Delivering Scalable Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Prevention Technologies in the Ohio Region | W81EWF 22 SOI 0020

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of the "Delivering Scalable Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Prevention Technologies in the Ohio Region" opportunity?

The purpose is to develop and demonstrate practical, large-scale technologies that can prevent or reduce harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater systems, with a primary focus on the Western Lake Erie Basin and the broader Ohio region. The emphasis is on moving beyond small pilots toward approaches that are cost-effective, scalable, and deployable in real operational settings.

Who is sponsoring this funding opportunity?

The sponsor is the Department of Defense, specifically the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).

What type of funding mechanism is being used?

This is a cooperative agreement. That generally means the government expects to be substantially involved in the project compared to a typical grant, often through collaboration, shared planning, and iterative technical engagement.

What problem is this opportunity trying to address?

The opportunity frames HABs as a major aquatic nuisance species issue affecting USACE-managed waterways and infrastructure, with environmental, public health, and economic impacts. It notes that HABs are becoming more frequent and lasting longer, and references significant tourism-related losses as one example of the broader cost burden.

What geographic area does the opportunity focus on?

The primary focus is the Western Lake Erie Basin, with an expanded emphasis on the broader Ohio region.

Is the opportunity focused on research, deployment, or both?

It is applied development and demonstration oriented. The goal is to accelerate technology transfer so promising prevention and management tools can move faster from concept and testing into field-ready solutions, rather than remaining as small-scale or lab-only efforts.

What kinds of HAB solutions are in scope?

Solutions using physical, chemical, and/or biological processes are in scope, as long as they are aimed at prevention and reduction of HAB events in freshwater environments and are feasible at large scales.

Does the opportunity only support nutrient-focused approaches?

No. While nutrient-related work is highlighted (including nutrient sequestration), the announcement also explicitly signals interest in innovative prevention technologies that are not exclusively focused on nutrient control, including approaches that address other bloom drivers.

What outcomes can proposed technologies target?

Proposals can target different points in the HAB problem, including preventing blooms from forming, limiting bloom magnitude, shortening duration, reducing total biomass, lowering toxicity, or reducing biomass and toxins during or after an event.

What does "scalable" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Scalable means the proposed process or technology must be credible for deployment at large scales in freshwater environments, not just theoretically sound or effective in controlled laboratory settings. Applicants are expected to make a convincing case for real-world deployment potential in the types of systems where HABs occur across the region.

What special topic areas are explicitly highlighted as high interest?

The opportunity highlights: (1) enhanced nutrient sequestration in lotic (flowing water) systems like rivers and streams, (2) innovative prevention technologies not exclusively focused on nutrient control, and (3) technologies that target and reduce HAB environmental triggers specifically in riverine systems.

What is meant by "lotic systems" and why are they emphasized?

Lotic systems are flowing waters such as rivers and streams. They are emphasized because nutrients and other drivers can move downstream and contribute to bloom formation, and because riverine settings have different physical conditions and management constraints than open-lake environments.

How is this opportunity different from existing Great Lakes HAB work?

The stated intent is not to duplicate existing Great Lakes HAB work, but to build on it, expand it, and accelerate technology transfer by leveraging ongoing programs and datasets instead of reinventing work already underway.

What kind of partnership model is expected?

The opportunity describes an interdisciplinary collaboration between USACE and a partner located in the Ohio region, organized through a CESU-style research partnership approach.

Does the partner need to be located in the Ohio region?

Yes, the description specifies collaboration with a partner located in the Ohio region.

What experience are investigators expected to bring?

Investigators are expected to have demonstrated experience with HABs and aquatic nuisance species control methods, and to show awareness of ongoing federal and state HAB programs and datasets that can be leveraged.

What are "data quality objectives" in this context?

In the proposal planning described, data quality objectives refer to laying out the tasks and the data needed to answer the project’s key technical questions, with sufficient clarity that the work can be tested and evaluated against defined objectives.

What is expected in terms of project planning and structure?

Competitive submissions are expected to define key technical questions (technical objectives), specify tasks and required data (data quality objectives), explicitly address scalability, and lay out deliverables by task and by year. The structure suggests a multi-year work plan with measurable outputs at each stage.

Are applicants expected to define success criteria?

Yes. The announcement encourages defining both quantitative and qualitative success criteria for each objective and task.

What are "go/no-go" decision points and are they required?

The opportunity encourages including go/no-go decision points at the end of each year. These function as checkpoints (an off-ramp or adaptive management decision) to determine whether results justify continuing a particular approach.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $500,000.

How many awards are expected?

The posting indicates an expectation of a single award.

What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?

The opportunity number is W81EWF 22 SOI 0020. It is listed under CFDA 12.360 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development).

What are the key dates listed in the posting?

The posting indicates a creation date of June 2, 2022 and an original closing date of August 5, 2022.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broadly described as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. The description suggests applicants should verify organizational fit against the program’s specific CESU or partnership requirements referenced in that full announcement.

What kinds of deliverables are expected?

The announcement expects deliverables to be spelled out by task and by year, implying defined outputs at each stage of a multi-year plan. Deliverables should connect directly to the technical objectives, the data collected, and the demonstrated scalability of the technology pathway.

What does "technology transfer" mean here?

In this context, it means accelerating the movement of promising HAB prevention and management tools from concept and testing into field-ready, operationally deployable solutions, leveraging existing monitoring, research, and management efforts rather than starting from scratch.

What is the overall ideal project according to the announcement?

The ideal project is an applied development and demonstration effort with a strong, field-relevant technology pathway that can be credibly demonstrated in the Ohio and Western Lake Erie context, aligned with and leveraging existing HAB datasets and programs, and aimed at reducing bloom frequency, severity, and toxicity at operationally meaningful scales.