted in products with superior functional performance and also address environmental and human health concerns. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered to be a major human health issue and polymer products that can meet performance requirements with minimal or no use of VOCs are of interest to CSREES.  Coatings are the main contributor to VOC emissions after transportation and energy sectors.  Examples of products include: architectural paints, paper coatings, ultraviolet cured coatings, wood-based composites, and polymer additives. 

C. Program Area Description

In FY 2009, the Critical Agricultural Materials Program will support the development and demonstration of novel, environmentally friendly technologies for use in paints and coatings, and adhesives for composites. The program will also support and give priority to proposals that include a life cycle analysis objective, comparing the biobased product with a fossil-based counterpart using the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability model (BEES) developed by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees/bees_USDA.html ). This model measures the environmental impact of every stage in the life cycle of a product, and is currently being used by USDA for the Biopreferred Program (http://www.biopreferred.gov) CSREES anticipates that projects supported by the Critical Agricultural Materials Program will result in products, specifically paints, coatings and adhesives that can help federal agencies, state entities and companies meet their environmental goals.  CSREES also anticipates that the BEES model will help identify gaps in product development that warrant further research in the functional and environmental performance of the product(s).

Examples of funded projects can be found at: http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=gc=mm.2%20AND%20gy%3E2002&format=WEBTITLESG.

PART II – AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding
 There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards. CSREES anticipates funding one or two projects which will contribute to the development and demonstration of biobased polymers. The total amount of funds available is approximately $1,000,000.  The project period shall not exceed 3 years. 

B. Type of Applications
 In FY 2009, applications may be submitted to the Critical Agricultural Materials Program as one of the following types of requests:

(1) New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the Critical Agricultural Materials Program. All new applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

(2) Renewal application. This is a project application that requests additional funding for a project beyond the period that was approved in an original or amended award. Applications for renewed funding must contain the same information as required for new applications, and additionally must contain a Progress Report (attach to R&R Other Project Information Form according to Part IV, B, 3 (c)). Renewal applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications in the appropriate area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

 
In FY 2009, Critical Agricultural Materials will award standard grants.

PART III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants
 Applications may be submitted by any person, or public or private agency or organization.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching
 CSREES does not require matching or cost sharing support for this program, and matching

resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.