RM-CESU

How To: Identify Appropriate Project Expert \| Request Parntership to RM-CESU
Establishing Projects through the RM-CESU: Guidelines for agency managers or researchers:
A. Verify that your project is appropriate for the RM-CESU agreement. The Executive Committee Member for your agency can give final approval (see agency contacts).
B. Contact your agency's procurement or contracting officer for necessary paperwork, specifying that you will be using the RM-CESU agreement:
NPS Contact:	Instructions for Completing NPS Paperwork
	1) Contact Kathy Tonnessen, NPS Research Coordinator, kathy.tonnessen@cfc.umt.edu, 406-243-4449 or Christine Whitacre,NPS Cultural Resource Specialist, christine_whitacre@nps.gov, 406-243-2660, to initiate paperwork.
	2) After reading Roles & Responsibilities, you will need to complete the task agreement cover sheet (including project scope of work, schedule and budget) and attachment 4.9, and then e-mail to Kathy Tonnessen for approval. WASO, please use this task agreement cover sheet.
	3) NPS sponsors will need to send a "Purchase Request" via Desktop Procurement to Lynell Wright, Intermountain Regional Office, Lakewood, CO, 80228, lynell_wright@nps.gov, 303-969-2654. Lynell will handle the obligation of funds and write the task agreement that is sent to the University for signature.
	4) If you need to do a project with another federal agency, you will need to complete an Interagency Agreement. Call Kathy Tonnessen (406-243-4449) to get this form.

BLM Contact:	Lori Anderson, MT BLM Billings Office, 406-896-5196 or Lori_Anderson@blm.gov

USGS Contact:	Faith D. Peters, 703-648-7356 or fpeters@usgs.gov
	Instructions for Completing USGS Paperwork
	1) The institutional partner (university) submits a proposal along with an SF-424 and an SF-424A to the USGS cost center for funding. Typically proposals are developed through close consultation between a USGS scientist and a member of the university faculty. The USGS principal investigator submits a requisition request to the cost center.
	2) If approved, the cost center forwards the proposal with an official DI-1 to HQ Office of Acquisition and Grants. The proposal is then funded through a Research Cooperative Project Award from USGS to the university under authority of a Master CESU Agreement. Research Cooperative Project Awards should be processed through the administrative officer of the originating USGS cost center in accordance with delegated procurement authority.

USFS Contact:	Debra L. Jensen, 970-498-1172 or djensen@fs.fed.us

USBR Contact:	Leatha Frost, 406-247-7818 or lfrost@gp.usbr.gov

NRCS Contact:	Fred Reaves, 202-720-1872 or fred.reaves@wdc.usda.gov

C. Complete the project report template, and return it to the RM-CESU Coordinator.
D. For additional questions, contact your agency representative or the RM-CESU Coordinator.

Establishing Projects through the RM-CESU: Guidelines for faculty:
A. Verify that your project is appropriate for the RM-CESU agreement. The Executive Committee Member at your institution can give final approval (see University contacts)
B. Complete necessary agency paperwork (agency contacts)
C. Contact your institution's grants/research personnel for necessary internal paperwork, specifying that you will be using the RM-CESU agreement.
D. Complete the project report template, and return it to the RM-CESU Coordinator.
E. For additional questions, contact your university representative or the RM-CESU Coordinator.

Identifying Appropriate Faculty to Collaborate on a CESU Project
If you do not know who you would like to work with as experts for your research, education, or technical assistance project, there are several routes for identifying appropriate partners:
1. Contact the RM-CESU Executive Coordinator at the University of Montana: Lisa Gerloff 406-243-5346 rmcesu@cfc.umt.edu
2. Search the Expertise Directory.
3. Contact the RM-CESU representative at the institution you are interested in working with.
4. If you are working on an NPS project, contact the Intermountain Region Research Coordinator: Kathy Tonnessen 406-243-4449 kathy.tonnessen@cfc.umt.edu or Christine Whitacre 406-243-2660 christine_whitacre@nps.gov

How to Request Partnership in the RM-CESU
Becoming a partner in the Rocky Mountains CESU requires several steps in a process that may take several months to over a year to complete:
An existing partner must sponsor a potential new partner (see list of RM-CESU partner contacts). Either a potential partner informs the Chair of the RM-CESU Executive Committee (Perry Brown, The University of Montana) of an interest in becoming a partner or the Executive Committee identifies a potential partner and requests it to consider becoming a partner. If the Chair deems that the potential partner might be a good addition to the RM-CESU, the potential partner is requested to develop a written proposal following the guidelines used in development of the original CESU proposal and submit that proposal to the Chair of the Executive Committee. The potential partner will also be invited to attend an Executive Committee meeting to make a presentation and answer questions about its interest in the CESU and what it can bring to the CESU to strengthen it. The Executive Committee then considers the proposal and determines whether or not to accept the potential partner as a partner. Acceptance is by consesus. An amendment to the RM-CESU MOU is prepared and the Executive Committee members (one per partner) sign the amendment acknowledging their acceptance of the new partner. The signed amendment is forwarded to the National CESU Council for ratification. Upon ratification by the RM-CESU Council the new partner takes a seat on the Executive Committee and all partners receive a copy of the amendment. Addition of new partners to the RM-CESU RM-CESU Partner Roles and Responsibilities For more information or assistance, contact the RM-CESU Coordinator.


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