FY25_NOFO_SCI Study of Abalone Reproductive Biology ka_meh km.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Funding Agency: Commander Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT)

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: N62473-25-2-0004

Assistance Listing Number: 12.005

Program Authority: 16 U.S.C. 670c-1 Sikes Act

Issue Date: 02 July 2025 Application Due Date: 04 August 2025

Contents of Full Text Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information

I. Funding Opportunity Description Overview: Research to understand black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii) reproductive biology (using red abalone [Haliotis rufescens] as surrogates or conspecifics) is necessary to remain in compliance with the San Clemente Island (SCI) Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP), and also provide a benefit to black abalone species as required under section 4(a)(3)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 35). The SCI INRMP’s main objective for black abalone is to “continue to monitor and support the recovery of the black abalone population in suitable rocky intertidal habitat to increase the population at SCI,” which specifically calls for efforts to “investigate factors affecting larval dispersal distances, survival, and recruitment dynamics” for black abalone. Federally endangered black abalone are currently present on SCI and managed under the SCI INRMP. SCI received a critical habitat exclusion for black abalone based on the determination that the Navy’s SCI INRMP provides several benefits to black abalone and that thorough management efforts are included in the INRMP and implemented on the island. Continued critical habitat exclusion is crucial to support the Navy’s mission on SCI.

Thus, it is imperative that reproductive biology of black abalone is investigated to inform potential future translocation, outplanting, and captive breeding efforts for the species, with goals of eventual downlisting or delisting of the species at SCI and throughout its range. Specific objectives of this research opportunity include:

1. Use non-invasive ultrasound technology to evaluate the effect of ambient ocean temperatures from SCI and various seaweed diets on gonad development, using red abalone as surrogate for black abalone, to inform management efforts and strategies for the protection of endangered abalone.

2. Complete a non-invasive characterization of gonadal development of black abalone using the validated ultrasound methodology and using red abalone as surrogate for black abalone.

3. Establish techniques to induce black abalone spawning, using red abalone as surrogate for black abalone, and refine the subsequent larval culture.

4. Assess the success and fitness of cultured red abalone larvae following successful spawning events

5. Assess the effects of environmental and dietary changes on the fitness and performance of cultured red abalone larvae

The overall purpose of this cooperative agreement is to investigate the reproductive biology of black abalone (using red abalone as surrogate) to inform management efforts and strategies for the protection of the critically endangered species. All efforts in this agreement support requirements in the NMFS critical habitat exclusion and the NMFS black abalone recovery plan.

Estimated Total Funding: $367,721 Estimated Number of Awards: (1)

Item Anticipated Funding Base Period (18 Months)

• Base Task 1: Conduct Experiments of the Reproductive Biology of Red Abalone

• Base Task 2: Draft & Final Report

$91,165

Option Period 1 (18 Months) $91,165 Option Period 2 (18 Months) $95,633 Option Period 3 (18 Months) $89,758 Total Potential Value $367,721

Contact Information: Questions relating to Grants.gov including the registration process and system requirements should be directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726. For assistance with the requirements of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, please contact the Contract Specialist, Duc Le, duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil.

Instructions to Applicants:

The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov.

Applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement shall be submitted by the application due date. Applications may be submitted electronically via email or through Grants.gov.

Applicants shall have a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number, registration with the System of Award Management (SAM), and registration with Grants.gov, if submitting application through Grants.gov.

See Section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete application submission information.

II. Award Information This Funding Opportunity Announcement is for a competed, multiyear cooperative agreement.

There is one 18-month Base Period, commencing from the date of award, and three 18-month Option Periods. The first Base task is to conduct non-invasive experiments on the gonadal development and larval recruitment associated with environmental-induced changes in nutritional quality of various diets on red abalone, and to monitor gonadal development using non-invasive ultrasound technology. The second Base task is to develop a report with a summary, results, and discussion.

Option Period 1 is to conduct an additional effort to utilize non-invasive ultrasonography and other non-invasive methods to compare the effect of various environment-induced changes on gonadal development and larval recruitment of red abalone.

Option Period 2 is to conduct an additional effort to culture red abalone larvae post-spawning events and to evaluate larvae success and fitness.

Option Period 3 is to conduct an additional effort to investigate environmental and dietary effects on fitness and performance of cultured abalone larvae and juveniles.

Any Option Period, subject to the availability of funds, may be awarded unilaterally prior to the expiration of the period of performance of the preceding Base Period or Option Period. Each Option Period has a period of performance of 18 months.

Item Period of Performance Base Period 18 months from date of award Option Period 1 18 months Option Period 2 18 months Option Period 3 18 months

Significant Dates and Times Event Date Time * Full Applications Due August 04, 2025** 2:00 PM

Notification of Selection for Award August 25, 2025** 4:00 PM

Start Date of Cooperative Agreement August 31, 2025** 8:00 AM

**Dates subject to change

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Any Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Californian cooperative partner who qualifies under the DoDGARS Part 34 or 2 CFR 200 is eligible to apply. Please see applicable terms and conditions, provided as a separate attachment.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing [ ] is or [ x ] is not required.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application packages can be obtained electronically at Grants.gov as detailed below or by contacting the individual listed in Section VII Agency Contact(s).

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select "Apply for Grants", and then select "Download Grant Application Package”. Enter the funding opportunity number (N62473-25-2-0004).

NOTE: You will not be able to download the Application Package unless you have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe Reader is available for free to download from the Download Software page http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Applicants shall submit applications electronically. The applicant shall complete the mandatory and applicable forms by accessing the forms as noted in noted in IV, 1 “Address to Request Application Package”.

Content and Form of Application

FORM: SF 424 (R&R)

Completion of SF-424 Fields First. The Adobe Reader forms are designed to fill in common required fields such as the applicant name and address, UEI number, etc., on all Adobe Reader forms. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first.

Once it is completed the information will transfer to the other forms. You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms (e.g., SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.

Files that are attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) unless otherwise specified in this announcement.

FORM: RESEARCH & RELATED SENIOR/KEY PERSONNEL (EXPANDED)

Complete all the required fields in accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form.

Biographical Sketch: Attach resume(s) of key personnel. The Applicant shall provide type written resumes, not to exceed 3 pages, single spaced with 12pt font for the principal investigator, researchers, and field assistants proposed for this project. Resumes must state qualifications, experience with this type of project, professional registration and certificates. See Section V.

Application Review Information for detailed information required per resume and minimum qualifications required.

FORM: RESEARCH AND RELATED BUDGET

Complete the Research and Related Budget form in accordance with the instructions on the form.

You must provide a detailed cost breakdown of all costs, by cost category, by the funding periods described below, and by task/sub-task corresponding to the task number in the proposed Statement of Objectives. Options must be separately priced. The form will generate a cumulative budget for the total project period. You must complete all the mandatory information on the form before the NEXT PERIOD button is activated. You may request funds under any of the categories listed as long as the item and amount are necessary to perform the proposed work and meet all the criteria for allowability under the applicable Federal cost principles. The budget should adhere to the following guidelines:

The budget should be driven by program requirements. Elements of the budget should include:

Direct Labor - Individual labor category or person, with associated labor hours and http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp unburdened direct labor rates.

Indirect Costs - Fringe benefits, overhead, G&A, COM, etc. (must show base amount and rate).

Travel - Number of trips, destination, duration, etc., all travel must be substantiated and explained.

Subcontract/subaward - A cost proposal as detailed as the applicant's cost proposal will be required to be submitted by the subcontractor. If applicable, include in Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment Form.

Consultant - Provide consultant agreement or other document that verifies the proposed loaded daily/hourly rate. Include a description of the nature of and the need for any consultant's participation. Strong justification must be provided, and consultants are to be used only under exceptional circumstances where no equivalent expertise can be found at a participating university. Provide budget justification.

Materials - Specifically itemized with costs or estimated costs. An explanation of any estimating factors, including their derivation and application, shall be provided. Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.).

Other Direct Costs - Particularly any proposed items of equipment or facilities.

Equipment and facilities generally must be furnished by the contractor/Applicant (justifications must be provided when Government funding for such items is sought).

Include a brief description of the applicant's procurement method to be used (competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.).

Budget Justification: Provide the required supporting information for the cost elements as shown above (see Research & Related Budget instructions) and listed as follows: indirect cost, travel, consultant, materials, and other direct costs. Provide any other information you wish to submit to justify your budget request.

FORM: SF-LLL DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

If applicable, complete SF- LLL. Applicability: If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the grant/cooperative agreement, you must complete and submit Standard Form - LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying.”

3. Submission Dates and Times

Timeline for Review:

We request that submissions be submitted by August 04, 2025 2:00 PM PDT. This opportunity will remain until an investigator team is selected. Submissions received after August 04, 2025 2:00 PM PDT will be deemed “late” and may or may not be considered. Please submit requests for information/questions no later than July 25, 2025 2:00 PM PDT.

For applications submitted through Grants.gov and handling of late applications:

After an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive a series of three e-mails. It is extremely important that the AOR watch for and save each of the e-mails. You will know that your application has reached NAVFAC SW when the AOR receives e-mail Number 3. You will need the Submission Receipt Number (e-mail Number 1) to track a submission. The three e-mails are:

Number 1 – The applicant will receive a confirmation page upon completing the submission to Grants.gov. This confirmation page is a record of the time and date stamp for the submission.

Number 2 – The applicant will receive an e-mail indicating that the application has been validated by Grants.gov within a few hours of submission. (This means that all of the required fields have been completed.)

Number 3 – The third notice is an acknowledgment of receipt in e-mail form from the designated agency within ten days from the application due date. For applications the e-mail is sent to the authorized representative for the institution. The e-mail for applications notes that the application has been received and provides the assigned tracking number. Hard copy submissions will receive only e-mail number 3.

Late Applications may be accepted.

4. Funding Restrictions Reimbursement of pre-award cost will [ ] or will not [ x ] be allowed.

5. Other Submission Requirements Applications may be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (see note 1 below) or direct email to: Duc Le duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil

NOTE 1 - Registration Requirements for Grants.gov: There are several one-time actions an organization must complete in order to submit an application through Grants.gov (e.g., obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number, register with the credential provider, and register with Grants.gov). See http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp to begin this process. Applicants, who are not registered with Grants.gov, should allow at least 21 days to complete these requirements. It is suggested that the process be started as soon as possible.

Customer Support: Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518- 4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays, to address Grants.gov technology issues.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission it is best to call the customer support desk and get a case number. The case number will assist the NAVFAC SW with tracking your issue and provide background information on the issue.

VERY IMPORTANT – Download Adobe Acrobat Reader: Adobe Reader is available for free to download from the Download Software page http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp .

V. Application Review Information All requirements listed are minimum requirements. Information provided must be recent (within last seven (7) years) and relevant. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to adhere to the listed requirements, follow directions, comply with restrictions and provide quality control on their submittals. All page limits refer to 12 point font and single spaced one-sided pages.

Factor 1 - Credentials of Key Personnel mailto:duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp mailto:support@grants.gov http://grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp

A. Principal Investigator: The Recipient shall designate one person as responsible for ensuring that provisions are in place, project and personnel supervision are provided, quality control and meeting of reporting requirements are met on a daily basis. This person shall have, at the minimum:

i. A PhD in Animal Science/Reproductive Biology or related science.

ii. Experience evaluating the effects of environmental stressors on aquatic animal reproduction.

iii. At least 10 years of experience in the domain of marine invertebrate reproduction and culture methodology.

B. Postdoctoral Researcher: The Recipient shall designate one person as responsible for abalone culture and data collection. This person shall have at minimum:

i. A PhD in aquaculture, marine biology, animal science, or a closely related field.

ii. Expert knowledge in domain of marine shellfish aquaculture methodology, preferentially expertise in gastropod reproductive biology

iii. Ability to work efficiently in the field or at offsite facilities as well as independently and within research teams.

Factor 2 – Scientific Approach

Not to exceed 3 pages, the Offeror shall develop an outline for their approach to addressing the anticipated work stated above. The Offeror shall be evaluated as to the soundness of the overall approach and use of any innovative techniques to accomplish project objectives.

Factor 3 - Reasonableness of Cost

After technical evaluation of the proposal, the offers will be analyzed for fair and reasonable pricing. The proposal will be analyzed to determine whether its pricing is materially/mathematically balanced, and is fair and reasonable. The Offeror shall use 2 CFR Part 200 “Cost Principles”, 48 CFR part 31 “Contract Cost Principles and Procedures,” and 2 CFR 200 Subpart F “Audit Requirements” as applicable. Evaluations will include an analysis to determine the Offeror’s comprehension of the requirements of the solicitation as well as to assess the validity of the Offeror’s approach. A clear cost breakdown of work elements to be accomplished detailing quantities for the various work items, unit, unit prices and extended prices will be required and will be evaluated. Evaluation will include an analysis to determine the Offeror’s comprehension of the requirements of the proposed agreement as well as to assess the validity of the Offeror’s approach. Please provide your proposed budget on the provided pdf titled, “Research and Related Budget” form*(Enclosure 5).

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF EVALUATION FACTORS – All factors are of equal importance.

2. Review and Selection Process

Every deviation from the statement of objectives requirement must be identified. Proposer must identify the paragraph in the statement of objectives that is applicable and provide sufficient information to justify why the deviation is in the best interest of the government.

All requirements listed are minimum requirements. Applicants will be assessed on their ability to adhere to the listed requirements, submit complete responses, follow directions, comply with restrictions, and provide quality control on their submittals. All page limits refer to 12-point font and single spaced one-sided pages.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices The notice of award addressed to the successful applicant and signed by the Grants Officer (or equivalent) will be forwarded via electronic transmission. Original copies of the Agreement will be enclosed for the successful applicant’s signature and return for the Grants Officer’s counter signature.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements The Terms and Conditions are posted as a separate document.

3. Reporting Reports/submittal information including frequency and means of submission are contained in the Statement of Objectives, posted as a separate document

VII. Agency Contact(s) All questions relating to this announcement shall be referred to:

Duc Le, Contract Specialist:

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest Environmental Conservation and Compliance Acquisition 750 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92132 Email: duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil Phone Office: 619-705-5663

VIII. Other Information The cost of preparing applications and/or proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any award made under this funding opportunity. The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this announcement. Only the Grants Officer can bind the Government to the expenditure of funds.

mailto:duc.t.le4.civ@us.navy.mil