Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS 19 FAC 0314
This Notice of Intent is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement opportunity focused on improving how strong motion earthquake data are collected, processed, standardized, and delivered for engineering and public safety use. The work is centered on coordination across major U.S. strong motion monitoring efforts, especially the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) regional seismic networks and the National Strong Motion Network (NSMN). The main thrust is not simply gathering more data, but making sure the data and the accompanying metadata move reliably between organizations, are processed in consistent ways, and end up in modern, accessible systems that engineers, researchers, and response agencies can depend on during both routine operations and earthquake events.
A core part of the effort is to coordinate strong motion data and metadata transfer between the ANSS regional networks and the NSMN. In practical terms, this means improving interoperability and handoffs so that waveform recordings, station information, sensor details, timing and calibration records, and event metadata are consistently packaged and transmitted. Strong motion data can be difficult to use if metadata are incomplete or inconsistent, so the emphasis on both data and metadata suggests the project aims to reduce errors, eliminate ambiguity in station and instrument descriptions, and streamline ingestion into downstream archives and products.
Another major objective is to modernize and improve the Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data (CESMD). CESMD serves as an engineering-facing distribution point for strong motion records, and modernization typically implies upgrading the underlying data infrastructure, improving data discovery and access, refining formats and documentation, and potentially enhancing automated pipelines so records are available faster and with clearer provenance. The opportunity also explicitly calls for assistance in processing NSMN and ANSS strong motion data for CESMD, indicating hands-on technical work to prepare records for publication, which can include baseline correction practices, filtering choices, unit consistency, quality control checks, and creation of derived parameters that engineers use.
The opportunity also highlights collaboration with COSMOS (the Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems) to revise strong motion guideline documents. Guideline documents are important because they define best practices for instrumentation, installation, operations, data quality, processing steps, and reporting conventions. Updating these guidelines suggests the program wants to align current practice with evolving technology, new lessons from recent earthquakes, and the practical needs of the user community. This also ties directly into the stated goal of standardization across agencies and networks.
A specific interagency deliverable is coordination with USGS and the California Geological Survey (CGS) to standardize ground motion data processing methods and techniques and to develop a USGS/CGS standard strong motion processing engine. This implies the project intends to reduce differences in how agencies process recordings (for example, differences in filtering, instrument response handling, or quality control thresholds) by converging on a shared processing approach and possibly a shared software toolchain. A standard processing engine would help ensure that records produced by different groups are comparable, traceable, and defensible, which is especially important when data are used for building codes, post-event engineering assessments, hazard models, and research studies.
The scope also includes workforce development and operational continuity tasks. The awardee is expected to work with a new National Strong Motion Project (NSMP) data center manager to train them on USGS data processing systems, and also to work with a new NSMP field operations manager on field operations standards, techniques, and supervisory responsibilities. That indicates the project is partly about transferring institutional knowledge and ensuring that new leadership can maintain consistent operational practices. Field operations standards can include sensor installation methods, site characterization considerations, maintenance schedules, troubleshooting, data telemetry checks, and documentation routines, all of which influence data quality and network reliability.
Beyond routine data operations, the opportunity includes assisting with earthquake response coordination. That typically means supporting rapid data processing and dissemination immediately after events, helping prioritize station checks and data recovery, and coordinating communication pathways so that strong motion records and related products reach responders and technical partners quickly. Strong motion data are often critical after damaging earthquakes for estimating shaking intensity patterns, validating models, informing situational awareness, and supporting structural and geotechnical evaluations.
The project also calls for work on geotechnical array operations, data processing, and analysis. Geotechnical arrays are specialized instrument deployments that measure how ground motion changes with depth and across different soil conditions, which is vital for understanding site response, liquefaction potential, and other near-surface effects that strongly influence damage. Operational support here can involve maintaining borehole and surface arrays, validating sensor health, processing multi-depth time series consistently, and analyzing results to characterize amplification and frequency-dependent behavior.
Finally, the awardee may participate in the Earthquake Monitoring and Shaking, Damage, and Failure Projects, including management and training support as needed. This suggests integration with broader USGS earthquake hazards efforts where strong motion data contribute to monitoring, shaking products, and assessments of damage mechanisms. The mention of management and training indicates the role may include planning, documentation, procedure development, and helping teams adopt consistent practices across projects.
Administratively, this is a USGS opportunity under the Department of the Interior, listed as an "Other" opportunity category and funded through a Cooperative Agreement, meaning substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal partner is expected rather than a hands-off grant. The activity category is Environment, and the CFDA number is 15.808. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, pointing toward a university-based partner with relevant seismic network, strong motion, data management, or earthquake engineering expertise. The opportunity was created on Aug 02, 2019, with an original closing date of Aug 31, 2019. The award ceiling is $50,000, with one expected award, suggesting a targeted, specialized engagement rather than a large multi-institution research program.
In summary, this Notice of Intent is aimed at strengthening the end-to-end strong motion ecosystem: improving data and metadata exchange among ANSS and NSMN participants, updating community guidelines with COSMOS, modernizing CESMD, aligning USGS and CGS processing into a standardized engine, supporting routine and event-driven processing for data publication, training new operational leaders, and contributing to earthquake response and geotechnical array work. The overall goal is consistent, high-quality, rapidly usable strong motion information that better supports engineering applications, hazard analysis, and coordinated earthquake response.Apply for USGS 19 FAC 0314
- The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent" 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 Aug 02, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2019. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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