USGS Experienced Services Program

 

To implement legislation that authorizes cooperative agreements with eligible nonprofit organizations that will recruit and provide the services of professionals, age 55 and older, who have the experience and expertise to support the USGS mission across a range of capacities on a temporary, full or part time, project-specific basis.

Active 15.072 U.S. Geological Survey, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2023 Efforts are focused on program startup activities. Department of the Interior Experienced Services Program, Title Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Part Division G, Section 111, Public Law 117-103 This program is limited to qualified non-profit organizations subject to 26 USC 501 c(3) of the tax code, and must be designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Proof of establishment must be submitted with the application. Individuals (Americans, age 55 years and older) who qualify for temporary positions, as described in approved position descriptions provided by the contracting, Federal agency. These individuals may include Federal pension recipients. Documentation of designation by the Secretary of Labor as eligible to receive funds under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 to recruit and utilize the skills and experience of older Americans, aged 55 and older and proof of past performance in recruiting and providing employment opportunities for individuals 55 years of age and older. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applications must include all required Standard Forms (SF), including a Project Proposal, a Budget Detail, and a copy the applicant's approved federal agency Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable. Other required documents: SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs; SF-424B Assurances-Non-Construction Programs; Proof of establishment under the Secretary of Labor, Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965; Financial Assistance Evaluation Questionnaire (if applicable). After there is a master cooperative agreement in place, further information for each specific project will be available at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Program Manager listed as the point of contact. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 90 to 120 days. Not applicable. Not applicable. 1. First Level Screening - Basic Eligibility: Ensures that applicants meet basic eligibility requirements, such as meeting program and/or legislative authority requirements, timing of submission, and complete and properly executed SF-424 application package documents are included. 2. Second Level Evaluation - Merit Review Evaluation: Uses merit review criteria with numerical scoring based on a 100-point maximum score, as follows: Mission and Objective (10/100 points); Knowledge, experience and resources for recruiting qualified enrollees (30/100 points); Applicant's Program Administration approach (20/100 points), including how the proposed objectives will be achieved within the proposed period of performance; significant goals or milestones; tasks and relationships of partners, if applicable; Relevant Experience and Past Performance of Applicant (40/100); 3. Third Level Review Pre-Award Clearance and Approvals: a business evaluation and determination of responsibility including: risk management, financial stability, history of performance managing Federal awards, and budget review, etc. 4. Application Selection Process: Applications eligible for merit review will be evaluated by an ad hoc evaluation team assembled to review, rate, rank, and recommend applications for award using the above evaluation criteria. 5. Criteria are not based on cost of the project, but on responsible, effective use of funds. 6. Criteria are based on qualifications of the principal investigator and institution, relevance to program's objectives, merit, and other qualities. Recipients will use funding to cover overhead or administrative costs to fulfill its obligations under the cooperative agreement, as well as salary and benefits for enrollees. Overhead or administrative costs may include payroll and benefits management, required reporting, and providing interactive portal for enrollee supervisors, among others.Authorizing legislation (P.L. 116-94, Sec. 111) specifies that Program activities may not: (1) result in the displacement of individuals currently employed by the Department of the Interior, including partial displacement through reduction of non-overtime hours, wages, or employment benefits; (2) result in the use of an individual under the Department of the Interior Experienced Services Program for a job or function in a case in which a Federal employee is in a layoff status from the same or substantially equivalent job within the Department; or (3) affect existing contracts for services. Performance Reports: Performance reports are required. Recipients must monitor and report on project performance in accordance with the requirements in 2 CFR 200.328. A final performance report is due within 90 calendar days of the award period of performance end date, unless the awarding program approves a due date extension. All reporting requirements including frequency and due dates are detailed in Notices of Award. Not applicable. Recipients will maintain records in accordance with 2 CFR 200. Program-specific legislation/regulation may dictate additional records retention requirements. Program will detail all non-standard records retention requirements in the notice of award. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. The Experienced Services Program is authorized by Congress annually in the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The program is not funded; each project is funded through existing program budgets as needs are identified. Funding may be provided to individual projects until those projects expire, including over multiple years, unless statutory authority is not provided in a given year. Program will obligate funds and send a notice of award to successful applicants. Recipients request awarded funds as needed and in accordance with 2 CFR 200, unless otherwise dictated by program-specific legislation/regulation or special award terms. Program will include any special award terms and conditions in the notice of award. After award, funds are distributed to the recipient through ASAP . None/Not specified. Mike Frame
USGS
6th and Kipling, Denver Federal Center
Building 810, MS 302
Denver, CO 80225 USA
Mike_frame@usgs.gov
Phone: 865-576-3605 14-0804-0-1-306 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $500,000.00; FY 24 est $3,000,000.00; FY 21$0.00; - FY 2024 obligation estimate is subject to the availability of appropriations provided by Congress. Past Fiscal Year (2022): N/A Current Fiscal Year (2023): Range for FY23 will be: $80,000 - $500,000 Budget Fiscal Year (2024): Range for FY24 will be $500,000 - $3,000,000 Not applicable. Fiscal Year 2023 Current Fiscal Year: Projections (2023) The selected nonprofit organization will work with USGS to establish the USGS ESP and begin to recruit skilled, experienced workers, aged 55 and older, to meet temporary USGS staff needs, including various USGS science projects, policy analysis and administrative support.
Fiscal Year 2024 The selected nonprofit organization will continue under their five-year agreement with the USGS to recruit skilled, experienced workers, aged 55 and older, to fill a wide range of temporary roles within the Bureau.