Foa_Content_of_NOAA-NMFS-PIR-2026-33156 (1).pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

NOAA NOFO Page 1 of 26

Table of Contents

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Executive Summary Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information

Each application must include:

Application Content Requirements:

V. Application Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contacts VIII. Other Information

Executive Summary Federal Agency Name National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Funding Opportunity Title FY26 Marine Turtle Conservation for Sustainable U.S. Fisheries Grant Program

Announcement Type Competitive

Funding Opportunity Number

NOAA-NMFS-PIR-2026-33156

Assistance Listing Number(s) 11.065

Dates

NOAA NOFO Page 2 of 26

Proposals must be received by http://www.Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30th, 2026. Use of Grants.gov is preferred. If Grants.gov cannot reasonably be used, use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt;

private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Postmarked applications received more than 7 business days following the closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. When developing your application submission timeline, please keep in mind that you are encouraged to apply through the www.grants.gov website. This electronic submission system is relatively complex for first time users and involves several preliminary registrations to be completed before your application can be submitted. If you have already used the grants.gov website, the required registration may have already been completed. Please allow sufficient time for the application to be submitted electronically and for possible computer delays. Please note: validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications not adhering to postmark or submission deadlines will be rejected without further consideration.

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 two 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.

Registration Requirements:

NOTE: 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 and individuals must register for three different Federal systems prior to submitting an application through Grants.gov (SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov).

Applicant organizations and individuals must first register with SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). After you obtain your UEI, you can complete your Grants.gov and eRA Commons registrations concurrently.

See Section IV(G) for detailed instructions on registration requirements. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in this NOFO for submission instructions.

Funding Opportunity Description

NOAA NOFO Page 3 of 26

NOAA/NMFS is soliciting competitive proposals for grants and cooperative agreements for projects that will support NOAA’s mission for stewardship of living marine resources and the sustainable management of U.S. commercial longline fisheries. Projects will ensure data pipelines are in place to inform the sustainable management of U.S. commercial fisheries that interact with endangered species as they migrate throughout the Pacific — a problem that has led to fishery closures when annual interaction limits are reached. Through these efforts, NOAA will strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. commercial longline fisheries, creating a more level playing field for American fishermen, while reinforcing U.S.

leadership in marine resource management. Projects must benefit aggregations of endangered marine turtles that have documented linkages to the Pacific Islands Region (PIR), are impacted by PIR federally managed commercial fisheries, and address NOAA’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery obligations.

For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding competition, we are soliciting projects that: 1) monitor and implement protection measures to conserve western Pacific leatherback sea turtles occurring in the Coral Triangle region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Islands); 2) monitor and implement protection measures to conserve North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles in Japan;

and 3) progress conservation momentum and build capacity for research, monitoring and protection of endangered marine turtle populations in order to benefit U.S. trust resources that occur in international waters.

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Program Objective NOAA/NMFS is soliciting competitive proposals for grants and cooperative agreements for projects that will support NOAA’s mission for stewardship of living marine resources and the sustainable management of U.S. commercial longline fisheries. Projects will ensure data pipelines are in place to inform the sustainable management of U.S. commercial fisheries that interact with endangered species as they migrate throughout the Pacific — a problem that has led to fishery closures when annual interaction limits are reached. Through these efforts, NOAA will strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. commercial longline fisheries, creating a more level playing field for American fishermen, while reinforcing U.S.

leadership in marine resource management. Projects must benefit aggregations of endangered marine turtles that have documented linkages to the Pacific Islands Region (PIR), are impacted by PIR federally managed commercial fisheries, and address NOAA’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery obligations.

For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding competition, we are soliciting projects that: 1) monitor and implement protection measures to conserve western Pacific leatherback sea turtles occurring in the Coral Triangle region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Islands); 2) monitor and implement protection measures to conserve North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles in Japan;

and 3) progress conservation momentum and build capacity for research, monitoring and protection of endangered marine turtle populations in order to benefit U.S. trust resources that occur in international waters.

To be eligible for funding, the applicant entity must be a U.S. organization or institution. Projects must use standardized monitoring, research, or conservation approaches consistent with published literature or NOAA directed methodologies (to be confirmed or revised if needed prior to onset of award). All projects will make data publicly available as required within the NOAA data management policy. NOAA is seeking projects that produce data that may be used in recovery planning, agency population assessments, and NOAA ESA Biological Opinions that are used in the sustainable management of US commercial fisheries operating in the Pacific Ocean. Projects must strive to provide a high conservation value for low expenditure of resources.

NOAA NOFO Page 4 of 26

All proposals must demonstrate relevance or connectivity to the PIR, with demonstrated applicability to NOAA/NMFS fishery management and marine turtle recovery obligations. Projects that can link objectives to NMFS management needs expressed in current ESA Biological Opinions, ESA Sea Turtle Recovery Plans, or action plans (e.g., Leatherback Turtle Species in the Spotlight) should reference those materials. Applicants must demonstrate proven capacity and expertise to operate within or implement programs for any proposed international locations of interest.

B. Program Priorities https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/search?oq=ESA+Sea+Turtle+Recovery+Plans https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/search?oq=ESA+Sea+Turtle+Recovery+Plans https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/species-spotlight-priority-actions-2021-2025-pacific-leatherback-turtle

NOAA NOFO Page 5 of 26

PRIORITY 1: In order to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. commercial longline fisheries and create a more level playing field for American fishermen, NOAA is soliciting projects that monitor, protect, and develop technologies to conserve western Pacific leatherback sea turtles occurring in the Coral Triangle region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Islands). Activities for funding consideration may include:

(a) Conducting nesting beach surveys to monitor nesting activity, assess reproductive output and nesting trends, and implement measures to protect turtles and nests/eggs, and manage threats (to habitats and turtles) at nesting beaches;

(b) Conducting marine surveys in foraging habitats or migratory areas (may include developing or deploying satellite telemetry devices);

(c) Implementing measures to monitor, quantify, collect data (samples and morphometric data), and develop strategies to manage and reduce human take (e.g., poaching, bycatch) of leatherback sea turtles;

(d) Assessing or mitigating fishery bycatch through surveys or rapid assessments, implementing or testing bycatch reduction technologies, or helping to develop observer programs to gather bycatch data in coastal or pelagic fisheries;

(e) Collecting genetic samples and laboratory analysis. Projects may include capacity building of staff to acquire training in NOAA standards of sample collection, archiving or laboratory analysis; and

(f) Educational outreach to local communities and provincial level governments, and/or activities designed to implement or improve management measures (via Marine Protected Area implementation or otherwise) to secure long-term conservation benefits.

PRIORITY 2: In order to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. commercial longline fisheries and create a more level playing field for American fishermen, NOAA is soliciting projects that monitor, protect, and develop technologies to benefit North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles in Japan. Activities for funding consideration may include:

(a) Conducting nesting beach surveys to monitor nesting activity, assess reproductive output and nesting trends, and manage threats (to habitats and turtles) at nesting beaches;

(b) Assessing or mitigating fishery bycatch through surveys or rapid assessments, implementing or testing bycatch reduction technologies in coastal fisheries, or gathering bycatch data in coastal or pelagic fisheries.

PRIORITY 3: In order to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. commercial longline fisheries and reinforce U.S. leadership in sustainable marine resource management, NOAA is soliciting projects that can progress conservation momentum and build capacity for research, monitoring and protection of endangered marine turtle populations and U.S. trust resources that occur in international waters. Funding consideration may include:

(a) A program with proven expertise in coordinating and convening professional meetings and workshops (including translation services, meeting logistics and travel arrangements) with in-country partners from Southeast Asia and/or the Western Pacific (scope to be determined in coordination with

NOAA).

(b) Workshop outcomes to include the development of a toolkit to address key sea turtle concerns such as rapid bycatch assessments, data/sample collection, population modeling, and/or Marine Protected Areas planning and implementation.

(c) Development of innovative satellite telemetry technologies, such as direct attachment systems, for leatherback or loggerhead turtles for application in operating commercial fisheries in order to assess post-interaction survivorship and habitat usage.

C. Program Authority Authority 16 U.S.C. §661 and 16 U.S.C. §742f

II. Award Information A. Funding Availability

NOAA NOFO Page 6 of 26

The total funding anticipated to be available under this funding opportunity is approximately $700,000 annually. We anticipate granting approximately 4 to 6 new awards for FY 2026 under this competition.

Awards will be distributed across the priorities as follows:

Priority 1: 1 to 4 awards anticipated.

Priority 2: 1 to 2 awards anticipated.

Priority 3: 1 to 2 awards anticipated.

Project Funding Limits:

Applicants must adhere to the following minimum and maximum funding limits per project year, regardless of whether a single-year or multi-year project is proposed.

Priority 1:

Minimum Annual Award: $50,000 Maximum Annual Award: $220,000

Priority 2:

Minimum Annual Award: $40,000 Maximum Annual Award: $85,000

Priority 3:

Minimum Annual Award: $50,000 Maximum Annual Award: $100,000

Note: For multi-year projects, the requested funding amount cannot exceed the Maximum Annual Award Limit for that Priority in any single project year.

Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon FY 2026 federal appropriations. Award amounts will be determined by the proposals and available funds. There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted by the same applicant; however, multiple applications submitted by the same applicant must clearly identify different projects. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA/NMFS has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless approved by the NOAA Grants Officer.

B. Project/Award Period Applicants may apply for up to three (3) years in length (multi-year applications), with funding increments of 12 months. Applicants selected to receive funding may be asked to modify the project start date. It is recommended to include the flexibility of the requested start date in your project description. Funding beyond year one is contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory performance, and is at the sole discretion of the agency. Applications must include project details and a budget for each year of the project. October 1, 2026 is the earliest recommended start date to be used on proposals, unless otherwise directed by the NOAA Program Officer.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

NOAA NOFO Page 7 of 26

NOAA/NMFS will fund the projects under this FY26 Marine Turtle Conservation for Sustainable U.S.

Fisheries Grant Program as grants and/or cooperative agreements. The government will be substantially involved in the management and/or operation of the program if a project is funded through a cooperative agreement. This substantial involvement may include but is not limited to partnering in collaborative efforts and/or alignment of activities to meet program priorities. Substantial involvement may also include assisting in the development of educational materials, analysis of samples or data, or providing research supplies (flipper tags, satellite tags, sample vials, etc.). Additional forms of substantial involvement that may arise are described in Chapter 5.C of the Department of Commerce (DOC) Federal Financial Assistance Manual, which is currently available at:

https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2025- 04/Department%20of%20Commerce%20Federal%20Financial%20Assistance%20Manual%202024%20IC1 %20dated%20March%2031%2C%202025.pdf

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are U.S. organizations, individuals, or institutions of higher education, nonprofits (subject to Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code), commercial organizations, State, local, and Native American tribal governments. Federal agencies, Federal instrumentalities, or employees of these Federal entities, are not eligible to apply.

NOTE: 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 and individuals must register for three different Federal systems prior to submitting an application through Grants.gov (SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov). Registration Requirements: Applicant organizations and individuals must first register with SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). After you obtain your UEI, you can complete your Grants.gov and eRA Commons registrations concurrently. See Section IV(G) for detailed instructions on required registrations. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in this NOFO for submission instructions.

B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement No cost sharing or matching is required under the program.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility In certain instances, research permits, authorizations or letters of endorsement to handle marine turtles or to undertake proposed activities must be required. This documentation should either be submitted with the proposal or referenced as available upon request. Any projects that include turtle capture and handling will be required to collect morphometric data, tag turtles, and collect DNA genetic samples for regional connectivity studies currently supported by NOAA/NMFS. Given this, internationally-based applicants must therefore demonstrate possession of active Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) export permits or the capacity to acquire them, or have a plan to store and analyze samples in-country. Scientific information and data collected as a result of a NOAA/NMFS funded project shall be provided to NOAA/NMFS for data archiving and for use in development of conservation initiatives, agency population assessments, and ESA Biological Opinions for the conservation of sea turtles. This includes GPS position data of any and all captured turtles.

IV. Application and Submission Information A. Address to Request Application Package

NOAA NOFO Page 8 of 26

The standard application package, consisting of the standard forms, i.e., SF-424, SF- 424A, SF-424B, SF- LLL, and the CD-511, is available at http://www.grants.gov. Users of Grants.gov will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. If an applicant has problems downloading the application forms from Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov. If you do not have Internet access, an application package may be received by contacting: Hideyo Hattori, NOAA Federal Program Officer, Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1845 Wasp Blvd, Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, Email:

hideyo.hattori@noaa.gov. Phone: (808)725-5057.

If an applicant does not have Internet access or if Grants.gov is inaccessible, paper applications will be accepted. Paper applications must be submitted with completed, signed inked signature, original forms in hard copy and an electronic copy of the entire application on CD, including scanned signed forms. If the applicant has completed the entire application in Grants.gov but is unable to submit it via Grants.gov, then this application package should be provided via CD along with printed and signed versions of forms SF-424, SF-424B, and CD-511. The authorized representative MUST sign and date these forms over the printed signature that will appear in the signature box. Paper applications without inked signatures on their forms will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Paper applications should not be bound in any manner.

B. Content and Form of Application All application materials should be submitted in Adobe PDF (recommended) or a common word processing format, and when printed out should meet all format requirements. All pages must be no less than double-spaced, 12-point font, on 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper, with 1-inch margins. Failure to follow these requirements will result in the rejection of the application.

A complete standard NOAA grant application package is required in accordance with the guidelines in this document. Applications that are not complete on the closing date of this announcement will not be reviewed. Your application must contain all required forms; if these forms are not signed via the www.Grants.gov application process, they MUST be signed and dated in ink. Paper applications without inked signatures on their forms will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Each application must include:

-SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance -SF-424A, Budget Information, Non-construction Programs must be completed, and also include all matching funds.

-SF-424B, Assurances, Non-construction Programs must be completed for each submitted non-construction application.

-CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying -SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable).

-Title page (Proposal cover sheet, limit 1 page) -Project Narrative (Project description described below) -Single year applications: 10 page limit -Multi-year applications: 15 page limit (inclusive of all years) -Budget Narrative: (described below; limit 2 pages per year) -Data Sharing or Data Management Plan (up to 2 pages, if the project collects environmental data).

-Attachments: (up to 25 pages total for all appendices items). May include any other supporting documentation and relevant attachments the applicant deems important to the overall understanding and evaluation of the proposed project (combined into one PDF document).

If an applicant does not have internet access or if Grants.gov is inaccessible, paper applications will be accepted. Paper applications must be submitted with completed, signed, inked signature, original forms in hard copy (SF-424, SF-424B, CD-511 and other required forms). The authorized representative MUST sign and date these forms over the printed signature that will appear in the signature box. Paper applications should not be bound in any manner.

NOAA NOFO Page 9 of 26

Application Content Requirements:

A. Title Page (Proposal Cover Sheet, 1 page maximum)

a. Project title

b. Principal Investigator (or Project Manager) and Financial Representative with complete contact information (address, fax, email, and phone number)

c. Any Co-Investigators (or Co-Managers) with contact information

d. Start and end dates of proposed project, starting on the first day of the month and ending on the last day of the month

e. Identification of programmatic priority applicable to the project

f. Funding type request (grant or cooperative agreement)

g. Total cost of the project, including federal and non-federal funding requested. If requesting more than 1 year, breakdown of requested funding by year

h. Abstract of one paragraph or less. This abstract will be posted online if the project is funded.

NOAA NOFO Page 10 of 26

B. Project Narrative (Project description - limit: 10 pages (single year); 15 pages (multi-year) Each application must include a project narrative that details the project. Please also review the Evaluation Criteria to ensure your application has all components that will be reviewed. Applicants should not assume that reviewers already know about their proposed project. For projects longer than one year (multi-year applications), the narrative must include specific project objectives and activities for each proposed year within the inclusive project narrative (i.e., do not duplicate or provide additional project narratives per year).

Project Narratives should include the following information:

(a) Project Background: Provide information on the species, geographic area, community, or situation(s) being addressed by the proposed project. Describe the problem being addressed and why action is necessary. Applications must include detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, community or environmental profiles, and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist. Include a summary of information that exists for the project to help put the projects’ objectives and merit into context (e.g., nesting trends). Projects historically funded by NOAA should include a brief summary of results to date. Include how the project relates to tasks outlined in the U.S. Sea Turtle Recovery Plans or other relevant Action Plans. Projects occurring in international areas must articulate the linkage to the PIR (e.g., genetic or satellite telemetry) or relevance to NOAA/NMFS fishery management and ESA recovery obligations, such as (for example) activities that implement Conservation Recommendations provided by NOAA/NMFS in a Biological Opinion or related management initiative (e.g., Leatherback Sea Turtle Species in the Spotlight).

(b) Project goals, objectives and anticipated results: Identify how the project’s goals are designed to address the problem described in the previous section. Objectives intended to achieve each project goal should be articulated in simple, understandable terms but should be as specific and quantitative as possible. Objectives should be attainable within the proposed timeframe, budgetary, and human resource considerations. Describe how results will be evaluated for success and how outcomes or products will be applied to future action or made available to appropriate user groups. For projects longer than one year (multi-year applications) each years’ work must be clearly identified and delineated.

(c) Project methods: Describe the scientific-based technical plan of research, monitoring, conservation or management activities to achieve expected results and benefits. Project milestones and timelines (e.g.

the number of months) to meet objectives should be established. Projects with objectives to “reduce” or “eliminate” certain impacts should incorporate metrics of performance to evaluate project success.

Outline how data will be recorded and managed (include a copy of data collection forms in appendix).

Describe any educational outreach and how the project will disseminate information and results to the public or key partners. Describe how local government agencies or potential users of the results (i.e., industry, resource managers, or community) are involved in the activity. For projects longer than one year (multi-year applications) each years’ work must be clearly identified and delineated.

(d) Need for Government financial assistance: Demonstrate the need for government financial assistance. List all other sources of funding that are or have been sought for the project.

(e) Federal, State and local government activities: List any plans or activities (Federal, State, or local government activities) this project would affect, and describe the relationship between the proposed project and those plans or activities.

(f) Project management: Describe how the project will be organized and managed and who will be responsible for carrying out project activities. The lead organization/individual and person listed as the technical contact should be identified as the Project Manager (PM) or Principal Investigator (PI). Use of sub-contractors or volunteer staff time to complete project activities and oversight of those individuals should be discussed. The PM/PI is responsible for all technical oversight and implementation of the approved work plan as delineated in the proposal. However, if the applicant is not the PM/PI, there must be an explanation of the relationship between the applicant and PM/PI (e.g., applicant will be responsible for managing the grant funds and the PM will be responsible for completing the project milestones on time and within budget). Project participants or organizations that will have a significant role in conducting the project should be listed as Co-Investigators or Co-Managers. Organizations or individuals that support the project, for example, researchers contributing data, analysis, or materials, should be

NOAA NOFO Page 11 of 26 referred to as Cooperators. An abbreviated (one page) copy of the PM's or PI's and all Co- Investigator's/Co-Manager's current resumes or curricula vitae must be included as appendices.

C. Budget Narrative (not to exceed 2 pages in length, per year) Each application must include clear and concise budget information/spreadsheet covering total project costs for each year of the project. The budget information should be located on both the required Federal forms (a) and in a detailed budget narrative (b). If the project includes matching funds, the budget information must include both the non-federal (matching funds) and the federal funds requested. The budget should be commensurate with the project’s objectives to provide a high conservation value for low expenditure of resources.

(a) Applications must include OMB standard form 424A, "Budget information – Non Construction Programs." All instructions should be read before completing the form, and the amounts per category and total amounts indicated on the form should correspond with amounts indicated in the budget narrative and justification. If requesting more than a 1-year project, each year should be broken out in separate columns in “Section B – Budget Categories” (e.g., year 1 on column 1; year 2 on column 2). If you need more space, one SF-424A for each year can be submitted.

(b) The budget narrative should include a table of costs and written justification that supports the table.

We strongly encourage all applicants to follow the NOAA Grant Management Budget Narrative guidance that can be found at:

https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/document/2019/Jun/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_- _05-24-2017_final.pdf The narrative should be broken out by the categories listed in “Section B- Budget Categories” of the SF- 424A. Each section should have a detailed table and then a written justification to describe and justify the listed costs. The costs should be formatted in a way that is clear how much is being requested each year and broken into federal and non-federal share (if applicable, matching or in-kind funds). If in-kind contributions are included, describe briefly the basis for estimating the value of these contributions. This narrative should be 2 pages. If requesting a project longer than 1 year, a separate 2-page narrative can be included for each year. Scalable projects are encouraged with budgets and objectives drafted such that specific components can be funded independently of other project components.

(c) If an applicant has not previously established an indirect cost rate with a Federal agency, they may choose to negotiate a rate with the Department of Commerce or use the de minimis indirect cost rate of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC; as allowable under 2 C.F.R. §200.414). The negotiation and approval of a rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA and the Department of Commerce Standard Terms and Conditions, Section B.06. The NOAA contact for indirect or facilities and administrative costs is:

Raishan Adams, Grants Officer raishan.peterson@noaa.gov NOAA Grants Management Division 1325 East West Highway 9th Floor Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/document/2019/Jun/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_-_05-24-2017_final.pdf https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/document/2019/Jun/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_-_05-24-2017_final.pdf

NOAA NOFO Page 12 of 26

D. Data Sharing or Management Plan (up to 2 pages, if the project collects environmental data).

(a) 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.

(b) If projects submitted in response to this announcement collect or manage environmental data, then applications 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.

(c) 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.

(d) Proposal submitters are hereby advised that the final prepublication manuscripts of scholarly articles produced entirely or primarily with NOAA funding will be required to acknowledge grant numbers, and be submitted to the 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.

E. Appendices (limit of 25 pages, including all appendices combined into one PDF document) Attachment information can include: charts, graphs, maps, photographs, and other pictorial presentations; abbreviated CVs of key personnel; letters of endorsement, support, or collaboration; an indirect cost rate agreement; permit and authorization information; data collection forms; or any other supporting information vital to the review of the project application. An abbreviated curriculum vitae or resume of the primary PM/PI should be included with the application. Applicants requiring CITES export permits or scientific research permits must also include evidence of such a permit (e.g., by providing copy of cover page with permit number – full permit must be available upon request) or evidence they have submitted a permit application. Letters of commitment or collaboration are strongly recommended.

Include data collection forms if relevant (e.g., nesting data collection form, stranding data collection form, etc.).

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.

The NOAA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) questionnaire may be requested for applications that are recommended for funding if additional information is needed to conduct the NEPA analysis. The questionnaire can be downloaded from the NOAA NEPA website at: https://www.noaa.gov/nepa or directly at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WVoZ-HPMlBu8Web6ITxAJlmG2tepoTEb/view?usp=sharing.

For more information on this requirement, see section "VI B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements".

C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

NOAA NOFO Page 13 of 26

The 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 Proposals must be received by http://www.Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30th, 2026. Applications received after the 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time deadline will be considered late and will not be accepted for review. Use of Grants.gov is preferred. If Grants.gov cannot reasonably be used, use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Postmarked applications received more than 7 business days following the closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

When developing your application submission timeline, please keep in mind that you are encouraged to apply through the www.grants.gov website. This electronic submission system is relatively complex for first time users and involves several preliminary registrations to be completed before your application can be submitted. If you have already used the grants.gov website, the required registrations may have already been completed. Please allow sufficient time for the application to be submitted electronically and for possible computer delays.

Please note: validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications not adhering to postmark or submission deadlines will be rejected without further consideration.

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 19 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372.

F. Funding Restrictions NOAA will not consider expenses associated with fees, fund-raising activities, travel for activities not directly related to project implementation, travel or salaries for Federal employees, or profit as allowable costs in the proposed budget. The total costs of a project consist of all allowable costs incurred in accomplishing project activities during the project period. Project costs can only include support for activities conducted between the effective start date and end date of the award, and cannot include activities undertaken either before or after the agreed upon dates. Applicants will not be reimbursed for time expended or costs incurred in developing a project or in preparing an application, or in any discussions or negotiations with the agency prior to the award. Such expenditures may not be considered as part of the applicant's cost share or matching contribution.

G. Other Submission Requirements

NOAA NOFO Page 14 of 26

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 and individuals must register for three different Federal systems prior to submitting an application through Grants.gov (SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov). See below for more detailed information on each required registration process.

1. System for Award Management (SAM.gov) SAM.gov registration is required to do business with the U.S. government. After registering with SAM.gov, you will receive a 12-character Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) that you will use throughout the application process.

We recommend allowing at least three weeks for initial SAM.gov registrations and at least two weeks for SAM.gov registration renewals. Additional information on SAM.gov registration is available here:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration You must update your SAM.gov registration any time your entity’s information changes. You must also renew and revalidate your entity’s SAM.gov registration at least every 12 months from the date you last certified to and submitted the registration. The renewal process may take up to two weeks. Your SAM.gov account’s primary point of contact will receive an email message alerting them to the renewal requirement at 60 days, 30 days, and 15 days prior to expiration. If you do not renew your registration by the deadline, it will expire.

2. eRA Commons After completing your SAM.gov registration and receiving your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), you must register with eRA Commons and create several required user accounts. NOAA uses eRA Commons to process grant applications and manage grant awards. NOTE: eRA Commons requires applicants to create one ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE and two USER ACCOUNTS before submitting an application. These requirements are described in detail below.

We recommend allowing at least three weeks for eRA Commons registration. This process can be completed concurrently with your Grants.gov registration. Additional information on the eRA Commons registration process is available here: https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training After creating an overall account for your “institution”, which may be for your organization or yourself as an individual, eRA Commons requires you to set up at least two user accounts: one Signing Official (SO) account and one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account.

The Signing Official (SO) user account must be assigned to an individual with signature authority to legally bind the organization in grants administration matters. The SO will receive 4-5 emails throughout the registration process.

The Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account must be assigned to an individual with primary responsibility for the project(s) described in the grant application. The eRA Commons User ID (Username) for the PD/PI must also be listed on the SF-424 form for item 4 (Applicant Identifier).

Your SO and PD/PI user accounts must be active before you submit an application. Both accounts can be assigned to the same individual if appropriate.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training

NOAA NOFO Page 15 of 26

3. Grants.Gov After completing your SAM.gov registration and receiving your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), you must complete a one-time registration process with Grants.gov. Grants.gov is a government-wide portal used to solicit and accept grant applications.

We recommend allowing at least two weeks for Grants.gov registration. This process can be completed concurrently with your eRA Commons registration. Additional information on the Grants.gov registration process is available here: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration Submission Validation:

The Grants.gov and eRA Commons validation processes for a submitted application can take up to two business days after submission. 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 two business days prior to the submission deadline.

Grants.gov and eRA Commons will not accept submissions if the applicant has not been authorized or if credentials are incorrect. Submissions may also be rejected if:

-The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)’s account username within eRA Commons is not provided on the SF-424 form for item 4 (Applicant Identifier).

-The Universal Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov is not provided on the SF-424 form for item 8.c

(UEI).

-The Congressional District is not entered in the correct format on the SF-424 form for item 16 (Congressional Districts). The correct format is: [State Abbreviation]-[three digit district number]. For example, Virginia’s 1st Congressional District would be listed as VA-001.

-PDF files are not flattened. To flatten a fillable PDF, you can use the “Print to PDF” function from any web browser or PDF reader application.

-File sizes exceed 100 MB.

-Page sizes are greater than 8.5x11.

-File names exceed 50 characters (including spaces).

-File names include special characters.

After you submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by NOAA.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be accompanied by FOUR automated responses (1- Grants.gov Submission Receipt; 2-Grants.gov Submission Validation Receipt for Application; 3-Grants.gov Grantor Agency Retrieval Receipt for Application; 4-Grants.gov Agency Tracking Number Assignment for Application).

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.

H. Address for Submitting Proposals Full applications should be submitted through www.grants.gov. If you do not have internet access, a paper application package may submitted to Hideyo Hattori, Federal Programs Officer, NOAA/NMFS/PIRO; 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, Hawai'i, 96818.

NOAA NOFO Page 16 of 26

V. Application Review Information

1. Importance/relevance and applicability of proposed projects to the program goals as outlined in Section I.B.

Maximum Points: 25

This criterion ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, fishery management or recovery obligations, and that the work is coordinated with other Federal, regional, State, or local activities. Will the project support, inform, or build capacity for the conservation, protection, or management of ESA-listed marine turtle species outlined in the Program’s Priority areas as outlined in section I.B? Will the project contribute to long-term conservation benefits such as management measures (e.g., Marine Protected Area designation or protective legislation) to maintain conservation progress? Will the project operate at an important nesting beach or important foraging habitat? Is there community engagement or participation, and does the project adequately incorporate local government agencies and community leaders (or local land owners)? Is the project already established, recognized, and have necessary connections (government or local community)?

2. Technical/scientific merit

This criterion assesses whether the approach is technically sound or innovative, if the methods are appropriate, whether there are clear project goals and objectives, and whether the project’s anticipated benefits or outcomes can be…