NOAA Calls for Ocean Exploration Proposals

All proposed projects must support priorities in the NOAA Ocean Exploration Strategic Plan (https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/what-we-do/media/noaa-oe-strategic-plan_fy23-fy27.pdf) and should also consider the Strategic Priorities for Ocean Exploration and Characterization of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NOMEC_OEC_Priorities_Report.pdf). Proposed projects are not restricted to waters under U.S. jurisdiction, but proposals should address how projects will provide national benefit.

For Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) funding, NOAA Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals focused on one of the following two themes:

OCEAN EXPLORATION: Ocean Exploration proposals should support exploration of unknown or poorly known ocean areas, processes, or resources in waters deeper than 200 meters or in tropical mesophotic environments. Projects can entail conducting ocean exploration (e.g., mapping and characterizing ocean habitats, combining seismic and acoustic methods), advancing ocean exploration through the use or development of novel technologies (e.g., autonomous systems, nondestructive sensors, artificial intelligence/machine learning), and/or analysis of ocean exploration datasets or samples that already exist and are publicly accessible. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in projects that explore the physical, chemical, and biological environments and processes in the deep oceanic water column and projects that will improve genetic libraries for species-level environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis of deep-sea species. All proposals must demonstrate how the proposed project relates to at least one of the exploration variables identified by NOAA Ocean Exploration (https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/data/publications/exploration-variables.html).

MARITIME HERITAGE: Maritime Heritage proposals should address the exploration for significant maritime heritage resources that improve our understanding of the past and inform decisions about management and preservation. Maritime heritage projects can be conducted at any water depth. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in proposals that target conflict archaeology, incorporate Indigenous knowledge, or perform wide-area searches in areas poorly mapped for maritime heritage. NOAA Ocean Exploration welcomes the use of innovative technology and/or methods for quantitative assessment of targets to improve archaeological site identification and documentation.

Informational documents about this funding opportunity are on the NOAA Ocean Exploration website at https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/funding-opps/welcome.html.

All links were valid as of the date of the publication of this notice. If updated links are needed, email oer.nofo2025@noaa.gov.

The following lists are provided to aid preparation of pre-proposals and full proposals. Pre-Proposals (due May 30, 2024, at 4:59 p.m. ET)

• NOAA Ocean Exploration notice of funding opportunity cover sheet
• Pre-proposal narrative, maximum two pages
• Demographic information (optional)

All applicants should submit proposals to oer.nofo2025@noaa.gov.

Full Proposals (due October 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET)

• Updated NOAA Ocean Exploration notice of funding opportunity cover sheet
• Executive summary, maximum one page
• Project narrative, maximum 15 pages
• Data and information sharing plan, maximum two pages
• Outreach and education plan, maximum one page
• Statement of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), maximum one page
• Previous significant results for each principal and co-principal investigator
• Summary of current funding support for each principal and co-principal investigator
• Curriculum vitae, maximum two pages for each principal and co-principal investigator
• Budget justification and budget tables
• Negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable)
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) questionnaire
• Letters of support (if applicable) from:
• The applicable state historic preservation office (SHPO; if the proposed project is in state waters)
• The tribal historic preservation office (THPO; if the proposed project is on federally recognized tribal lands)
• Indigenous communities identified as collaborating or cooperating with the proposed project
• Other supporters (optional, e.g., ship time operators)
• Details about coordination with the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), maximum one page (only applicable if the lead principal investigator is a federal employee)
• Forms (for nonfederal applicants only):
• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
• Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
• Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)
• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
• Certification Regarding Lobbying (CD511)
• Suggested reviewers (optional)

Nonfederal applicants must submit all documents required for a full proposal individually through Grants.gov.

Federal applicants must email full proposals to oer.nofo2025@noaa.gov.

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. The complete registration process for all three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts (see in Section IV.A.) for submission instructions.

Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (see Section IV.C). Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by time of application submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.