The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) has released the GoMRI Request for Proposals for Individual Investigators or Small Collaborative Teams for 2016-2018. The purpose of the RFP is to select the research activities for GoMRI Years 6–8 (1 January 2016 – 31 December 2018) involving individual investigators or collaborative efforts comprising a principal investigator and up to three co-principal investigators. The total funds available for distribution through the 2016-2018 GoMRI Individual Investigators RFP will be approximately $9 million per year. The RFP-V program will award grants for projects of up to three years, with budgets ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000 per year.

Each PI may submit only one proposal as PI, but individuals can be involved in any capacity in up to three proposals. In each proposal, a clear description should be included to explain how the proposed work is complementary, not duplicative, of other proposed efforts and how the participant will budget his or her time. Should an individual appear on four or more proposals, all proposals by the individual will be disqualified. It is the responsibility of the submitters to confirm that each member of the entire team is within the eligibility guidelines. To ensure that no UM researcher appears on four or more proposals, all UM personnel participating in any capacity on any RFP-V proposal, including proposals submitted by other institutions, must notify ORSP of all of their their RFP-V participation plans early in the development process, and no later than December 15, 2014. Furthermore, all letters of intent for UM proposals must be coordinated through, and submitted by, ORSP, on behalf of the PI.

View the full GOMRI RFP-V here: http://gulfresearchinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/RFP-V.pdf.

GoMRI supports research in five thematic areas: 

1. Physical distribution, dispersion, and dilution of petroleum (oil and gas), its constituents, and associated contaminants (e.g., dispersants) under the action of physical oceanographic processes, air-sea interactions, and tropical storms.
2. Chemical evolution and biological degradation of the petroleum/dispersant system and subsequent interaction with coastal, open-ocean, and deep-water ecosystems.
3. Environmental effects of the petroleum/dispersant system on the sea floor, water column, coastal waters, beach sediments, wetlands, marshes, and organisms; and the science of ecosystem recovery.
4. Technology developments for improved responses, mitigation, detection, characterization, and remediation associated with oil spills and gas releases.
5. Impact of oil spills on public health including behavioral, socioeconomic, environmental risk assessment, community capacity, and other population health considerations and issues.

Research applications to the RFP-V program must address questions that will increase our knowledge in one of these five themes only.

Individuals and teams interested in applying for research support under the RFP-V program must submit a Letter of Intent by 5:00 PM Eastern time on December 15, 2014.  Full proposals will be due by March 13, 2015.  It is anticipated that awards will be announced around November 13, 2015, and that most grants will run from 2016 through 2018.  All RFP-V program requirements and guidelines are available on the GoMRI Web site.