NOAA Grant for Implementing and Developing the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System

Federal agencies or institutions and foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under this announcement, but are encouraged to partner with applicants when appropriate. If requesting funds under this award, Federal partners must identify the relevant statutory authorities that will allow for the receipt of funds. Because of the nature of this competition, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate authority.

As the implementing program for this competition, the U.S. IOOS Office expects lead grantees to use subcontracts or other appropriate mechanisms to provide funds to its non- Federal partner(s). If a partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, the U.S. IOOS Office will transfer the funds internally.

Applicants should note that before an award will be issued, they must obtain written assurance (to include the specific legal citation) from the receiving Federal agency regarding its legal authority to take in the funds and to carry out the identified work.

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) is a national and regional partnership working to produce, integrate, and communicate high quality ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes data that meets the safety, economic, and stewardship needs of the nation. NOAA is requesting proposals for coordinated regional efforts that further the IOOS in two topic areas; Implementation and Development of Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (Topic Area 1), and Advancing the National Data Management and Cyberinfrastructure System Architecture (Topic Area 2).

The U.S. IOOS Office, in conjunction with the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), is seeking to fund projects, subject to the availability of funds, which meet the following criteria in each topic area. The NOPP was established by Congress via Title II, subtitle E, of Public Law 104-201 to promote the national goals of ensuring national security, advancing economic development, protecting quality of life, and strengthening science education and communication by improving knowledge of the ocean. There are over twenty agencies participating in the NOPP. They are identified on the NOPP website: www.nopp.org.

NOAA invites applicants to submit proposals for one or both of these topic areas, described in

detail below, and requests applicants submit separate applications for each topic area. For

each proposal, clearly identify the topic area and present all required information such that merit reviewers can associate proposal elements (project description, partners, budgets) with the specific topic area.

NOAA anticipates making multiple awards, subject to the availability of funds for Topic Area 1 of up to $6,000,000 per proposal per year, for up to five years; for Topic Area 2 of up to $300,000 per year for up to three years.