Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS 20 FA 0003
This Notice of Intent announces a forthcoming discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), within the Department of the Interior, focused on science and technology research tied to the Landsat satellite program. The planned project scope is "Post-Launch Radiometric Calibration and Product Validation of Landsat Sensors," meaning the work centers on verifying and improving the accuracy and consistency of Landsat sensor measurements after the satellite is already in orbit, and confirming that the resulting data products meet expected performance standards for scientific and operational use.
The opportunity is identified by Funding Opportunity Number USGS 20 FA 0003 and is expected to be issued as a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically indicates that the federal agency anticipates substantial involvement in the project, such as coordination on technical approach, access to mission-related information, alignment with existing calibration and validation activities, or collaborative review of methods and results. The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the relevant CFDA (now commonly referred to under assistance listings) is 15.808, which is associated with USGS research and related assistance.
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. In practice, that means state universities and similar public higher-education institutions are the intended applicants, while private universities, companies, nonprofits, or individuals would not be eligible under the terms shown here. The agency anticipates making a single award (Expected Awards: 1), with an award ceiling of $322,377, indicating the maximum anticipated federal funding amount for the selected project under this notice.
Key dates included in the notice show the opportunity record was created on October 23, 2019, with an original closing date of November 5, 2019. Because this is labeled a Notice of Intent, the posting is mainly meant to inform potential applicants that a formal solicitation is planned or imminent and to help eligible institutions prepare. The core technical emphasis, radiometric calibration and product validation, is essential to maintaining Landsat data quality over time, supporting reliable comparisons across dates, sensors, and satellites, and ensuring that Landsat imagery and derived products remain trustworthy for applications such as land cover monitoring, water and vegetation analysis, change detection, and long-term environmental research.Apply for USGS 20 FA 0003
- The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development 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 Oct 23, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 05, 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 $322,377.00 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) announcing a forthcoming discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior. The planned scope is focused on science and technology research tied to the Landsat satellite program.
What is the project scope described in the notice?
The planned project scope is "Post-Launch Radiometric Calibration and Product Validation of Landsat Sensors." In practical terms, the work is about verifying and improving the accuracy and consistency of Landsat sensor measurements after the satellite is already in orbit, and confirming that Landsat data products meet expected performance standards for scientific and operational use.
What does "post-launch radiometric calibration" mean in this context?
It refers to activities performed after a Landsat satellite is in orbit to assess, track, and refine how accurately the sensors measure radiance/reflectance. The goal is to maintain or improve measurement reliability over time so the data remain consistent and comparable.
What does "product validation" mean for Landsat sensors and data products?
Product validation means confirming that the resulting Landsat data products perform as expected and meet defined standards or requirements for quality and usability. This helps ensure the imagery and derived products can be trusted for real scientific and operational applications.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), within the Department of the Interior.
How is this opportunity identified?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is USGS 20 FA 0003.
What type of award is expected?
The notice indicates the opportunity is expected to be issued as a cooperative agreement.
What is a cooperative agreement, and why does it matter here?
A cooperative agreement typically means the federal agency expects substantial involvement in the project. Based on the notice, this could include coordination on the technical approach, access to mission-related information, alignment with existing calibration/validation activities, and collaborative review of methods and results.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity?
The notice references CFDA 15.808 (commonly referenced today under Assistance Listings), which is associated with USGS research and related assistance.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. This generally includes state universities and similar public higher-education institutions.
Are private universities eligible to apply?
No. Based on the eligibility statement provided, private universities would not be eligible.
Are companies, nonprofits, or individuals eligible to apply?
No. The notice limits eligibility to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which excludes companies, nonprofits, and individuals under the terms shown.
How many awards does USGS expect to make?
The notice indicates Expected Awards: 1, meaning USGS anticipates making a single award.
What is the maximum funding amount for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $322,377, which is the maximum anticipated federal funding amount for the selected project under this notice.
Is this posting the full solicitation?
No. This is labeled a Notice of Intent, which is primarily informational and indicates that a formal solicitation is planned or imminent.
Why would USGS publish a Notice of Intent instead of the full opportunity?
As described, the NOI is meant to inform potential applicants in advance and help eligible institutions prepare for the forthcoming formal solicitation.
What are the key dates listed in the notice?
The opportunity record was created on October 23, 2019, and the original closing date listed is November 5, 2019.
What is the Landsat program, as referenced here?
The notice describes the Landsat satellite program as the context for the research. The focus is on maintaining the quality and performance of Landsat sensor measurements and the resulting data products used for scientific and operational purposes.
Why is radiometric calibration and product validation important for Landsat?
The notice emphasizes that this work is essential to maintaining Landsat data quality over time, supporting reliable comparisons across dates, sensors, and satellites, and ensuring Landsat imagery and derived products remain trustworthy.
What kinds of applications benefit from calibrated and validated Landsat data?
The notice lists applications such as land cover monitoring, water and vegetation analysis, change detection, and long-term environmental research.
Does the scope focus on sensors already in orbit?
Yes. The scope explicitly targets post-launch work, meaning calibration and validation after the satellite is already in orbit.
What does it mean to "improve accuracy and consistency" of sensor measurements?
In the context given, it means ensuring the sensor measurements remain dependable and comparable over time so that Landsat observations can be used confidently for monitoring and analysis across different time periods and across different Landsat sensors/satellites.
Is the opportunity described as discretionary funding?
Yes. The notice states it is a forthcoming discretionary funding opportunity.
What should an eligible institution take away from this Notice of Intent?
An eligible public/state-controlled institution of higher education should view this as an early signal that USGS intends to release a formal solicitation for a cooperative agreement focused on post-launch radiometric calibration and product validation of Landsat sensors, with a single anticipated award up to $322,377.
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