NOAA-NMFS-AK-2019-2005923 FFO Report (a).pdf

2019 Alaska Pinniped Research Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4 B. Program Priorities 4 C. Program Authority 5

II. Award Information 5 A. Funding Availability 5 B. Project/Award Period 6 C. Type of Funding Instrument 7

III. Eligibility Information 7 A. Eligible Applicants 7 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 7 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 8

IV. Application and Submission Information 8 A. Address to Request Application Package 8 B. Content and Form of Application 8 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 14 D. Submission Dates and Times 14 E. Intergovernmental Review 15 F. Funding Restrictions 15 G. Other Submission Requirements 15

V. Application Review Information 17 A. Evaluation Criteria 17 B. Review and Selection Process 18 C. Selection Factors 20 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 21

VI. Award Administration Information 21 A. Award Notices 21 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 22 C. Reporting 27

VII. Agency Contacts 30 VIII. Other Information 30

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 30

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: 2019 Alaska Pinniped Research Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-AK-2019-2005923

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.439, Marine Mammal Data Program

Dates: Applications or proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m., Alaska Standard Time (AST), March 08, 2019. Applications/proposals received after the established deadline will be rejected and returned to the sender without consideration.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov are automatically stamped with the date and time of submission, which will be the basis for determining timeliness. The application must be validated by Grants.gov in order to be considered timely.

PLEASE NOTE: It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please consider this when developing your submission timeline. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required elements have been appropriately submitted. For those not having access to the internet, one signed original and two hard copy applications must be postmarked or received at the NMFS Alaska Regional Office (AKR) by 5:00 p.m., Alaska Standard Time (AST), March 08, 2019. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. (Note that late-arriving hard copy proposals provided to a delivery service on or before 5:00 p.m. AST on the closing date for applications will be accepted for review if the applicant can document that the proposal was provided to the guaranteed delivery service by the specified closing date and time and if the proposal is received by AKR no later than 5:00 p.m. AST, two business days following the closing date).

No facsimile or electronic mail proposals will be accepted.

Funding Opportunity Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service (hereinafter, "NMFS") is responsible for the stewardship, conservation, and management of pinniped species in Alaska, including the Steller sea lion, northern fur seal, ringed seal, bearded seal, spotted seal, ribbon seal, and harbor seal. Three of these pinnipeds are listed under the Endangered Species Act: the

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 2 of 30 endangered western Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions, the threatened Arctic subspecies of ringed seals, and the threatened Beringia DPS of bearded seals. NMFS has the responsibility to foster the recovery of these ESA-listed species and research is necessary to support our recovery programs for these species. Pinniped species or populations in Alaska are listed as strategic stocks under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and/or are important as a subsistence resource to Alaska Natives and co-managed by NMFS and Alaska Native partners.

Research is also an important component to successful co-management of these animals.

Beginning in fiscal year (hereinafter, “FY”) 2015, certain priority pinniped research in Alaska has been administered through competitively-funded, merit-based grants programs. This program concerns only Alaskan pinnipeds for which NMFS bears responsibility; proposals focusing on marine mammals under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not be considered for funding under this grant program. This document describes how to prepare and submit proposals for funding spanning FY 2019 – FY 2021 and how NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded.

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 3 of 30

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

The objective of the FY19 Alaska Pinniped Research Program is to provide financial assistance for multi-year development and implementation of research programs that:

* Support effective conservation and management of seals, sea lions, and Northern fur seals in Alaska; and

* Implement high priority research objectives or answer research needs as specified in NMFS recovery plans, conservations plans, research plans (including those developed with Alaska Native co-management organizations), or post-delisting monitoring plans for these species (available at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/).

B. Program Priorities

Applicants should ensure that their applications address at least one of the following priorities, which are listed in no particular order of preference (i.e., no one factor carrying a higher priority than any other). Each project must list the priority or priorities being addressed. Proposed work may include field studies, captive studies, and/or laboratory and data analyses. Proposals will be more competitive if they make a clear and compelling case for how the proposed work will support NMFS management information needs, and demonstrate how the applicants will cooperate and coordinate with NMFS. Applications that do not address any of the program priorities will not be considered.

The pinniped research priorities for Fiscal Year 2019 - 2021 are as follows:

1. Study the western Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions to help elucidate its failure to recover, especially in the western and central Aleutian Islands. Such studies should further understanding of threats to this DPS; spatial patterns in age-specific survival and reproduction; seasonal and age-specific patterns of prey consumption and habitat use (especially by adult females in the non-breeding season); and the direct and indirect effects of federal and state fisheries.

2. Determine the extent of exposure of western DPS Steller sea lions and/or northern fur seals to infectious disease, zoonotics, and human-derived contaminants, and the resulting effects on reproduction and survival.

3. Quantify the rate of northern fur seal emigration from the Pribilof Islands to enable NMFS

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 4 of 30 to correct current estimates of adult and juvenile survival and reproduction.

4. Develop and evaluate alternative low-cost methods to assess population abundance and trend for northern fur seals.

5. Investigate pinniped food habits by examining prey samples (scat, spew, stomach) collected by NMFS scientists to: a) identify prey samples morphometrically to genus, and/or

b) use stable isotopes from physiological samples to model prey selection or to characterize the taxonomic composition of prey samples.

6. Collect abundance and demographic information for the Russian populations of Steller sea lions and northern fur seals to provide comparisons to abundance estimates and vital rates of these species in U.S. waters and support conservation of these stocks throughout their range.

7. Investigate the health and status of ringed and/or bearded seals, including behavioral, physiological, and demographic responses to changes in sea ice, on-ice snow cover, and other associated environmental parameters.

8. Conduct biological monitoring of ringed and/or bearded seals in collaboration with Alaska Native subsistence users to document pertinent long-term data such as disease exposure, contaminants, diet, body condition, and pregnancy rate, especially for geographic areas where these seals have not been well sampled in recent years.

9. Investigate potential factors affecting harbor seal population numbers in the western Aleutian Islands. Studies should enhance understanding of threats to this stock, for example by quantifying vital rates, assessing threats from contaminants, or documenting spatial patterns in prey consumption and habitat use.

NOAA will consider only applications that address the priorities identified in this section.

All proposed projects should also be clearly linked to specific NMFS recovery plans, conservation plans, or research plans for these species (including those developed with Alaska Native co-management organizations), if available.

C. Program Authority

16 U.S.C. § 1380

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 30

Total funding available under this notice is anticipated to be approximately $10,500,000 ($3,500,000 per year for each year of the multi-year program). Actual funding for this program is contingent upon FY2019, FY2020, and FY2021 Federal appropriations. Award amounts will be determined by the content of the proposals and the availability of funds.

Applicants are hereby given notice that these funds have not yet been appropriated for this program. Given this, there is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards to all deserving projects. Publication of this notice does not obligate NOAA to make an award to any specific project or to obligate any funding. If an application is selected for funding, NOAA has no obligation to provide any additional funding beyond the award period.

Funding for subsequent years of work during the award period will depend on the availability of Congressional appropriations and satisfactory performance as determined by the Federal Program Officer. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, the applicant would do solely at his/her own risk of these costs not being included under the award. Pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless approved by the NOAA Grants Officer in accordance with 2 C.F.R.

§§ 200.308(d) and 200.458.

B. Project/Award Period

Project periods will be three years. Projects selected for funding under this program will result in three year, multi-year NOAA Awards, which shall be funded on an annual basis.

Multi-year proposals require a separate Project Narrative and Budget Narrative for each year of the project. Multi-year awards do not compete for funding in subsequent budget periods within the approved award period. Rather, any funding requested for subsequent years is added annually to the multi-year award provided the recipient has performed satisfactorily and that funding to support continuation of the project is available. The recipient should however, submit an amended application to the Program Officer for review and recommendation to the Grants Officer for approval before the end of the current funding period if the upcoming funding period will have a change in the scope of work or an increase in funding level from that which was last approved. Proposals with less than or more than a three year project period, will not be accepted for review and consideration.

If a recipient wishes to continue work on a funded project beyond the project period because funding was not completely expended during the award term, the recipient can notify the assigned Federal Program Officer no later than 30 days prior to the end of the award period to determine eligibility for a no-cost extension. If, however, funding is exhausted while work is left to be done on the project, , the recipient should submit another proposal during the next competitive award cycle when and if it is announced (e.g. FY 2022) or seek an alternate

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 30 source of funding. The requested award start date must begin on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

Proposals selected for funding will be funded through a grant or a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements are awards that include substantial involvement by NOAA in the management of the project. Examples of substantial involvement may include, but are not limited to, assisting in the development of outreach materials; collaboration between NOAA scientists and a recipient scientist; input into organizational structure, mode of operations, and programmatic activities; review and revision of draft publications or reports; regularly scheduled monitoring; and/or operational involvement during performance. The exact amount of funds, the scope of work, and terms and conditions of a successful award will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the successful applicant and NOAA representatives.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are individuals (U.S. citizens), institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or instrumentalities (including their employees and members) are not eligible to receive Federal assistance under this notice. Eligible applicants must be in "good standing" with NMFS. An applicant is considered to be in "good standing" if the entity meets the following criteria:

1) No pending enforcement actions under the MMPA or ESA.

2) Progress and financial reports on current Federal assistance awards are up-to-date and/or completed in a timely manner.

3) Satisfactory past performance. This includes completion of proposed projects in a timely manner or as stated in previous proposals. Unsatisfactory performance under prior or current Federal awards, including delinquency in submitting progress and financial reports and inability in meeting proposal objectives and tasks within the project period, may result in proposals not being considered for funding or affect the final funding recommendation under the 2019 Alaska Pinniped Research Program.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 7 of 30

No cost sharing or matching is required under this program.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

Applicants proposing research on species under cooperative management, or within Alaska Native communities or traditional hunting areas, must submit a plan of cooperation along with their application describing their efforts to inform, communicate, involve, and report their research to those communities and applicable co-management organizations.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Application packages are available through the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. Delays may be experienced when registering with Grants.gov near the end of a solicitation period. Therefore, NMFS strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline to begin the registration/application process through the Grants.gov website.

If an applicant has problems with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1- 800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. If you do not have internet access, application materials may be received by Shawn Carey, Program Manager, NOAA/NMFS; Mailing Address: PO Box 21668, Juneau Alaska 99802-1668 (USPS); 709 9th Street, Suite 323A, Juneau Alaska 99801 (FedEx/UPS), Phone: (907)586-7845, or email:

Shawn.carey@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

Federal employees (whether full-time, part-time, or intermittent) are not permitted to assist in the preparation of an application, except that staff may provide information on program goals, funding priorities, application procedures, completion of application forms, and collaboration and coordination of research undertaken by NOAA so as to avoid duplication of effort or to enhance a proposed project. Since this is a competitive program, NOAA employees will not write letters of support for a proposal. Letters from NOAA describing collaboration on a proposed project are allowed (e.g., the use of NOAA samples or data by an applicant).

Applications must adhere to the requirements under the Applications and Required Elements subsections and must be submitted by the listed application deadline. Failure to follow these provisions will result in proposals being rejected and returned to the applicant without

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 8 of 30 review.

1. Applications A complete standard NOAA grant application package must be submitted in accordance with the guidelines in this document. These forms are available through the Grants.gov website at http//www.grants.gov. Each application must include:

- Application for Federal Assistance: SF-424

- Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs: SF-424A

- Assurances - Non-Construction Programs: SF-424B

- Certification Regarding Lobbying: CD-511

- Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: SF-LLL (if applicable)

- Title Page (described below)

- Project Summary (described below)

- Project Narrative (described below)

- Budget Narrative (described below)

- Data Sharing Plan (described in Section VI)

- Other supporting Documentation and Relevant Attachments the applicant deems important to the overall understanding and evaluation of the proposed project.

2. Required Elements

A. Title Page (One page limit) This page shall provide the project title, start and end dates (3 years), applicant name(s), name(s) of the Principal Investigator and any Co-Investigators, complete contact information (address, telephone, fax, email, and phone number) of the applicant(s), and a statement regarding the Federal, non- Federal, and total costs of the project.

B. Project Summary (Two page limit) Provide a brief summary of the project goals and objectives, the proposed activities and connection to specific funding priority being identified, the geographic area where the project would occur, and expected outcomes and benefits of the proposed activities. This summary may be posted on NOAA’s website if the project is funded.

C. Project Narrative (20 page limit for each of the years of the multi-year project, 60 page limit total) Each project must be completely and accurately described. Multi-year proposals must include a separate Project Narrative for each year of the proposed project period. The Project Narrative must present a clear statement of the work to be undertaken and must include specific objectives and performance measures for the period of the proposed work. The

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 9 of 30 manner in which these objectives and measures relate to longer-term goals of the PI's project or to other work planned, anticipated, or underway through Federal assistance should also be included. The project narrative must clearly state how the work will be undertaken to meet the program priorities and must include:

(1) Project Design: Project design describes specific work, activities, procedures, statistical design, or analytical methods that are being undertaken and what will be accomplished during each budget period of the project. Applications should be accomplishment-oriented and identify specific performance measures. Performance measurement is the process of assessing progress toward achieving predetermined goals, including efficiency, quality, outcomes and effectiveness. Performance management involves setting agreed-upon performance goals, allocating and prioritizing resources, informing managers about the effectiveness of meeting goals and reporting success. Project performance measures could be due dates for draft and final technical and scientific publications, dates for field seasons/data collection, or administrative such as meeting agendas or minutes, website updating, or outreach and education materials. Milestones should also be listed describing the specific activities and associated time lines to conduct the scope of work. Describe the time lines in increments (e.g., month 1, month 2), rather than by specific dates, and include the major products and how will project results be disseminated. A Data Sharing Plan (described later in this announcement) should be included (can be submitted as an appendix).

(2) Goals and Objectives: Identify the specific program priority the project intends to address and describe its significance. Identify the problem/opportunity to be addressed and describe its significance. State what you expect the project to accomplish. Research objectives should be clear and understandable; as specific and quantitative as possible; clear as to the "what and when;" and attainable within the time, funding, and resources available.

Administrative objectives should be described in a similar fashion.

(3) Project Management: Describe how the project will be organized and managed and who will be responsible for carrying out research or administrative activities. The lead organization/individual and person listed as the technical contact should be identified as the Principal Investigator (PI). Use of sub-contractors or volunteer staff time to complete project activities and oversight of those individuals should be discussed. The PI is responsible for all technical oversight and implementation of the approved work plan as delineated in the proposal. One PI must be designated on each project, but the PI may or may not be the applicant. However, if the applicant is not the PI, there must be an explanation of the relationship between the applicant and PI (e.g., applicant will be responsible for managing the grant funds and the PI will be responsible for completing the project milestones on time

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 10 of 30 and within budget, etc.). Project participants or organizations that will have a significant role in conducting the project should be listed as Co-investigators. Organizations or individuals that support the project, for example, researchers contributing data or materials, should be referred to as Cooperators. Copies of the PI's and all Co-investigator's current resumes or curricula vitae must be included as appendices.

If any portion of the project will be conducted through consultants, subcontracts and/or sub-awards, applicants must follow the requirements set out at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.330 through 200.332, as applicable. If a consultant, subcontractor and/or sub-awardee is selected prior to submitting an application, applicants must describe the process used for selection and provide a statement of his/her qualifications or background.

(4) 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.

(5) Participation by persons or groups other than the applicant: Describe how government and non-government entities, will participate in the project, and the nature of their participation.

(6) 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. Describe any coordination with other agency programs or on-going research efforts. Describe any other proposals or outside activities that are essential to the success of this proposal.

(7) Permitting: Provide a list of all applicable permits that will be required to perform the proposed work and an indication of the status of any permits needed, or a statement indicating that no permits are necessary.

D. Budget Narrative Applications should contain a separate Budget Narrative for each year of the multi-year proposal, and must include clear and concise budget information, both on the required Federal forms and as described here. In order to allow reviewers to fully evaluate the appropriateness of proposed costs, the budget narrative must explain and justify all Federal and non-Federal costs by object class category, as listed on the SF-424A under Section B, Budget Categories. Provide detailed narrative descriptions of all costs, and explain each calculation for all budget categories. You are encouraged to include a budget table to further clarify the cost breakdown. The budget narrative should be sufficiently detailed to enable a clear understanding of the cost breakdown and calculations used to derive the line item

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 11 of 30 subtotals in each object class of the SF-424A budget form. All proposed costs must be reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary to the supported activity. Additional Budget Narrative Guidance may be found at https://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/training.html.

The budget narratives must include the following:

1) Personnel costs, including salary and wages, should be broken out by named principal investigator (PI) and number of months requested per year, per staff member, PI, etc., as a percentage of their normal salary rate. Support for each person should be commensurate of their stated involvement, which may or may not correspond to their current position. Any unnamed personnel should be identify by their job title, and their personnel costs explained similar to staff or PI personnel costs above. Fringe benefits should be identified separately from salary and wages; fringe benefit rates should be applied consistently, and should apply equally to both Federal and non-Federal funds, if applicable. Funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be requested only for those personnel who are directly involved in implements the proposal project and whole salaries and fringe benefits are directly related to specific projects or outcomes of the proposed project. All funds must be estimated to the nearest dollar; do not submit budgets containing cents. Note: No cost sharing or matching is required under this program.

2) Travel costs should be broken out by number of people traveling, destination and purpose of travel, and projected costs per person. Projected travel costs should be inclusive of transport costs, lodging costs, and per diem expenses for all travelers, which are to be described in detail in the Budget Narrative. If travel details for a particular trip are unknown, explain the basis for estimating proposed costs. Domestic travel is to be justified separately from foreign travel, since the latter may require additional clearances. You must adhere to the provisions of the ‘Fly America Act’.

3) “Equipment” is non-expendable, tangible personal property with a unit cost of $5,000 or more and useful life of more than one year. Items that do not meet the equipment definition must be included under supplies. List each piece of equipment separately and reference the type/model to be purchased and its contribution to the achievement of the project goals. General use equipment must be used 100% for the projects project if charged directly to the award; if the equipment will be used for multiple projects, only a portion of the expense that is commensurate with the actual use of the equipment during the project may be requested.

4) Supplies should be itemized to the level of detail known or may be based on established historical costs. Whenever possible, you should include the quantity/number of units and cost per unit to justify expenses listed in the supplies category and relevance to the

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 12 of 30 project.

5) Contractual costs should be itemized separately, according to standard budget categories that appear in the SF-424A; all types of contractual costs should be included in the Contractual line of the SF-424A and explained in detail in the Budget Narrative. You must indicate the basis for each contract’s cost estimate and specify the products and services to be obtained through all contracts.

6) Other costs should be listed by type of material or nature of expense (e.g. sub-award) and should be broken down by quantity/number of units and cost per unit, if applicable.

7) The budget may include an amount for indirect costs if the applicant has an approved indirect cost rate agreement with the federal government. Indirect costs are essentially overhead costs for basic operational functions (e.g., lights, rent, water, and insurance) that are incurred for common or joint objectives and therefore cannot be identified specifically within a particular project. A copy of the current, approved negotiated indirect costs agreement with the Federal government must be included with the application.

If an applicant has not previously established an indirect cost rate with a Federal agency, it may choose to negotiate a rate with the Department of Commerce or use the de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), as allowed 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:

Lamar Revis, Grants Officer NOAA Grants Management Division 1325 East West Highway, 9th Floor Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 lamar.revis@noaa.gov

8) NOAA/NMFS will not consider fees, fundraising activities, or 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. A project begins on the effective date of an award agreement between the applicant and the Grants Officer and ends on the date specified in the award. 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.

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 13 of 30

E. Appendices or Supporting Documentation This section should include the supporting documentation such as: qualifications (i.e., curricula vitae or resumes) of the primary project personnel (PI and any Co-Investigators), agreements with key partners, a copy of established indirect cost rate agreement, letters of support received from relevant representatives, partners, or communities supporting the project, and letters of cooperation between the Principal Investigator and all named participants in the project, describing and agreeing to the specific activities each participant would perform (e.g., participants/collaborators receiving marine mammal samples/specimens).

Applicants requiring scientific research permits must also include evidence of such a permit (i.e., the permit number) or evidence they have submitted a permit application. Additional material, documents and information necessary or useful to the description of the project will help us to understand the project and the priority you seek to address. Letters of support and/or cooperation are strongly recommended. The Data Sharing Plan (described below) should also be attached as an appendix.

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 http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/, as well as the Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS ) as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 C.F.R. Part 25 which may be accessed at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idxSID=2dae4a7dcd5848a6364bb942d7786dd&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2subtitle A.tpl.

Each applicant is required to: (i) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier 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.

D. Submission Dates and Times

Applications/proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m., AST, March 08, 2019. Applications/proposals received after the established deadline will be rejected and returned to the sender without consideration.

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For proposals submitted through Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication will be the basis of determining timeliness. The proposal must be validated by Grants.gov in order to be considered timely. It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please keep this in mind in developing your submission timeline.

For those without access to the Internet, one signed original and two hard copy applications must be postmarked or received by the established due date. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. (Note that late-arriving hard copy proposals provided to a delivery service on or before 4:59 pm. on the closing date for applications will be accepted for review if the applicant can document that the proposal was provided to the guaranteed delivery service by the specified closing date and time and if the proposal is received by the NOAA NMFS Alaska Regional Office no later than 4:59 p.m., five business days following the closing date.) Private metered postmarks are not acceptable.

No facsimile or electronic mail proposals will be accepted.

E. Intergovernmental Review

Applications submitted by state and local governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Any applicant submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372.

To find out about and comply with a State's process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers of participating SPOC's are listed in the Office of Management and Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

This information will assist applicants in providing either a Yes or No response to Item 16 of the Application Form, SF-424, entitled "Application for Federal Assistance."

F. Funding Restrictions

No funding restrictions.

G. Other Submission Requirements

If you do not have internet access, application package may be submitted to Shawn Carey, Program Manager, NOAA/NMFS. Mailing Address: PO Box 21668, Juneau Alaska 99802-1668 (USPS); 709 9th Street, Suite 323A, Juneau Alaska 99801 (FedEx/UPS).

Registration Process Required registrations: You must complete and maintain the following free registrations to be eligible to submit an application using the Grants.Gov website. All registrations must be

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 15 of 30 completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take between 3 days to 4 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as early as possible.

(a) Grants.Gov: The first step in submitting an application online is to complete a one-time registration process. Individuals wishing to submit a grant application, using Grants.gov, are required to complete this one-time registration process. Neither a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number nor the System for Award Management (SAM) registration is necessary for Individual Registration.

(b) Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All Applicant Organizations (optional for Individual Applicants) must be issued a DUNS number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identification number provided by Dun and Brad Street. It will be used as the Universal Identifier when applying for Federal awards or cooperative agreements. You may request a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711 (toll free) or through the Internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

(c) System for Award Management (SAM) – All Applicant Organizations (optional for Individual Applicants) must complete and maintain an active registration. New registrations take an average of fourteen (14) business days. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code. To register, go to: http://www.SAM.gov.

You must renew and revalidate your entity’s registration at least every 12 months from the date you last certified to and submitted the registration in SAM - and sooner, if your entity’s information changes. The primary point of contact email address will receive a message alerting them to the entity’s/entities’ renewal requirements at 60 days, 30 days and 15 days prior to expiration. If you do not renew your registration, it will expire. You must have an active SAM registration in order to be eligible to receive contract awards or payments, submit assistance award applications via Grants.gov, or receive certain payments from some federal government agencies.

Grants.gov will not accept submissions if the applicant has not been authorized or if credentials are incorrect. Authorizations and credential corrections can take several days to establish. Please plan your time accordingly to avoid late submissions, as such submissions will be rejected. The Grants.gov validation process for a submitted application can take up to two business days to complete (following submission through Grants.gov). Only validated applications are sent to NOAA to review. To ensure successful submission of an application, it is strongly recommended that a final and complete application be submitted at least two

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 16 of 30 business days prior to the submission deadline.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov 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 THREE automated responses (the first confirms receipt; the second confirms that there are no errors with an application submission; and the third validates that the application has been forwarded to NOAA for further processing). You should save and print the proof of submission. If all notifications are not received, applicants should follow up with both the Grants.gov help desk and the Program Manager, Shawn Carey, to confirm NOAA receipt of the complete submission.

You must obtain a Grants.gov Support number.

Attn. Shawn Carey, Program Manager, NOAA/NMFS. Mailing Address: PO Box 21668, Juneau Alaska 99802-1668 (USPS); 709 9th Street, Suite 323A, Juneau Alaska 99801 (FedEx/UPS)

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

Technical/Merit reviewers will evaluate applications by assigning scores based on the following standard evaluation criteria, associated questions, and respective weights specified below. Written comments are required to justify provided scores in each section of the review. Applications that best address these criteria and associated questions will be most competitive.

1. Importance/relevance and applicability of proposal to the program objectives and priorities (30 points): Proposals will be evaluated on clear identification of proposed project objectives and the applicant's ability to link those objectives the objectives and priorities of this program. Reviewers will carefully consider the likelihood of meeting milestones and achieving anticipated results specified in the Project Narrative.

2. Technical/scientific merit (20 points): This criterion assesses whether the approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the research methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project objectives. Are the objectives in the proposal clearly defined and focused? Does the applicant demonstrate that the objectives are realistic and can be reached within the proposed project period? Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project?

Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider ways to resolve the

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 17 of 30 issues or implement alternative tactics? Is sufficient detail provided in the proposal about the methods proposed for monitoring and evaluating the success of the project? Is a data sharing plan attached and applicable?

3. Overall qualifications of the applicant (20 points): This criterion assesses whether the applicant and team members possess the necessary education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. Reviewers will consider previous related experience and qualifications of the project's PI, or Co-Investigator(s) and other personnel, including designated contractors, consultants, and cooperators. Reviewers will also consider past award performance of the applicant(s) and PI. Does the applicant have adequate administrative capability and experience in successfully completing similar projects? Does the applicant provide position descriptions of staff being funded through the proposal? Does the proposal include resumes and/or curricula vitae of the PI or staff funded through the proposal?

4. Project costs (30 points): This criterion evaluates the budget to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time frame. The itemized costs and the overall budget must be justified, clear to the reviewer, cost-effective, and appropriately allocated. Applicant should include the organization’s travel policy and rates. The proposed costs and overall budget of the project will be evaluated according to the proposed work.

Note project costs including administrative costs must be limited to NMFS species. Other cost-related evaluation is based on the following questions: Is the budget cost-effective and realistic based on the applicant's stated objectives, time frame, and amount of overall project budget? Is the proposed budget sufficiently detailed, with appropriate budget breakdown and justification of costs by object class? Are requested funds for salaries and fringe benefits only for those personnel who are directly involved in implementing the proposed project and/or directly related to specific products or outcomes of the proposed project?

B. Review and Selection Process

Screening, review, and selection procedures will take place in three steps: initial screening, technical/merit panel review, and final selection by the Selecting Official (i.e., the Regional Administrator, NMFS Alaska Region). An initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted to ensure that application packages have all required forms and application elements, clearly relate to the 2019 Alaska Pinniped Research Program, and meet all of the eligibility criteria.

NMFS will screen applications to ensure that they were received by the deadline date (see IV.C. Submission Dates and Times); include a SF 424 authenticated by an authorized representative, as well as other required federal forms; were submitted by an eligible

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 18 of 30 applicant; address one of the funding priorities; include a separate budget, statement of work, and milestones for a three year, multi-year project; and identify the principal investigator. If the application does not conform to the requirements listed above and/or the deadline date for submission has passed, the application will be returned without further consideration.

Applications meeting the requirements of this solicitation will then undergo a technical/merit panel review. Each application will be examined by reviewers that evaluate and discuss the application in a panel setting, followed by an individual scoring using the evaluation criteria provided in section V.A. (Evaluation Criteria) above. Technical/merit reviewers will be individuals with appropriate subject-matter expertise and may be from Federal or state agencies, or other organizations. The merit reviewers' scores will be used to produce a rank order of the proposals The identity of individual reviewers will remain anonymous to the extent permitted by law.

After applications have undergone technical/merit review, the Selecting Official (i.e., Regional Administrator, NMFS Alaska Region) will make the final decision regarding which applications will be funded based upon the rankings, funding amount recommendations, and evaluations of the applications. If the Selecting Official accepts an application for a project not in accordance with the rank given or the recommendation of the reviewer panel, the Selecting Official will consult with the Federal Program Officer and provide a detailed written explanation of the reasons for the action based on the selection factors below. The authority for approving a grant award for projects rests solely with NOAA.

Please note that not all activities, tasks, objectives or projects submitted under a single proposal may be deemed appropriate for funding; as such, the Selecting Official may recommend alternate activities as appropriate or partial funding, based on selection factors and/or panel review written evaluations. For an application to be selected for funding the applicant may be required to modify objectives, work plans, budgets, and provide supplemental information required by the agency prior to the award. This may result in submission of a revised application before final funding decisions are made. Awards are not necessarily made to the highest ranked applications.

The NOAA Grants Officer will review financial and grants administration aspects of a proposed award, including conducting an assessment of the risk posed by the applicant in accordance with 2 CFR 200.205. In addition to reviewing repositories of government-wide eligibility, qualifications or financial integrity information, the risk assessment conducted by NOAA may consider items such as the financial stability of an applicant, quality of the applicants management systems, an applicant’s history of performance, previous audit reports and audit findings concerning the applicant and the applicant’s ability to effectively

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 19 of 30 implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities.

Applicants should be in compliance with the terms of any existing NOAA grants or cooperative agreements and otherwise eligible to receive Federal awards, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Grants Officer, to be considered for funding under this competition. All reports due should be received and any concerns raised by the agency should be timely addressed in order to receive a new award.

Upon review of these factors, if appropriate, specific award conditions that respond to the degree of risk may be applied by the NOAA Grants Officer pursuant to 2 CFR 200.207.

NOAA also reserves the right to reject an application in its entirety where information is uncovered that raises a significant risk with respect to the responsibility or suitability of an applicant. In addition, NOAA may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique identifier and System for Award Management requirements referenced in Section IV.C. of this Announcement, 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.

The final approval of selected applications and issuance of awards will be by the NOAA Grants Officer. The award decision of the Grants Officer is final and there is no right of appeal.

We will notify you in writing whether your application is selected or not. Successful applications will be incorporated into the cooperative agreement award documentation. After the applicant has agreed to an award they must schedule to meet with the NMFS program staff to clarify special award conditions, priorities, staffing, and work plans versus the final funding level prior to initiating work under the new award. (See VI. Award Administration Information, A. Award Notices).

C. Selection Factors

The NMFS Regional Administrator, Alaska Region will be the Selecting Official. The merit review ratings shall provide a rank order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. The Selecting Official will review the rank order, funding recommendations and comments from all reviewers and determine the recipients to be funded and how much funding shall be awarded to each selected recipient. A program officer may first make recommendations to the Selecting Official after applying the selection factors below. The Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors:

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 20 of 30

1. Availability of funding

2. Balance/distribution of funds:

(a) Geographically,

(b) Type of institutions,

(c) Type of partners,

(d) Research areas, and

(e) Project types.

3. Duplication of other projects funded or considered for funding by NOAA/ Federal agencies.

4. Program priorities and policy factors. Policy factors may include:

(a) The time of year the research activities are to be conducted;

(b)…