Ocean and Coastal Mapping Center 2026

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 .......................................................................................................................................4
III. Eligibility Information ..................................................................................................................................5
IV. Application and Submission Information ..................................................................................................5
V. Application Review Information ................................................................................................................14
VI. Award Administration Information ..........................................................................................................16
VII. Agency Contacts ......................................................................................................................................22
VIII. Other Information ...................................................................................................................................22
Executive Summary
Federal Agency Name
NOS Office of Coast Survey (OCS)
Funding Opportunity Title
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Center 2026
Announcement Type
Competitive
Funding Opportunity Number
NOAA-NOS-OCS-2025-30563
Assistance Listing Number(s)
11.402
Dates
Deadline: Full proposals must be received by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 11, 2026.
Period of Performance: Projects should have a start date no earlier than October 1, 2026, and an end date
of no later than September 30, 2031.
Registration Requirements
We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to begin required registrations as early as possible.
Completing the required registrations can take six weeks or longer. Submission due dates will not be
extended because of registration delays. Submissions received after the due date will be considered late
and will not be accepted.
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 listed in
Section VII for submission instructions.
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Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section 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.
Submission Validation
When you submit an application to this competition you will receive notification of submission validation
from Grants.gov and eRA Commons. Only validated applications are sent to NOAA to review. To ensure
successful submission of an application, we strongly recommend that you submit a final and complete
application at least three business days prior to the submission deadline.
In addition to the Grants.gov automated notification messages, once an electronic application is
accepted in eRA Commons, you will receive an automated notification from eRA Commons that the
completed application was received and that an application number will be assigned. If there are errors in
the application, eRA Commons will send an automated email notification(s) of any errors or warnings
identified by eRA Commons. You must resolve all eRA Commons errors prior to the application due date
in order for the application to be processed.
You should save and print the proof of submission messages from both Grants.gov and eRA Commons.
If you do not receive an acceptance message from both Grants.gov and eRA Commons, you should
follow up with the eRA Helpdesk at 1-866-504-9552 and the agency contact listed in Section VII to
confirm NOAA’s receipt of the complete submission. See Section IV(G) for detailed instructions on
submission validation requirements.
Funding Opportunity Description
The purpose of this notice is to solicit proposals for a single cooperative agreement between NOAA and
an institution of higher learning as authorized in the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act and the
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement should
advance the purposes of the Acts by addressing the Program Priorities described in this announcement.
A key objective of this opportunity is to advance the nation’s capacity for modern ocean and coastal
mapping through the development, integration, and operational transition of innovative technologies and
workflows. This program prioritizes the expansion of hydrographic and cartographic data accessibility,
interoperability, and usability, while enhancing efficiency across acquisition, processing, and product
delivery.
This will be a 5-year, multiyear award. The intent is to make a single 5-year award. Total anticipated
funding for this award is approximately $8,500,000.00, with approximately $1,600,000.00 to be released in
FY 2026 and each subsequent year of the 5 years.
This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-NOS-OCS-2025-30563
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Program Objective
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Through the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, the United States Congress has authorized the
creation, support, and maintenance of such joint centers as the Administrator of NOAA deems
appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes of the Act. The Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Integration Act also authorized NOAA to operate up to three joint ocean and coastal mapping centers,
which may be co-located with an institution of higher education as authorized by the Omnibus Public
Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11). These joint ocean and coastal mapping centers
serve as the primary ocean and coastal mapping centers of excellence for the nation. The purpose of this
notice is to solicit proposals for a cooperative agreement between NOAA and an institution of higher
education to operate hydrographic centers of excellence authorized in the Ocean and Coastal Mapping
Integration Act and the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act. Proposals submitted in response to this
announcement should advance the purposes of the Acts by addressing the Program Priorities described
in this announcement.
B. Program Priorities
Expand Hydrographic Data Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (Acquisition and Processing
Throughput)
1. Advancement in the integration and concurrent operation of multiple sensor technologies and
operational platforms (e.g. crewed, uncrewed) to improve operational efficiency and maximize
cross-sector collaboration and data usability in nearshore, coastal environments.
2. Development of automated hydrographic data processing and qualification software for both
acoustic and non-acoustic (e.g. satellite derived bathymetry, wave kinematic bathymetry)
bathymetry data, including the approximation of measurement uncertainty.
3. Advancement in scalable remote and/or cloud-based processing of hydrographic data, including
optimization of data storage, computational efficiency, and accessibility.
Advance Cartographic Data Application
1. Development of automated workflows to ingest, process, and qualify geospatial data to support
cartographic representation of marine navigation products. Advancement of cartographic
algorithms to automatically symbolize cartographic features, such as depth areas, depth
contours, and coastal features.
2. Advancements in the integration of the S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model, including
automated data conversion tools to migrate existing S-57 datasets into the S-101 format and
interoperability and visualization of S-100 datasets (e.g., S-101, S-102, S-104, S-111).
3. Engagement with the maritime community to seek feedback and improve visualization of the S
100 product suite. Host workshops and training seminars to improve understanding of S-100
specifications, benefits, and functionalities.
Prioritize Coastal and Marine Data Management, Integration, and Distribution
1. Enhance data management, archiving, and distribution in alignment with NOAA and NOS
enterprise frameworks, ensuring interoperability with national registries and databases.
2. Advance collaborative frameworks to integrate computational mesh and model capabilities into
NOS national-scale coastal and ocean modeling infrastructures, with emphasis on scalable
unstructured mesh systems and coupled atmosphere–ocean–land–ice framework.
3. Incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance assimilation workflows,
accelerate forecast delivery, and expand predictive skill in National Ocean Service selected
operational models (ADCIRC and/or SCHISM).
4. Pursue incorporation of machine learning and AI to expand data assimilation and improve
model accuracy and computational efficiency in support of safe and efficient navigation and
disaster mitigation.
5. Development, maintenance, and delivery of curricula and short courses in hydrographic and
ocean mapping science and engineering at the workforce training level.
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6. Effective delivery of research and development results through direct and indirect mechanisms,
including partnerships with public and private entities, commercialization, licensing
arrangements, and open-source repositories.
Framework
The single selected proposal, written as a cooperative agreement, will:
A. Support the objectives and priorities outlined in this announcement to improve the technology and
practice of hydrographic surveying and coastal and ocean mapping in the United States.
B. Provide for onsite presence of a NOAA co-director and designate a university co-director and indicate
the availability of suitable space for the co-location of up to 14 NOAA employees, including the NOAA co-
director. (Payment by NOAA for employee space will be through separate agreement.)
C. Document a robust data management and sharing plan in compliance with section VI.B.
D. Demonstrate the availability of suitable support facilities and infrastructure, including:
• Office and research space and facilities
• Suitably outfitted and staffed vessel(s) for hydrographic and ocean mapping research,
development, and education
• Educational infrastructure and space
• Information technology (IT) infrastructure
• Ocean mapping technology laboratory facilities and infrastructure
• Pier and waterfront facilities for berthing and supporting multiple survey vessels, including
government-owned and operated vessels. (Payment by NOAA for government-owned vessel
berthing space will be through separate agreement.)
C. Program Authority
Statutory authority for this program is provided under 33 U.S.C. 883a and 883d.
II. Award Information
A. Funding Availability
Subject to the availability of funding, this announcement describes how eligible applicants should apply
for the Ocean and Coastal Mapping Center 2026 award.
This will be a 5-year, multiyear award. The intent is to make a single 5-year award. Total anticipated
funding for this award is approximately $8,500,000, with approximately $1,600,000 to be released in FY
2026 and each subsequent year of the 5 years.
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.
If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA
official, they do so at their own risk of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. In no event
will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for any proposal preparation costs. Recipients
and sub-recipients are subject to all Federal laws and agency policies, regulations, and procedures
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
B. Project/Award Period
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This is a multi-year funding opportunity. Proposals should request funding for five years. This multi-year
award may be funded incrementally on an annual basis, but once the cooperative agreement is awarded,
the recipient will not compete for funding in the subsequent four years.
When the successful multi-year proposal is approved, funding initially will be provided for only the first
year of the program. The Project start date should be no earlier than October 1, 2026, and no later than
July 1, 2027. Funding in years two, three, four, and five is contingent upon availability of funds from
Congress, satisfactory performance, and is at the sole discretion of the agency.
C. Type of Funding Instrument
This funding instrument is a cooperative agreement to an eligible institute of higher education. A
cooperative agreement is used when substantial involvement of the federal government during
performance of the proposed work is anticipated. Some examples of NOAA substantial involvement
include but are not limited to the presence of a NOAA Co-Director for coordination with NOAA, federal
research collaboration, co-location of federal employees and vessels, federal participation in educational
activities, and joint use of federal vessels and equipment.
The proposal should clearly identify this funding instrument in the proposal abstract and cover sheet.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher education in the United States.
To be eligible to apply or receive an award, applicant organizations must complete and maintain three
registrations; SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. For each, the complete registration process can
take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants must begin this activity as soon as possible and well before the proposal
due date. For more information on how to meet these registration and application submission
requirements without errors, we advise all to carefully review relevant Applicant and Grantee Training
modules: https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training. Additionally,
we advise that all carefully read ‘Additional Application Package Forms’ within the ‘Full Proposal Required
Elements’ section below.
B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement
No cost sharing is required or desired under this program. Applicant resource commitment will, however,
be considered in the competitive selection process. Refer to Part V, Section A, (Overall Qualifications of
Applicant) for further information.
C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility
Federal agencies are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address to Request Application Package
Application packages are available online and can be downloaded from www.grants.gov under
opportunity NOAA-NOS-OCS-2025-30563. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet,
please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII for submission instructions.
B. Content and Form of Application
This section provides an overview of these required proposal elements (and where to locate them).
Applications must adhere to the provisions under "Required Elements" below. Failure to adhere to these
provisions may result in a delay in award processing or rejection of the application, based on the extent of
the noncompliance.
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The submitting applicant must redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the application
materials prior to final submission to grants.gov. PII that must be redacted from the application includes,
but is not limited to, social security number, date of birth, student identification number (from transcripts)
or other information which if lost, compromised, or disclosed without authorization, could result in harm,
embarrassment, inconvenience, or unfairness to an individual.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This proposal package will be using a different set of forms than the standard forms
used for previous Ocean and Coastal Mapping Centers proposals. Instead of the “SF424 NOAA Standard
Non-Construction Application Package” of forms, this application will include the “SF424 NOAA Research
& Related (R&R) Forms Package.” While many of the forms may be familiar, please pay special attention
to the headings and instructions in this section.
Prior to submission, carefully review the PDF Guidelines for submission found here:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm.
Recent applicants have encountered rejected applications for formatting issues, especially:
• All attachments must be in PDF form.
• Do not use “bundling” or “portfolio” features to combine PDFs into a single document. Everything
must be visible in the PDF.
• Descriptive filenames may only be 50 characters or less (including spaces).
• Keep attachment file size to 100 MB or less.
• eRA won’t accept any pages larger than the U.S. standard letter paper size (8.5” x 11”).
We strongly recommend that applicants attempt to submit their full proposals at least a few days prior to
the due date in case these or other issues impact your submission, as they are not reasons we can extend
the deadline. If you have issues during the submission process, please contact the eRA Service Desk.
Required Elements:
Applications must include the following elements. Failure to adhere to these provisions may result in a
delay in award processing or rejection of the application, based on the extent of the noncompliance.
Full Proposal Required Elements
1. Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
This form must be completed and include a profile for the Principal Investigator and any co-PI(s).
CVs and RELEVANT Current and Pending Support for each person’s profile will also be attached
to this form. 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. eRA Commons registration can take 2-3 weeks to be approved, so it is
encouraged to start the registration process as soon as possible. NOAA is not involved with eRA
registration.
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.
2. Research and Related Budget Form
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The Research and Related Budget is a single form that will need to be completed covering the
entire award by budget period following the instructions from Grants.gov. At the end of the
Research and Related Budget form, “Section L” provides space for one attachment titled, “Budget
Justification.” The budget narrative for the project must be attached there. The budget narrative
should explain the budget items by object class category (both federal and non-federal/match) in
sufficient detail to enable review of the appropriateness of the funding requested. Additional
budget narrative guidance can be found at: NOAA Grants Management Division's Budget
Narrative Guidance
Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials
Buy America Preference. Recipients of an award of Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Commerce (Department) for a program for infrastructure are hereby notified that none of the funds
provided under this award may be used for an infrastructure project 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 that meets or exceeds this standard has been established under applicable law
or regulation for determining the minimum amount of domestic content of the manufactured
product; and
3. All construction materials are manufactured in the United States – this means that all
manufacturing processes for the construction material occurred in the United States. The
construction materials standards are listed below.
Incorporation into an infrastructure project. 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.
Categorization of articles, materials, and supplies. An article, material, or supply should only be
classified into one of the following categories: (i) Iron or steel products; (ii) Manufactured products;
(iii) Construction materials; or (iv) Section 70917(c) materials. An article, material, or supply should
not be considered to fall into multiple categories. In some cases, an article, material, or supply may
not fall under any of the categories listed in this paragraph. The classification of an article, material,
or supply as falling into one of the categories listed in this paragraph must be made based on its
status at the time it is brought to the work site for incorporation into an infrastructure project. In
general, the work site is the location of the infrastructure project at which the iron, steel,
manufactured products, and construction materials will be incorporated.
Application of the Buy America Preference by category. An article, material, or supply incorporated into
an infrastructure project must meet the Buy America Preference for only the single category in which
it is classified.
Determining the cost of components for manufactured products. In determining whether the cost of
components for manufactured products is greater than 55 percent of the total cost of all
components, use the following instructions:
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1. For components purchased by the manufacturer, the acquisition cost, including transportation
costs to the place of incorporation into the manufactured product (whether or not such costs are
paid to a domestic firm), and any applicable duty (whether or not a duty-free entry certificate is
issued); or
2. For components manufactured by the manufacturer, all costs associated with the manufacture of
the component, including transportation costs as described in paragraph (a), plus allocable
overhead costs, but excluding profit. Cost of components does not include any costs associated
with the manufacture of the manufactured product.
Construction material standards. The Buy America Preference applies to the following construction
materials incorporated into infrastructure projects. Each construction material is followed by a
standard for the material to be considered “produced in the United States.” Except as specifically
provided, only a single standard should be applied to a single construction material.
1. Non-ferrous metals. All manufacturing processes, from initial smelting or melting through final
shaping, coating, and assembly, occurred in the United States.
2. Plastic and polymer-based products. All manufacturing processes, from initial combination of
constituent plastic or polymer-based inputs, or, where applicable, constituent composite
materials, until the item is in its final form, occurred in the United States.
3. Glass. All manufacturing processes, from initial batching and melting of raw materials through
annealing, cooling, and cutting, occurred in the United States.
4. Fiber optic cable (including drop cable). All manufacturing processes, from the initial ribboning (if
applicable), through buffering, fiber stranding and jacketing, occurred in the United States. All
manufacturing processes also include the standards for glass and optical fiber, but not for non-
ferrous metals, plastic and polymer-based products, or any others.
5. Optical fiber. All manufacturing processes, from the initial preform fabrication stage through the
completion of the draw, occurred in the United States.
6. Lumber. All manufacturing processes, from initial debarking through treatment and planing,
occurred in the United States.
7. Drywall. All manufacturing processes, from initial blending of mined or synthetic gypsum plaster
and additives through cutting and drying of sandwiched panels, occurred in the United States.
8. Engineered wood. All manufacturing processes from the initial combination of constituent
materials until the wood product is in its final form, occurred in the United States.
Waivers
When necessary, recipients may apply for, and the Department may grant, a waiver from these
requirements.
To help federal agencies and recipients meet BABA requirements, the U.S. Department of Commerce,
National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (MEP) National Network™ provides a service to connect stakeholders, including
recipients, to U.S. manufacturers that have relevant production capabilities and capacities to help
fulfill current market and supply chain needs. Recipients considering a BABA nonavailability waiver
are strongly encouraged to contact the NIST/MEP for assistance with supplier scouting services prior
to seeking a BABA nonavailability waiver. Further information on the NIST/MEP supplier scouting
services is available at: https://nist.gov/mep/supply-chain/supplier-scouting.
When the Department has made a determination that one of the following exceptions applies, the
awarding official may waive the application of the Buy America Preference in any case in which the
Department determines that:
1. Applying the Buy America Preference would be inconsistent with the public interest (public
interest waiver);
2. 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
(nonavailability waiver); or
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3. 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 (unreasonable
cost waiver).
A request to waive the application of the Buy America Preference must be in writing. The Department
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
on the Department’s Build America, Buy America website found at
https://www.commerce.gov/oam/build-america-buy-america.
Definitions
“Buy America Preference” means the “domestic content procurement preference” set forth in section
70914 of the Build America, Buy America Act, which requires the head of each Federal agency to
ensure that none of the funds made available for a Federal award for an infrastructure project may be
obligated unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials
incorporated into the project are produced in the United States.
“Construction materials” means articles, materials, or supplies that consist of only one of the items
listed in paragraph (1) of this definition, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition. To the
extent one of the items listed in paragraph (1) contains as inputs other items listed in paragraph (1), it
is nonetheless a construction material.
1. The listed items are:
• Non-ferrous metals;
• Plastic and polymer-based products (including polyvinylchloride, composite building materials,
and polymers used in fiber optic cables);
• Glass (including optic glass);
• Fiber optic cable (including drop cable);
• Optical fiber;
• Lumber;
• Engineered wood; and
• Drywall.
2. Minor additions of articles, materials, supplies, or binding agents to a construction material do not
change the categorization of the construction material.
“Infrastructure” means public infrastructure projects in the United States, which includes, at a
minimum, the structures, facilities, and equipment for 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; and structures, facilities, and equipment that generate,
transport, and distribute energy including electric vehicle (EV) charging.
“Infrastructure project” means any activity related to the construction, alteration, maintenance, or
repair of infrastructure in the United States regardless of whether infrastructure is the primary
purpose of the project. See also paragraphs (c) and (d) of 2 CFR 184.4.
“Iron or steel products” means articles, materials, or supplies that consist wholly or predominantly of
iron or steel or a combination of both.
“Manufactured products” means:
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1. Articles, materials, or supplies that have been:
a. Processed into a specific form and shape; or
b. Combined with other articles, materials, or supplies to create a product with different properties
than the individual articles, materials, or supplies.
2. If an item is classified as an iron or steel product, a construction material, or a Section 70917(c)
material under 2 CFR 184.4(e) and the definitions set forth in 2 CFR 184.3, then it is not a
manufactured product. However, an article, material, or supply classified as a manufactured product
under 2 CFR 184.4(e) and paragraph (1) of this definition may include components that are
construction materials, iron or steel products, or Section 70917(c) materials.
“Predominantly of iron or steel or a combination of both” means that the cost of the iron and steel
content exceeds 50 percent of the total cost of all its components. The cost of iron and steel is the
cost of the iron or steel mill products (such as bar, billet, slab, wire, plate, or sheet), castings, or
forgings utilized in the manufacture of the product and a good faith estimate of the cost of iron or
steel components.
“Section 70917(c) materials” means cement and cementitious materials; aggregates such as stone,
sand, or gravel; or aggregate binding agents or additives. See Section 70917(c) of the Build America,
Buy America Act.
IMPLEMENTATION OF DOMESTIC SOURCING REQUIREMENT
Prior to initiation of any construction that may arise in this award, the Recipient is required to inform
the NOAA Grants Officer and the Federal Program Officer whether it is using iron, steel, manufactured
products, or construction materials as described in the Specific Award Condition in this award on
Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials. In
addition, the Recipient is required to inform the NOAA Grants Officer and the Federal Program Officer
whether those materials are produced or manufactured in the United States, or alternatively, it is
requesting one or more waivers, as described in the award condition. The Recipient is required to
coordinate with NOAA regarding its compliance with this Term.
3. Research & Related Other Project Information Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
This form must be completed for the application and should also be used to attach the Project
Abstract, the Project Narrative, Bibliography & References Cited (if applicable), and any other relevant
forms or information as applicable. See form-specific instructions available on Grants.gov for
additional instructions as needed.
a. Project Summary/Abstract Attachment
Using 4,000 characters or less, the Project Abstract should provide an overview of the
application. Ensure the Project Abstract succinctly describes the project in plain language that
the public can understand and use without the full proposal. It should be a self-contained
description of the application and should contain a general statement of objectives and methods
to be employed. It should be informative for other people working in the same or related fields
and understandable to a technically literate lay reader. Do not include personally identifiable,
sensitive or proprietary/confidential information. This project abstract information (as submitted)
will be made available on public websites and/or databases including USAspending.gov.
Project Abstract Elements:
• Use the following format:
o Purpose:
o Activities to be performed:
o Expected Outcomes:
o Intended Beneficiaries:
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o Subrecipient Activities:
• Keep it short. In most cases, each element above should be a couple of sentences to a paragraph
in length.
• DO NOT repeat the Proposal Title. The Proposal Title is always presented with the Project
Description, so including it in the abstract is not necessary.
• Include a clear description regarding the purpose of the project. Characteristics of strong
abstracts include a plain language description of the purpose for the project (which may include
specific performance goals, indicators, milestones, or expected outcomes of the project),
activities to be performed, deliverables and expected outcomes, intended beneficiary or recipient.
• Keep it simple. Do not use abbreviations, acronyms, technical terminology, or agency-specific
terms. The intended audience is Congress and the public, not specific interested parties and/or
federal employees. The education level of the reader should be assumed to be the fifth grade of
elementary school. Even those who are highly educated will appreciate a simply written
document.
b. Project Narrative Attachment
The total number of pages in the project narrative should not exceed 70 pages (single-spaced,
11- or 12-point font) excluding the cover page, a table of contents and the project abstract noted
above. Applicants do not need to use the entire 70-page maximum. Depending on the proposed
activities, a shorter description may suffice. Any works cited, CVs, letters of support, current and
pending support, and NEPA Questionnaire sections included do not contribute to the 70-page
limit.
Project Narrative Elements:
• Cover page(s) (does not count towards page limit)
o Project title, recipient institution, and names, titles, affiliations, and contact information
(email and phone) of PIs, co-PIs, and Financial Representative
o Project start and end dates,
o Budget overview - Total cost of requested funding by partner and proposed funding for
each year.
o Brief project summary including primary objectives and intended benefits
• Project Introduction.
• Background. Provide sufficient background information for NOAA and/or non-NOAA reviewers to
independently assess the relevance of the proposed effort. Summarize the problem(s) to be
addressed and the status of ongoing efforts to address the identified needs. Summarize the
relationship of the proposed work to previous efforts and to NOAA hydrographic and ocean
mapping missions.
• Personnel. List the program personnel and briefly relate their background to their role in the
proposed effort.
• Equipment and Facilities. Describe the equipment and facilities available for carrying out the
proposed work.
• Project Objectives. Provide a list of clearly defined objectives. For each objective, provide a
concise statement explaining how it is aligned with the goals and priorities of this funding
opportunity.
• Proposed Effort. Formulation of the proposed effort into subject area themes is encouraged. For
each theme or work area, describe the research and development or outreach/education efforts
to be carried out, and the approach to the effort. List the key investigators, partners and staff,
describe their roles, and explain how this project leverages their expertise.
• Anticipated Outcomes, Deliverables, and Benefits.
• Project Timeline. Provide a timeline for accomplishing the proposed work, which covers the entire
duration of the project. Include approximate dates for key milestones related to the proposed
work, including the accomplishment of anticipated outcomes and release of deliverables.
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• Applicants submitting proposals that involve the use of human test subjects should state so
clearly in their application. These proposed research activities require approval of the applicant’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) before such research can proceed. Applicants are responsible for
obtaining IRB approval from their institution and providing that documentation to NOAA once the
approval is obtained and prior to any NOAA-funded human subject testing. Proposals intending to
use human test subjects should specify clearly in the timeline approximately when IRB approval
will be obtained and when the testing is expected to occur.
• Letters of Support (if included, does not count towards page limit). All letters of support should
be included here.
• Current and Pending Support (if included, does not count towards page limit). Describe any
current or pending sources of support if applicable.
c. Bibliography & References Cited Attachment (if applicable) (does not count toward the 70-
page limit)
If applicable, provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Project Narrative. Each
reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in
the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of
publication. Include only bibliographic citations. Applicants should be especially careful to follow
scholarly practices in providing citations for source materials relied upon when preparing any
section of the application.
d. Resumes (does not count toward the 70-page limit)
Provide curriculum vitae (CV) for the PI and any Co-PI, and abbreviated CVs for other key
personnel critical to the success of the project. CVs should address qualifications relevant to
conducting the proposed work. For other than the PI and Co-PIs, publication, presentation, and
cruise listings should be limited to those in the last five years with up to five other relevant
publications.
4. Additional Application Package Forms
In addition to the forms required above, standard federal forms and assurances are required and
can be found with the application package on Grants.gov. These include:
a. SF-424 R&R Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
This form, titled “Application for Federal Assistance,” must identify the entire funding
period, as well as the federal funding amount being requested by the applicant and any
non-federal matching fund amount. The form must be completed with the institution’s
accurate EIN and DUNS and point of contact, and signed by the institution’s authorized
representative or designee. Total federal and non-federal amounts listed in the SF-424
R&R, the Cumulative Budget of the Research and Related Budget form, and budget
narrative must be the same.
Applicants will be required to enter their organization’s Congressional District in the
SF424 R&R form. For tips on finding and entering your Congressional District correctly,
please review the information found here:
https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/how-to-find-your-congressional-
district-for-the-sf-424-form/
The form, titled “Assurances – Non-Construction Programs,” must be completed and
signed by the institution's authorized representative or designee.
b. SF-424A Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs
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The form, titled “Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs,” must be completed
and signed by the institution's authorized representative or designee. When applying for a
multi-year award (2 to 5 years), the non-Federal entity must submit a line item budget (SF-
424A) and corresponding budget narrative for each of the finding periods anticipated.
c. SF-424B Assurances (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0007)
The form, titled “Assurances – Non-Construction Programs,” must be completed and
signed by the institution's authorized representative or designee.
d. CD-511 (Grants.gov, US DOC)
The form, titled “Certification Regarding Lobbying,” must be completed and signed by the
institution’s authorized representative or designee.
e. SF-LLL (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 0348-0046) - optional form, include if appropriate
This form, titled “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” is an optional form and should be
included if appropriate. If included, it must be completed and signed by the institution’s
authorized representative or designee.
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.
Environmental Compliance Questionnaire for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Notice of
Federal Funding Opportunity Applicants (OMB Approval Number: 0648-0538 Expiration Date: 11/30/2024)
is found at National Environmental Policy Act | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Applicants are required to complete part of the questionnaire. Answer all questions except
Numbers 12 and 15 through 45. Applicants should answer the NEPA questions to the best of
their ability in as much detail as possible. Some questions may be answered with “not applicable”
if that is the case. If full details are not available, particularly for year 2 to 5 activities, provide as
much detail as practicable. Copies of all permits required for project activities should be included
with the application materials. If a permit is pending or planned, please provide this information.
C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from
those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding
agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;
(ii) Provide a valid unique entity identifier (UEI) in its 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 a Federal awarding agency. NOAA may not make a Federal
award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM
requirements and, 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.
D. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 11, 2026.
Please note: validation or rejection of an application by Grants.gov may take up to two business days
after submission. Eligible applicants should consider this process in developing their submission
timeline. For eligible applications submitted through Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is
included and will be the basis of determining timeliness.
E. Intergovernmental Review
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Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.”
F. Funding Restrictions
N/A
G. Other Submission Requirements
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or
receive an award. These registrations includeSAM.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 listed in
Section VII for submission instructions.
Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section 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.
The first PD/PI listed on the application must include their eRA Commons ID in the"Credential, e.g. agency
login" Applicant Identifier field on the SF424 form.Failure to register in the Commons and to include a
valid PD/PI Commons ID in the Applicant Identifier field will prevent the successful submission of an
electronic application.
After submission to Grants.gov, the PI listed on the application will receive an email notification from the
eRA email address era-notify@mail.nih.gov. This email will either confirm a successful submission to eRA
or list errors and warnings associated with the application. Errors must be addressed, the application
resubmitted via Grants.gov, and an email received by the listed PI indicating a successful submission to
eRA for an application to be successfully received by NOAA.
H. Address for Submitting Proposals
Submit applications to Grants.gov
V. Application Review Information
1. Importance/relevance and applicability Maximum Points: 10
of proposed projects to transition from
Research to Operations
For this opportunity, this criterion includes how well the proposed research and education focus on the
stated program goals; capabilities; and how well the proposed research work demonstrates a successful
transition from research to operations.
2. Technical/scientific merit Maximum Points: 30
For this opportunity, this criterion includes the degree to which the approach is appropriate for the stated
goals and objectives; how well the approach builds upon the most relevant and current scientific,
engineering, and/or technical advancements in the fields of hydrography, ocean mapping, digital
navigation services, and coastal ocean modeling; the presence of innovative approaches in the proposal.
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3. Overall qualifications of applicants Maximum Points: 25
For this opportunity, this criterion includes how well the proposal demonstrates institutional support for
both the research and development effort and the educational aspects of program; how well-qualified the
investigators are for the proposed work; the degree to which the organizational framework is appropriate
to conduct a project of the nature and scope proposed; the suitability of office, laboratory,
communications, waterfront and vessel facilities and infrastructure; the provision for co-location of NOAA
employees and vessels; and that a capable and mature IT infrastructure, including data management,
data storage, cloud access, security, and physical plant is in place.
4. Project costs Maximum Points: 20
For this opportunity, this criterion includes whether the budget is commensurate with project needs and if
the cost effectiveness of the project is optimized through effective partnerships with collaborating
institutions, agencies, and/or private sector partners.
5. Broader Impacts and Outreach Maximum Points: 15
For this opportunity, this criterion includes the project's potential to benefit the broader community,
including its contribution to resource management, public safety, education, and the development of the
"blue economy."
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation criteria for this opportunity are described in the table above.
Review and Selection Process
Once a full proposal application has been received by NOAA, an initial administrative review is conducted
to determine compliance with requirements and completeness of the application. Applications that are
missing required elements listed in Section IV. B. above, or applications coming from ineligible applicants,
may be rejected without further review. NOAA in its sole discretion may continue review of applications
with minor deficiencies that may be easily rectified or cured.
Applications that pass the administrative review will be reviewed by three or more independent reviewers
drawn from experts in a range of disciplines that are relevant to the applications. Each proposal will
receive at least three written reviews from the reviewers assessing its merits with regard to the evaluation
criteria. These reviews will be averaged to produce a rank order. The selecting official shall recommend
awarding in the rank order unless the application is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon
any of the selection factors provided in Section V.C. The selecting official shall make final
recommendations for awards to the Grants Officer who is authorized to obligate the funds and execute
the award.
Following selection, the program manager, NEPA staff lead, or Grants Management Division staff may
contact the applicants to discuss questions about the content or administrative correctness of the
application and may delay approval of the application, or impose conditions on the award preventing
funding or execution of certain activities, until all questions are satisfactorily answered.
Selection Factors
The Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of
rank order based on one or more of the following factors:
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1. Availability of funding.
2. Balance/distribution of funds:
a. geographically
b. by type of institution
c. by type of partners
d. by research priority
e. by project types
3. Duplication of other projects funded or considered for funding by NOAA/Federal agencies.
4. Program priorities and policy factors.
5. Applicant’s prior award performance.
6. Partnerships with/Participation of targeted groups.
7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA determination and draft necessary
documentation before recommendations for funding are made to the Grants Officer.
Consequently, awards may not necessarily be made to the highest-scored applications. Investigators may
be asked to answer questions and/or modify objectives, work plans, and/or budgets (including overall
funding level) to address the issues raised by the reviewers, the competition manager, the Selecting
Official, or the Grants Officer before an award is made. Subsequent administrative processing will be in
accordance with current NOAA grants procedures.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Subject to the availability of funds, projects are expected to start no earlier than October 1, 2026, and no
later than July 1, 2027.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
PRE-AWARD COSTS. NOAA authorizes research 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.
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
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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For more information, please visit: https://www.noaa.gov/organization/acquisition-grants/noaa-
workplace-harassment-training-for-contractors-and-financial.
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 at https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-202-735d-2-
scientific-integrity. 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.
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.
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GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE. In performing activities under Federal awards, applicants should commit to
complying with administration policies, procedures, and guidance respecting Gold Standard Science. As
detailed in Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025), Gold Standard
Science refers to science conducted in a manner that is:
• Reproducible.
• Transparent.
• Communicative of error and uncertainty.
• Collaborative and interdisciplinary.
• Skeptical of its findings and assumptions.
• Structured for falsifiability of hypotheses.
• Subject to unbiased peer review.
• Accepting of negative results as positive outcomes.
• Without conflicts of interest.
TERMINATION. In accordance with 2 CFR § 200.340(a), this federal award may be terminated in part or in
its entirety as follows:
1. By DOC or the pass-through entity if the recipient or subrecipient fails to comply with the terms
and conditions of this federal award.
2. By DOC or the pass-through entity with the consent of the recipient or subrecipient, in which case
the two parties must agree upon the termination conditions. These conditions include the
effective date and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated.
3. By the recipient or subrecipient upon sending DOC or the pass-through entity a written
notification of the reasons for termination, the effective date, and, in the case of partial
termination, the portion to be terminated. If DOC or the pass-through entity determines that the
remaining portion of this federal award will not accomplish the purposes for which this federal
award was made, DOC or the pass-through entity may terminate this federal award in its entirety.
4. By DOC or the pass-through entity to the extent authorized by law, if the award no longer
effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.
PROHIBITION ON USING FEDERAL AWARDS TO PROMOTE OR SUPPORT THEORIES OF DISPARATE-
IMPACT LIABILITY. In accordance with Executive Order 14281, Restoring Equality of Opportunity and
Meritocracy (April 23, 2025), it is the policy of the Federal Government to eliminate the use of disparate-
impact liability in all contexts to the maximum possible and permitted by law.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 14173: ENDING ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION AND RESTORING MERIT-BASED
OPPORTUNITY. Pursuant to Executive Order 14173, 90 FR 8633 (Jan. 21, 2025), Ending Illegal
Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, each recipient that accepts a U.S. Department of
Commerce financial assistance award: (1) agrees that compliance in all respects with all applicable
Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of
section 3729(b)(4) of Title 31 United States Code; and (2) certifies to the Department that it does not
operate any programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-
discrimination laws.
RESEARCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS. The Federal-wide Research Terms and Conditions, dated
November 12, 2020, are no longer in effect and do not apply to this NOFO.
2 CFR 200.308(h), provides a waiver of prior approval requirements for research awards in certain
circumstances. In the event the Department of Commerce adopts additional terms specific to research
awards, those awards may be amended by the Grants Officer to incorporate the additional terms.
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.
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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.
VII. Agency Contacts
Teresa Fleisher
Program Specialist / Certified Federal Program Officer
NOAA Office of Coast Survey
1315 East-West Highway, N/CS1
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Teresa.Fleisher@noaa.gov
VIII. Other Information
The grant application and final report of all funded grants are public documents, except for privileged
information or material that is personal, proprietary or otherwise exempt from disclosure under law.
Appropriate labeling in the application will aid identification of what may be specifically exempt. 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 Department of
Commerce and external program evaluators. In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 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.
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