FY 2024 – 2026 - Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Announcement Type: Initial

Full Announcement

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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Table of Contents
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY .........................................................................................1
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................1
Full Text of Announcement ......................................................................................................2
I. Funding Opportunity Description .......................................................................................2
II. Award Information ............................................................................................................5
III. Eligibility Information .......................................................................................................6
IV. Application and Submission Information .........................................................................6
V. Application Review Information ......................................................................................12
VI. Award Administration Information .................................................................................15
VII. Agency Contacts ...........................................................................................................25
VIII. Other Information ........................................................................................................25
Executive Summary
Federal Agency Name
NOS Management and Budget Office (MB)
Funding Opportunity Title
FY 2024 – 2026 - Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Announcement Type: Initial
Announcement Type
Broad Agency Announcement
Funding Opportunity Number
NOAA-NOS-MB-27779
Assistance Listing Number(s)
11.015, 11.419, 11.420, 11.012, 11.429, 11.460, 11.473, 11.478, 11.480
Dates
Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov up to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
September 30, 2026. Applications received after this time will not be reviewed or
considered for funding. Applications will be considered on a continuing and rolling basis as
they are received.
Funding Opportunity Description
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This notice is not a mechanism to fund existing NOAA awards. The purpose of this notice is
to request applications for special projects and programs associated with NOAA's strategic
plan and mission goals, as well as to provide the general public with information and
guidelines on how NOAA will select applications and administer discretionary Federal
assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Each NOAA Line Office that
supports financial assistance (National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service,
National Weather Service, Office of Atmospheric Research, Office of Education, and
National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service) has a separate BAA found in
Grants.gov, so applicants should submit their application to the BAA for the Line Office that
best fits their application. A description of NOAA Line Offices is found at
https://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/public/lineoffices.html and
https://www.noaa.gov/office-education, and applicants may contact the Agency Contacts in
Section VII. below for more information. If you submit the same application to more than
Line Office, mention this in your application and notify the relevant contacts in Section VII
so that NOAA may coordinate internally.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Program Objective
This Broad Agency Announcement is a mechanism to encourage research, education and
outreach, innovative projects, or sponsorships that are not addressed through NOAA’s
competitive discretionary programs. This announcement is not soliciting goods or services
for the direct benefit of NOAA. Funding for activities described in this notice is contingent
upon the availability of appropriations in the fiscal years applicable to the application.
Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for any
activities described in this notice. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to
review an application beyond an initial administrative review, or to award any specific
project, or to obligate any available funds.
NOAA Ocean Exploration is dedicated to exploring the unknown ocean, unlocking its
potential through scientific discovery, technological advancements, and data delivery.
Byworking closely with partners across public, private, and academic sectors, we are filling
gaps in our basic understanding of the marine environment. This allows us, collectively, to
protect ocean health, sustainably manage our marine resources, accelerate our national
economy, better understand our changing environment, and enhance appreciation of the
importance of the ocean in our everyday lives.
NOAA Ocean Exploration operates an education program to raise awareness of the
importance of the ocean, ocean exploration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering
and math) education and is committed to improving America’s environmental literacy by
bringing the excitement of ocean exploration and discovery to a wide variety of diverse
audiences. Educators and public and private partnerships are essential to this mission.
NOAA Ocean Exploration offers many opportunities for educators to learn about NOAA
science and technology associated with exploring the ocean in their classrooms. Since the
COVID-19 pandemic, school systems have largely reopened but the landscape of the
classroom has changed. While many educators and classrooms have evolved to hybrid
learning environments, so too have NOAA Ocean Exploration’s education product and
delivery methods. Virtual and online offerings have expanded the education program’s
audience, reaching previously untapped educators increasing accessibility and inclusion for
increasingly-diverse classrooms.
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Successful proposals directly support NOAA Ocean Exploration priorities including increasing
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the education program; and developing
education resources to complement virtual and hybrid education delivery. In addition,
successful proposals typically involve multiple partners; are characterized by an
interdisciplinary and innovative exploration approach; frequently leverage other programs
and organizations with compatible objectives; produce information that will be valuable to
state and federal marine resource managers; give consideration to environmental impacts in
the project planning and represent the applicant's ability to acquire all necessary permits;
explain the plan for making data and results publicly available to advance scientific
knowledge and inform environmental management decisions; and provide a plan for
diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) activities.
B. Program Priorities
As an agency with responsibilities for maintaining and improving the viability of marine and
coastal ecosystems, for delivering valuable weather, climate, and water information and
services, for understanding the science and consequences of climate change, and for
supporting the global commerce and transportation upon which we all depend, NOAA must
remain current and responsive in an ever-changing world.
We do this in concert with our partners and stakeholders in Federal, state, and local
governments and private organizations, applying a systematic approach that links our
strategic goals through multi-year plans to the daily activities of our employees. Every year
we are committed to re-evaluate our progress and priorities, look for efficiencies, and take
advantage of new opportunities to improve our information, products, and services. In
furtherance of this objective, NOAA issues this BAA for extramural research, innovative
projects, and sponsorships (e.g., conferences, newsletters, etc.) that address one or more
of the following four mission goal descriptions contained in the NOAA Strategic Plan:
Long-term mission goal: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
An informed society anticipating and responding to climate and its impacts.
Projected future climate-related changes include increased global temperatures, melting
sea ice and glaciers, rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme precipitation events,
acidification of the oceans, modifications of growing seasons, changes in storm frequency
and intensity, air quality, alterations in species' ranges and migration patterns, earlier
snowmelt, increased drought, and altered river flow volumes. Impacts from these changes
are regionally diverse, and affect numerous sectors related to water, energy,
transportation, forestry, tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and human health. A changing
climate will alter the distribution of water resources and exacerbate human impacts on
fisheries and marine ecosystems, which will result in such problems as overfishing, habitat
destruction, pollution, changes in species distributions, and excess nutrients in coastal
waters. Increased sea levels are expected to amplify the effects of other coastal hazards as
ecosystem changes increase invasions of non- native species and decrease biodiversity.
The direct impact of climate change on commerce, transportation, and the economy is
evidenced by retreating sea ice in the Arctic, which allows the northward expansion of
commercial fisheries and provides increased access for oil and gas development,
commerce, and tourism.
These changes already have profound implications for society, underscoring the need for
scientific information to aid decision makers, develop and evaluate options that mitigate
the human causes of climate change, and adapt to foreseeable climate impacts. While the
Nation has made significant progress in understanding climate change and variability,
more work is needed to identify causes and effects of these changes, produce accurate
predictions, identify risks and vulnerabilities, and inform decision making. No single
organization can accomplish these tasks alone. NOAA will advance this long-term goal of
climate adaptation and mitigation as it builds upon a strong scientific foundation and
decades of engagement with interagency, academic, and private sector partners to
strengthen scientific understanding of climate; monitor changes in the atmosphere,
oceans, and land; produce climate assessments; develop
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and deliver climate services at global and regional scales; and increase public knowledge of
climate change and its impacts. Through its stewardship responsibilities and expertise,
NOAA will improve its capacity to monitor, understand, and predict the impacts of a
changing climate on weather patterns, water resources, and ocean and coastal
ecosystems.
Long-term mission goal: Weather-Ready Nation and Society is prepared for and responds to
weather-related events.
A weather-ready nation is a society that is able to prepare for and respond to
environmental events that affect safety, health, the environment, economy, and homeland
security. Urbanization and a growing population increasingly put people and businesses at
greater risk to the impacts of weather, water, and climate-related hazards. NOAA's capacity
to provide relevant information can help create a society that is more adaptive to its
environment; experiences fewer disruptions, dislocation, and injuries; and that operates a
more efficient economy.
Over the long-term, climate change may increase the intensity and even the frequency of
adverse weather events, which range from drought and floods, to wildfires, heat waves,
storms, and hurricanes. Changing weather, water, and climate conditions affect the
economic vitality of communities and commercial industries, including the energy,
transportation, and agriculture sectors. Environmental information aligned with user needs
will become ever more critical to the safety and well-being of those exposed to sudden or
prolonged hazards and is essential to sustain competitive advantage, expand economic
growth, and to secure the Nation. All of the objectives within the Weather- ready Nation
goal is highly dependent on progress toward the objectives under the Climate Adaptation
and Mitigation goal. Likewise, progress toward this goal will benefit many of the objectives
of the Healthy Oceans and Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies goals, and vice
versa.
Long-term mission goal: Healthy Oceans Marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity
sustained within healthy and productive ecosystems.
Ocean ecosystems provide many benefits to humans. They provide food and recreational
opportunities, and they support economies. Yet the resources that our marine, coastal, and
Great Lakes environments present to us are already stressed by human uses. Habitat
changes have depleted fish and shellfish stocks, increased the number of species that are
at-risk, and reduced biodiversity. Because humans are an integral part of the ecosystem,
declines in ecosystem functioning and quality directly impact human health and well-being.
As long-term environmental, climate, and
population trends continue, global demands for seafood and energy, recreational use of
aquatic environments, and other pressures on habitats and over-exploited species will
increase as will concerns about the sustainability of ecosystems and safety of edible fish.
Depleted fish stocks and declines in iconic species (such as killer whales, salmon, and sea
turtles) result in lost opportunities for employment, economic growth, and recreation along
the coasts. In addition, climate change impacts to the ocean, including sea level rise,
acidification, and warming, will alter habitats and the relative abundance and distribution
of species. Climate change poses serious risks to coastal and marine ecosystems
productivity, which, in turn, affects recreational, economic, and conservation activities.
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NOAA's goal of healthy ocean ecosystems will ensure that ocean, estuarine, and related
ecosystems and the species that inhabit them are vibrant and sustainable in the face of
challenges. A strong understanding of these systems supports an ecosystem- based
approach to management. The approach accounts for the complex connections among
organisms (including humans); their physical, biotic, cultural, and economic environments;
and the wide range of processes that control their dynamics. An ecosystem-based
approach will assist policy makers to weigh trade-offs between alternative courses of
action. By working toward the long-term sustainability of all species, NOAA will also help
ensure for present and future generations that seafood is a safe, reliable, and affordable
food source; that seafood harvest and production, recreational fishing opportunities, and
non-consumptive uses of living marine resources continue to support vibrant coastal
communities and economies; and that species of cultural and economic value can flourish.
Long-term mission goal: Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies Coastal and Great
Lakes communities are environmentally and economically sustainable.
The complex interdependence of ecosystems and economies will grow with increasing uses
of land, marine, and coastal resources, resulting in particularly heavy economic and
environmental pressures on the Nation's coastal communities. Continued growth in coastal
populations, economic expansion, and global trade will further increase the need for safe
and efficient maritime transportation. Similarly, the Nation's profound need for
conventional and alternative energy presents many economic opportunities, but will also
result in greater competition for ocean space, challenging our ability to make informed
decisions that balance conflicting demands as well as economic and environmental
considerations. At the same time, the interdependence of ecosystems and economies
makes coastal and Great Lakes communities increasingly vulnerable to chronic and
potentially catastrophic impacts of natural and human-induced hazards, including climate
change, oil spills, harmful algal blooms and pathogen outbreaks, hypoxia, and severe
weather hazards.
NOAA's long-term coastal goal will invigorate coastal communities and economies, and
lead to increased resiliency and productivity. Comprehensive planning will help protect
coastal communities and resources from the impacts of hazards and land-based pollution
to vulnerable ecosystems by addressing competing uses, improving water quality, and
fostering integrated management for sustainable uses. Geospatial services will support
communities, navigation, and economic efficiency with accurate, useful characterizations,
charts and maps, assessments, tools, and methods. Coastal decision makers will have the
capacity to adaptively manage coastal communities and ecosystems with the best natural
and social science available.
C. Program Authority
The specific program authority will vary depending on the nature of the proposed project. A
list of the most prevalent assistance authorities are
15 U.S.C. 1540; 15
U.S.C. 2901 et. seq.; 16 U.S.C. 661; 16 U.S.C. 1456c; 33 U.S.C. 883a-d; 33 USC
893a; 33 U.S.C. 1442; 49 U.S.C. 44720(b).
II. Award Information
A. Funding Availability
There are no funds specifically appropriated by Congress for this BAA. Funding for potential
projects in this notice is contingent upon the availability of appropriations in the fiscal
years applicable to the application. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not
yet been appropriated for any proposed activities in this notice.
B. Project/Award Period
The anticipated start date of the award generally will be three to six months after receipt of
the application by NOAA. Applications should generally be submitted for a one-year award
period, but this may be negotiated if the application is recommended for funding.
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The award must start on the first day of a month in the year, and end on the last day of a
month in the year (i.e. 10/01/2025 – 09/30/2026)
C. Type of Funding Instrument
Selected applicants will either enter into a grant or a cooperative agreement depending
upon the amount of NOAA's involvement in the project. Substantial involvement by NOAA
in the project would require a cooperative agreement.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants may be institutions of higher education, nonprofits, commercial
organizations, international or foreign organizations or governments, individuals, state,
local, and Indian Tribal governments. Eligibility also depends on the statutory authority
that permits NOAA to fund the proposed activity. Funding of Federal organizations is
outside the scope of this announcement; if funding authority exists, Federal organizations
seeking NOAA funds should contact relevant program officials about the interagency
agreement process.
B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement
Cost sharing is not required unless it is determined that a project can only be funded
under an authority that requires matching/cost sharing funds.
C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility
None.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address to Request Application Package
Applicants can obtain electronic application packages through Grants.gov by using Notice
of Funding Opportunity Number NOAA-NOS-MB-27779 to conduct a search. Grants.gov
requires applicants to complete a free annual registration process in the electronic System
for Award Management (SAM), found at https://sam.gov/SAM/, as described in section IV.C.
and IV.G. of this Announcement.
These registration processes can take several weeks and involve multiple steps. In order to
allow sufficient time for these processes, applicants should register as soon as they decide
to apply even if they are not ready to submit their application.
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B. Content and Form of Application
Format Requirements.
All pages should be single-spaced and composed in at least 11-point font with one-
inch margins on 8” x 11” paper. The project description may not exceed 15 pages,
exclusive of title page, project synopsis, literature cited, budget information, resumes
of investigators, and letters of support (if any). Failure to follow the requirements may
result in the rejection of the application and its subsequent return.
Any PDF or other attachments that are included in an electronic application must
meet the above format requirement when printed out.
Content Requirements. The following information must be included:
1. Signed SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance: The SF-424 must be signed by the
Authorized Representative. Electronic signatures submitted through Grants.gov
satisfy this requirement.
2. Title Page (1-page limit): The title page identifies the project's title, total budget, start
and end dates; and the Principal Investigator's (PI’s) and co-PI's names, affiliations,
complete mailing addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and fax numbers.
The title page must also identify the specific NOAA office (e.g., NESDIS, NMFS, NOS,
NWS, OAR or Office of Education) and the NOAA program targeted by the application.
3. Project Synopsis (1-page limit): It is critical that the project synopsis accurately
describes the project being proposed and conveys all essential elements of the
activities. It is imperative that potential applicants tie their applications to one of the
NOAA mission goals described in Section I.B. of this announcement and state it here
in the synopsis.
4. Project Description (15-page limit): The applicant should describe and justify the
project being proposed and address each of the evaluation criteria as described
below in Section V. Project descriptions should include clear objectives and specific
approaches to achieving those objectives, including methods, timelines, and
expected outcomes.
5. Literature Cited: If applicable
6. Assurances: The SF-424B Assurances form must be completed and submitted for all
non-construction applications, and the SF-424D Assurances form must be completed
and submitted for all construction applications.
7. Completed Form CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying.
8. Resumes for each major participant: Key Personnel; Principal Investigator(s).
9. Standard Application Forms: Please refer to the application package available
through Grants.gov. Please review each form to determine which are required with
submission. Each applicant may not be required to submit all forms listed, depending
on the project type or applicant type.
10. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Questionnaire: NOAA has a NEPA policy
applicable to funding applicants, described in Section VI of this announcement. NOAA
has a NEPA Questionnaire that may be applicable to some projects, but applicants do
not need to provide answers to the NOAA NEPA Questionnaire at this time. However,
NOAA may require additional information from the applicant regarding potential
environmental impacts prior to reviewing the application.
11. Data Management Plan: If relevant for the proposed project, include a data sharing
plan. Refer to Section VI.
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12. Budget and Budget Justification: The SF-424A Budget Information Form must be
completed, and there should be a detailed budget justification accompanying the SF-
424 budget forms (SF-424A non-construction or SF-424C construction, as
appropriate). Indicate matching funds if provided in a separate column. Provide
justifications for all budget items in sufficient detail to enable the reviewers to
evaluate the appropriateness of the funding requested. The budget justification
should be broken out and detailed using the same budget categories as the SF-424
budget form (SF-424A or SF-424C). Budget Narrative Guidance can be found at:
https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_
-_05-24-2017_final.pdf.
Applicants requesting indirect costs at a rate greater than the de minimis 10%
must provide a signed copy of their organization’s existing approved Federal
indirect cost (IDC) rate agreement with the application package.
Indirect Costs: If an applicant has not previously established an indirect cost rate with a
Federal agency, the applicant may choose to negotiate a rate with its cognizant agency (the
agency from which the applicant receives the most grant funding), or use the de minimis
indirect cost rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs (as allowable under 2 C.F.R.
§200.414). Applicants requesting indirect costs at a rate greater than the de minimis 10%
must provide a signed copy of their existing approved Federal indirect cost (IDC) rate
agreement with the application package.
If an applicant seeks to establish a new indirect cost rate agreement and NOAA
would be the cognizant agency, the applicant must submit its indirect cost rate
agreement documentation per the Department of Commerce Financial
Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions (2019),
https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
11/DOC%20Standard%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20-
%2012%20November%202020%20PDF_0.pdf
,or any amended versions that may be applicable (found at
https://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/grants_management/policy/) within 90 days
after award start date or those costs will not be allowed. The approval process
may take several weeks. The indirect cost rate applications in these cases
should be sent by mail or email (separately from the grant application) to:
Jennifer Jackson, Grants Officer
NOAA Grants Management Division,
Email: jennifer.jackson@noaa.gov
For applicants seeking to establish a new indirect cost rate agreement and
NOAA would be the cognizant agency, the information that must be provided
(separate from the application) to establish an Approved Indirect Cost Rate
Agreement is described below:
Submitted by Non-Profits and Commercial Entities
1. A chart showing the organizational structure during the period for which the
proposal applies, along with a functional statement noting the duties and/or
responsibilities of all units that comprise the organization. Please make sure this
includes a brief narrative background statement outlining the financial operation of
the organization.
2. The basic proposal including all other supporting schedules and financial and
statistical information supporting the basic proposal. Any supporting schedules
should be cross-referenced to the basic proposal (accounting records and related
work papers to support the costs contained in the indirect cost proposal).
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a. The total costs shown in the basic proposal should also reconcile to the
financial statements in the most recent audit report, which should also be
provided.
b. Reconciliations/Analyses
i. As stated above, detailed reconciliation between the proposal and the
financial statements;
ii. Adjusted detailed trial balance which agrees to the audited financial
statements;
iii. Trend Analysis Report - It must itemize expense account line items that
support the totals of both direct and indirect expenses, for three years (only
two years would be required if the entity has only been in business for two
years). Comparisons or trends of the indirect cost rates only will cause your
indirect cost proposal to be rejected, until the correctly prepared trend
analysis report is received; and
iv. Calculations showing how applicable prior year carry-forward amounts
were applied to formulate current year’s rate submission.
3. A listing of directly awarded grants and contracts by Federal agency, Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number, dollar amounts separated by direct-
indirect-total costs, period of performance, applicable cost principle, and the
identification of any cost limitations and special award terms/conditions applicable to
each.
4. Cost Policy Statement (e.g. Disclosure Statement) the purpose of which is to
establish an unambiguous understanding between the grantee and the Federal
Government as to what costs will be charged directly and what costs will be charged
indirectly. If a Cost Policy Statement was submitted with last year’s proposal and not
proposing any changes to the current year’s submission, the following suggested
language should be included in their transmittal letter when a proposal is submitted:
[ABC Organization] hereby confirms that no changes to its accounting practices as
set forth in its Cost Policy Statement dated [date] have been made.
5. Statement of Total Costs contains all line items of cost included in the
organization’s chart of accounts and applicable columns for direct costs (by cost
center/activity, Federal grants, non-Federal grants, fund raising, etc.), indirect costs
(overhead, G&A, etc.), and unallowable costs (if applicable). These columns should
show the type (e.g. labor, travel supplies, etc.) and amount of cost incurred by each
activity. The total costs should reconcile to the organization’s financial statements. If
the reconciliation is not clear, the organization should provide a separate schedule
supporting the difference.
6. Statement of Indirect Costs contains all line items of cost included in the indirect
cost pool(s), the applicable base(s), and the resulting indirect cost rate(s). The
allocation base should be traceable to the organization’s total costs. If not clearly
traceable, an additional schedule should be provided to support the reconciliation.
7. Specific Personnel Costs includes a list of all volunteers by job title, along with a
description of the services they provided to the organization, if significant. Also
required is a list of all management level employees, their position descriptions and
salaries.
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8. Certification of Indirect Costs - A completed Certification must be signed on behalf
of the organization by an official at a level no lower than Executive Director or Chief
Financial Officer. The Certification must identify the period of coverage for the
indirect cost proposal, asserting that it has been prepared in accordance with the
applicable cost principles and guidelines [2 CFR Part 200 (non-profits), FAR Part 31
(commercial)].
9. Identification of Other Items to be included within the indirect cost proposal
package. If these items are not provided with the organization’s proposal, it may be
necessary for them to be provided later during the review process as circumstances
dictate.
a. Identify assets purchased with Federal sponsored program funds or Non-
Federal sponsored program funds, if any, and specify if ownership remains with
sponsoring entity or transfers to recipient upon successful completion of the
awards. b. Identify all related party transactions. c. Identify idle facilities, if any.
10. Lobbying Certificate – A completed Certification must be signed on behalf of the
organization by an official at a level no lower than Executive Director or Chief
Financial Officer. Completion of this Certification indicates the organization has
complied with the requirements and standards on lobbying costs in the development
of the indirect cost rate.
11. DOC’s Indirect Cost Proposal Checklist. Please mark the Checklist item number
on the corresponding document (or start of section) within the final proposal
package. Follow this link to view a copy of the IDC Proposal Checklist:
https://rates.psc.gov/fms/dca/icpchecklist.pdf.
Submitted by States and Local Government and Indian Tribe
All entities receiving this Guidance desiring to claim indirect costs under Federal awards
using an indirect cost rate must prepare and maintain their completed indirect cost rate
proposal for review, as set forth in 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements for
Federal Grants.
Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management
Plan (up to 2 pages). See Section VI.B., Administrative and National Policy Requirements,
below for additional information on what the plan should contain.
Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management
Plan (up to 2 pages). See Section VI.B., Administrative and National Policy Requirements,
below for additional information on what the plan should contain.
C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant is required to:
(i) Register in the federal System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/SAM/
before submitting an application; (ii) Provide a valid unique entity identifier in the
application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current
information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or
plan under consideration by NOAA (or any other Federal agency).
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NOAA may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with
all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully
complied with the requirements by the time NOAA is ready to make a Federal award, NOAA
may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. See also
Sections IV.A. and IV.G. of this Announcement.
D. Submission Dates and Times
Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis starting from the publication date of this
Broad Agency Announcement up to 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time on September
30, 2026. Applications received after this time will not be reviewed or considered for
funding. Applications shall be evaluated for funding generally within three to six months of
receipt. An applicant can expect to receive either a rejection notice based on the initial
prescreening review (if found ineligible), a rejection notice based on merit review or
program restrictions, a request for additional information, and/or an award within that time
frame.
E. Intergovernmental Review
Applications submitted by state and local governments are subject to the provisions of
Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Any applicant
submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on the 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 SPOCs are listed in the Office Management
and Budget's home page at < https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2023/06/SPOC-list-as-of-2023.pdf >.
F. Funding Restrictions
None, unless required by the statute under which the award is funded.
G. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants must register with Grants.gov before any application materials can be
submitted. An organization's one time registration process may take up to three weeks or
more to complete. To use Grants.gov, an applicant must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI)
number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) (both of which
require periodic renewals). Applicants can receive a UEI number and a SAM registration at
no cost by visiting https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration . Please do not register in
SAM as a “Private” entity.
Allow a minimum of five days to complete the SAM registration, which will require the
applicant’s Employer Identification Number. The entire registration process, including
Grants.gov, UEI, and SAM, t may take more than three weeks to complete, and the
registration must be renewed annually. Please allow sufficient time for these steps.
The Grants.gov site contains directions for submitting an application, the application
package (forms), and is also where the completed application is submitted. The
downloadable application package is available on Grants.gov. The package will be
available for this solicitation's Workspace or download a copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. Use
the Notice of Funding Opportunity Number NOAA-NOS-MB-27779 to conduct a search and
obtain electronic application packages.
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After electronic submission of the application through Grants.gov, the person submitting
the application will receive up to three email messages from Grants.gov updating them on
the progress of their application. In the first 24 to 48 hours after submission, the first email
will confirm receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system, and the second will
indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the system before
transmission to the grantor agency or has been rejected because of errors. Only validated
applications are sent to NOAA for review. After the application has been validated, this
same person will receive a third email, generally within two days, when the application has
been downloaded by NOAA. If an applicant has not received an email verifying that the
application has been downloaded by NOAA, the applicant is responsible for contacting the
federal program officer for this Announcement and providing documentation that
demonstrates the application was submitted to Grants.gov ahead of the deadline.
The assistance listing number will vary depending on the nature of the proposed project.
The applicant should consult the assistance listing series available at https.sam.gov/. The
applicant should review the assistance listing numbers associated with the “National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” (Generally 11.400 - 11.481 as well as 11.008,
11.011, 11.012, 11.015, 11.017 and 11.021) and select the most accurate program for the
proposed project. The assistance listing will also provide the applicant with the eligibility
requirements in order to determine if an applicant can apply under that particular
assistance listing.
NOAA uses the eRA system to electronically administer their Grants Management Portfolio.
eRA commons is the public facing portal that Recipients will use to manage any awarded
applications. You can register by going to public.era.nih.gov. If you require assistance you
can review the instructions here https://www.era.nih.gov/register-accounts/register-in-era-
commons.htm.
Organizations must be registered to use eRA in order to submit an application package to
NOAA through Grants.gov.
The first listed PD/PI on the application must include their eRA Commons ID in the
“Credential, e.g., agency login” field of form. Failure to register in eRA Commons and to
include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the Applicant Identifier field will prevent the successful
submission of an electronic application. Additional personnel included on the form do not
need to include this information, however eRA will create a warning recommending those
personnel also have valid eRA Commons IDs. Again - it is not required that those additional
personnel include valid eRA Commons IDs regardless of the warnings created by the eRA
system.
H. Address for Submitting Proposals
Applicants should submit full applications through www.Grants.gov website as described in
this announcement. If for any reason applicants are unable to submit their application
through grants.gov or are concerned about possible problems associated with Grants.gov
system, send an email to the NOAA point of contact or group email address identified in this
announcement to make alternative arrangements.
V. Application Review Information
Evaluation Criteria
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NOAA has standardized evaluation criteria for all competitive assistance announcements.
The criteria for this BAA are listed below. Applicants are required to adhere to all the noted
submission requirements and to provide a demonstrable link and/or to emphasize the
manner in which study objectives results relate to NOAA's mission goals/priorities. Since
applications responding to this BAA may vary significantly in their activities/objectives,
assigning a set weight for each evaluation criterion is not feasible, but is based on a total
possible score of 100. The Program Office and/or Selection Official will determine which of
the following criteria and weights will be applied. Some applications, for example
sponsorships, may not be able to address all the criteria like technical/scientific merit.
However, it is in your best interest to prepare an application that can be easily evaluated
against these five criteria. When applicable, an applicant’s Data Sharing Plan, as described
in Section VI of this announcement, will be considered within the criteria below.
Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to the mission goals:
This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to
NOAA, Federal, regional, state, or local activities: i.e., How does the proposed activity
enhance NOAA's strategic plan and mission goals? Applications should also address
significance/possibilities of securing productive results, i.e., Does this study address an
important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific
knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or
methods that drive this field? What effect will the project have on improving public
understanding of the role of the ocean, coasts, and atmosphere in the global ecosystem?
Applications may also be scored for innovation, i.e., Does the project employ novel
concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project
challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
Technical/scientific merit:
This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and if the methods are
appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and objectives. Applications should
address the approach/soundness of design: i.e., Are the conceptual framework, design,
methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the
aims of the audiences to be engaged through the project? Does the applicant acknowledge
potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
This criterion should also address the applicant's proposed methods for monitoring,
measuring, and evaluating the success or failure of the project, i.e.,What are they? Are
they appropriate?
Additionally, if needed, a data sharing plan should include descriptions of the types of
environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the
project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for
data/metadata format and content; methods for providing data access; approximate total
volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible.
Overall qualifications of applicants:
This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience,
training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. If appropriate,
applications should also address the physical environment and collaboration, if any, i.e.,
Does the environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of
success? Do the proposed experiments or activities take advantage of unique features of
the intended environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements?
Project cost
The budget is evaluated to determine if the cost is realistic and commensurate with the
project needs and time-frame.
Outreach and education:
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NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective education and
outreach strategy regarding NOAA’s mission to protect the Nation’s natural resources.
NOAA assesses whether this project aligns with NOAA's education vision, for an informed
society that uses ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, weather, and climate science to make the
best social, economic, and environmental decisions. Evaluation of these criteria will
include if the project addresses any of the goals or employ any of the strategies of the
NOAA Education Plan (http://www.noaa.gov/explainers/noaa- education-strategic-plan), as
well as how the outcomes of the project will be communicated to NOAA and the interested
public.
1. Importance/relevance and applicability of proposed projects to the Maximum Points:
program goals 0
This criterion ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or
relevance to NOAA, federal, regional, state, or local activities.
2. Technical/scientific merit Maximum Points: 0
This criterion 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 Maximum Points: 0
his criterion ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education,
experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project.
4. Project costs Maximum Points: 0
This criterion evaluates the budget to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the
project needs and time frame.
5. Outreach and Education Maximum Points: 0
This criterion assesses whether the project provides a focused and effective education and
outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural resources.
Review and Selection Process
NOAA will conduct an initial administrative review to determine eligibility for award,
compliance with requirements and completeness of the application. This review includes
determining whether:
1. Sufficient funds are available in the budget of the program office receiving the
application to support the proposed project;
2. Statutory authority exists to provide financial assistance for the project or
organization;
3. A complete application package has been submitted, that is, all required elements of
the application are included and application follows format requirements;
4. The Project Description/Narrative is consistent with one or more of NOAA’s mission
goals;
5. If the application falls within the scope of an existing NOAA competitive
announcement (found at www.Grants.gov) or duplicates an existing non-discretionary
project announced or awarded in FY22,FY23, FY24, FY25, or FY26, then it cannot be
funded under this announcement;
6. The work in the application does not directly benefit NOAA (if it will, it should be
supported by a procurement contract, not a financial assistance award which cannot
be funded under this announcement, as provided in 31 U.S.C. 6303).
7. Additional Information
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8. Applications not passing this initial review will not be considered further for funding
through this BAA, and will not receive further review. NOAA will evaluate
application(s) that pass this initial review and comply with all the requirements under
this BAA individually (i.e., applications will be not compared to each other). A merit
review will be conducted by mail reviewers and/or peer panel reviewers. Each
reviewer will individually evaluate the application(s) using the evaluation criteria
provided above; a minimum of three merit reviewers per application is required. More
than three reviewers may be used based on the complexity of the application. The
reviewers may be any combination of Federal and/or non-Federal personnel.
Reviewers may discuss an application, but if more than one non-Federal reviewer is
used, the application(s) will be individually scored (i.e., a consensus is not reached).
Otherwise, the Program Officer has the discretion to authorize a score based on
consensus. NOAA selects evaluators on the bases of their professional qualifications
and expertise as related to the unique characteristics of the application. The NOAA
Program Officer will assess the evaluations and make a fund or do-not-fund
recommendation to the Selecting Official with an explanation of the reasons for the
recommendation.
The selection official shall provide a rationale for funding the application and shall
address any comments provided by the reviewers. Any applicant considered for funding
may be required to address the issues raised in the evaluation of the application by the
reviewers, Program Officer, Selecting Official, and/or Grants Officer before an award is
issued.
Applications not selected for funding in the fiscal year the application is submitted may
be considered for funding in a subsequent fiscal year, but may be required to revalidate
the terms of the original application or resubmit in the next BAA cycle if one is published
for FY2027. The Program Officer, Selecting Official and/or Grants Officer may negotiate
the final funding level of the application with the intended applicant. The Selecting
Official makes the final recommendation for award to the NOAA Grants Officer who is
authorized to commit the Federal Government and obligate the funds.
Selection Factors
None
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Subject to the availability of funds, awards are expected to be made three to six months
after receipt by NOAA of the full application. Given this time frame, applicants applying in
Fiscal Year 2025 should take into consideration that submissions received after March 31,
2025 may not be able to be awarded in FY26 (October 1, 2025 through September 30,
2026).
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
PRE-AWARD COSTS. NOAA authorizes award recipients to expend pre-award costs up to 90
days before the period of performance start date at the applicant’s own risk without
approval from NOAA and in accordance with the applicant’s internal policies and procedures.
Such costs are allowable only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred
after the date of the Federal award. This does not include direct proposal costs (as defined
at 2 CFR 200.460). In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for
direct proposal preparation costs. Pre-award costs will be a portion of, not in addition to, the
approved total budget of the award. Pre-award costs expended more than 90 days prior to
the period of performance start date require approval from the Grants Officer. This does not
change the period of performance start date.
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GRANTS OFFICER SIGNATURE. Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation are not
considered awards until the Grants Officer has signed the grant agreement. Only Grants
Officers can bind the Government to the expenditure of funds. The Grants Officer’s digital
signature constitutes an obligation of funds by the federal government and formal approval
of the award.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the
availability of funds. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds may not have been
appropriated yet for the programs listed in this notice. Publication of this announcement
does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS.
Through 2 C.F.R. § 1327.101, the Department of Commerce adopted Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 C.F.R. Part
200, which applies to awards in this program. Refer to http://go.usa.gov/SBYh and
http://go.usa.gov/SBg4.
RESEARCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS. For awards designated on the CD-450 as Research, the
Commerce Terms, and the Federal-wide Research Terms and Conditions (Research Terms)
as implemented by the Department of Commerce, currently, at
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp, both apply to the award. The Commerce
Terms and the Research Terms are generally intended to harmonize with each other;
however, where the Commerce Terms and the Research Terms differ in a Research award,
the Research Terms prevail, unless otherwise indicated in a specific award condition.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PRE-AWARD NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of December 30, 2014 (79 FR 78390) are applicable to this solicitation and may be
accessed online at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-30/pdf/2014-30297.pdf.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC) TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Successful applicants who
accept a NOAA award under this solicitation will be bound by the DOC Financial Assistance
Standard Terms and Conditions. This document will be provided in the award package in
eRA at http://www.ago.noaa.gov and at https://www.commerce.gov/oam/policy/financial-
assistance-policy.
BUREAU TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Successful applicants who accept an award under this
solicitation will be bound by bureau-specific standard terms and conditions. These terms and
conditions will be provided in the award package in NOAA’s Grants Online system. For NOAA
awards only, the Administrative Standard Award Conditions for National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Financial Assistance Awards U.S. Department of
Commerce are applicable to this solicitation and may be accessed online at
https://www.noaa.gov/organization/acquisition-grants/financial-assistance
HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH. For research projects involving Human Subjects an
Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval or an exemption determination will be required in
accordance with DOC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions Section G.05.i
“Research Involving Human Subjects” found at
https://www.commerce.gov/oam/policy/financial-assistance-policy.
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NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA). NOAA must analyze the potential
environmental impacts, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for
applicant projects or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities.
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the following NOAA
NEPA website: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6
for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6.pdf, and the Council on Environmental
Quality implementation regulations, http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/NEPA-
40CFR1500_1508.pdf. Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under their
description of their program activities, applicants are required to provide detailed
information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be
affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non- indigenous
species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts
to coral reef systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve as the
basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA in
drafting an environmental assessment, if NOAA determines an assessment is required.
Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. Failure to do
so shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In some cases if additional information
is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental
compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts
that a project may have on the environment.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. Department of Commerce regulations implementing the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552, are found at 15 C.F.R. Part 4, Public
Information. These regulations set forth rules for the Department regarding making
requested materials, information, and records publicly available under the FOIA. Applications
submitted in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be subject to requests for
release under the Act. In the event that an application contains information or data that the
applicant deems to be confidential commercial information that should be exempt from
disclosure under FOIA, that information should be identified, bracketed, and marked as
Privileged, Confidential, Commercial or Financial Information. In accordance with 15 CFR §
4.9, the Department of Commerce will protect from disclosure confidential business
information contained in financial assistance applications and other documentation provided
by applicants to the extent permitted by law.
MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to increasing the
participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), i.e., Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaskan Native
and Native Hawaiian institutions, and institutions that work in underserved communities.
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DATA SHARING PLAN.1. Environmental data and information collected or created under
NOAA grants or cooperative agreements must be made discoverable by and accessible to
the general public, in a timely fashion (typically within two years), free of charge or at no
more than the cost of reproduction, unless an exemption is granted by the NOAA Program.
Data should be available in at least one machine-readable format, preferably a widely-used
or open-standard format, and should also be accompanied by machine-readable
documentation (metadata), preferably based on widely used or international standards. 2.
Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management
Plan of up to two pages describing how these requirements will be satisfied. The Data
Management Plan should be aligned with the Data Management Guidance provided by NOAA
in the Announcement. The contents of the Data Management Plan (or absence thereof), and
past performance regarding such plans, will be considered as part of proposal review. A
typical plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information
expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data
will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for
providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior
experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or
archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance.
Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
(NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements; however, NCEI is not obligated to
accept all submissions and may charge a fee, particularly for large or unusual datasets. 3.
NOAA may, at its own discretion, make publicly visible the Data Management Plan from
funded proposals, or use information from the Data Management Plan to produce a formal
metadata record and include that metadata in a Catalog to indicate the pending availability
of new data. 4. Proposal submitters are hereby advised that the final pre-publication
manuscripts of scholarly articles produced entirely or primarily with NOAA funding will be
required to be submitted to NOAA Institutional Repository after acceptance, and no later
than upon publication. Such manuscripts shall be made publicly available by NOAA one year
after publication by the journal.
More information can be found on NOAA’s Data Management Procedures at:
https://nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/documents/Data_Sharing_Directive_v3.0_remediated.pdf and at
NAO 212-15 Management of Environmental Data and Information:
https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-212-15-management-of-
environmental-data-and-information
NOAA SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE POLICY.
NOAA requires organizations receiving federal assistance to report findings of sexual
harassment, or any other kind of harassment, regarding a Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI, or
any other key personnel in the award.
NOAA expects all financial assistance recipients to establish and maintain clear and
unambiguous standards of behavior to ensure harassment free workplaces wherever NOAA
grant or cooperative agreement work is conducted, including notification pathways for all
personnel, including students, on the awards. This expectation includes activities at all on-
and offsite facilities and during conferences and workshops. All such settings should have
accessible and evident means for reporting violations and recipients should exercise due
diligence with timely investigations of allegations and corrective actions.
For more information, please visit: https://www.noaa.gov/organization/acquisition-
grants/noaa-workplace-harassment-training-for-contractors-and-financial.
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SCIENCE INTEGRITY. 1. Maintaining Integrity. The non-Federal entity shall maintain the
scientific integrity of research performed pursuant to this grant or financial assistance award
including the prevention, detection, and remediation of any allegations regarding the
violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct, and the conduct of
inquiries, investigations, and adjudications of allegations of violations of scientific integrity
or scientific and research misconduct. All the requirements of this provision flow down to
subrecipients. 2. Peer Review. The peer review of the results of scientific activities under a
NOAA grant, financial assistance award or cooperative agreement shall be accomplished to
ensure consistency with NOAA standards on quality, relevance, scientific integrity,
reproducibility, transparency, and performance. NOAA will ensure that peer review of
"influential scientific information" or "highly influential scientific assessments" is conducted
in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final Information Quality
Bulletin for Peer Review and NOAA policies on peer review, such as the Information Quality
Guidelines. 3. In performing or presenting the results of scientific activities under the NOAA
grant, financial assistance award, or cooperative agreement and in responding to allegations
regarding the violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct, the non-
Federal entity and all subrecipients shall comply with the provisions herein and NOAA
Administrative Order (NAO) 202-735D, Scientific Integrity, and its Procedural Handbook,
including any amendments thereto. That Order can be found
athttp://nrc.noaa.gov/ScientificIntegrityCommons.aspx. 4. Primary Responsibility. The non-
Federal entity shall have the primary responsibility to prevent, detect, and investigate
allegations of a violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct. Unless
otherwise instructed by the grants officer, the non-Federal entity shall promptly conduct an
initial inquiry into any allegation of such misconduct and may rely on its internal policies and
procedures, as appropriate, to do so. 5. By executing this grant, financial assistance award,
or cooperative agreement the non-Federal entity provides its assurance that it has
established an administrative process for performing an inquiry, investigating, and reporting
allegations of a violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct; and
that it will comply with its own administrative process for performing an inquiry,
investigation, and reporting of such misconduct. 6. The non-Federal entity shall insert this
provision in all subawards at all tiers under this grant, financial assistance award, or
cooperative agreement.
REVIEW OF RISK. After applications are proposed for funding by the Selecting Official, the
Grants Office will perform administrative reviews, including an assessment of risk posed by
the applicant under 2 C.F.R. 200.206. These may include assessments of the financial
stability of an applicant and the quality of the applicant’s management systems, history of
performance, and the applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or
other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities. Special conditions that address any
risks determined to exist may be applied. Applicants may submit comments about any
information concerning organizational performance listed in the Responsibility/Qualification
section of SAM.gov for consideration by the awarding agency.
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REVIEWS AND EVALUATION. The applicant acknowledges and understands that information
and data contained in applications for financial assistance, as well as information and data
contained in financial, performance and other reports submitted by applicants, may be used
by the Department of Commerce in conducting reviews and evaluations of its financial
assistance programs. For this purpose, applicant information and data may be accessed,
reviewed and evaluated by Department of Commerce employees, other Federal employees,
and also by Federal agents and contractors, and/or by non-Federal personnel, all of whom
enter into appropriate conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements covering the use of
such information. As may be provided in the terms and conditions of a specific financial
assistance award, applicants are expected to support program reviews and evaluations by
submitting required financial and performance information and data in an accurate and
timely manner, and by cooperating with the Department of Commerce and external program
evaluators. In accordance with §200.303(e), applicants are reminded that they must take
reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other
confidential or sensitive personal or business information created or obtained in connection
with a Department of Commerce financial assistance award.
REQUIRED USE OF AMERICAN IRON, STEEL, MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, AND
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. If applicable, and pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (“IIJA”), Pub.L. No. 117-58, which includes the Build American, Buy American (BABA)
Act, Pub. L. No. 117-58, §§ 70901-52 and OMB M-22-11, recipients of an award of Federal
financial assistance from the Department of Commerce (DOC) are hereby notified that none
of the funds provided under this award may be used for a project for infrastructure unless:
1) all iron and steel used in the project are produced in the United States–this means all
manufacturing processes, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings,
occurred in the United States; 2) all manufactured products used in the project are produced
in the United States—this means the manufactured product was manufactured in the United
States; and the cost of the components of the manufactured product that are mined,
produced, or manufactured in the United States is greater than 55 percent of the total cost
of all components of the manufactured product, unless another standard for determining the
minimum amount of domestic content of the manufactured product has been established
under applicable law or regulation; and 3) all construction materials1 are manufactured in
the United States—this means that all manufacturing processes for the construction material
occurred in the United States. The Buy America preference only applies to articles,
materials, and supplies that are consumed in, incorporated into, or affixed to an
infrastructure project. As such, it does not apply to tools, equipment, and supplies, such as
temporary scaffolding, brought to the construction site and removed at or before the
completion of the infrastructure project. Nor does a Buy America preference apply to
equipment and furnishings, such as movable chairs, desks, and portable computer
equipment, that are used at or within the finished infrastructure project but are not an
integral part of the structure or permanently affixed to the infrastructure project.
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WAIVERS. When necessary, recipients may apply for, and DOC may grant, a waiver from
these requirements. DOC will notify the recipient for information on the process for
requesting a waiver from these requirements. 1) When DOC has made a determination that
one of the following exceptions applies, the awarding official may waive the application of
the domestic content procurement preference in any case in which DOC determines that: a.
applying the domestic content procurement preference would be inconsistent with the
public interest; b. the types of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials
are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of
a satisfactory quality; or c. the inclusion of iron, steel, manufactured products, or
construction materials produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall
project by more than 25 percent. A request to waive the application of the domestic content
procurement preference must be in writing. DOC will provide instructions on the format,
contents, and supporting materials required for any waiver request. Waiver requests are
subject to public comment periods of no less than 15 days and must be reviewed by the
Made in America Office. There may be instances where an award qualifies, in whole or in
part, for an existing waiver described at whitehouse.gov/omb/management/made-in-
america.
DEFINITIONS. “Construction materials” includes an article, material, or supply—other than
an item of primarily iron or steel; a manufactured product; cement and cementitious
materials; aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel; or aggregate binding agents or
additives2 —that is or consists primarily of: non-ferrous metals; plastic and polymer-based
products (including polyvinylchloride, composite building materials, and polymers used in
fiber optic cables); glass (including optic glass); lumber; or drywall. “Domestic content
procurement preference’’ means all iron and steel used in the project are produced in the
United States; the manufactured products used in the project are produced in the United
States; or the construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States.
“Infrastructure” includes, at a minimum, the structures, facilities, and equipment for, in the
United States, roads, highways, and bridges; public transportation; dams, ports, harbors,
and other maritime facilities; intercity passenger and freight railroads; freight and
intermodal facilities; airports; water systems, including drinking water and wastewater
systems; electrical transmission facilities and systems; utilities; broadband infrastructure;
and buildings and real property. Infrastructure includes facilities that generate, transport,
and distribute energy. ‘‘Project’’ means the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair
of infrastructure in the United States. -- 1 Excludes cement and cementitious materials,
aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel, or aggregate binding agents or additives. 2 IIJA, §
70917(c)(1).
1. Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register notice of December 30, 2014
(79 FR 78390) are applicable to this solicitation and may be accessed online at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/12/30/2014-30297/department-of-
commerce-pre-award-notification-requirements-for-grants-and-cooperative-
agreements.
1. Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements
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The Department of Commerce adopted Uniform Administrative Requirements
(through 2 C.F.R. § 1327.101), Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, which apply to awards in this program.
Refer to https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl
1. Department of Commerce Standard Terms and Conditions
Successful applicants who accept a NOAA award under this solicitation will be bound by
Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions. This
document will be provided in the award package and Notice of Award in eRA system.
This document can be found at https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
11/DOC%20Standard%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20-
%2012%20November%202020%20PDF_0.pdf
Any amended versions that may arise may be found at
https://www.commerce.gov/oam/policy/financial-assistance-policy.
In addition, NOAA Administrative Terms will apply to any award. A Terms that applied
to previous NOAA awards are found at
https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/document/2021/Mar/Administrative%20
Standard%20Award%20Conditions%20for%20NOAA%20Financial%20Assistance%20A
wards%2002.18.2021.pdf..
NOAA may add Specific Award Conditions particular to an individual award.
1. Federal-wide Research Terms and Conditions
For awards designated on the CD-450 award cover sheet as Research, the Department
of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions and the Federal-
Wide Research Terms and Conditions as implemented by the Department of Commerce,
currently at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp both apply to the award. The
Commerce Terms and the Research Terms are generally intended to harmonize with
each other; however, where the Commerce Terms and the Research Terms differ in a
Research award, the Research Terms prevail, unless otherwise indicated in a Specific
Award Condition.
1. Limitation of Liability
Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the availability of
appropriations. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds may not have been
appropriated yet for the programs listed in this Notice. NOAA or the Department of
Commerce will not be responsible for direct costs of application preparation.
Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or
to obligate any available funds.
1. National Environmental policy Act (NEPA)
NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required by the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects or applications which are seeking
NOAA federal funding opportunities. Detailed information on NOAA compliance with
NEPA can be found at the following NOAA NEPA website: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/,
including our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA,
http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality
implementation regulations, https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq.
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Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under their description of their
program activities, applicants are required to provide detailed information on the
activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and
disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non- indigenous species,
impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to
coral reef systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve as the
basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA
in drafting an environmental assessment, if NOAA determines an assessment is required.
Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures
to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their application.
Failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In some cases, if
additional information is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld
by the Grants Officer under a specific award condition requiring the recipient to submit
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an
assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the environment. Applicants may
be asked to respond to questions in a NOAA questionnaire,
https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/NOAA-Grants-Questionnaire-final.pdf, or
a successor form, if relevant to the application.
1. Review of Risk
After applications are proposed for funding by the Selecting Official, the Grants
Management Division will perform administrative reviews, including an assessment of
risk posed by the applicant under 2 C.F.R. 200.205. These may include assessments of
the financial stability of an applicant and the quality of the applicant’s management
systems, history of performance, and the applicant’s ability to effectively implement
statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities. Specific
conditions that address any risks determined to exist may be applied. Applicants may
submit comments to the Responsibility/Qualification section of SAM.gov entity
information about any information included in the system about their organization for
consideration by the awarding agency.
1. Data Sharing Plan
2. Environmental data and information collected or created under NOAA grants or
cooperative agreements must be made discoverable by and accessible to the general
public, in a timely fashion (typically within two years), free of charge or at no more
than the cost of reproduction, unless an exemption is granted by
the NOAA Program.
Data should be available in at least one machine-readable format, preferably a
widely-used or open-standard format, and should also be accompanied by machine-
readable documentation (metadata), preferably based on widely used or
international standards.
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1. Applications submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data
Management Plan of up to two pages describing how these requirements will be
satisfied. The Data Management Plan should be aligned with the Data Management
Guidance provided by NOAA in the Announcement. The contents of the Data
Management Plan (or absence thereof), and past performance regarding such plans,
will be considered as part of application review. A typical plan should include
descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be
created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be
shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for
providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior
experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation,
accessibility, or archiving may be included in the application budget unless otherwise
stated in the Guidance. Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers
for Environmental Information (NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements;
however, NCEI is not obligated to accept all submissions and may charge a fee,
particularly for large or unusual datasets.
2. NOAA may, at its own discretion, make publicly visible the Data Management Plan
from funded applications, or use information from the Data Management Plan to
produce a formal metadata record and include that metadata in a Catalog to indicate
the pending availability of new data.
3. Application submitters are hereby advised that the final pre-publication manuscripts
of scholarly articles produced entirely or primarily with NOAA funding will be required
to be submitted to NOAA Institutional Repository after acceptance, and no later than
upon publication. Such manuscripts shall be made publicly available by NOAA one
year after publication by the journal.
C. Reporting
In accordance with 2 CFR 200.328-9 and the terms and conditions of the award, financial
reports are to be submitted semi-annually and performance (technical) reports are to be
submitted semi-annually. Reports are submitted electronically through eRA.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, includes a
requirement for awardees of applicable Federal grants to report information about first-tier
subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards. All awardees of
applicable grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the FFATA Subaward
Reporting System (FSRS) available at https://www.fsrs.gov/ on all subawards over $30,000.
Refer to 2 CFR Part 170.
Financial reports are to be submitted to the NOAA Grants Officer identified in the award
and performance (technical) reports are to be submitted to the Program Officer. Unless
otherwise specified by terms of the award, program and financial reports are to be
submitted semi-annually.
Program reports should include progress on identified milestones. Unless otherwise
specified by the terms of the award, reports must be submitted electronically through
eRA Commons
(https://public.era.nih.gov/commonsplus/public/login.era?TARGET=https%3A%2F%2Fpubli
c.era.nih.gov%3A443%2Fcommons).
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, includes a
requirement for awardees of applicable Federal grants to report information about first-
tier sub awards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards. All
awardees of applicable grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the
Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at https://www.fsrs.gov/ on all sub-
awards over $25,000. Refer to 2 CFR Parts 170.
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VII. Agency Contacts
Each NOAA Line Office that supports financial assistance has a separate BAA found in
Grants.gov, so applicants must submit their application to the BAA for the Line Office that
best fits their application. A description of NOAA Line Offices is found at
https://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/public/lineoffices.html. If you submit the same
application to more than one Line Office, please state this in your application. Contact
officials for each Line Office is listed below.
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Jeffrey Kulnis
jeffrey.kulnis@noaa.gov
(301) 427-8771
SSMC3 Rm: 14358
1315 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282
National Ocean Service (NOS)
Kadija Baffoe-Harding
kadija.baffoeharding@noaa.gov
240-533-0955
SSMC4 Rm: 13250
1305 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring MD 20910-3281
National Weather Service (NWS)
Jennifer Peisach
Jennifer.Peisach@noaa.gov
1325 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283
Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR)
Melissa Dixion melissa.dixon@noaa.gov
302-648-6106
SSMC3 Rm: 11640
1315 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring MD 20910-3282
NOAA Office of Education (OED)
John McLaughlin
John.McLaughlin@noaa.gov
202-743-0854
SSMC3, Room 10812 1315 East West Highway,
Silver Spring, Md. 20910
National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service (NESDIS)
Douglas Howard
douglas.howard@noaa.gov
(240) 233-6828
Bldg. NCWCP 5830 University Research Ct, Ste 2600
College Park, MD 20740
VIII. Other Information
Information Audit Costs
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Audits shall be performed in accordance with audit requirements contained in the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements found in 2 CFR part
200, Subsection F. Recipients expending $750,000 or more in Federal funds during the
recipient’s fiscal year must conduct a single audit in accordance with guidelines outlined in
2 CFR §§200.500-.520. For-profit organizations not covered by the audit requirements in 2
CFR §§200.500-.520 are subject to the audit requirements set forth in the terms and
conditions of the award. Recipients that expend less than
$750,000 during the recipient’s fiscal year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal
audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR §200.503, but records must be
available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass- through
entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). Applicants are also reminded that
other audits may be conducted by the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector
General and by other authorized Federal agencies.
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