Research Office - Incentive Programs

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – U.S. Forest Service

2012 Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grant Program

USDA-FS-2012-WBU

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=130235

The Research Office, Incentive Programs is requesting Letters of Intent for the USDA – FS – 2012 Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Program.

Each college needs to screen the pre-proposals within their unit. The Research Office, Incentive Programs will accept one letter of intent from each college. The Dean will select the proposal within their unit to be sent to the Research Office, Incentive Programs for review and to determine the proposal to move forward for submission to USDA.

Research Office Letter of Intent submission deadline:  Monday, February 6, 2012

Limit Summary:  Only one application per organization shall be accepted by USDA.

The U.S. Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, Technology Marketing Unit, located at the Forest Products Laboratory, requests proposals for wood energy projects that require engineering services. These projects will use woody biomass, such as material removed from forest restoration activities, wildfire hazardous fuel treatments, insect and disease mitigation, forest management due to catastrophic weather events, and/or thinning overstocked stands. The woody biomass shall be used in a bioenergy facility that uses commercially proven technologies to produce thermal, electrical or liquid/gaseous bioenergy. The funds from the Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grant program must be used to further the planning of such facilities by funding the engineering services necessary for final design and cost analysis. To join in support of the public interest and general welfare to protect communities and critical infrastructure, the applicants to this program seek assistance to complete the necessary design work required to secure public and/or private funding for construction for developing local enterprises to better utilize woody biomass. In particular, USDA Rural Development has established grants and loan programs that might help fund construction of such facilities. The lack of engineering design often limits the ability of an applicant or business to receive federal, state or private funding. USDA deadline is March 1, 2012.

Guidance for preparation of Letter of Intent to the Research Office:

• Title of Project
• USDA Program Title
• PI/Co-PI
  • Description of work to be performed, impact on removing woody biomass and creating renewable energy.
  • Description of how jobs will be created and/or retained and sustained.
  • Statement on the social, environmental and economic impact and importance of the project to the community.
  • Detailed budget being requested from USDA – limit one page
  • Biosketch for PI (Standard NSF style, limit two pages, single spaced, 12 pt. font)
  • Letters of intent are limited to 6 pages (single spaced, 12 pt. font, including budget pages and biosketch)
  • Be submitted electronically as a MSWord or PDF document to:  debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu

Information:  Debbie Delmore at debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu or (541) 737-8390