PROGRAMS AND PLANS--New Mechanisms for Cooperating with Universities Through the State Water Resources Research Institute Program


In Reply Refer To:                             June 27, 1996
Mail Stop 424

WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MEMORANDUM NO. 96.31

Subject: PROGRAMS AND PLANS--New Mechanisms for Cooperating with
         Universities Through the State Water Resources Research 
         Institute Program

The Water Resources Research Act of 1984 was recently amended to extend 
the authorization of appropriations for the State Water Resources 
Research Institute Program through fiscal year (FY) 2000 and to 
facilitate cooperation between the Institutes and the Federal 
Government by making it easier to enter into contracts, cooperative 
agreements, and other transactions with colleges and universities 
through the Institutes.  The amendments also provide the U.S. 
Geological Survey (USGS) with authority to accept funds from other 
Federal agencies to pay for work by the Institutes and explicit 
authority for an internship program.

The amendments provide flexibility in procurement of, and cooperation 
in, a very broad range of research on water resources and related 
topics.  They are designed to encourage utilization of the Institutes by 
all divisions and offices of the USGS and other Federal agencies.

The amendments to the Act include the following:

"To carry out this Act, the Secretary--

"(A) shall encourage other Federal departments, agencies 
(including agencies within the Department of the Interior), and 
instrumentalities to use and take advantage of the expertise 
and capabilities which are available through the institutes 
established by this section, on a cooperative or other basis;

"(B) shall encourage cooperation and coordination with other 
Federal programs concerned with water resources problems and 
issues;

"(C) may enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other 
transactions without regard to section 3709 of the Revised 
Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5);

"(D) may accept funds from other Federal departments, agencies 
(including agencies within the Department of the Interior), and 
instrumentalities to pay for and add to grants made, and 
contracts entered into, by the Secretary;

.... and

"(F) may support a program of internships for qualified 
individuals at the undergraduate and graduate levels to carry 
out the educational and training objectives of this act."

Item (C) allows the USGS to enter into contracts and other transactions 
with colleges and universities, through the Institutes, without much 
procurement paperwork such as, advertising for proposals and non-
competitive, or sole-source justifications.  For example, the USGS has 
entered into agreements with several Institutes to support professors 
and students on work required to carry out program or project 
activities.  In FY 1995, the USGS expended over $375,000 on these 
activities.  This capability is extended to other agencies of the 
Department of the Interior, as well as other agencies of the Federal 
Government.  The work must be on water resources and related topics 
within the purview of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as 
amended.  This provision of the Act can be quite useful to us as we seek 
ways to accomplish our mission in a time when we must exercise great 
restraint in adding new permanent staff.  It also offers an opportunity 
to enhance our relationships with universities and find opportunities 
to work with students.

Under Item (D), in an effort to further integrate the Institutes into 
the activities of other Federal agencies, the USGS has accepted funds 
from other Federal agencies and used the funds to supplement the 
Institute grants for purposes specified by the agency providing the 
funds.  In FY 1995, the USGS accepted over $520,000 for such purposes.  
A total of 10 Institutes were involved in projects receiving funding 
from the USGS and other Federal agencies through the Institute Program.

Item (F), the USGS-Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) Student 
Internship Program was initiated in March 1995.  During the 6 months of 
FY 1995 that the Internship program was operative, the USGS committed a 
total of $174,231 to the program in five States.  Most of these 
internships continued into FY 1996, and several new internships have 
been initiated this year.  Project or program funds made available to 
the USGS through direct appropriations, joint-funding agreements with 
State or local governments, or through reimbursable agreements with 
other Federal agencies may be used to support interns under this 
program.  The program can be used by all divisions of the USGS to 
support interns working on water resources and related topics.  Water 
Resources Division Memorandum No. 95.25 describes the procedures for 
utilizing the internship program.

I urge you to consider the Institutes as a resource and mechanism for 
cooperating with colleges and universities across the Nation.  Contact 
John Schefter, Chief, Office of External Research, for additional 
information on and assistance in cooperating with the State Water 
Resources Research Institutes.  Phone:  (703) 648-6800; email 
schefter@usgs.gov.

                                     /signed/

                                 Robert M. Hirsch
                                 Chief Hydrologist

This memorandum supplements the guidance in WRD Memorandum No. 95.25.

Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO, AO, DC
              USGS Policy Council
              Operations Council
              Program Council
              USGS Regional Directors
              Directors, State Water Resources Research Institutes