Foa_Content_of_NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239 (1).pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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

Executive Summary Federal Agency Name NOS Office for Coastal Management (OCM)

Funding Opportunity Title National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026

Announcement Type Competitive

Funding Opportunity Number

NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239

Assistance Listing Number(s) 11.420

Dates Complete grant applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, September 18, 2026

Funding Opportunity Description The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its territories designated and managed for research and educational purposes (Reserve) as specified in 15 C.F.R. Part 921. By funding Reserve lead agencies and universities to conduct land acquisition and construction projects that support the NERRS mission, NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and water areas, enhance long-term protection of Reserve areas for research and education, and provide for facility and exhibit construction activities that meet the highest sustainable design standards possible. Each Reserve was designated to ensure its effectiveness as a conservation unit and as a site for long-term research and monitoring. In maintaining their effectiveness, the Reserves may find it necessary to expand their boundaries through strategically planned land acquisitions and/or to develop or enhance their reserve facilities, including their in-situ monitoring infrastructure, to meet the demands of research, monitoring, and education program objectives.

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NOAA anticipates approximately $8.5 million in Fiscal Year 2026 will be available to designated lead Reserve agencies or universities in coastal states. NOAA anticipates funding between 5-20 construction, acquisition, and/or planning & design projects. Project periods are expected to range from 12–36 months. Complex construction projects may request extended project periods, but the cumulative must not exceed 60 months. Final project selections are subject to availability of funds and negotiation with

NOAA.

Acquisition or construction projectshave a $3,000,000 federal funding cap . Stand-alone planning and design projects have a $500,000 federal funding cap.

At the discretion of NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, up to 10% of the Fiscal Year 2026 funds will be reserved for critical reserve vehicle or vessel needs. These funds will be awarded noncompetitively to stand-alone vehicle or vessel project applications that address a critical reserve need.

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Program Objective NOAA provides funding to designated Reserve agencies for acquiring additional property interests, for facilities planning and design, acquisition of vehicles and vessels, and for construction projects that serve to support reserve programming and meet the goals of the reserve. Under this funding opportunity:

• Acquisition projects should serve to enhance long-term protection of habitat, protection of communities, and provide space for facility infrastructure.

• Construction projects may be new projects or upgrades and/or retrofits to existing structures.

• Planning and design projects should support the construction of future reserve infrastructure.

• Vehicle or vessel acquisition projects should address a critical operational need in support of research, stewardship or educational programs.

B. Program Priorities Overall, priority will be given to projects that support the protection of habitats or increase a reserve’s natural or built infrastructure’s resiliency and sustainability. Priorities under the eligible projects types include:

• Acquisition projects: priority will be given to those projects that: (i) provide pathways for habitat and species migrations; (ii) support species or ecosystems resilience to climatic events; (iii) protect key ecosystem features, (e.g. keystone species or habitats); (iv) maintain species or habitat diversity; and (v) support the managed retreat of a reserve’s core facilities infrastructure.

Non-core/buffer lands that are identified as being acquired for Reserve facility construction is a secondary priority.

• Construction projects: priority will be given to new construction, critical upgrades and retrofits to existing facilities or campus infrastructure, and or enhancements to existing nature-based infrastructure. For new-build core facilities, the following are priorities:

o Proposed in already disturbed areas;

o Located outside of the 100-year flood zone;

o Design is expected to conserve and protect water resources;

o Incorporates sustainable design principles, o Optimizes energy performance, o Resilient to the impacts of coastal hazards and flooding over its useful life; or o Incorporates natural or nature-based infrastructure elements.

• Planning and design projects: The planning and design of new or upgraded facilities and other infrastructure is recognized as a necessary and sometimes stand-alone aspect of the facilities' construction process.

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• Vehicles & Vessels projects: These are eligible projects but not a program priority. However, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management may reserve a portion, up to 10%, of the Fiscal Year 2026 funds for critical reserve vehicle or vessel needs.

Supporting definitions of key terms in this FFO include:

• Core Facilities - Facilities that support the primary mission and goals of the Reserve located near and/or within the Reserve boundary, preferably in the designated buffer area of the Reserve.

• Designated State Agency: The state agency that was designated to lead the reserve and accept funds on behalf of reserve. This could also include an agency that has a memorandum of understanding with NOAA and the designated state agency to receive funds.

• Estimated Useful Life - Place-based reserve facility useful life is 30 years for new buildings, 20 years for existing buildings that have been rehabilitated, or 15 years for infrastructure improvements other than buildings (Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Manual (2024) and NERRS Facilities Infrastructure Inventory & Standard Reserve Infrastructure - 5.1.2025 Version).

• Habitat Migration – The natural movement of habitats to a new area in response to changes in environmental conditions.

• Multi-phased Construction Project – An approach to building a single large-scale structure in a series of steps that takes place over multiple years. All phases must be contained within one proposal and clearly detailed out by phase, including costs for each phase. An example is a Reserve facility that has multiple components that can be constructed in sequential phases over multiple years.

• Nature-Based Infrastructure – Human designed, engineered, and constructed systems that use natural features, including habitats, that provide multiple ecosystem service benefits, such as storm protection through wave attenuation or flood storage capacity, enhanced water services and security, and habitat for fish, wildlife and plants.

• Sustainable Facilities – Facilities that are designed, constructed and operated to create and maintain conditions that balance the economic, social, and environmental well being of present and future generations.

• Resilient Facilities - Facilities that have the ability to absorb impacts from hazards or disturbances and maintain an acceptable level of functioning; reduce the amount of time and financial resources needed to return to full level of functioning; and adapt to future risks.

• Retrofit - Construction project replacing existing infrastructure components to improve operational efficiency. E.g. replacing the current HVAC system with a high efficiency system.

• Small Scale Construction – Construction projects of less than $250,000 that improve existing core facilities or support non-core facility capabilities at a reserve.

• Upgrade - Adding a new component to existing infrastructure to increase operational efficiency.

E.g. installing solar panels

• Vessel – A watercraft valued at more than $10,000 that is part of a larger construction project or supports specific programmatic capabilities at the Reserve. This could include vessels that support habitat restoration or management needs, expand educational programming or support access for water based field research and monitoring.

• Vehicle -A vehicle valued at more than $10,000 that will serve to meet the goals of the reserve and reserve staff to carry out their jobs.

C. Program Authority Statutory authority for the NERRS Land Acquisition and Construction Program is established under the Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1461(e).

II. Award Information A. Funding Availability

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This funding opportunity announces that NOAA anticipates approximately $8.5 million will be available to designated Reserve agencies or universities for construction, acquisition, and planning and design projects in fiscal year 2026. Depending on the availability of funds, NOAA anticipates funding approximately 5-20 projects. Funding for land acquisition, construction, planning & design, or vehicle & vessel awards are subject to negotiation with NOAA. Publication of this announcement does not obligate NOAA to establish any specific partnership or to obligate available funds for partnership activities. NOAA or the Department of Commerce (DOC) are not responsible for direct costs of proposal preparation. There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards for this federal funding opportunity or that any proposal will be selected for funding. NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for project costs if this program fails to receive funding. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, the applicant does so at its own risk of not receiving an award or these costs not being included in a subsequent award. Recipients and sub-recipients are subject to all federal laws and agency policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to federal financial assistance awards. Applicants must be in compliance with all existing NOAA grants or cooperative agreements and otherwise eligible to receive federal awards in order to be considered for funding under this competition.

B. Project/Award Period Applicants may submit applications covering a 12 to 36 month project period with anticipated start date(s) as early as March 1, 2027. For complex construction projects, the performance period for FY2026 funding cannot exceed 60 months. The Federal share of project funding will be fully obligated at the time of award, and is subject to payment provisions outlined in 2 C.F.R. 200.305 and further implementing award terms.

C. Type of Funding Instrument Successful applicants will enter into a grant with NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program.

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are lead state agencies or universities designated to receive NERRS operations funding through a Memorandum of Understanding with NOAA in coastal states and territories.

Applicants should meet requirements as stated in the NERRS regulations codified at 15 C.F.R.

921.32 which are available online at http://go.usa.gov/xkGEf .

Federal agencies and employees are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners. Federal agencies and employees’ ‘in-kind’ services cannot be considered as part of an applicant’s match on shared costs. If federal agencies are collaborators, applicants are expected to provide detail on the planned level of federal engagement in the application. Examples might include, but are not limited to partnership services; serving in a review capacity; or participating in priority task teams, working groups, or leadership teams.

B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement The Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2026, P. L. 119-74 permits a 50% reduction of the match requirement in 16 U.S.C. 1461(e)(3) and 15 CFR Part 921.31 upon request of the applicant. Therefore, in applications for this competition, the amount of Federal funds requested must be matched by the applicant as follows: 15 percent total project match for construction, planning & design, or vehicles & vessels awards and 25 percent total project match for land acquisition awards.

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Recipient contributions and third party in-kind contributions directly benefiting the project may be used to satisfy the matching requirements. If using previously acquired real property as match, a list of this “banked” match, and a description of the method of valuation of the cost consistent with 2 C.F.R. 200.306(d),(h), or (i) must be included in the application. If the project is selected, all matching funds will become part of the project, and subject to the requirements of the award.

Applicants must identify all match sources and amounts equal to that requested above. Projects without match or with highly speculative match will not be considered eligible (see Section V.A.4. of this federal funding opportunity (FFO)).

“Cost sharing or matching” is defined by 2 C.F.R. 200.1 as “the portion of project costs not paid by federal funds or contributions (unless otherwise authorized by federal statute).” Any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third party in- kind contributions of goods and services, will be accepted as part of an application's cost sharing or matching when they meet all of the following criteria listed in 2 C.F.R. 200.306(b):

1. Are verifiable from the non-federal entity's records;

2. Are not included as contributions for any other federal award;

3. Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives;

4. Are allowable under Subpart E - Cost Principles of 2 C.F.R. § 200;

5. Are not paid by the federal Government under another federal award, except where the federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other federal programs;

6. Are provided for in the approved budget when required by the federal awarding agency; and

7. Conform to other provisions of 2 C.F.R. § 200, as applicable.

Matching funds may come from a variety of public and private sources and may include third party in-kind goods and services such as private boat use and volunteer labor. Goods and services provided by the recipient have the valuation described in 2 C.F.R. 200.306.

Federal agencies and employees’ in-kind services cannot be considered as part of an applicant’s matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage.

Applicants are permitted to combine contributions from multiple non-federal partners in order to meet the match requirement, consistent with the standards described in 2 C.F.R. 200.306, and if funds are available within the project period stated in the application. See also 15 C.F.R.

921.81(d)(2) regarding cost sharing in NERRS acquisition and construction projects.

Applicants must specify the source(s) of match in their proposal and detailed budget narrative and may provide or be asked to provide letters of commitment to confirm stated match contributions.

Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed by the NOAA Grants Officer. Successful applicants should be prepared to carefully document matching contributions, including the number of volunteer or community participation hours devoted to specific projects, and all other cash or third party in-kind contributions.

Applicants may choose to designate part or all of their federally-negotiated indirect costs as match.

This may be convenient because the valuation of such costs has already been federally-approved and documentation is readily available. Refer to the “Indirect Costs” policies in Section IV.B.14 and Section IV.D. of this announcement.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

• Large scale construction or acquisition projects must be identified in construction and/or acquisition plans, within an approved management plan or a complete draft that has been submitted to OCM for review in compliance with 15 C.F.R. 921.13. The specific level of detail required in a NERRS management plan must conform with 15 C.F.R. 921.13(a)(6) and/or (7).

• Acquisition projects that involve the potential to invoke eminent domain are not eligible for funding.

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• Construction projects must occur on land under adequate state control either through direct state ownership or pursuant to a long-term lease between the Reserve and the landowner. See also the clarification on the meaning of adequate per 15 C.F.R. 921.30(d).

• Administrative costs related to acquisition, planning and design, or construction are eligible per 15 C.F.R. 921.81; see also 2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E. Cost Principles [for Federal Awards].

• Facility planning and design is eligible as part of a construction project (20% of total share of project costs). These planning efforts may address, among other things, detailed facility design work, evaluation of sustainable features appropriate for reserve future facility needs and associated maintenance or applicable environmental analyses required under federal statutes (e.g., ESA, NHPA, MMPA).

• Administrative tasks may constitute up to 20% of facility and/or acquisition costs within a construction proposal.

• Small scale projects that support reserve programmatic activities and incorporate resilient or sustainable features are eligible for funding per 15 C.F.R. 921.31. Examples include projects such as vehicles and vessels, boardwalks, piers, storage, and monitoring platforms, as well as, small scale habitat restoration activities associated with a construction and acquisition project. These projects may or may not be identified within an approved management plan. Examples of eligible project activities could include:

o Preserving historic or culturally significant structures;

o Acquisition that includes small scale restoration;

o Ecological restoration demonstration;

o Restoring habitat impacted by construction activities o Sustainability attributes (i.e., alternative energy generation onsite; energy efficient lighting systems; rain gardens; EV charging stations; high efficiency environmental control systems; etc.)

o Hazard resiliency upgrades (i.e., backup energy systems; dry flood proofing; hurricane roof straps; metal roofs; elevating utilities; or storm shutters; etc.) with preference given to nature-based infrastructure approaches.

• Specialized vehicles & vessels that directly support a specific reserve programmatic capability are eligible for purchasing.

• Nature-based infrastructure that mimic or support natural processes are eligible if part of a larger scale construction or acquisition project or as a stand-alone small-scale project. Such projects should be consistent with NOAA’s Guidelines for Nature-based Infrastructure.

The following are not eligible for federal funding under this competition:

1. Activities that constitute legally required mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by state or federal law. This includes replacing previously federally funded structures lost due to natural hazard, such as catastrophic weather events. Recipients should follow the insurance provisions in 2 C.F.R. 200.310, requiring that real property acquired with federal funds have equivalent insurance coverage to real property acquired with non-federal funds;

2. Activities that constitute mitigation for natural resource damages under federal or state law;

3. Activities that are required by a separate consent decree, court order, statute or regulation; and

4. Activities for structural improvements such as general maintenance including unscheduled and scheduled repairs of buildings, structures, and installed building equipment to correct deficiencies.

IV. Application and Submission Information A. Address to Request Application Package The standard SF-424 application package is available online at http://www.grants.gov. If an applicant does not have access to the internet, application packages may be requested from: Matt Chasse of the Office for Coastal Management at 240-628-5417 or email at Matt.Chasse@noaa.gov.

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B. Content and Form of Application A complete standard NOAA financial assistance application package must be submitted in accordance with the following guidelines:

• All application materials will use a legible 11 or 12-point font with 1-inch margins on all sides.

• The application package must include the following forms and documents and be grouped in two separate files (Project Narrative & Project Budget) o Note that project narratives that exceed the 15-page limit will be shortened by removing pages at the end of the proposal narrative before it is forwarded to merit reviewers for evaluation. Pages excised from lengthy applications will not be reviewed or considered.

Applications that are incomplete, unclear, or contain numerous typographical errors may not be understood effectively by reviewers, resulting in lower evaluation scores, so applicants are advised to review their application materials closely before they are submitted to the agency for consideration.

• The following Office of Management and Budget-approved Standard Forms must be included, as applicable:

o Application for Federal Assistance for all proposals: Form SF- 424 (7/03 version or newer) o Budget Information for Non-Construction Projects (for planning & design, vehicles & vessels, and acquisition proposals): Forms SF-424A and SF-424B (Assurances for Non-construction Programs) o Budget Information for Construction Proposals: Forms SF-424C and SF-424D (Assurances for Construction Programs o Certification Regarding Lobbying for all proposals: Form CD-511 o Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Form SF-LLL (if applicable)

• Appendices shall be limited to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal (e.g., resumes, references, lists of relevant work products or reports, detailed methodologies, data sources, detailed budget information, letters of collaboration, letters of support, lists of data sources, permits, and maps).

• Paginate the proposal and any appendices. Appendices should not total more than 30 total pages excluding forms, information to complete forms, detailed budget narrative, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and environmental compliance information.

• Upload supporting documentation by using the 'Optional Form' box under 'Other Attachments' in Grants.gov during the application submission process.

• Federal forms, NEPA information, and other information (e.g., Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement) should be submitted separately as flattened PDF documents.

• Total electronic file size of the proposal narrative and appendices combined shall not exceed 5 megabytes. Files that are larger than five megabytes may not be properly downloaded, uploaded, or received by the agency or the reviewers. Files that cannot be opened or downloaded will not be reviewed.

Title Page - with the following information:

• Proposed Project Title

• Proposed project period (start and end dates)

• Type of Project (e.g., land acquisition, construction, planning & design, multi-phase construction, or vehicles & vessels)

• Recipient/Applicant name (must match registered name as a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov

• Reserve Name

• Recipient UEI number (must match applicant information in SAM.gov)

• Principal and other investigator (names, organization, and contact information)

• Financial representative (names, organization, and contact information)

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Project summary - Provide a one to two-paragraph summary of the proposed project. The summary must contain the following components:

1. Project name/title

2. Requested funding by year (as appropriate).

3. Brief project summary including objectives, expected results and intended benefits and outcomes, and, if applicable, a short description of partners and professional or technical networks that will be leveraged or created.

4. Identify the specific area where the project will take place and mention any sustainability, resilient design, or nature-based features

5. Applicable connection to the Reserve management plan and/or strategic plan.

Project Narrative (limited to 15 pages, excluding title page and project summary).

• Describe in the narrative the specific project goals and objectives to be achieved. Goals and objectives must be specific for each year of the work plan. (Recipients will be required to submit semi-annual progress reports in which progress against these goals and objectives will be reported).

• Sufficient detail on the relevance and applicability of proposed work to program priorities described in Section I.B. and to determine the technical/scientific merit of the proposed work; to review the qualifications of the applicants; and to assess whether the proposed scope of work raises any concerns with regard to federal policy considerations (e.g., National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Historic Preservation Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act).

Narrative Components

1. Background - Provide sufficient background information for reviewers to independently assess the significance of the proposed project. Background information should summarize the problem, gap or need that the proposal addresses; and the importance of the project to the reserve including specific reference and page number(s) within an approved management plan or a complete draft that has been submitted for OCM review; a summary of NOAA/NERRS funds provided in previous five years for construction or acquisition from with summary of progress;

and any reference to the project in a CZMA Section 312 evaluation. Applicants must address their qualifications for performing the project. Reserves may demonstrate in their applications that they have solid operating performance, preferably a full complement of core staff (manager, education coordinator, and research coordinator), and effective performance in completing past PAC projects. Applicants may briefly address how they possess the necessary experience, education, training, and administrative resources, to accomplish the project. The individual reserve must be capable of performing the project in general and supporting the project by supplying the required match amounts.

2. Approach - Provide a work plan that: identifies specific project tasks to be accomplished;

explains the technical approach (including quality assurance) needed to accomplish the tasks;

identifies the roles and qualifications of staff, partners, and cooperators; and identifies potential obstacles to successful completion of the goals and objectives. . The description must align with budget categories and fully explain the scope of work including preparatory work, environmental review, planning, design elements, sustainable or resilient features, etc.

For acquisition or construction proposals, address how the project will incorporate resilience or adaptation strategies to coastal hazards, to changing coastal conditions.

For land acquisition proposals with an ‘in-kind’ match parcel, provide information about the match parcel (in addition to the target property), such as its location, when acquired, cost/appraised value, current ownership, and relationship to the Reserve’s acquisition priorities.

For planning and design proposals, provide specific information on how this effort will support future reserve construction needs.

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For eligible facility retrofits, provide a description of the cost savings and other benefits resulting from the addition of sustainable or resilient features.

For eligible small-scale construction proposals, describe how either incorporating sustainable/resilient features or nature based infrastructure enhances facility or infrastructure resilience to coastal hazards or environmental risks. See Section I. B. Program Priorities of this FFO.

If the project includes federal partners, their roles and responsibilities must be clearly identified.

3. Outcomes/Results - Identify and describe the anticipated project outcomes or results. Explain how the project will benefit reserve programs or capabilities in support of reserve goals and describe how the project will evaluate success.

4. Milestone Schedule – The project must display timelines for major tasks, target milestones for important intermediate and final outcomes and NEPA review periods. For a multi-phased project, the project must include a detailed description of each project phase with drawings or diagrams and a detailed milestone schedule. This can be completed through a separate planning and design project or independently using other resources.

Budget narrative & Justification

OAA Grants Management Division Budget Narrative Guidance is accessible at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/training.html. and https://sites.google.com/noaa.gov/acquisition-and-grants-office/training-andprofessional-development/1109-grants-series?authuser=0 . In order to allow reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of all costs, applications must include:

1. Detailed budget narrative and a budget justification broken out by individual task.

2. Application budget narrative must match the dollar amounts included on all required forms and clearly link to the project narrative. Please explain each calculation and provide a narrative justification to explain expenditures for each budget category.

3. The budget narrative must describe, by category of expenditure, the total funding needed to accomplish the objectives described in the project narrative for the entire award period. Please explain how categorical costs are derived in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to determine if costs are 'allowable and reasonable' according to the cost principles referenced in 2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E. Budget narrative categories will correspond to the standard object class categories listed in Section B of the SF-424A.

4. Applicants should include detailed budget information regarding all contracts and subawards,and indicate the basis for the cost estimates in the narrative.

5. Describe project activities to occur or products or services to be obtained and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project. Each identified sub-award should include form SF-424A. Detailed budget information includes:

o Name of identified qualified sub-recipient. Sub-recipient, affiliation, contact information, and method of selection. For “to be determined,” describe plans for selection.

o Information must include the name and location (city, state, and Congressional district) of the entity receiving the funds.

o Period of Performance. Include the dates for the performance period. If it involves a number of tasks, include the performance period for each task.

o Scope of Work. List and describe the specific activities or tasks to be performed and the criteria for measuring accountability. Include an itemized line item breakdown as well as total contract/award amount. If applicable, include any indirect costs paid under the contract/award and the indirect cost rate used.

o Itemized Budget. Include categories used in program budget for sub-recipients or contractors if applicable under 2 C.F.R. 200.101. If applicable, include any direct cost paid under the sub-award and the indirect cost rate used. All sub-awards and contracts must be made consistent with the requirements of 2 C.F.R. 200.331- 200.333 for sub-awards, and 200.317- 200.327 for procurements.

NOAA NOFO Page 10 of 26 o For any equipment, a description of the item and associated costs is required, including a description of how it will be used in the project. Note that equipment is defined as tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $10,000. See 2 C.F.R. 200.1, 2 C.F.R. 200.313, and 2 C.F.R.

200.317-327.

o The cost or price, purpose, and method of selection for identified and planned acquisition contracts should be thoroughly justified in the Budget Narrative. Describe products or services to be obtained and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project.

o Procurements are subject to policies described in 2 C.F.R. 200.317-327. For “to be determined,” describe plans for selection.

6. Federal and non-federal costs per object class category identified in the NOAA grants package (Federal Form SF 424-A and/or C)

7. Justification of the budget including the source of match (50% for acquisition and 30% for construction).

8. Additional information regarding the use of funds for budget categories found in Form SF-424A (Acquisitions or Planning & Design Projects) or Form SF 424C (Construction Projects) must be included in an appendix. In this appendix, the budget narrative shall clearly identify the cost of separable elements of the proposed work and shall identify the elements of the project prioritized for revision or elimination if sufficient funding is not available for all proposed activities.

9. For any equipment or standalone vehicle or vessel projects, a description of the item and associated costs is required, including a description of how it will be used in the project.

Allowable Costs

1. Administrative and/or planning costs, including data to support environmental analyses required under federal statutes (e.g., ESA, NHPA, MMPA), that are up to 20% of the federal portion of the budget are allowable.

2. Restoration costs up to 20% of the proposed project are allowed for restoration or enhancement associated with the proposed (See Section I.B of this FFO).

3. For construction: project planning and design; administrative and legal expenses; architectural and engineering costs; project inspection fees; site work; demolition and removal costs;

equipment costs; and other construction tasks breakdown such as structural (i.e., windows, doors, roofing, flooring), carpentry, plumbing, heating, electrical.

4. For land acquisition: personnel involved in the project; land acquisition fees; travel, equipment, supplies, and contractual.

5. For planning & design projects: personnel involved in the project, planning, facilities designs, engineering, surveying, permitting, administrative and legal expenses, and contractual.

Other Application Materials

Appendices - (30 page limit)

Only material submitted as a single package will be reviewed. Appendices must be limited to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal (for example, letters of collaboration, references, lists of data sources, information to support environmental analyses, and maps). Provide résumés/CVs of the Principal Investigator for the project and other key personnel critical to the success of the project that address qualifications relevant to conducting the proposed work. Please limit résumés to a maximum of two pages for each key investigator.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

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The applicants selected for funding must complete questions 1 - 19 of the Environmental Compliance Questionnaire for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Financial Assistance Applicants accessible at NOAA NEPA webpage 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). Questions 20 - 53 are not required with the initial application because NOAA anticipates that most projects funded through this competition would not have impacts related to damage assessment and restoration or fisheries sampling and analysis. See Section VI.B., Administrative and National Policy Requirements, below for additional NEPA information.

Federal Forms

Standard Form 424A: Budget Information for Non-construction Programs (if applicable)(include a separate form for each proposed sub-award of $30,000 or more)

Applicants are required to submit a SF-424A Budget Form for acquisition, planning & design, and vehicle & vessel proposals. Both federal and non- federal funds should be expended at a similar rate throughout the course of the project. All budget figures must match the funding requested on the application cover sheet and correspond with the descriptions contained in the project and budget narratives. All sub-awards should also be accompanied by a separate SF-424A form to fully document the proposed sub-award budget.

Standard Form 424B: Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (if applicable)

Applicants are required to submit a signed SF-424B, 'Assurances for Non-Construction Programs' for acquisition, planning & design, and vehicle & vessel proposals.

Standard Form 424C: Budget for Construction Programs (if applicable)

Applicants are required to submit a signed SF424C “Budget for Construction Programs” for construction projects.

Standard Form 424D: Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (if applicable)

Applicants are required to submit a signed SF-424C, 'Assurances for Construction Programs' for construction projects.

Standard Form CD-511: Certification Regarding Lobbying

Applicants are required to submit a form CD-511, 'Certifications Regarding Lobbying for all projects.

Standard Form LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

If applicable, applicants may be required to disclose certain lobbying activities described in form SF-LLL.

Permits and Approvals

It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain all necessary federal, state, and local government permits and approvals for the proposed work. Applicants must provide a list of all known permits that will be required to perform the proposed work and an indication of the status of any permits needed (e.g., not yet applied, permit application submitted/pending, permit granted, etc.) or a statement indicating that no permits are necessary. You should include this required element even if permits are not required.

Failure to apply for and/or obtain federal, state, and local permits, approvals, letters of agreement, or failure to provide environmental analyses where necessary (i.e., NEPA environmental assessment) will delay or prevent the award of funds for projects that have been preliminarily selected for funding.

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For work proposed within National Marine Sanctuaries, National Parks, National Seashores, and other federally designated managed areas, it is the responsibility of the applicant to request and obtain any necessary permits or letters of agreement from the appropriate government agencies prior to commencement of an award.

For applicants who propose to conduct research or monitoring activities that may affect any coral species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act, you will likely need an Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit.

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

The proposed budget may include an amount for indirect or Facilities and Administrative costs if the applicant has an established indirect cost rate with the federal government. Indirect costs are essentially overhead costs for basic operational functions (e.g., utilities, rent, and insurance) that are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be identified specifically within a particular project. See 2 C.F.R. 200.56-.57 and 200.412- .415.

A copy of the current, approved negotiated indirect cost agreement with the federal Government must be included with the final application package, however, if an applicant does not have a current 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 (as allowable under 2 C.F.R.

§200.414). Refer to Section IV.F. of this announcement for more information.

This announcement is not seeking proposals that generate environmental data. Therefore, a Data Management Plan is not required as part of the Proposal.

C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the quality of information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, to the extent applicable, any proposal awarded in response to this announcement will be required to use the System for Award Management (SAM), which may be accessed online at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.

Applicants are also required to use the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 C.F.R. 25, found at http://go.usa.gov/xZZn4. A recipient's UEI number must correspond with the recipient's information in SAM.Gov.

Applicants should allow a minimum of thirty days to receive a UEI number and to be registered in SAM.Gov, or to assure that required annual updates are complete. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through www.grants.gov.

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 submitted for funding under this competition must be (1) received and validated by Grants.gov on or before the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on September 18, 2026.

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Applicants shall be aware that localized hazardous weather or other situations beyond their control impacting their ability to submit packages before deadlines may not result in changes to the application deadline.

E. Intergovernmental Review Funding applications submitted under this competition are subject to Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." It is the state agency's responsibility to contact their state's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the state's process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, the names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed on the Office of Management and Budget's website https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf

F. Funding Restrictions Indirect Costs

Applicants are permitted to request indirect costs if their organization has an established Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with a federal agency that covers the period of the award. Applicants requesting indirect costs will submit a copy of their current and signed indirect cost rate agreement with their application package. If an award recipient does not have a current indirect cost rate with any federal agency, the recipient may request to use the de minimus rate described at 2 C.F.R. 200.414, as described in Section IV.B. of this Announcement. Alternatively, the negotiation and approval of a new rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA DOC. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions require that recipients within 90 days of the award start date, submit to the address listed below documentation (indirect cost proposal, cost allocation plan, etc.) necessary to perform the review.

Jennifer Jackson, Grants Officer

NOAA Grants Management Division

1325 East West Highway, 9th Floor

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 jennifer.jackson@noaa.gov

Indirect-cost-rate-agreement documentation is not required for sub-awardees, however, indirect cost rates at the negotiated levels should be paid by the primary awardee. Under 2 C.F.R. 200.414 “Indirect (F&A) Costs,” any applicant that does not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs which may be used indefinitely. Costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both pursuant to 2 C.F.R. 200.403 “Factors affecting allowability of costs.” If chosen, this methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a cooperator chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the non-federal entity may apply to do at any time. The negotiation and approval of a rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA and the DOC Standard Terms and Conditions Section B.06.

Ineligible projects:

The following projects will not be eligible for Federal funding under this competition:

1. Activities that constitute legally required mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by state or federal law;

2. Activities that constitute mitigation for natural resource damages under federal or state law; and

3. Activities that are required by a separate consent decree, court order, statute or regulation.

Cost Principles:

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Funds awarded cannot necessarily pay for all the costs that the recipient might incur in the course of carrying out the project. Allowable costs are limited to costs necessary and reasonable to achieve the approved goals and objectives and are determined by reference to relevant Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements. Recipients are subject to the 2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E “Cost Principles” and as well as any DOC implementing regulations that may be in effect at the time of award. Generally, costs that are allowable include salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, and training, as long as the costs are determined to be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the award.

G. Other Submission Requirements 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.

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.

H. Address for Submitting Proposals V. Application Review Information

1. Importance/relevance and applicability of proposed projects to the program goals

Maximum Points: 35

This criterion is used to evaluate if the project is eligible and appropriate under the definitions for acquisition and construction outlined in the regulations (CZMA (16 U.S.C. 1461(e)(1)(A)(i and ii)),.

These definitions state which provides that funding may will be provided to a coastal state for (i) specific purposes, as defined in Section I of this FFO.

Planning & design projects will be scored as follows:

• Project focuses on planning for core facilities or core facilities that require a multi-phase approach (0-2 points).

• Project demonstrates the inclusion of significant resiliency, nature-based, or sustainability features. (0-8 points)

• Project documents detailed facility design work, evaluation of sustainable features appropriate for reserve future facility needs and associated maintenance or applicable environmental analyses required under federal statutes (e.g., ESA, NHPA, MMPA). (0-15 points)

• Project supports a future reserve construction project(s). (0-5 points)

• Project costs…