# Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2011 > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2010-17294 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** July 16, 2010 - **Citation:** 75 FR 41640 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Docket No. 100630282-0282-01; I.D. GF001] RIN 0648-ZC18 Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2011 AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to its competitive grant and cooperative agreement award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2011. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. It should be noted that additional program initiatives may be announced through subsequent Federal Register notices. All announcements will also be available through the Grants.gov Web site. DATES: Proposals must be received by the date and time indicated under each program listing in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to the addresses listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for each program. This Federal Register notice and the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for each program may be found on the Grants.gov Web site. The URL for Grants.gov is http://www.grants.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the person listed within this notice as the information contact under each program. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement for each of the programs listed in this omnibus notice. The FFO announcements are available at http://www.grants.gov. This notice describes the basic information and requirements for competitive grant/cooperative agreement programs offered by NOAA. These programs are open to any applicant who meets the eligibility criteria provided in each entry. To be considered for an award in a competitive grant/cooperative agreement program, an eligible applicant must submit a complete and responsive application to the appropriate program office. An award is made upon conclusion of the evaluation and selection process for the respective program. Table of Contents I. Background II. NOAA Project Competitions Listed by NOAA Mission Goals III. Electronic Access IV. NOAA Project Competitions National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 1. Coral Reef Conservation Program Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 2. Fiscal Year 2011 Community-based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Open Rivers Initiative 4. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (BWET) 5. NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Monkfish Research Set-Aside 7. Fiscal Year 2011 Scallop Research Set-Aside 8. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (Prescott Grant Program) for Fiscal Year 2011 9. Protected Species Cooperative Conservation 10. Bluefin Tuna Research Program 11. Cooperative Research Program 12. Fiscal Year 2011 Gulf of Mexico NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 13. Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) National Ocean Service (NOS) 1. Fiscal Year 2011 Coastal Resilience Networks Program 2. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Hawaii Program Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 4. Coral Reef Conservation Program International Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 5. Fiscal Year 2011 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP) Concept of Operations for Models To Support Regional Coastal Ecosystem Management 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP) Pulley Ridge 7. Harmful Algal Bloom Programs 8. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program 9. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 10. Coral Reef Conservation Program Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants 11. Coral Reef Conservation Program State and Territorial Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 12. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2011 13. National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2011 National Weather Service (NWS) 1. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program 2. Meteotsunami Warning Project Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) 1. Fiscal Year 2011 Climate Program Office 2. Fiscal Year 2011 NMFS—Sea Grant Fellowships in Population Dynamics 3. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 4. Fiscal Year 2011 NMFS—Sea Grant Fellowships in Marine Resource Economics 5. Fiscal Year 2011 Small Grants for Marine Archaeological Exploration 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Joint Hurricane Testbed Office of the Under Secretary (USEC) 1. Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education 2. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) 1. Climate Data Record Program Office for Fiscal Year 2011 I. Background Each of the grant opportunities listed in this notice provides: A description of the program, funding availability, statutory authority, catalog of federal domestic assistance (CFDA) number, application deadline, address for submitting proposals, information contacts, eligibility requirements, cost sharing requirements, and intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372. II. NOAA Project Competitions Listed by NOAA Mission Goals This section lists NOAA's mission goals, which are based on the NOAA Strategic Plan. All awards issued by NOAA must meet at least one of NOAA's mission goals. Below each mission goal statement, you will find a list of the fiscal year 2011 project competitions that address that mission goal. A. Protect, Restore, and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources Through an Ecosystem Approach to Management Summary Description: NOAA's goal to protect, restore, and manage the use of living marine and coastal and ocean resources is critical to public health and the vitality of the U.S. economy. With its Exclusive Economic Zone of 3.4 million square miles, the United States manages the largest marine territory of any nation in the world. The value of the ocean economy to the United States is more than $138 billion. The value added annually to the national economy by the commercial and recreational fishing industry alone is over $47 billion. U.S. aquaculture sales total almost $1 billion annually. To achieve balance among ecological, environmental, and social influences, NOAA has adopted an ecosystem approach to management, a concept that is central to the recommendations of the 2004 report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Administration's response to it, the U.S. Ocean Action Plan. NOAA's Ecosystems Goal responds to a specific mandate from Congress for NOAA to be a lead Federal agency in this conservation, management, and restoration effort. Recent statutory revisions ( e.g., the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act and the Marine Debris Research, Prevention and Reduction Act) and emerging legislative changes are broadening this mission for NOAA, opening a new chapter in NOAA's stewardship of the nation's living marine resources and management of the coasts. Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes: A healthy and productive coastal and marine ecosystem that benefits society; and a well-informed public that acts as a steward of coastal and marine ecosystems. Program Names: 1. Coral Reef Conservation Program Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 2. Fiscal Year 2011 Community-based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Open Rivers Initiative 4. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 5. NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Monkfish Research Set-Aside 7. Fiscal Year 2011 Scallop Research Set-Aside 8. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (Prescott Grant Program) for Fiscal Year 2011 9. Protected Species Cooperative Conservation 10. Fiscal Year 2011 Gulf of Mexico NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 11. Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) 12. Bluefin Tuna Research Program 13. Cooperative Research Program 14. Fiscal Year 2011 Coastal Resilience Networks Program 15. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Hawaii Program Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 16. Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 17. Coral Reef Conservation Program International Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 18. Fiscal Year 2011 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP) Concept of Operations for Models to Support Regional Coastal Ecosystem Management 19. Harmful Algal Bloom Programs 20. Fiscal Year 2011 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP) Pulley Ridge 21. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program 22. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program 23. Coral Reef Conservation Program Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants 24. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2011 25. National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2011 26. Coral Reef Conservation Program State and Territorial Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements 27. Fiscal Year 2011 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Population Dynamics 28. Fiscal Year 2011 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships in Marine Resource Economics 29. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 30. Fiscal Year 2011 Small Grants for Marine Archaeological Exploration 31. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions B. Understand Climate Variability and Change To Enhance Society's Ability To Plan and Respond Summary Description: Climate variability and change influence the well-being of society, the environment, and the economy. Numerous long-term changes in climate already have been observed. The changes include those in arctic surface temperatures and sea ice, ocean salinity and carbonate chemistry, and frequency and intensity of extreme weather such as heat and cold waves, droughts, and floods. Decision makers are challenged with addressing major climatic events compounded by issues such as population growth, economic growth, public health concerns, changes in geographic distribution of marine species, loss of habitat, and changes in land-use practices. They require a new generation of climate services. Through legislation, executive orders, and international agreements, NOAA has a long-standing commitment to provide reliable and timely climate research and information. To meet the demand for expanded services, the Climate Goal will focus research to improve understanding of complex climate processes and to enhance the predictive capacity of the global climate system. The Climate Goal's priority is to focus on the development and delivery of climate information and services that assist decision makers with national and international policy decision making, and assessing risks to ecosystems and the U.S. economy in sectors and areas that are sensitive to impacts from climate variability and change. Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes: A predictive understanding of the global climate system on time scales of weeks to decades to a century with quantified uncertainties sufficient for making informed and reasoned decisions; and use of NOAA's climate products by climate-sensitive sectors and the climate-literate public to support their plans and decisions. Program Names: 1. Fiscal Year 2011 Coastal Resilience Networks Program 2. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Hawaii Program Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 4. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2011 5. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Climate Program Office 7. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 8. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions 9. Climate Data Record Program Office for Fiscal Year 2011 C. Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information Summary Description: Floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, wildfires, and other severe weather events cause $11.4 billion in damage each year in the United States. Weather is directly linked to public health and safety, and nearly one-third of the U.S. economy (approximately $4 trillion, in 2005 dollars) is sensitive to weather and climate. With so much at stake, NOAA's role in understanding, observing, forecasting, and warning of environmental events is expanding. NOAA will continue to collect and analyze environmental data and to issue forecasts and warnings that help protect health, life, and property and enhance the U.S. economy. Future needs can be better met by exploring new concepts and applications through robust weather and water research. A commitment to public benefits shapes NOAA's role within the U.S. weather enterprise, including its partners in the private sector, academia, and government. These partners add value to NOAA services and help disseminate critical environmental information. We will work more closely with our partners and will develop new partnerships so that the public understands and is satisfied with our information. Together, NOAA and its partners will continuously improve existing service and expand to support evolving national needs, including space weather, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and air quality prediction services. Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes: Reduced loss of life, injury, and damage to the economy; better, quicker, and more valuable weather and water information to support improved decisions; and increased customer satisfaction with weather and water information and services. Program Names: 1. Fiscal Year 2011 Coastal Resilience Networks Program 2. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Hawaii Program Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 4. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2011 5. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program 6. Meteotsunami Warning Project 7. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 8. Fiscal Year 2011 Joint Hurricane Testbed 9. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions D. Support the Nation's Commerce With Information for Safe, Efficient, and Environmentally Sound Transportation Summary Description: NOAA responds to the specific demands of air, sea, and surface transportation with consistent, timely, and accurate information to aid sound and routine operational decision making. All modes of transportation are affected by significant challenges as they operate in the elements of nature. The natural environment is, in turn, affected by our transportation systems. Safe, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation systems are crucial to the nation's commerce, and thus to the nation's economy. For example, more than 78 percent of U.S. overseas trade by weight and 38 percent by value comes and goes by ship. Nine million barrels of oil come through U.S. ports daily, and 8,000 foreign vessels make 50,000 port calls annually. Vessel traffic in the U.S. Marine Transportation System, which ships over 95 percent of foreign trade by tonnage, will double by 2020 and contribute roughly $2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. NOAA provides information products for transportation systems, including marine and surface weather forecasts, navigational charts, realtime oceanographic information, and Global Positioning System augmentation. NOAA works with the Federal Aviation Administration and industry to improve the weather resilience of aviation systems. NOAA also provides emergency response services to save lives and money and to protect the coastal environment, including hazardous material spill response and search and rescue functions. NOAA works with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the efficient and environmentally sound operation and development of ports. Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes: Safe, secure, efficient, and seamless movement of goods and people in the U.S. transportation system; and environmentally sound development and use of the U.S. transportation system. Program Names: 1. Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 2. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program 3. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 4. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions E. Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission Summary Description: SATELLITE SUBGOAL: Environmental satellites are a major component of NOAA's global efforts to better observe, understand, and predict various environmental phenomena. The backbone of the NOAA satellites includes the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) programs. GOES and POES are operated to provide critical atmospheric, oceanic, climatic, solar, and space data to protect life and property across the United States. The satellites carry scientific instruments and communications equipment to support the delivery of weather information and aid search and rescue operations. NOAA is acquiring the next generation of each satellite system, including ground processing systems. In concert with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), acquisition of the next-generation geostationary satellite (GOES-R) series is underway. The Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, and NOAA are joined with industry partners to build the follow-on series of polar orbiting satellites, the National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. NOAA's satellite systems support other NOAA offices in the delivery of improved severe storm warnings, weather forecasts, climate predictions, oceanic and ecosystems research and analyses, and satellite-aided search and rescue services. Fleet Services Subgoal: NOAA operates a fleet of 20 ships and 10 aircraft to ensure continuous observation of critical environmental conditions. The Fleet Services Subgoal manages these platforms to increase the number of ship operating days and aircraft flight hours to meet NOAA's data collection requirements. It provides ship and aircraft support for NOAA's four Mission Goals, upgrades NOAA's fleet of ships and aircraft, and partners with the programs to facilitate the development, demonstration, and deployment of new observation platforms, such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Unmanned Aerial Systems. Modeling and Observing Infrastructure (MObI) Subgoal: The MObI Subgoal's analyses and operational capabilities provide critical infrastructure and support for the integrated monitoring and improved understanding of the Earth's environment. The subgoal enables NOAA's operational forecast products and services and provides NOAA a strategic investment portfolio recommendation encompassing observing, modeling, and high-performance computing capabilities. NOAA's internal forecasting, assessment, and stewardship capabilities—as well as the capabilities of partners and customers—require integrated oceanic and atmospheric data. Furthermore, NOAA's operations require modeling support, high-performance computing, observing system design and analysis, research and development of improved modeling and data assimilation, and guidance on the architecture of observation and data management systems. MObI also manages the integration of NOAA's observing systems and associated data with those of other federal agencies and nations under the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), which is being built by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) on the basis of a 10-Year Implementation Plan running from 2005 to 2015. GEOSS seeks to connect the producers of environmental data and decision-support tools with the end users of these products, with the aim of enhancing the relevance of Earth observations to global issues. The end result is to be a global public infrastructure that generates comprehensive, near-real-time environmental data, information and analyses for a wide range of users. Leadership and Corporate Services Subgoal: The Leadership and Corporate Services Subgoal strives to produce cost-effective, value-added solutions in the cross-cutting areas of Line Office and Headquarters management, workforce management, acquisition and grants, facilities, financial services, Homeland Security, IT, and administrative services. This is accomplished by effective and strategic leadership at corporate and Line Office levels that optimize agency performance and mission accomplishment through streamlined, results oriented processes. The development of long-range facility and IT modernization plans provides the investment framework to ensure that NOAA's facility and IT portfolio will continue to support a safe, secure, and state-of-the-art work environment. The development of streamlined acquisition and workforce management processes will enable NOAA to effectively fulfill its research and scope. Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes: A continuous stream of satellite data and information with the quality and accuracy to meet users requirements for spatial and temporal sampling and timeliness of delivery; adequate number of ship operating days and aircraft flight hours needed to meet NOAA's data collection requirements with high customer satisfaction; integrated observing system architectures, data management architectures, and computing and modeling capabilities to better enable NOAA's mission; a united NOAA working together—guided by a clear strategic vision for planning, programming, and execution—to achieve NOAA's goals; secure, reliable, and robust information flows within NOAA and out to the public; modern and sustainable facilities providing safe and effective work environment; efficient and effective financial, administrative, and acquisition management services; workforce management processes that support a diverse and competent workforce; and integrated Homeland Security and emergency response capabilities. Program Names: 1. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 2. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2011 3. Fiscal Year 2012 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 4. Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education 5. Financial Assistance to Establish Five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions III. Electronic Access The full funding announcement for each program is available via the Grants.gov Web site at: http://www.grants.gov. Electronic applications for the NOAA Programs listed in this announcement may be accessed, downloaded, and submitted to that Web site. The due dates and times for paper and electronic submissions are identical. NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline to begin the application process through Grants.gov. Your application must be received and validated by Grants.gov no later than the due date and time. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after your submission. Please consider the Grants.gov validation/rejection process in developing your application submission time line. Grants.gov Getting started with Grants.gov is easy. Users should note that there are two key features on the Web site: Find Grant Opportunities and Apply for Grants. The site is designed to support these two features and your use of them. While you can begin searching for grant opportunities immediately, it is recommended that you complete the steps to Get Started (below) ahead of time. This will help ensure you are registered with Grants.gov and can submit your application when you find an opportunity for which you would like to apply. Applications From Individuals In order for you to apply as an individual, the announcement must specify that the program is open to individuals and it must be published on the Grants.gov Web site. Individuals must register with the Credential Provider (see Grants.gov “Get Started”) and with Grants.gov (see Grants.gov “Get Started”). Individuals do not need a DUNS number to register (see Grants.gov “Get Started”) and submit their applications. The system will generate a default value in that field. Grants.gov Registration and Application Submission Procedures This section provides the registration and application submission instructions for NOAA program applications. Please read the following instructions carefully and completely. 1. Electronic Delivery. NOAA is participating in the Grants.gov Initiative that provides the Grant Community a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. NOAA encourages applicants to submit their applications electronically through: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp. 2. Registration Process Using Grants.gov . The following provides some helpful tips for applicants when applying on-line using Grants.gov/Apply. a. Instructions. On the site, you will find step-by-step instructions which enable you to apply for NOAA funds. The Grants.gov/Apply feature includes a simple, unified application process that makes it possible for applicants to apply for grants online. There are six “Get Started” steps to complete at Grants.gov. The information applicants need to understand and execute the steps can be found at: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read the Get Started steps carefully. The site also contains registration checklists to help you walk through the process. NOAA recommends that you download the checklists and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will make the process fast and smooth and save time. b. DUNS Requirement. All applicants (except individuals) applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Dun and Bradstreet Universal Data Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number must be included in the data entry field labeled “Organizational Duns” on the form SF-424. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found at the following Web site: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. c. Central Contractor Registry. In addition to having a DUNS number (as applicable), all applicants applying electronically through Grants.gov must register with the Central Contractor Registry. The http://www.grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp provides step-by-step instructions for registering in the Central Contractor Registry. All applicants filing electronically must register with the Central Contractor Registry and receive User Name and password from Grants.gov in order to apply on line. Failure to register with the Central Contractor Registry will result in your application being rejected by the Grants.gov portal. The registration process is a separate process from submitting an application. Applicants are, therefore, encouraged to register early. The registration process can take approximately two weeks to be completed. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. You will be able to submit your application online anytime after you receive your User Name and password from Grants.gov. d. Electronic Signature. Applications submitted through Grants.gov constitute submission as electronically signed applications. The registration and e-authentication process establishes the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). When you submit the application through Grants.gov, the name of your authorized organization representative on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. Applicants must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the applicant organization as the Authorized Organization Representative. 3. Electronic Application Submission Instructions for Grants.gov/Apply: Grants.gov has a full set of instructions on how to apply for funds on its Web site at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp. The following provides simple guidance on what you will find on the Grants.gov/Apply site. Applicants are encouraged to read through the page entitled, “Complete Application Package” before getting started. Grants.gov allows applicants to download the application package, instructions and forms that are incorporated in the instructions, and work off line. In addition to forms that are part of the application instructions, there will be a series of electronic forms that are provided utilizing an Adobe Reader. Note for the Adobe Reader: Grants.gov is only compatible with versions 8.1.1 and above. Please do not use lower versions of the Adobe Reader. a. Mandatory Fields on Adobe Reader Forms. In the Adobe Reader forms you will note fields that appear with a yellow background and red outline color. These fields are mandatory and must be completed to successfully submit your application. b. Completion of SF-424 Fields First. The Adobe Reader forms are designed to fill in common required fields such as the applicant name and address, DUNS number, etc., on all Adobe Reader electronic forms. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed the information will transfer to the other forms. c. Customer Support. The Grants.gov Web site provides customer support via (800) 518-4726 (this is a toll-free number) or through e-mail at support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays, to address Grants.gov technology issues. For technical assistance to program related questions, contact the number listed in the Program Section of the program you are applying for. 4. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Submission. a. Electronic Submission. All applications must be received by http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp by the time and due date established for each program. Proof of submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant will receive an acknowledgment of receipt and a tracking number from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicants should print this receipt and save it, along with facsimile receipts for information provided by facsimile, as proof of submission. When NOAA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt to the e-mail address of the AOR. Proof of submission shall be the date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov, after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by NOAA. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after your submission. Please consider the Grants.gov validation/rejection process in developing your application submission time line. The most common rejection of an application at Grants.gov is because the submitter was not authorized by their organization to submit the application. NOAA suggests that applicants submit their applications during the operating hours of the Grants.gov, so that if there are questions concerning transmission, operators will be available to walk you through the process. Submitting your application during the Contact Center hours will also ensure that you have sufficient time for the application to complete its transmission prior to the application deadline. Applicants using dial-up connections should be aware that transmission could take some time before Grants.gov receives it. Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission message. Grants.gov reports that some applicants abort the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application. Uploading and transmitting many files, particularly electronic forms with associated XML schemas, will take some time to be processed. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures NOAA has standardized the evaluation and selection process for its competitive assistance programs. There are two separate sets of evaluation criteria and selection procedures (see below), one for project proposals, and the other for fellowship, scholarship, and internship programs. Project Proposals Review and Selection Process. Some project proposals may include a pre-application process or submission of Letters of Intent that provides for feedback to interested applicants on their intended proposal; however, not all programs will include this requirement for a pre-application or Letter of Intent. If a program requires a pre-application or Letter of Intent, the deadline will be specified in the Application Deadline section. Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial administrative review will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements and completeness of the application. A merit review will also be conducted by one mail reviewer and at least three peer review panel reviewers to produce a rank order of the proposals. Each reviewer will individually evaluate and rank proposals using the Evaluation Criteria set forth in this notice. The NOAA Program Officer may review the ranking of the proposals and make recommendations to the Selecting Official based on the administrative and/or merit review(s) and selection factors listed below. The Selecting Official selects proposals after considering the administrative and/or merit review(s) and recommendations of the Program Officer. In making the final selections, the Selecting Official will award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the selection factors below. The Program Officer and/or Selecting Official may negotiate the funding level of the proposal. The Selecting Official makes final award recommendations to the Grants Officer authorized to obligate the funds. Evaluation Criteria. The following criteria will be used to evaluate the proposals: 1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of a proposed project to the program goals: This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, (other than NOAA), regional, state, or local activities. 2. Technical/scientific merit: This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and objectives. 3. Overall qualifications of applicants: This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. 4. Project costs: The project's budget is evaluated to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and timeframe. 5. Outreach and education: NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy regarding its mission to protect the Nation's natural resources. Selection Factors. The merit review ratings will be used to provide a rank order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. A Program Officer may first make recommendations to the Selecting Official applying the selection factors listed below. The Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors: 1. Availability of funding. 2. Balance/distribution of funds: a. Geographically, b. By type of institutions, c. By type of partners, d. By research areas, and e. By project types. 3. Whether the project duplicates other projects funded or considered for funding by NOAA or other Federal agencies. 4. Program priorities and policy factors. 5. Applicant's prior award performance. 6. Partnerships and/or participation of targeted groups. 7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA to make a National Environmental Policy Act determination and draft necessary documentation before funding recommendations are made to the Grants Officer. Fellowship, Scholarship and Internship Programs Review and Selection Process. Some fellowship, scholarship and internship programs may include a pre-application process that requires interested applicants to submit Letters of Intent or pre-proposals; however, not all programs will include this pre-application requirement. If a program has a pre-application process, the process will be described in the Summary Description section of the announcement and the deadline will be specified in the Application Deadline section. Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial administrative review will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements and completeness of the application. A merit review will also be conducted by one mail reviewer and at least three peer review panel reviewers to produce a rank order of the proposals. Each reviewer will individually evaluate and rank proposals using the Evaluation Criteria set forth in this notice. The NOAA Program Officer may review the ranking of the proposals and make recommendations to the Selecting Official based on the administrative and/or merit review(s) and selection factors listed below. The Selecting Official selects proposals after considering the administrative and/or merit review(s) and recommendations of the Program Officer. In making the final selections, the Selecting Official will award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the selection factors below. The Program Officer and/or Selecting Official may negotiate the funding level of the proposal. The Selecting Official makes final award recommendations to the Grants Officer authorized to obligate the funds. Evaluation Criteria. The following criteria will be used to evaluate the proposals: 1. Academic record and statement of career goals and objectives of the student. 2. Quality of project and applicability to program priorities. 3. Recommendations and/or endorsements of the student. 4. Additional relevant experience related to diversity of education; extra-curricular activities; honors and awards; and interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills. 5. Financial need of the student. Selection Factors. The merit review ratings will be used to provide a rank order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. A Program Officer may first make recommendations to the Selecting Official applying the selection factors listed below. The Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors: 1. Availability of funds. 2. Balance/distribution of funds: a. Across academic disciplines, b. By types of institutions, and c. Geographically. 3. Program-specific objectives. 4. Degree in scientific area and type of degree sought. IV. NOAA Project Competitions National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 1. Coral Reef Conservation Program Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements Summary Description: The CRCP Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements (FMCCRCCA) provides funding to the Regional Fishery Management Councils for projects to conserve and manage coral reef fisheries, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Projects funded through the FMCCRCCA competition are for activities that (1) Provide better scientific information on the status of coral reef fisheries resources, critical habitats of importance to coral reef fishes, and the impacts of fishing on these species and habitats; (2) identify new management approaches that protect coral reef biodiversity and ecosystem function through regulation of fishing and other extractive uses; and (3) incorporate conservation and sustainable management measures into existing or new fishery management plans for coral reef species. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a multi-year cooperative agreement. The role of NOAA in these cooperative agreements is to help identify potential projects that reduce impacts of fishing on coral reef ecosystems, strengthen the development and implementation of the projects, and assist in coordination of these efforts with state, territory or commonwealth management authorities and various coral reef user groups. Approximately $1,500,000 is expected to be available for FMCCRCCA in fiscal year 2011. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program anticipates that awards for this competition will range from $125,000-$700,000 per a year. Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that approximately $1,500,000 is expected to be available for cooperative agreements in support coral reef conservation activities for the FMCCRCCA competition in fiscal year 2011. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon fiscal year 2011 Congressional appropriations. Annual funding is anticipated to maintain the cooperative agreements for up to 3 years duration, but this is dependent upon the level of funding made available by Congress. The CRCP anticipates that typical awards will range from about $125,000 to $700,000 for each year; NOAA will not accept proposals for over $700,000/year under this solicitation. Each Council may fund one full time staff member working exclusively on coral reef conservation for up to $125,000/year. Funds for applications approved by NOAA will be awarded as new cooperative agreements through the NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation (HC). The amount of funding for each award will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested for each project, the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the CRCP by Congress. The funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 (Coral Reef Conservation Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq ). Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.441, Regional Fishery Management Councils Application Deadline: Applications must be submitted to http://www.grants.gov by 5 p.m. EDT on November 1, 2010 to be considered for funding. For applications submitted through Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is included and will be the basis of determining timeliness. If Grants.gov cannot be reasonably used due to the unavailability of internet access, applications must be postmarked, or provided to a delivery service and documented with a receipt by November 1, 2010. Applications postmarked or provided to a delivery service after that time will not be accepted for funding. Applications submitted via U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any event, applications received later than 15 business days following the postmarked closing date will not be accepted. Please address applications sent by mail to: Jennifer Koss, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Habitat Conservation (F/HC), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. ATTN: Coral Reef Conservation Applications. Applicants submitted by mail are required to include original signed copies of the financial assistance forms. Electronic copies of the project narrative and budget narrative are requested with the submission of a paper application. Please submit these to Jennifer.Koss@noaa.gov. There will be no extensions beyond these dates. If an application is not submitted through the process described above, it will not be reviewed or considered for FY 2011 funding. All applicants, both electronic and paper, should be aware that adequate time must be factored into applicant schedules for delivery of the application. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Paper applicants should allow adequate time to ensure a paper application will be received on time, taking into account that guaranteed overnight carriers are not always able to fulfill their guarantees. Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted via http://www.grants.gov. If Grants.gov cannot be reasonably used, applications must postmarked by November 1, 2010. Send to: Jennifer Koss, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Habitat Conservation (F/HC), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. ATTN: Coral Reef Conservation Applications. Information Contacts: Technical point of contact for CRCP Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements is Jennifer Koss, 301-713-4300 or e-mail at Jennifer.Koss@noaa.gov. Eligibility: Eligible applicants are limited to the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. Cost Sharing Requirements: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program (under the authority of the Coral Reef Conservation Act (Act) of 2000) is subject to the matching fund requirements described below. As per section 6403(b)(1) of the Act, funds for any coral conservation project funded under this Grant Program may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the award. Therefore, any coral conservation project under this Grant Program requires a 1:1 contribution of matching funds. As per section 6403(b)(2) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, the NOAA Administrator may waive all or part of the matching requirement if the Administrator determines that the project meets the following two requirements: 1. No reasonable means are available through which an applicant can meet the matching requirement, and 2. The probable benefit of such project outweighs the public interest in such matching requirement. The CRCP recognizes that the Councils have no viable means of meeting the matching requirement 6403(b)(1) as the Fishery Management Councils' budgets are composed of entirely federal funds. Therefore, the CRCP will waive the matching requirement as per section 6403(b)(2). Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this Grant Program are subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Programs. Any applicant submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact established as a result of EO 12372. For more information, please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. 2. Fiscal Year 2011 Community-Based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants Summary Description: The NOAA Marine Debris Program, authorized in the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (MDRPR Act, 33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq. ), provides funding to catalyze the implementation of locally driven, community-based marine debris prevention, assessment and removal projects that will benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and NOAA trust resources. Funding for this purpose comes through the NOAA Marine Debris Program as appropriations to the Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service. The funding is, in part, administered through a grant competition with the NOAA Restoration Center's Community-based Restoration Program. Projects awarded through this grant competition have strong on-the-ground habitat components involving the removal of marine debris and derelict fishing gear, as well as activities that provide social benefits for people and their communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. Through this solicitation NOAA identifies marine debris removal projects, strengthens the development and implementation of habitat restoration through community-based marine debris removal, and fosters awareness of the effects of marine debris to further the conservation of living marine resource habitats. Successful proposals through this solicitation will be funded through a cooperative agreement. Funding of up to $2,000,000 is expected to be available for Community-based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants in FY2011. Typical awards will range from $15,000 to $150,000. Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of up to $2,000,000 is expected to be available for Community-based Marine Removal Project Grants in FY2011. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional appropriations. Typical project awards will range from $15,000 to $150,000; NOAA will not accept proposals for less than $15,000 or proposals for more than $250,000 under this solicitation. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all proposals. The number of awards to be made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested for initiating marine debris removal projects by the applicants, the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to NOAA by Congress. NOAA anticipates that between 10 and 15 awards will be made as a result of this solicitation. In FY 2009, the latest year for which information is available, 13 applications were funded, ranging from $35,500 to $170,000. The total grant funding level was nearly $1 million, which was matched by over $1.5 million. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this document does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or obligate all or any part of any available funds. Statutory Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, Habitat Conservation. Application Deadline: Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 11:59 p.m. EDT, November 1, 2010. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications postmarked or provided to a delivery service after that time will not be considered for funding. Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any event, applications received later than 15 business days following the postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. Applications that are aligned with Community-based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants that have been submitted directly to other NOAA grants programs or as part of another NOAA grant may be considered under this solicitation. Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA funding opportunity, please submit an electronic application to http://www.grants.gov. If the applicant does not have Internet access, a hard copy application with the SF-424 bearing an original, ink signature (blue ink preferred) must be postmarked, or provided to a delivery service and documented with a receipt, by 11:59 p.m. EDT, November 1, 2010, and sent to: Tom Barry, NOAA Restoration Center (F/HC3), ATTN: MDP Project Applications, 1315 East West Highway, Rm. 15864, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Information Contacts: For further information contact Tom Barry ( Tom.Barry@noaa.gov, 301-713-0174) or David Landsman or ( David.Landsman@noaa.gov, 301-713-0174). Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, commercial (for profit) organizations, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal governments whose projects have the potential to benefit NOAA trust resources. Applications from Federal agencies or employees of Federal agencies will not be considered. Interested federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-governmental organizations, national service clubs or youth corps organizations and others that are eligible to apply. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in under-served areas. NOAA encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions. Cost Sharing Requirements: A major goal of the NOAA Marine Debris Program is to provide seed money to projects that leverage funds and other contributions from a broad public and private sector to implement locally important marine debris removal activities to benefit living marine resources. To this end, the MDRPR Act requires applicants to provide a minimum 1:1 ratio of matching contributions to NOAA funds requested to conduct the proposed project. In addition to formal match, NOAA strongly encourages applicants to leverage as much additional investment as possible. Match can come from a variety of public and private sources and can include in-kind goods and services such as private boat use and volunteer labor. To meet the 1:1 match requirement, applicants are permitted to combine contributions from non-Federal partners, as long as such contributions are not being used to match any other funds and are available within the project period stated in the application. Federal sources cannot be considered for matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage. Applicants are also permitted to apply federally negotiated indirect costs in excess of federal share limits as described in Section IV.E.2. “Indirect Costs” for the FFO announcement. However, if the match requirement cannot be met, the MDRPR Act allows the Administrator to waive all or part of the matching requirement if the applicant can demonstrate that: (1) No reasonable means are available through which applicants can meet the matching requirement, and, (2) the probable benefit of such project outweighs the public interest in such matching requirement. To request this match waiver, the applicant must provide a match waiver request and detailed justification at the time the proposal is submitted explaining the need for the waiver. This explanation must include descriptions of attempts to obtain sources of matching funds, how the benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in providing match, and any other extenuating circumstances preventing the incorporation or local availability of match. The MDRPR Act also allows the Administrator to authorize, as appropriate, the non-federal share of the cost of a project to include money paid pursuant to, or the value of any in-kind service performed under, an administrative order on consent or judicial consent decree that will remove or prevent marine debris. In addition, under 48 U.S.C. 10.1469a(d), any department or agency may waive any requirement for matching funds otherwise required by law to be provided by an Insular Area (defined here as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Notwithstanding any other provisions herein, and in accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), the Marine Debris Program may waive any requirement for local matching funds to Insular Areas. Eligible applicants choosing to apply the waiver in 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) must include a letter requesting a waiver that demonstrates that their project meets the requirements of 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d). However, if available, the inclusion of matching contributions is encouraged. All applicants should note that cost sharing is an element considered in Evaluation Criterion #4, “Project Costs.” Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed by the NOAA Grants Officer. Successful applicants should be prepared to carefully document matching contributions, including the names of participating volunteers and the overall number of volunteer or community participation hours devoted to individual marine debris removal projects. Letters of commitment for any secured resources expected to be used as match for an award should be submitted as an attachment to the application. Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Programs.” Any state or local government submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and comply with a State's process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers of participating SPOC's are listed in the Office of Management and Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. 3. Fiscal Year 2011 Open Rivers Initiative Summary Description: The NOAA Open Rivers Initiative (ORI) provides funding and technical assistance to catalyze the implementation of locally-driven projects to remove dams and other river barriers, in order to benefit living marine and coastal resources, particularly diadromous fish. Projects funded through the Open Rivers Initiative must feature strong on-the-ground habitat restoration components that foster economic, educational, and social benefits for citizens and their communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a cooperative agreement. Funding of up to $6,000,000 is expected to be available for ORI Project Grants in FY 2011. The NOAA Restoration Center within the Office of Habitat Conservation will administer this grant initiative, and anticipates that typical awards will range from $200,000 to $750,000. Although a select few may fall outside of this range, project proposals requesting less than $100,000 or greater than $3,000,000 will not be accepted or reviewed. Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of up to $6,000,000 is expected to be available for Open Rivers Initiative Project Grants in FY 2011. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional appropriations. NOAA anticipates that typical project awards will range from $200,000 to $750,000; proposals requesting less than $100,000 or more than $3,000,000 will not be accepted under this solicitation. NOAA does not guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all proposals. The number of awards to be made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested by the applicants, the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the ORI by Congress. NOAA anticipates that between 10 and 15 awards will be made as a result of this solicitation. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this document does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or obligate all or any parts of any available funds. Statutory Authority: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, to provide grants or cooperative agreements for fisheries habitat restoration. The Secretary of Commerce is also authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (H.R. 5946) to provide funding and technical expertise for fisheries and coastal habitat restoration and to promote significant community support and volunteer participation in such activities. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, Habitat Conservation. Application Deadline: Applications must be received by http://www.grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 17, 2010. Note: It may take http://www.grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject an application. Please keep this in mind when developing your submission timeline. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. Applications received later than 15 business days following the postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. See Section IV.F. “Other Submission Requirements” of the FFO announcement for complete mailing information. Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA funding opportunity, please submit an electronic application to http://www.grants.gov. If Grants.gov cannot be used, a hard copy application with the SF424 signed in ink (blue ink is preferred) must be postmarked or provided to a delivery service and documented with a receipt by November 17, 2010 and sent to: NOAA Restoration Center (F/HC3), Office of Habitat Conservation, NOAA Fisheries, 1315 East West Highway, Rm. 15749, Silver Spring, MD 20910, ATTN: Open Rivers Initiative Project Applications. Applications postmarked or provided to a delivery service after November 17, 2010 will not be considered for funding. Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any event, applications received later than 15 business days following the postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. Paper applications should be printed on one side only, on 8.5″ x 11″ paper, and should not be bound in any manner. Information Contacts: For further information contact Tisa Shostik ( Tisa.Shostik@noaa.gov ) at (301) 713-0174 x184 or Cathy Bozek ( Cathy.Bozek@noaa.gov ) at (301) 713-0174 x150. Potential applicants are invited to contact NOAA Restoration Center staff before submitting an application to discuss the applicability of project ideas to the goals and objectives of ORI. Additional information on the ORI can be found on http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration. Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, non-profits, industry and commercial (for profit) organizations, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal governments whose projects have the potential to benefit NOAA trust resources. Applications from Federal agencies or employees of Federal agencies will not be considered. Federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-governmental organizations, national service clubs or youth corps organizations and others entities that are eligible to apply. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in under-served areas. The ORI encourages proposals from or involving any of the above institutions. Cost Sharing Requirements: A major goal of the ORI is to provide seed money for projects that leverage funds and other contributions from a broad public and private sector to implement locally important barrier removals to benefit living marine and coastal resources. To this end, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate a 1:1 non-federal match for ORI funds requested to conduct the proposed project. Applicants with less than 1:1 match will not be disqualified, however, applicants should note that cost sharing is an element considered in Evaluation Criterion #4 “Project Costs” (Section V.A.4. located in the FFO announcement). Match to NOAA funds can come from a variety of public and private sources and can include in-kind goods and services and volunteer labor. Applicants are permitted to combine contributions from non-federal partners, as long as such contributions are not being used to match any other federal funds and are available within the project period stated in the application. Those sources cannot be considered for matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage. Applicants are also permitted to apply federally negotiated indirect costs in excess of Federal share limits as described in Section IV.E.2.”Indirect Costs” in the FFO announcement. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed by the NOAA Grants Officer. Successful applicants should be prepared to carefully document matching contributions, including the overall number of volunteers and in-kind participation hours devoted to individual barrier removal projects. Letters of commitment for any secured resources that will be used as match for an award under this solicitation should be submitted as an attachment to the application, see Section IV.B. of the FFO announcement. Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this initiative are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Programs.” Any applicant submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of E.O. 12372. To find out about and comply with a State's process under E.O. 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers of participating SPOC's are listed on the Office of Management and Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. 4. Fiscal Year 2011 NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (BWET) Summary Description: B-WET Chesapeake is a competitive grant program that supports existing, high quality environmental education programs, fosters the growth of new, innovative programs, and encourages capacity building and partnership development for environmental education programs throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Successful projects advance the goals of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan and Citizen Stewardship components of Chesapeake Bay Executive Order by providing hands-on environmental education about issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed for students, related professional development for teachers, and/or capacity building for watershed education. These Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) integrate field experiences with classroom activities and instruction in NOAA-related content. Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that approximately $3.5M may be available in FY 2011 in award amounts to be determined by the proposals and available funds. Funding is anticipated to maintain partnerships for up to 3 years duration, but is dependent on funding made available annually by Congress. The NCBO anticipates that typical awards for B-WET will range from $50,000 to $200,000 annually. Applications with budgets in which the total share requested from NOAA for all years of the project is more than $675,000 or less than $150,000 for the direct and indirect costs of the proposed project will not be considered for review. Projects requesting less than $50,000 annually or more than $225,000 annually will not be considered for review. No single organization (as determined by tax identification number) is eligible to receive more than 10% of the funds awarded in any given year. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do so at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when the award is made. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for this program. Statutory Authority: Under 33 U.S.C. 893a(a), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is authorized to conduct, develop, support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal educational activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, including underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and policy careers. In conducting those activities, the Administrator shall build upon the educational programs and activities of the agency. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.457, Chesapeake Bay Studies Application Deadline: Proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 11:59 p.m. EDT or received (not postmarked) by mail or in person by 5 p.m. EDT on October 15, 2010. Hard copies and electronic submissions received after the deadline will not be considered for funding. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA funding opportunity, please submit an electronic application to http://www.grants.gov. If the applicant does not have Internet access, a hard copy may be submitted to: NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A, Annapolis, MD 21403. Information Contacts: Please visit the B-WET Web site for further information at: http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/b-wet.html or contact Kevin Schabow, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A, Annapolis, MD 21403, or by phone at 410-295-3145, or fax to 410-267-5666, or via internet at Kevin.Schabow@noaa.gov. Eligibility: Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. For-profit organizations, foreign institutions, foreign organizations and foreign government agencies are not eligible to apply. Federal agencies are not eligible to receive assistance under this announcement, but may be project partners. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. The NCBO encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions. Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this program, however, the NCBO strongly encourages applicants to match federal funds with at least 25% in non-federal funds. Funds from other sources may not be considered matching funds. The nature of the contribution (cash versus in-kind) and the amount of matching funds will be taken into consideration in the review process with preference given to proposals that have a cash match. Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Programs. 5. NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program Summary Description: NOAA B-WET is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. A funded project provides meaningful watershed educational experiences for students, related professional development for teachers, and helps to support regional education and environmental priorities in New England. Funding Availability: It is anticipated that approximately $300,000 will be available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 for new awards. NOAA anticipates making approximately 2 to 5 new awards during FY 2011. NOAA will consider only projects with duration of 1 to 3 years. The total amount that may be requested from NOAA shall not exceed $80,000 per year and $240,000 for all years of the proposed project. The minimum amount that must be requested from NOAA for one year is $10,000 and for all years is $30,000. Applications requesting support from NOAA of less than $10,000 for one year or more than $80,000 per year and $240,000 total for the duration of the project will not be considered for funding. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do so at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when the award is made. Statutory Authority: Under 33 U.S.C. 893a(a), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is authorized to conduct, develop, support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal educational activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, including underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and policy careers. In conducting those activities, the Administrator shall build upon the educational programs and activities of the agency. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.469, Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects Application Deadline: The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), October 8, 2010. Applications submitted through Grants.gov will produce an automated receipt that provides the date and time of submission. Hard copy applications will be hand stamped with time and date when received in the NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Regional Office (Attn: New England B-WET Program). Note that late-arriving hard copy applications provided to a delivery service on or before 5 p.m., EDT October 8, 2010 will be accepted for review if the applicant can document that the application was provided to the guaranteed delivery service by the specified closing date and time, and if the proposals are received NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Regional Office by 5 p.m., EDT, no later than 3 business days following the closing date. Applicants are recommended to send hard copies via expedited shipping methods ( e.g., Airborne Express, DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.). No e-mail and/or facsimile pre-proposals and/or full applications will be accepted. Applications that are late or are received by fax or e-mail will not be considered for review. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Paper applicants should allow adequate time to ensure a paper application will be received on time, taking into account that guaranteed overnight carriers are not always able to fulfill their guarantees. Address for Submitting Proposals: Submissions of electronic applications are strongly encouraged and should be submitted to: http://www.grants.gov/. If the applicant does not have Internet access, paper applications may be submitted to: New England B-WET Program, NOAA Fisheries, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2276. Paper application packages are available on the NOAA Grants Management Web site at: http://www.ago.noaa.gov/ago/grants/forms.cfm. If the applicant has difficulty accessing Grants.gov or downloading the required forms from the NOAA Web site, the applicant should contact: Kathi Rodrigues, New England B-WET Program Manager, by phone at 978-281-9324 or e-mail at: kathi.rodrigues@noaa.gov. Grants.gov requires applicants to register with the system prior to submitting an application. This registration process can take several weeks and involves multiple steps. In order to allow sufficient time for this process, you should register as soon as you decide to apply, even if you are not yet ready to submit your proposal. If an applicant has problems downloading the application forms from Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. For non-Windows computer systems, please see http://www.grants.gov/MacSupport for information on how to download and submit an application through Grants.gov. Information Contacts: Kathi Rodrigues, New England B-WET Program Manager, NOAA, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2276, or via e-mail at kathi.rodrigues@noaa.gov. Questions about this opportunity may also be directed to Bronwen Rice, B-WET National Coordinator, by phone at 202-482-6797 or e-mail at bronwen.rice@noaa.gov. Eligibility: Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and non-profit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of underrepresented groups such as historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that service underserved areas. Participation by these groups and institutions will be taken into consideration during review. While applicants do not need to be from the targeted geographical region specified in the program objectives ( i.e., the New England states), they work with target audiences in these areas. Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this program, however, the NOAA B-WET Program strongly encourages applicants include a 25% or higher match. Funds from other awards may not be considered matching funds. The nature of the contribution (cash vs. in-kind) and the amount of matching funds will be taken into consideration during the review process. Priority selection is given to proposals that propose cash rather than in-kind services. Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Programs.” 6. Fiscal Year 2011 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Summary Description: NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is soliciting monkfish research proposals to utilize 500 Monkfish Days-at-Sea (DAS) that have been set-aside by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) to fund monkfish research endeavors through the 2011 Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. No funds are provided for research under this notification. Rather, proceeds generated from the sale of monkfish harvested during a set-aside DAS is used to fund research activities and compensate vessels that participate in research activities and/or harvest set-aside quota. Projects funded under the Monkfish RSA Program must enhance the knowledge of the monkfish fishery resource or contribute to the body of information on which monkfish management decisions are made. Priority will be given to monkfish research proposals that investigate research priorities identified by the Councils and detailed under the Program Priorities section of the FFO announcement. Funding Availability: DAS will be awarded to successful applicants. No funds are provided for research under this notification. Funds generated from landings harvested and sold under the Monkfish RSA Program shall be used to cover the cost of research activities, including vessel costs. For example, the funds may be used to pay for gear modifications, monitoring equipment, the salaries of research personnel, or vessel operation costs. The Government is not liable for any costs incurred by the researcher or vessel owner should the sale of catch not fully reimburse the researcher or vessel owner for their expenses. Any additional funds generated through the sale of set-aside landings, above the cost of the research activities, shall be retained by the vessel owner as compensation for the use of his/her vessel. The Government ( i.e., NMFS) may issue an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), if needed, that may provide special fishing privileges in response to research proposals selected under this program. For example, in previous years, some successful applicants have requested, and were granted, exemption from monkfish DAS possession limits to make compensation fishing more efficient and cost effective. In such cases, applicants were authorized to harvest a maximum amount of monkfish by weight, or fish up to the number of awarded monkfish DAS, whichever came first. To obtain such an exemption, an EFP application must be submitted to the Northeast Regional Office, NMFS. Please be aware that EFP applications are reviewed on a case by case basis, and may be disapproved. For additional information contact Ryan Silva, Cooperative Research Liaison, at 978-281-9326, or ryan.silva@noaa.gov. Projects may not have more than 50 vessels authorized to conduct compensation fishing at any given time, unless sufficient rationale can demonstrate that more than 50 vessels are needed. In addition, principal investigators and project coordinators should be aware that it may take NMFS up to 4 weeks to process requests to revise the list of vessels that are authorized to conduct compensation fishing. Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is found under sections 303(b)(11), 402(e), and 404(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1853(b)(11), 16 U.S.C. 1881a(e), and 16 U.S.C. 1881(c), respectively. The ability to set aside monkfish DAS for research purposes was established in the final rule implementing Amendment 2 to the Monkfish FMP, (70 FR 21927, April 28, 2005), codified at 50 CFR 648.92(c). Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, Unallied Management Projects. Application Deadline: Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 5 p.m. EST on August 30, 2010. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. If an applicant does not have Internet access, hard copy proposals will be accepted, and date recorded when they are received in the program office. Electronic or hard copies received after the deadline will not be considered, and hard copy applications will be returned to the sender. Mark hard copy proposals “Attention-2011 Monkfish Research Set Aside Program.” Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA funding opportunity, please submit an electronic application at http://www.grants.gov, and use the following funding opportunity #NMFS-NEFSC-2010-2001980. Applicants without Internet access may submit paper applications to: Cheryl Corbett, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, by phone 508-495-2070, fax 508-495-2004, or e-mail cheryl.corbett@noaa.gov. Information Contacts: Information may be obtained from Paul Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), by phone 978-465-0492, or by fax 978-465-3116; Philip Haring, Senior Fishery Analyst, NEFMC, by phone 978-465-0492, or by e-mail at pharing@nefmc.org; or Cheryl Corbett, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, phone 508-495-2070, fax 508-495-2004, or e-mail cheryl.corbett@noaa.gov, or from Ryan Silva, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, Cooperative Research Liaison, phone (978) 281-9326, fax (978) 281-9326, e-mail ryan.silva@noaa.gov. Eligibility: Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, individuals, state, local, and Native American tribal governments. Federal agencies and institutions are not eligible to receive assistance under this notice. Additionally, employees of any agency or Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) are ineligible to submit an application under this program. However, Council members who are not employees may submit an application. DOC/NOAA supports cultural and gender diversity and encourages women and minority individuals and groups to submit applications to the RSA program. In addition, DOC/NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. DOC/NOAA encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions. DOC/NOAA encourages applications from members of the fishing community and applications that involve fishing community cooperation and participation. Cost Sharing Requirements: None required. Intergovernmental Review: Applicants will need to determine if their State participates in the intergovernmental review process. This information can be found at the following Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. This information will assist applicants in providing either a Yes or No response to Item 16 of the Application Form, SF-424, entitled “Application for Assistance.” 7. Fiscal Year 2011 Scallop Research Set-Aside Summary Description: NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is soliciting Atlantic Sea Scallop (scallop) research proposals to utilize scallop Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Days-at-Sea (DAS) that have been set-aside by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to fund scallop research endeavors through the 2011 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program (March 1, 2011-February 29, 2012). No funds are provided for research under this notification. Rather, proceeds generated from the sale of scallops harvested under a set-aside quota are used to fund research activities and compensate vessels that participate in research activities and/or harvest set-aside quota. Projects funded under the Scallop RSA Program must enhance the knowledge of the scallop fishery resource or contribute to the body of information on which scallop management decisions are made. Priority will be given to scallop research proposals that investigate research priorities identified by the Council, which are detailed under the Program Priorities section of this announcement. Funding Availability: Applicants must submit a budget that is based solely on monetary needs, which includes funds necessary to execute the research plan and funds necessary to compensate vessel owners harvesting set-aside quota. Upon project selection, NMFS will negotiate with successful applicants on the specific TAC and/or DAS award. Priority will be given primarily to the higher technically ranked proposal, although additional factors such as individual project needs and cost effectiveness may be considered during negotiations. NMFS will establish a common DAS catch rate and scallop price estimate, based on the best and most recent data available, to determine the amount of set-aside necessary to cover research and compensation fishing expenses. If a desired set-aside quota has been fully utilized by another applicant, TAC and/or DAS will be awarded from a different set-aside quota. Once all the TAC and/or DAS set-aside quotas have been awarded, or all qualified proposals have been funded, whichever occurs first, the selection process will end. No funds are provided for research under this notification. Funds generated from landings harvested and sold under the Scallop RSA Program shall be used to cover the cost of research activities, including vessel costs. For example, the funds may be used to pay for gear modifications, monitoring equipment, the salaries of research personnel, or vessel operation costs. The Government is not liable for any costs incurred by the researcher or vessel owner should the sale of catch not fully reimburse the researcher or vessel owner for their expenses. Any additional funds generated through the sale of set-aside landings, above the cost of the research activities, shall be retained by the vessel owner as compensation for the use of his/her vessel. The government ( i.e., NMFS) will issue Letters of Authorization to eligible vessels identified by the Project Coordinator, which authorize such vessels to take access area and DAS compensation fishing trips, and exceed the vessels' normal scallop possession limit. Projects may not have more than 50 vessels authorized to conduct compensation fishing at any given time, unless sufficient rationale can demonstrate that more than 50 vessels are needed. In addition, principal investigators and project coordinators should be aware that it may take NMFS up to 4 weeks to process requests to revise the list of vessels that are authorized to conduct compensation fishing. Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is provided under sections 303(b)(11), 402(e), and 404(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1853(b)(11), 16 U.S.C. 1881a(e), and 16 U.S.C. 1881(c), respectively. The ability to set aside scallop TAC and DAS is authorized through the scallop FMP 69FR 35193 (June 23, 2004) and implementing regulations at 50 CFR part 648 subpart D. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, Unallied Management Projects Application Deadline: Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 5 p.m. EST on August 30, 2010. Please Note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. If an applicant does not have Internet access, hard copy proposals will be accepted, and date recorded when they are received in the program office. Electronic or hard copies received after the deadline will not be considered, and hard copy applications will be returned to the sender. Mark hard copy proposals “Attention-2011 Scallop Research Set Aside Program.” Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA funding opportunity, please submit an electronic application at http://www.grants.gov, and use the following funding opportunity #NMFS-NEFSC-2011-2002691. Applicants without Internet access may submit paper applications to: Cheryl Corbett, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, by phone 508-495-2070, fax 508-495-2004, or e-mail cheryl.corbett@noaa.gov. Information Contacts: Information may be obtained from Deirdre Boelke, New England Fishery Management Council, phone (978) 465-0492, fax (978) 465-3116, or e-mail dboelke@nefmc.org, from Cheryl Corbett, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, phone 508-495-2070, fax 508-495-2004, or e-mail cheryl.corbett@noaa.gov, or from Ryan Silva, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, phone (978) 281-9326, fax (978) 281-9135, e-mail ryan.silva@noaa.gov. Eligibility: Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, individuals, state, local, and Native American tribal governments. Federal agencies and institutions are not eligible to receive assistance under this notice. Additionally, employees of any agency or Regional Fishery Management (RFM) Council are ineligible to submit an application under this program. However, RFM Council members who are not employees may submit an application. DOC/NOAA supports cultural and gender diversity and encourages women and minority individuals and groups to submit applications to the RSA program. In addition, DOC/NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges, and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. DOC/NOAA encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions. DOC/NOAA encourages applications from members of the fishing community and applications that involve fishing community cooperation and participation. Cost Sharing Requirements: None required. Intergovernmental Review: Applicants will need to determine if their State participates in the intergovernmental review process. This information can be found at the following Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. This information will assist applicants in providing either a Yes or No response to Item 16 of the Application Form, SF-424, entitled “Application for Assistance.” 8. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (Prescott Grant Program) for Fiscal Year 2011 Summary Description: The NMFS Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program is charged under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) with facilitating the collection and dissemination of reference data on stranded marine mammals and health trends of marine mammal populations in the wild. The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program is conducted by NOAA to provide assistance to eligible members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network to: (1) Support basic needs of organizations for response, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals, (2) fund scientific research objectives designed to answer questions about marine mammal strandings, health, or rehabilitation techniques utilizing data from living and dead stranded marine mammals, and (3) support facility operations directly related to the recovery, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2011 and how NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded. This document should be read in its entirety, as some information has changed from the previous year. Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that approximately $4,000,000 may be available for distribution under the FY 2011 annual competitive Prescott Grant Program. Applicants are hereby given notice that these funds have not yet been appropriated for this program. Therefore, exact dollar amounts cannot be given. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. The maximum award for each grant cannot exceed $100,000, as is stated in the legislative language (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1). Funds may be set aside from the annual appropriation to provide for emergency assistance awards to eligible stranding network participants. These emergency funds will be available until expended. There is no limit on the number of proposals that can be submitted by the same stranding network participant during the FY2011 competitive grant cycle. However, stranding network participants will receive no more than two awards per year as part of the competitive program. The two awards must be for completely independent projects that are clearly separate in their objectives, goals, and budget requests and must be successful in the competitive review process. Eligible researchers applying as Principal Investigators, but not independently authorized under MMPA Section 112(c), MMPA Section 109(h) (50 CFR 216.22), or the National Contingency Plan for Response to Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events, can only receive one award per year as part of the competitive cycle. Authorized stranding network participants and researchers may be identified as Co-Investigators or collaborators on as many proposals as needed as long as no more than 100 percent of their time is funded through the Prescott Grant Program. In addition, Department of Commerce (DOC) and Department of Interior (DOI) employees may act as collaborators if they are responsible for performing analyses on data or samples collected under a Prescott award. See section I.F. of the FFO announcement for more information on Eligibility requirements. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA/NMFS has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years beyond the award period. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, the applicant would do so solely at their own risk of these costs not being included under the award. Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that applicants have received, pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless the Grants Officer approves them in accordance with 15 CFR 14.28. Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1421 f-1. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.439, Marine Mammal Data Program. Application Deadline: Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 11:59 p.m. EDT, October 5, 2010. Applications submitted through Grants.gov are automatically stamped with the date and time of submission and will be the basis of determining timeliness. For applications submitted through Grants.gov, there will be two automated e-mail receipts sent to the application submitter with the date and time of submission. The first e-mail confirms receipt of the application. The second e-mail confirms that there are no errors with the application submission and that it has been forwarded to NOAA for further processing. If both e-mail confirmation receipts are not provided within two (2) days of application submission, contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at 1-800-518-4726 and Sarah Howlett, at sarah.howlett@noaa.gov. Please Note: It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required elements have been appropriately submitted. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected without further consideration. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service for hard copy applications must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. Address for Submitting Proposals: Electronic applications must be submitted to Grants.gov. If the applicant does not have Internet access, paper applications may be submitted to: Prescott Grant Program, NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources (F/PR), 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13620, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Information Contacts: The points of contact are: Michelle Ordono and Sarah Howlett, Prescott Grant Program, NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources (F/PR), 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13620, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Phone: (301) 713-2322; or e-mail at Michelle.Ordono@noaa.gov or Sarah.Howlett@noaa.gov. Eligibility: All eligible applicants must currently be an active, authorized participant or researcher in the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Eligible applicants must be: (1) Stranding Agreement (SA) holders or their designee organizations; (2) holders of researcher authorization letters issued by a NMFS Regional Administrator; or (3) an eligible state, or local government personnel or tribal personnel (pursuant to MMPA Section 109(h) (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)). An applicant cannot be a current full- or part-time employee or contractor of DOC or DOI. In Good Standing Criteria. All eligible applicants must meet the following in good standing criteria: a. If the applicant is a designated Principal Investigator of an MMPA and/or Endangered Species Act (ESA) scientific research or enhancement permit holder, the applicant must have fulfilled all permit requirements. The applicant must not have any pending or outstanding enforcement actions under the MMPA or ESA. b. The applicant must have complied with the terms and responsibilities of the appropriate SA, MMPA Section 109(h) authorization, or researcher authorization letter. This includes, but is not limited to: (1) Completion of all reporting requirements; (2) cooperation with state, local, and officials; (3) cooperation with state and local officials in the disposition of stranded marine mammals; and (4) cooperation with other stranding network participants. c. The applicant must have cooperated in a timely manner with NMFS in collecting and submitting Level B and Level C data and samples, when requested. d. The applicant must not have any current enforcement investigation for the take of marine mammals contrary to MMPA/ESA regulations. e. The applicant must not have any pending NMFS notice of violation(s) regarding the policies governing the goals and operations of the Stranding Network and SA, if applicable ( e.g., probation, suspension, or termination). Category Specific Criteria. All eligibility criteria specified for the participant's category must be met in order for a proposal to be considered for funding. Organizations and individuals must meet the following eligibility criteria specific to their category of participation: a. SA Holder Participant or SA Designee Participant: SA participants must be holding a current, active SA for stranding response and/or rehabilitation from a NMFS Regional Administrator or the Assistant Administrator. SA Designee participants must be holding a current, active letter of designation from a NMFS SA holder. Designees cannot request authorization for activities beyond the scope of what is authorized by the SA to the agreement holder. b. Researcher Participant: Researcher participants must be holding a current, active authorizing letter for the proposed award period from the appropriate NMFS Regional Administrator or the Assistant Administrator to salvage stranded marine mammal specimens and parts or samples there for the purpose of utilization in scientific research (50 CFR 216.22). Persons authorized to salvage dead marine mammal specimens under this section must register the salvage with the appropriate NMFS Regional Office within 30 days after the taking occurs. Researchers who are authorized under an MMPA/ESA Scientific Research Permit must still obtain an authorizing letter from the Regional Stranding Coordinator in order to use parts or specimens from stranded animals. Researcher participants that would not require an authorizing letter from the NMFS Regional Administrator ( i.e., they will be working with data only and not possessing samples or specimens) must still provide a letter of eligibility from the Regional Stranding Coordinator (see IV.B.8 of the FFO announcement). Researcher participants must also have designated Co-Investigator(s) that are active NMFS authorized stranding network participants in good standing, and provide documentation to this effect. c. State, Local, Government Employees or Tribal Participants: State and local government officials or employees participating pursuant to MMPA Section 109(h) (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)) for marine mammal species not listed under the ESA must fulfill reporting obligations outlined in 50 CFR 216.22. Government officials must be involved in areas of geographic need ( i.e., municipality or larger region with no existing SA holder). Letter of Eligibility. All applicants must submit a letter of eligibility issued by the appropriate NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator (or NMFS Regional Office). This letter is required in order to be considered for an award in this funding cycle. The letter of eligibility states that you are: (1) An eligible stranding network participant or researcher at the time of the application submission and during the award period; (2) in good standing; (3) have a history of participation in/with the stranding network or that your organization is from a local area with no pre-existing stranding response and/or rehabilitation capabilities. A copy of your SA or research authorization will not be considered as proof of eligibility. Any proposal that does not provide a letter from the NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator will not be considered eligible and will not be considered for further review. Contact information for the NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinators to request this letter is available on the following Web site: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/coordinators.htm, or you may contact the Program Office at the address in the Agency Contacts, Section VII of the FFO announcement. We support cultural and gender diversity in our programs and encourage eligible women and minority individuals and groups to submit proposals. Furthermore, we recognize the interest of the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior in defining appropriate marine management policies and programs that meet the needs of the U.S. insular areas. We encourage proposals from eligible individuals, government entities, universities, colleges, and businesses in U.S. insular areas as defined by the MMPA (Section 3(14), 16 U.S.C. 1362). This includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. We are strongly committed to broadening the participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and institutions that work in undeserved areas in our programs. The DOC/NOAA/NMFS vision, mission, and goals are: to achieve full participation by MSIs; to advance the development of human potential; to strengthen the Nation's capacity to provide high-quality education; and to increase opportunities for MSIs to participate in, and benefit from, financial assistance programs. The Prescott Grant Program encourages all eligible applicants to include meaningful participation of MSIs whenever practicable. Applicants are not eligible to submit a proposal under this program if they are an employee of the DOC or DOI. Unsatisfactory performance under prior or current awards, including delinquency in submitting progress and financial reports, may result in proposals not being considered for funding under the Fiscal Year 2011 Prescott Grant Program. Cost Sharing Requirements: All proposals submitted must provide a minimum cost share of 25 percent of the total budget ( i.e., .25 × total project costs = total share). Therefore, the total share will be 75 percent or less of the total budget. For a proposed total share of $100,000, the minimum share is $33,334 (total budget of $133,334; .25 × $133, 334 = $33,334). For a proposed total share of $80,000, the minimum share is $26,667 (total budget of $106,667; .25 × $106,667 = $80,000). Cost share must be an integer, so please round up. The applicant can include a cost share for more than 25 percent of the total budget, but this obligation will be binding. In order to reduce calculation error when determining the correct cost share amounts, we urge all applicants to use the cost share calculator on the Prescott Program webpage (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/prescott/proposals/costshare.htm). Legislation under which the Prescott Grant Program operates requires this cost sharing, or match, to leverage the limited funds available for this program and to encourage partnerships among government, private organizations, non-profit organizations, the stranding network, and academia to address the needs of marine mammal health and stranding response. If a proposal does not comply with these cost share requirements, the proposal will not be returned to the applicant and it will not be considered in this annual funding cycle. Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a, match may be waived for applicants that are residents in the U.S. insular areas (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The Program Officer will determine the appropriateness of all cost sharing proposals, including the valuation of in-kind contributions, according to the regulations in 15 CFR 14.23 and 24.24. An in-kind contribution is a non-cash contribution, donated or loaned, by a third party to the applicant. In general, the value of in-kind services or property used to fulfill a cost share will be the fair market value of the services or property. The fair market value is the cost of obtaining such services or property, had they not been donated, or of obtaining such services or property for the period of a loan. The applicant must document the in-kind services or property used to fulfill the cost share. If we decide to fund a proposal, we will require strict accounting of the in-kind contributions within the total cost share included in the award document. The Grants Officer is the DOC official responsible for all business management and administrative aspects of a grant and with delegated authority to award, amend, administer, close out, suspend, and/or terminate awards. The Grants Officer is the final approving authority for the award, including the budget and any cost-sharing proposals. Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted under this program are subject to the provisions of Executive Order (EO) 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Programs.” Any applicant submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. For my information on a State's process under EO 12372, please visit the Office of Management and Budget's Web site at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. 9. Protected Species Cooperative Conservation Summary Description: States play an essential role in the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species. Protected species under the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) jurisdiction may spend all or a part of their life-cycles in state waters, and success in conserving these species will depend in large part on working cooperatively with state agencies. NMFS is authorized to provide assistance to eligible States to support the development of conservation programs for marine and anadromous species that reside within that State. This assistance, provided in the form of grants through the Protected Species Cooperative Conservation program, can be used to support conservation of endangered, threatened, and proposed species, as well as monitoring of candidate and delisted species. Funded activities may include development and implementation of management plans, scientific research, and public education and outreach; proposals should address priority actions identified in an ESA Recovery Plan, a State's ESA Section 6 Program, a State Wildlife Action Plan, or address a NMFS-identified regional priority or need. Any State agency that has entered into or applied for an agreement with NMFS pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA is eligible to apply under this solicitation. Proposals focusing on listed Pacific salmonids will not be considered for funding under this grant program; such projects may be considered through the NMFS Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2011 and how NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded; this document should be read in its entirety, as some information has changed from the previous year. Funding Availability: NOAA anticipates that up to $15 million may be available for distribution under the FY 2011 PSCC program for new awards; awards are expected to range between about $500,000 and $1,000,000 in federal funding per year. Applications requesting less than $200,000 in federal funding per year may receive lower priority. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific grant proposal or to obligate any available funds. In addition to this opportunity, the President's FY2011 Budget requested $10.364M specifically to support larger scale habitat restoration to support recovery of threatened and endangered species through habitat conservation actions. If these funds are made available by Congress, the NOAA Restoration Center within NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation may provide funding for applications selected through this competition, thereby increasing the amount of funds available through this program. NOAA will consider funding more than one project under a single application. Applicants that bundle projects into a single application should ensure that there is sufficient detail for each project as per the guidelines and information requirements listed in this document if an application is to be competitive. Applications should provide clear indications of how each project is related to the overall goals and objectives described in the application. To allow for appropriate review of proposals, bundled projects should address the same or related species ( e.g. shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon). There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted by the same Principal Investigator, agency, or State. Multiple applications submitted by the same applicant must, however, clearly identify distinct projects. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless approved by the Grants Officer in accordance with 2 CFR part 225. Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1535. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.472, Unallied Science Program. Application Deadline: Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time October 4, 2010. Applications submitted by U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Use of a delivery service other than U.S. mail must be documented with a receipt. Proposals submitted after the deadline cannot be considered for funding. Please Note: It may take Grants.gov up to two business days to validate or reject an application. Please keep this in mind when developing your submission timeline. Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. NOAA strongly recommends that applicants do not wait until the application deadline to begin the application process through Grants.gov. To use Grants.gov, applicants must have a DUNS number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Applicants should allow at least 5 business days to complete the CCR registration; registration is only required once. Also, it may take Grants.gov up to two business days to validate or reject an application. Please keep this in mind when developing your submission timeline. Following submission of applications through Grants.gov, applicants should receive two automated responses from Grants.gov: one confirms receipt of the application; the other confirms that the application has been forwarded to NOAA. If both confirmation messages from Grants.gov are not received, applicants should contact both the Grants.gov Helpdesk and the NMFS Office of Protected Resources to confirm the application has been transmitted and received by NOAA. For applicants lacking internet access, hard copies may be submitted (by postal mail or commercial delivery) to the NMFS Office of Protected Resources, Attn: Lisa Manning, 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Applications submitted by U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Use of a delivery service other than U.S. mail must be documented with a receipt. Paper applications should be printed on one side only, on 8.5 x 11 inch paper, and not be bound in any manner. A signed (in ink) SF-424 must be included. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. Information Contacts: If you have any questions regarding this proposal solicitation [Text truncated at 120,000 characters. The full text is on the page linked above.] --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2010-17294. Public record. Not legal advice.