NOAA-NMFS-PIFSC-2019-2006081 Full Announcement.pdf

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Broad Agency Announcement

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 3

A. Program Objective 3 B. Program Priorities 3 C. Program Authority 3

II. Award Information 4 A. Funding Availability 4 B. Project/Award Period 4 C. Type of Funding Instrument 4

III. Eligibility Information 4 A. Eligible Applicants 5 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 5 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 5

IV. Application and Submission Information 5 A. Address to Request Application Package 5 B. Content and Form of Application 6 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 7 D. Submission Dates and Times 8 E. Intergovernmental Review 8 F. Funding Restrictions 8 G. Other Submission Requirements 9

V. Application Review Information 10 A. Evaluation Criteria 10 B. Review and Selection Process 11 C. Selection Factors 12 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 12

VI. Award Administration Information 12 A. Award Notices 12 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 13 C. Reporting 16

VII. Agency Contacts 16 VIII. Other Information 16

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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: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Broad Agency Announcement

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-PIFSC-2019-2006081

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.472, Unallied Science Program

Dates: Applications must be submitted to Grants.gov up to 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time September 30, 2021. Applications received after this time will not be reviewed or considered for funding.

Funding Opportunity Description: The purpose of this notice is to request applications for special projects and programs associated with NOAA's mission goals. This notice provides the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will select proposals and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this CESU Broad Agency Announcement (CESU BAA). This CESU BAA is a mechanism to encourage research, education and outreach, innovative projects, or sponsorships that are not addressed through our competitive discretionary programs. It is not a mechanism for awarding Congressionally directed funds or existing funded awards. Funding for potential projects in this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2019 and Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for any potential activities in this notice. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to review an application, or to award any specific project, or to obligate any available funds. NOTE: The CESU-specific BAA has more stringent requirements than the NOAA-wide BAA. Only members of the named CESU are eligible to apply. The award mechanism is limited to Cooperative Agreements only. Proposals submitted under this opportunity must be consistent with NOAA’s mission and the intent of the National CESU program that is implemented across Federal Bureaus and agencies.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

NOAA is soliciting competitive cooperative agreement proposals from eligible applicants to support the management objectives of NOAA that fit within the intent of the National CESU Network Program: to provide research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies and their partners in biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines needed to address natural and cultural resource management issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context.

B. Program Priorities

As an agency with responsibilities for maintaining and improving the viability of marine and coastal ecosystems, for delivering valuable weather, climate, and water information and services, for understanding the science and consequences of climate change, and for supporting the global commerce and transportation upon which we all depend, NOAA must remain current and responsive in an ever-changing world. We do this in concert with our partners and stakeholders in federal, state, and local governments and private organizations, applying a systematic approach that links our strategic goals through multi-year plans to the daily activities of our employees. Every year we are committed to re-evaluate our progress and priorities, look for efficiencies, and take advantage of new opportunities to improve our information, products, and services.

C. Program Authority

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs.

NOAA’s authorities to participate in and conduct activities through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network include a number of statutes.

16 U.S.C. 661, 16 U.S.C. 1881c. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. § 661 et seq., National Marine Sanctuaries Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1431 et seq., National Climate Program Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2901 et seq., Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act, 33 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, 33 U.S.C. § 883a et seq., Endangered Species Act 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., Marine Mammal Protection Act 16 U.S.C. § 1361 et seq., and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 16 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq.] II.

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II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

There are no funds specifically appropriated by Congress for this CESU BAA. Funding for potential projects in this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2019 and Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations.

B. Project/Award Period

The project budget period is recommended to be 12 months in duration Awards may be multi-year with a maximum duration of 5 years, depending on the availability of funds.

Depending upon the availability of Federal funding, acceptable completion of all NOAA /applicant negotiations to include National Environmental Policy Act analysis, and provision of other supporting documentation as requested, applicants recommended to receive Federal funding may be asked to modify the project start date. The project 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

NOAA will fund projects through a cooperative agreement, which requires substantial involvement by NOAA. A cooperative agreement is a financial assistance vehicle that requires substantial involvement by the awarding agency. Substantial involvement means that, after award, NOAA scientific or program staff will assist, guide, coordinate, or participate in project activities in a partnership role; it is not to assume direction, prime responsibility, or a dominant role in the activities. The dominant role and prime responsibility resides with the awardee for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may be shared among the awardees and NOAA. Examples of substantial NOAA involvement may include non-compensated collaboration in research or approval of key stages in the project before subsequent steps are undertaken. 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 you and NOAA/Line Office representatives. NOAA will determine the appropriate nature of its substantial involvement; however, applicants may propose specific NOAA substantial involvement that they believe may be best suited for their projects. Please refer to restrictions on interaction with NOAA officials in Section IV.F.3. Further, the work funded in the cooperative agreement is conducted to support the mission of NOAA and be consistent with the intent of the CESU Program (see I.A. of this document). Please write the cooperative agreement application with these items in mind.

III. Eligibility Information

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A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must be members of one of the following CESUs:

-North and West Alaska -Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast -Californian -Chesapeake Watershed -Hawaii-Pacific Islands -North Atlantic Coast -South Florida-Caribbean -Pacific Northwest -Gulf Coast -Great Plains

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Cost sharing is not required unless it is determined that a project can only be funded under an authority that requires matching/cost sharing funds.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

None

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

The standard application package, consisting of the standard forms, i.e., Forms SF-424, SF424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and the CD-511, is available at http://www.grants.gov (Grants.gov). Users of Grants.gov will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it off line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. If an applicant has problems downloading the application forms from Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov. If you do not have internet access, an application package may be received by contacting

Julie Whitaker

NOAA IRC

1845 Wasp Blvd, Bldg 176 Honolulu, HI 96818

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(808) 725-5355 Julie.Whitaker@noaa.gov

B. Content and Form of Application

1. Format Requirements. All pages should be single-spaced and must be composed in at least 11-point font with one inch margins on 8 x 11 paper. The project description may not exceed 15 pages, exclusive of title page, project synopsis, literature cited, budget information, resumes of investigators, and letters of support (if any). Failure to follow the requirements may result in the rejection of the application and subsequent return. Any PDF or other attachments that are included in an electronic application must meet the above format requirement when printed out.

2. Content Requirements.

a. Title Page (1-page limit): The title page identifies the project's title, total budget, start and end dates; and the Principal Investigators (PI’s) and co-PI's names, affiliations, complete mailing addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and fax numbers. The title page must also identify the specific NOAA office (e.g., NESDIS, NMFS, NOS, NWS, OAR or Office of Education) and the NOAA program targeted by the proposal.

b. Project Synopsis (1-page limit): It is critical that the project synopsis accurately describes the project being proposed and conveys all essential elements of the activities. It is imperative that potential applicants tie their proposals to one of the NOAA mission goals described in Section I.B. of this and state it here in the synopsis.

c. Project Description (15-page limit): The applicant should describe and justify the project being proposed and address each of the evaluation criteria as described below in Section V.

Project descriptions should include clear objectives and specific approaches to achieving those objectives, including methods, timelines, and expected outcomes.

d. Literature Cited: If applicable.

e. Resumes for each major participant.

f. NEPA Questionnaire: NOAA may require additional information from the applicant regarding potential environmental impacts prior to reviewing the application. When required, NOAA will contact the applicant and request specific information required by selecting specific items from the NEPA Questionnaire (questions 1-62).

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 17 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwj Sx5nlxpviAhXEFjQIHWquCbAQFjAAegQIAxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nepa.noa a.gov%2Fquestionnaire.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1pdY9foBnwhbi36UdSVLD2

g. Federal forms: The application should include the applicable Federal forms in the standard application package referenced in Section IV.A. of this announcement.

h. Data Sharing Plan [Only if environmental data is expected to be generated].

A data sharing plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible. This plan should not exceed 2 pages in length.

i. Budget Narrative (not included in page limit): Describe the budget in a spreadsheet or other attachment consistent with guidance at https://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/docs/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_-_05-24- 2017_final.pdf.

ii. Indirect Cost Rate

Applicants proposing indirect costs may use a 17.5% rate previously approved by NOAA for the CESU Program, and no further supporting materials for indirect costs need to be attached to the application.

C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

Unless exempted under 2 C.F.R. 25.110, each applicant is required to: 1. Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting its application; 2. Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and 3. 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.

Applicants are also required to use the Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System, as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 CFR Parts 25, which may be accessed at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?

SID=2dae4a7dcd5848a6364bb94d2d7786dd&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2subtitleA.t pl.

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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

Full applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting from the publication date of this CESU BAA until a subsequent announcement is issued in this program, anticipated in approximately FY 2021. Applications received after this time will not be reviewed or considered for funding. Applications shall be evaluated for funding generally within 3 to 6 months of receipt. An applicant can expect to receive either a rejection notice based on the initial prescreening review (if found ineligible), a rejection notice based on merit review or program restrictions, a request for additional information, and/or an award within that timeframe.

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 the SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of

EO 12372.

REVIEW OF RISK

After applications are proposed for funding by the Selecting Official, the Grants Office will perform administrative reviews, including an assessment of risk posed by the applicant under 2 C.F.R. 200.205. These may include assessments of the financial stability of an applicant and the quality of the applicant’s management systems, history of performance, and the applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities. Special award conditions that address any risks determined to exist may be applied. Applicants may submit comments to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) about any information included in the system about their organization for consideration by the awarding agency.

F. Funding Restrictions

We will not consider expenses associated with fees, fund-raising activities, travel for

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 8 of 17 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. Applicants will not be reimbursed for time expended or costs incurred in developing a project or in preparing an application, or in any discussions or negotiations with the agency prior to the award. Such expenditures may not be considered as part of the applicant's cost share or voluntary matching contribution. CESU Program and NOAA’s Grants Management Division staff will review budget information for recommended applications to determine if costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and realistic. Funds awarded cannot necessarily pay for all the costs that the recipient might incur in the course of carrying out the project.

Generally, costs that are allowable include salaries, equipment, and supplies, as long as these are "necessary and reasonable" specifically for the purpose of the award. Allowable costs are determined by reference to the relevant OMB Cost Principles, which are contained in 2 C.F.R. Part 200. All cost reimbursement sub-awards (subgrants, subcontracts, etc.) are subject to those federal cost principles applicable to the particular type of organization concerned.

G. Other Submission Requirements

1. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) The CFDA number will vary depending on the nature of the proposed project. The applicant should consult the CFDA series 11.400 - 11.481 as well as 11.008, 11.011, and 11.012 and select from the subset of CFDA's applicable to this CESU BAA to select the most accurate program for the proposed project. The CFDA will also provide the reader with the eligibility requirements in order to determine if an applicant can apply under that particular CFDA.

Link to the catalog for NOAA programs:

https://www.cfda.gov/?s=program&mode=list&tab=searchresults CFDA Line Office CFDA Line Office CFDA Line Office: 11.008 OED 11.011 OAR 11.012 NOS 11.400 NOS/NMFS

11.417 OAR 11.419 NOS 11.420 NOS 11.426 NOS 11.427 NMFS 11.429 NOS 11.430

OAR 11.431 OAR 11.432 OAR 11.433 NMFS 11.436 NMFS 11.437 NMFS 11.438 NMFS

11.439 NMFS 11.440 NESDIS 11.441 NMFS 11.443 NWS 11.444 NMFS 11.445 NMFS

11.449 OAR 11.450 NWS 11.452 NMFS 11.454 NMFS 11.455 NMFS 11.457 NMFS

11.459 OAR 11.460 NOS/OAR 11.462 NWS 11.463 NMFS/NOS 11.467 NWS 11.468

NWS/OAR 11.472 NMFS/NOS 11.473 NOS 11.477 NMFS 11.478 NOS 11.480 NOS

11.481 OED

Use of Grants.Gov is preferred. Applications submitted via the Grants.gov website visit http://www.grants.gov. For those applicants without internet access, applications should be sent to NOAA Federal Program Officer, Julie Whitaker, NOAA IRC 1845 Wasp Blvd, Bldg 176 Honolulu, HI 96818.

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V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

Applicants are required to adhere to all the noted submission requirements and to provide a demonstrable link and/or to emphasize manner in which study objectives results will serve to support NOAA's mission goals/priorities. Since proposals responding to this CESU BAA may vary significantly in their activities/objectives, assigning a set weight for each evaluation criterion is not feasible but is based on a total possible score of 100. The Program Office and/or Selection Official will determine which of the following criteria and weights will be applied. Some proposals, for example sponsorships, may not be able to address all the criteria like technical/scientific merit. However, it is in your best interest to prepare a proposal that can be easily evaluated against these five criteria. When applicable, an applicant’s Data Sharing Plan will be considered within the criteria below

1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to the mission goals:

This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal, regional, state, or local activities: i.e., How does the proposed activity enhance NOAA's mission goals? Proposals should also address significance/possibilities of securing productive results, i.e., Does this study address an important problem?; If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced?; What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field?; What effect will the project have on improving public understanding of the role the ocean, coasts, and atmosphere in the global ecosystem? Proposals may also be scored for innovation, i.e., Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?

2. Technical/scientific merit: This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and if the methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and objectives.

Proposals should address the approach/soundness of design: i.e., Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the audiences to be engaged through the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? This criterion should also address the applicant's proposed methods for monitoring, measuring, and evaluating the success or failure of the project, i.e., What are they? Are they appropriate?

3. Overall qualifications of applicants: This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. If appropriate, proposals should also address the physical environment and collaboration, if any, i.e., Does the environment in which the work will be

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 10 of 17 done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments or activities take advantage of unique features of the intended environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements?

4. Project costs: The Budget is evaluated to determine if the cost is reasonable, allowable, allocable and necessary it is realistic, and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.

5. Outreach and education: NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's environmental resources. For example, how will the outcomes of the project be communicated to NOAA and the interested public to ensure it has met the project objectives over the short, medium or long term? Does the project address any of the goals or employ any of the strategies of the NOAA Education Plan (http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf)?

B. Review and Selection Process

If NOAA decides to review an application, an initial administrative review will be conducted to determine eligibility for award, compliance with requirements and completeness of the application. This review includes determining whether: 1. Sufficient funds are available in the budget of the program office receiving the application to support the proposed project; 2. Statutory authority exists to provide financial assistance for the project or organization; 3. A complete application package has been submitted; 4. The Project Description/Narrative is consistent with one or more of NOAA’s mission goals; 5.

The proposal falls within the scope of an existing NOAA competitive announcement for Federal Funding Opportunities or duplicates an existing nondiscretionary project announced or awarded in FY 14, FY15, FY16, FY17, FY18 (if it does, it cannot be funded under this announcement); 6. The work in the proposal directly benefits NOAA (if it will, it should be supported by a procurement contract, not a financial assistance award which cannot be funded under this announcement, as provided in 31 U.S.C. 6303). Applications not passing this initial review will not be considered further for funding through this CESU BAA, and will not receive further review. NOAA will evaluate proposal(s) that pass this initial review and comply with all the requirements under this CESU BAA individually (i.e., proposals will be not compared to each other). NOAA, in its sole discretion, may continue the review process for an application with a minor, harmless administrative error that may be easily rectified or cured. A merit review will be conducted by mail reviewers and/or peer panel reviewers. Each reviewer will individually evaluate the proposal(s) using the evaluation criteria provided above; a minimum of three merit reviewers per proposal is required. More than three reviewers may be used based on the complexity of the application. The reviewers may be any combination of Federal and/or non-federal personnel. The proposal(s) will be individually scored (i.e., a consensus is not reached) unless all reviewers are Federal

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 11 of 17 employees. If all of the reviewers are Federal employees, the program officer has the discretion to authorize a score based on consensus. NOAA selects evaluators on the basis of their professional qualifications and expertise as related to the unique characteristics of the proposal. The NOAA Program Officer will assess the evaluations and make a fund or do-not-fund recommendation to the Selecting Official with an explanation of the reasons for the recommendation. Any application considered for funding may be required to address the issues raised in the evaluation of the proposal by the reviewers, Program Officer, Selecting Official, and/or Grants Officer before an award is issued. 7. Applications not selected for funding in FY2019 or FY2020 may be considered for funding from FY2021, but may be required to revalidate the terms of the original application or resubmit in the next CESU BAA cycle if one is published. The Program Officer, Selecting Official and/or Grants Officer may negotiate the final funding level of the proposal with the intended applicant. The Selecting Official makes the final recommendation for award to the NOAA Grants Officer who is authorized to commit the Federal Government and obligate the funds.

C. Selection Factors

The Selecting Official, who is usually the Science Center Director (or the NOAA Technical Representative identified in the Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement of the CESU), will review the funding recommendation and comments from the NOAA Program Officer to determine which applications will be recommended to the NOAA Grants Officer.

The Selecting Official shall justify the selection and may consider the availability of funds, program priorities or policy factors, and diversity of selected applications over time.

D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Subject to the availability of funds, awards are expected to be made three to six months after receipt by NOAA of the full application. Given this time frame, applicants applying in Fiscal Year 2019 should take into consideration that submissions received after May 20, 2019 may not be able to be awarded in FY2019 (October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019).

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Upon completion of the review and selection process, successful applicants will receive notification from a CESU Regional representative that the application has been recommended for funding selection to the NOAA Grants Management Division. This notification is not an authorization to begin performance of the project. Official notification of funding, signed by a NOAA Grants Officer, is the authorizing document that allows the project to begin. This notification will be issued to the Authorizing Representative of the

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 12 of 17 project either electronically through use of Grants Online or in hard copy. Projects should not be initiated in expectation of Federal funding until the Applicant’s Authorized Representative has received official notice of the award from the NOAA Grants Officer and has reviewed and accepted the terms of the award. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their submission was not recommended for funding or it was not reviewed because it did not meet the minimum requirements described in IV.B (Content and Form of Application).

Unselected paper applications will be returned to the applicant.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Successful applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets prior to final approval of an award. The exact amount of funds to be awarded, the final scope of activities, the project duration, and specific NOAA cooperative involvement with the activities of each project will be determined in pre-award negotiations among the applicant, the NOAA Grants Office, and NOAA program staff. Award documents provided by the Grants Officer may contain special award conditions limiting the use of funds for activities that have outstanding environmental compliance requirements. These special award conditions may also include other compliance requirements for the award as applicable and will be applied on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review award documents carefully before accepting a Federal award so they are fully aware of the relevant terms and conditions that have been placed on the award.

1. Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Pre-Award Notice:

The Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Pre-Award Notice, 79 FR 78390 (Dec.

30, 2014) will apply to awards in this program. Refer to http://go.usa.gov/cXC7A.

2. Uniform Administrative Requirements Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. 200, implemented by the Department of Commerce at 2 C.F.R. 1327.101, apply to awards in this program. Refer to http://go.usa.gov/cXCJQ.

3. Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions:

The Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions will apply to awards in this program. A current version is available at http://go.usa.gov/cXC7A.

4. Limitation of Liability. Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the availability of FY 2019 and 2020 Congressional appropriations. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for the programs listed in this notice. In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 13 of 17 or to obligate any available funds.

5. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). If recommended for funding, applicants whose proposed projects may have an environmental impact will be asked to furnish sufficient information to assist NOAA in assessing the potential environmental consequences of supporting the project. NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for each project which seeks NOAA funding. Detailed information on NEPA can be found at the following NOAA NEPA web site: www.nepa.noaa.gov, including our NOAA Administrative order 216-6 for NEPA, www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality implementation regulations, http://ceq.hhs.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm. If needed by NOAA for NEPA assessment, applicants will be asked to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species, and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems).

In addition to providing specific information that will serve as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA in drafting an environmental assessment if NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In some cases if additional information is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the environment.

6. Unpaid or delinquent tax liability In accordance with Section 523 of Division B and Sections 744 and 745 of Division E of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) or a future public law, an authorized representative of the selected applicant(s) will be required to provide certain pre-award representations regarding federal felony and federal criminal tax convictions, unpaid federal tax assessments, and delinquent federal tax returns. If the application is selected for funding the NOAA Program Officer, during the negotiation process, will provide this document to the applicant Authorized Representative for completion.

7. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6106 Note. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 includes a requirement for

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 14 of 17 awardees of applicable Federal grants to report information about first-tier sub-awards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY 2011 or later. All awardees of applicable grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.FSRS.gov on all sub-awards over $25,000. Refer to OMB guidance published at 2 C.F.R. Part 170 (2015), accessible at http://go.usa.gov/cCr8j.

8. Data Sharing Plan

1. Environmental data and information collected or created under NOAA grants or cooperative agreements must be made discoverable by and accessible to the general public, in a timely fashion (typically within two years), free of charge or at no more than the cost of reproduction, unless an exemption is granted by the NOAA Program. Data should be available in at least one machine-readable format, preferably a widely-used or open-standard format, and should also be accompanied by machine-readable documentation (metadata), preferably based on widely used or international standards.

2. Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management Plan of up to two pages describing how these requirements will be satisfied. The Data Management Plan should be aligned with the Data Management Guidance provided by NOAA in the Announcement. The contents of the Data Management Plan (or absence thereof), and past performance regarding such plans, will be considered as part of proposal review. A typical plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content;

methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance.

Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements; however, NCEI is not obligated to accept all submissions and may charge a fee, particularly for large or unusual datasets.

3. NOAA may, at its own discretion, make publicly visible the Data Management Plan from funded proposals, or use information from the Data Management Plan to produce a formal metadata record and include that metadata in a Catalog to indicate the pending availability of new data.

4. Proposal submitters are hereby advised that the final pre-publication manuscripts of scholarly articles produced entirely or primarily with NOAA funding will be required to be submitted to NOAA Institutional Repository after acceptance, and no later than upon publication. Such manuscripts shall be made publicly available by NOAA one year after publication by the journal.

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C. Reporting

Grant recipients will be required to submit financial and performance (technical) reports.

All financial reports shall be submitted to NOAA's Grants Management Division in accordance with the award conditions via NOAA's Grants Online. Performance reports should be submitted to the NOAA Program Officer Julie Whitaker, Julie Whitaker, NOAA IRC 1845 Wasp Blvd, Bldg 176 Honolulu, HI 96818. Electronic submission of performance reports via NOAA's Grants Online web based software is preferred method and is strongly encouraged; however in special circumstances the Program Officer will accept hard copies.

All reports will be submitted in accordance to the NOAA Special Award Conditions. The comprehensive final report is due 90 days after the award expiration.

VII. Agency Contacts

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Julie Whitaker, Federal Program Officer NOAA Inouye Regional Center 1845 Wasp Blvd, Building 176 Honolulu, HI 96818

(808) 725-5355 Julie.Whitaker@noaa.gov

VIII. Other Information

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Department of Commerce regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) are found at 15 C.F.R. Part 4, Public Information. These regulations set forth rules for the Department regarding making requested materials, information, and records publicly available under the FOIA. Applications submitted in response to this Federal Funding Opportunity may be subject to requests for release under the Act. In the event that an application contains information or data that the applicant deems to be confidential commercial information which is exempt from disclosure under FOIA, that information should be identified, bracketed, and marked as Privileged, Confidential, Commercial or Financial Information. Based on these markings, the confidentiality of the contents of those pages will be protected to the extent permitted by law.

Minority Serving Institutions The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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(DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to increasing the participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), i.e., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian institutions, and institutions that work in underserved communities.

NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy Applicable to Financial Assistance Awards If NOAA-operated, leased, or owned facilities are involved in any awards funded under this announcement, such awards are subject to the NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy Applicable to Financial Assistance Awards Involving NOAA Operated Facilities (May 2018) found at:

http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/facilities_assault_policy.html.

If the use of a vessel(s) under NOAA contract, order, grant, or cooperative agreement is involved in any awards funded under this announcement where the non-Federal entity employees are anticipated to be crew members aboard the vessel(s), such awards are subject to the NOAA Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy Applicable to Financial Assistance Awards Involving the use of a Vessel(s) under NOAA Contract, Order, Grant, or Cooperative Agreement (May 2018) found at:

http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/vessel_assault_policy.html (if applicable).

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