1. Does AQRP always post workshop project presentations and final reports on the AQRP website? Can this be delayed?
In the interest of transparency, it has been the practice of the AQRP since the beginning to post all AQRP notices and documents, including the workshop presentations and project final reports, proposals, the project work plans (project statements of work and QAPPs) and technical reports (including the final report), on the AQRP website as soon as they are available. Intentionally delaying posting of these documents could be viewed by some as an attempt to interfere with the transparency AQRP has worked so hard to establish.
2. Who owns the copyright of the final report? Of the journal article?
From Section 12.2 of the Subaward agreement:
12.2 Ownership
Generally, patent, copyright and data rights shall be in accordance with applicable United States Code. Title to all inventions or discoveries made solely by UT resulting from the research performed hereunder shall reside in UT. Title to all inventions or discoveries made solely by Subawardee shall reside in Subawardee. Title to all inventions and discoveries made jointly by Subawardee and UT shall reside in Subawardee and UT.
Title to the copyright for the final report resides in the subawardee. However, when the subaward was accepted, the subawardee granted to UT and the TCEQ/State of Texas a right and license to use the final report. One of the uses AQRP has for the final report is to provide the results of the program. It does so by posting the reports on the publicly available AQRP website, as explained in Question 1.
3. Do any copyrights for a journal publication reside with UT, AQRP or TCEQ?
Under the patent, copyright and data rights in the applicable United States Code, since neither UT, AQRP or TCEQ will be a primary authors of the journal article, they would have no copyrights for the journal publication.
4. If I publish a paper using AQRP project research/data, does AQRP require a final copy?
Yes, it is requested that a final copy of the publication be sent to the AQRP Program Manager for internal reference purposes only. AQRP will also furnish the final publication copy to the TCEQ for their internal reference as well.
5. Is the Collaborating institution required to submit a budget justification with their budget or should the budget justification for collaborators be included in the overall Lead Institution's budget justification?
Yes, all Collaborating institutions are required to submit a separate budget and budget justification that is separate from the Lead Institution's budget and budget justification. All budgets and budget justifications will be submitted to AQRP on the Lead Institution's proposal.
6. With regards to field studies research area for the 2020-2021 biennium, is AQRP looking to fund a single collaborative proposal in support if the entire field campaign or a series of investigators who would then work together after the fact? Have any individuals been identified who will lead the campaign science foci?
In previous biennia, the AQRP has, in some cases but not always, supported multiple investigators in the same field campaign. In those instances, the AQRP and TCEQ coordinated the investigators so that the measurements were done in a synergistic way. The AQRP has also funded measurement projects where only a single investigator was making measurements.
7. Would it be possible to view copies of recently approved proposals?
All of the materials approved for public release have been posted on the AQRP web site. This includes quarterly reports, annual reports and final reports for every project that has been funded. The project reports can be found under the "Projects" section of the web site.
8. Regarding the improvement of wind blown dust in models, do you know the identity of a TCEQ end user with whom I could speak to better understand their exact interests and needs?
We suggest reviewing the State of the Science documents available at the AQRP web site and previous projects that have examined long range transport of PM. Please do not contact TCEQ directly with any questions during the proposal stage.
9. In AQRP Research Priorities for 20-21 Biennium under the first Field Study topic, formaldehyde is listed as a desired air pollutant to be measured. What sampling method (e.g., DMPH sampling tubes) be considered acceptable for the study and what analysis method would the TCEQ require for the method? Would a Texas lab need to be NELAP certified to perform these analysis?
The TCEQ Monitoring Division uses TO-11a (DNPH cartridges for sampling and HPLC for analysis) to measure carbonyls to include formaldehyde, however, this method (air matrix/method/analyte) does not have NELAP accreditation. Given that the TCEQ uses TO-11a, TCEQ could consider that an acceptable method, however, TCEQ would not limit AQRP work to this method only. Methodology that provides short time resolution measurements would likely be a preferred approach, such as those used in the AQRP San Antonio Field Study (AQRP SAFS) using TILDAS (tunable infrared laser direct absorption spectroscopy) and other studies using PT-RMS.
The TCEQ could discuss further "acceptable" methods for measuring formaldehyde but lab accreditation will not be required primarily because of TAC §25.6 (4) and moreover, TAC §25.1. (see below).
Lab accreditation is addressed in Title 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §25.
TAC §25.1 (Purpose):
This chapter describes requirements for accreditation and certification of environmental testing laboratories. Accreditation is voluntary; however, the commission may accept environmental testing laboratory data and analyses for use in commission decisions regarding any matter under the commission's jurisdiction relating to permits or other authorizations, compliance matters, enforcement actions, or corrective actions only if the data and analyses are prepared by an environmental testing laboratory accredited by the commission under this chapter, except as provided in §25.6 of this title (relating to Conditions Under Which the Commission May Accept Analytical Data).
TAC §25.4 (Applicability):
(a) An environmental testing laboratory must be accredited according to this chapter, except as provided in §25.6 of this title (relating to Conditions Under Which the Commission May Accept Analytical Data), if the laboratory provides analytical data which is used for a commission decision relating to a:
(1) permit;
(2) authorization;
(3) compliance action;
(4) enforcement action;
(5) corrective action;
(6) characterization of an environmental process or condition; or
(7) assessment of an environmental process or condition.
TAC §25.6 (Conditions Under Which the Commission May Accept Analytical Data)
The commission may accept analytical data provided by an environmental testing laboratory, for any matter under the commission's jurisdiction relating to permits or other authorizations, compliance matters, enforcement actions, or corrective actions, that is not accredited according to this chapter if the laboratory:
(1) is an on-site or in-house environmental testing laboratory that is:
(A) inspected at least every three years by the executive director;
(B) located in another state and accredited or periodically inspected by that state; or
(C) inspected at least every three years by the executive director and is performing work:
(i) for another company with a unit located on the same site; or
(ii) without compensation for a governmental agency or a charitable organization.
(2) is accredited under federal law, including certification by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide analytical data for decisions relating to compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act;
(3) provides analytical data necessary for emergency response activities and the required analytical data are not otherwise available from an environmental testing laboratory accredited according to this chapter or federal law; or
(4) provides analytical data for which the commission does not offer accreditation.
10. How are PIs required to send deliverable data to AQRP at the close of their project? Will a standard USB Hard drive suffice or can online/cloud transmission work? If a USB HDD is needed, can the PIs use their AQRP funding to purchase the drive to send to AQRP?
A standard USB Hard drive will suffice and is preferred by AQRP. The physical hard drive will be retained by the AQRP for archival purposes. Please discuss any online data transmissions with the Program Manager prior to submission. PIs may use AQRP funds to purchase the hard drive needed for submission of deliverables to AQRP.
11. Is an appendix allowed in the proposal? Yes, an appendix that does not contain new information is allowed (example: larger versions of photographs, graphs, data that was provided in a smaller format in the proposal). Please note that ITAC and Advisory Council members may or may not review the appendix during the proposal review process.
12. Do UT Austin RFP applicant need to sign the Acknowledgement form?
No, however any subawardee entities on the UT Austin proposal does need to include the Acknowledgement form signed by their institution's Authorized Representative.
13. Do UT Austin RFP applicants need to have the AQRP Director or OSP sign the Proposal Cover Page?
The AQRP Director will need to sign all UT Austin Proposal Cover Pages. Please email your Cover Page and Proposal documents to
14. In the 20-21 Biennium Research Priorities for Monitoring Ozone in Galveston Bay and/or Offshore research area, are applicants expected to include obtaining permission from vessels to install equipment and conducting ambient and meteorological monitoring, or simply identification of candidate vessels for future contact?
The further along that permissions are in the approval process, the more reviewers are likely to be convinced of the viability of a project. At the proposal stage having all permissions in hand is not required.
15. Who has to sign the Acknowledgment Form in the proposal process?
The primary institution as well as any proposed subaward institutions.
