NOAA-NMFS-PIRO-2019-2005913 FFO Report.pdf

2019 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4 B. Program Priorities 4 C. Program Authority 6

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

III. Eligibility Information 7 A. Eligible Applicants 7 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 8 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 19 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 25

VII. Agency Contacts 27 VIII. Other Information 27

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 27

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 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-PIRO-2019-2005913

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, Unallied Management Projects

Dates: Proposals must be received at the Pacific Islands Regional Office (hereinafter, "PIRO") no later than 5:00 p.m., Hawai'i Standard Time, on February 6, 2019. Use of Grants.gov is preferred. If Grants.gov cannot reasonably be used, use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt; private metered postmarks are not acceptable.

Postmarked applications received more than 8 business days following the closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

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

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

Funding Opportunity Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS) is soliciting competitive applications for the FY2019 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program (MTMCP). This program supports conservation, protection, or management actions supporting recovery of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed sea turtle species occurring within the Pacific Islands Region (PIR) or of aggregations (or species) with linkages to the PIR. Such species may migrate through, nest or forage within the PIR, or are impacted by PIR federally managed activities and relevant to NOAA/NMFS

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 2 of 27 management and recovery obligations. For the FY2019 funding competition, we are soliciting projects located in Hawai’i, and, for internationally-shared sea turtle populations, projects located in Fiji (for, Central South Pacific Green Turtle Distinct Population Segment), Japan (for, North Pacific Loggerhead Turtle Distinct Population Segment), and the Western Pacific (for nesting or foraging habitats of western Pacific leatherback turtles).

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 3 of 27

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

NOAA/NMFS is soliciting competitive proposals for grants and cooperative agreements that will support NMFS' mission for stewardship of living marine resources through conservation, protection, and recovery of ESA-listed sea turtle species located in Hawai’i, Fiji, Japan, and the Western Pacific (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea or Solomon Islands).

International-based projects are intended to benefit aggregations of sea turtles that have documented linkages to the PIR, or are impacted by PIR federally managed activities and address NOAA/NMFS management and ESA recovery obligations. These would include the Central South Pacific Green Turtle Distinct Population Segment (DPS), North Pacific Loggerhead Turtle DPS, and Western Pacific leatherback turtle.

Total funding available under this notice is anticipated to be approximately $350,000. Actual funding for this program is contingent upon FY2019 Congressional appropriations.

Applicants will be selected by NOAA/NMFS on a competitive basis.

B. Program Priorities

NOAA Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program (MTMCP) seeks projects that enhance, inform, build capacity for conservation, protect, or implement management actions in support of ESA-listed sea turtle species. Projects must use standardized monitoring, research, or conservation approaches consistent with published literature and NOAA directed methodologies (to be confirmed or revised if needed prior to onset of award). All projects will have data publicly available as required within the NOAA data management policy. NOAA is seeking projects that produce data that may be used in conservation and management initiatives, agency assessments, and NOAA ESA Biological Opinions. Projects must strive to provide a high conservation value for low expenditure of resources.

All proposals should be able to clearly identify how proposed activities relate to recovery criteria listed in U.S. Sea Turtle Recovery Plans. Internationally-based sea turtle projects must demonstrate relevance or species connectivity to the PIR. Such relevance can be established through satellite telemetry or genetics, or by describing how the project is applicable to NOAA/NMFS fishery management or sea turtle recovery obligations. Projects that can link objectives to NMFS management needs expressed in current Biological Opinions, Recovery Plans, or action plans (e.g., Leatherback Turtle Species in the Spotlight)

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 4 of 27 should reference those materials. Applicants must demonstrate proven capacity and expertise to operate within or implement programs for the islands/locations of interest. Projects with objectives to “reduce” or “eliminate” certain impacts or threats should incorporate metrics of performance to evaluate project success. Multi-year proposals that show programmatic development over time and can maximize data collection and conservation benefits are encouraged. There is no guarantee of out-year funding, as it is dependent on Federal appropriations.

Projects must fall into one of the following MTMCP priorities:

PRIORITY 1: Hawksbill sea turtles in Hawai’i nest on the Islands of Hawai’i (aka. Big Island), Maui, and Molokai. Under this priority, NOAA is soliciting projects designed to monitor nesting activity to undertake systematic beach surveys that collect reproductive information and protect nests from environmental or anthropogenic impacts. Projects may also include educational outreach to promote awareness of the species and actions the public can to do help protect nests, nesting females, nesting habitats, and reduce marine threats.

Priority will be given to index beach programs (i.e., those with 10 or more females nesting annually or >30 nests per season) and those which may collect new information in areas not previously monitored.

PRIORITY 2: Stranding response on the island of Maui for dead, injured, or otherwise compromised sea turtles.

Projects should implement and maintain a stranding response program and network (via volunteers, interns, staff, and community collaboration) to respond to stranded turtles and provide outreach to improve sea turtle/human interactions by reducing “take” or other negative impacts (such as promoting responsible public viewing). The network should demonstrate its ability to respond, receive, process, and manage information, data, and reports; provide fully-trained and vetted volunteers to respond to sea turtle strandings on Maui; provide educational outreach to the public; and ensure volunteers have appropriate equipment and protective gear. Due to the nature of activities and sensitive management consideration, the program must work in close collaboration with NOAA. This includes open communication between and among programs, and coordination on data collection, response protocols, outreach, and media (including social media).

PRIORITY 3:International Sea Turtle Conservation and Monitoring Projects.

International sea turtle projects are designed to monitor populations, identify threats, and implement actions to address threats for the protection and conservation of: a) Central South Pacific Green Turtle Distinct Population Segment (DPS), b) North Pacific Loggerhead Turtle DPS, and c) Western Pacific leatherback turtle population. NOAA is soliciting projects

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 27 within the following areas or with key populations of interest:

(a) Fiji focused on green turtles of the Central South Pacific DPS. The population of green turtles foraging within Fiji coastal waters has strong connectivity and linkage with nesting green turtles of Rose Atoll, American Samoa. Priority activities for funding consideration include monitoring of turtles in their foraging habitats to gather important population demographic data to help inform the DPS population status and trends relative to understanding habitat use, foraging ecology, regional connectivity, health, growth rates and survivorship.

(b) Japan focused on North Pacific loggerhead turtle DPS to support population recovery efforts. Priority activities for funding consideration may include: i) Nesting beach monitoring at key index sites to assess nesting trends and/or implement mitigation measures to bolster hatchling production by addressing environmental impacts from beach erosion, predation, or high beach temperatures; ii) Developing and taking steps to implement best-practice handling guidelines (translated into Japanese) for programs to ensure nests and hatchlings are handled via biologically relevant and scientifically proven protocols; and/or

iii) Efforts to assess or reduce interactions in coastal or pelagic fisheries through bycatch mitigation projects or population demographic research (foraging ecology, migratory movements, habitat use, etc.).

(c) Western Pacific leatherback turtles in countries where the population nest (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Islands) or in marine habitats where they forage and migrate to improve our understanding of population dynamics. Priority activities for funding consideration may include: i) Nesting beach surveys to monitor nesting activity and assess reproductive output (number of nests laid or females nesting), and implement measures to manage threats at nesting beaches (e.g., predation, invasive species, beach erosion, high beach temperatures); ii) Marine surveys of leatherback turtles in foraging habitats or migratory areas; and/or iii) Community-based strategies to address and manage human take (i.e., harvest) of eggs or turtles on nesting beaches or in foraging habitats. Such measures should incorporate local government agencies and community leaders, and utilize innovative social science and social marketing approaches to develop and guide management strategies for long-term implementation.

C. Program Authority

16 U.S.C. §661; 16 U.S.C. §742f

II. Award Information

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 27

A. Funding Availability

Total funding available under this notice is anticipated to be approximately $350,000.

Approximately 5-8 awards are anticipated to be granted for FY 2019 under this competition (Priority 1: 1-3 awards; Priority 2: 1 award; Priority 3: 1-4 awards).

Proposals must be between $10,000 to $85,000 per project. If a multi-year project is proposed, funding can be no more than $85,000 per project year, up to 3 years.

Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon FY 2019 Federal appropriations. Award amounts will be determined by the proposals and available funds.

There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted by the same applicant;

however, multiple applications submitted by the same applicant must clearly identify different projects. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA/NMFS has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, pre-award costs are not allowed under the award unless approved by the NOAA Grants Officer.

B. Project/Award Period

The project period must be between 3 to 18 months. Multi-year applications will be considered, up to 3 years.

June 1, 2019 is the earliest recommended start date to be used on proposals, unless otherwise directed by the NOAA Program Officer.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

NOAA/NMFS will fund the projects under the Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program as grants and/or cooperative agreements. The government will be substantially involved in the management and/or operation of the program if a project is funded through a cooperative agreement. This substantial involvement may include but is not limited to partnering in collaborative efforts and/or alignment of activities to meet program priorities. Substantial involvement may also include assisting in the development of educational materials.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

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Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, commercial organizations, foreign institutions, foreign organizations, State, local, and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies, Federal instrumentalities, or employees of these Federal entities, are not eligible to apply.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

No cost sharing or matching is required under this program.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

If relevant, any necessary research permits, authorizations or letters of endorsement to handle sea turtles or undertake proposed activities are required. This documentation should either be submitted with the proposal or referenced as available upon request. Any projects that include turtle capture and handling will be required to collect morphometric data, tag turtles, and collect DNA genetic samples for regional connectivity studies currently supported by NOAA Fisheries Service; internationally-based applicants must therefore demonstrate possession of active CITES export permits or the capacity to acquire them, or have a plan to analyze samples in-country. Scientific information and data collected as a result of a NOAA/NMFS funded projects shall be provided to NOAA/NMFS for data archiving and for use in development of conservation initiatives, agency assessments, and ESA Biological Opinions for the conservation of sea turtles. This includes GPS position data of any and all captured turtles.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

The standard application package, consisting of the standard forms, i.e., SF-424, SF- 424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and the CD-511, is available at http://www.grants.gov.

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: Penny Larin, NOAA Federal Program Officer, Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1845 Wasp Blvd, Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818, Phone: (808)-725-5057.

B. Content and Form of Application

Application Format:

All application materials should be submitted in Adobe PDF or a common word processing format, and when printed out should meet all format requirements. All pages must be no less

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 8 of 27 than double-spaced printed or typed, printed or typed in at least 12-point font, and printable on 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper, with 1-inch margins. Any PDF or other attachments that are included in an electronic application must meet the above format requirement when printed out. Failure to follow these requirements will result in the rejection/return of the application.

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

Each application must include:

- Federal application forms, including:

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• SF-424A, Budget Information, Non-construction Programs must be completed, and also include all matching funds. If applying for a Multi-Year award (2 to 3 years), submit a line item budget (SF-424A) and corresponding budget narrative for each of the funding periods anticipated.

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

• CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable).

• Title page (Proposal cover sheet, limit 1 page)

• Narrative Project Description (described below, limit 10 pages – does not include Title page, Budget, Attachments, or Appendices)

• Budget Justification: Detailed budget in narrative format (described below; limit 2 pages). Provide justifications for all budget items in sufficient detail to enable the reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of the funding requested. The budget justification should be broken out and detailed using the same budget categories as noted on the SF-424A budget form.

• NEPA Questionnaire. The NOAA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) questionnaire must be completed for each application. For more information on this requirement, see section "B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements" and http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/questionnaire.pdf. This questionnaire does not count towards any page limits.

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

• Attachments: Other Supporting Documentation and relevant attachments the applicant

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 9 of 27 deems important to the overall understanding and evaluation of the proposed project (combined into one PDF document). Attachment information can include: charts, graphs, maps, photographs, and other pictorial presentations; abbreviated CVs of key personnel;

letters of endorsement, support, or collaboration; an indirect cost rate agreement; permit and authorization information; data collection forms; or any other supporting information.

• Previously funded NOAA grants projects must include their last grant report (comprehensive annual report or most recent progress report).

If an applicant does not have Internet access or if Grants.gov is inaccessible, paper applications will be accepted. Paper applications must be submitted with completed, signed, inked signature, original forms in hard copy and an electronic copy of the entire application on CD, including scanned, signed forms. If the applicant has completed the entire application in Grants.gov but is unable to submit it via Grants.gov, then this application package should be provided via CD along with printed and signed versions of forms SF-424, SF-424B, and CD-511. The authorized representative MUST sign and date these forms over the printed signature that will appear in the signature box. Paper applications should not be bound in any manner.

Application Content Requirements:

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

a. Project title

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

c. Any co-investigators (or Co-managers) with contact information

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

e. Identification of programmatic priority applicable to the project

f. Funding type request (grant or cooperative agreement)

g. Total cost of the project, including federal and non-federal funding requested

h. If requesting a multi-year project, the project costs per funding period

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

B. Narrative Project Description (limit 10 pages) Each application must include a project narrative, see also Evaluation Criteria to ensure reviewers receive all necessary information upon which to base evaluations. Applicants should not assume that reviewers already know about their proposed project. Multi-year applications must include a project narrative for each year of the proposed project.

Narratives should include the following information:

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(a) Project Background: Provide information on the species, geographic area, community, or situation(s) being addressed by the proposed project. Applications must include detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, community or environmental profiles, and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist. Describe the problem being addressed, why action is necessary to address it and a summary of expected outcomes and anticipated benefits as a result of the project. Include a summary of information that exists for the project to help put the projects’ objectives and merit into context (e.g., nesting trends).

Include how the project relates to tasks outlined in the U.S. Sea Turtle Recovery Plans or other relevant Action Plans. International projects must also articulate the linkage of turtle stocks to the PIR (e.g., genetic or satellite telemetry) or relevance to NOAA/NMFS management and recovery obligations, such as (for example) activities that implement Conservation Recommendations provided by NMFS in a Biological Opinion or related management initiative (e.g., Species in the Spotlight).

(b) Project goals, objectives and anticipated results: Identify how the project’s goals are designed to address the problem described in the previous section. Objectives intended to achieve each project goal should be articulated in simple, understandable terms but should be as specific and quantitative as possible. Objectives should be attainable within timeframe, budgetary, and human resource considerations. Applicants should describe how anticipated results and expected outcomes will contribute to progress NOAA/NMFS' mission for the stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the promotion of healthy ecosystems. Describe how results will be evaluated for success and how outcomes or products will be applied to future action or made available to appropriate user groups.

(c) Project methods: Describe the scientific-based technical plan of research, monitoring or conservation activities to achieve expected results and benefits. For non-research based proposals, provide a detailed description of methods that will be employed to achieve program objectives. Project milestones and timelines (e.g. the number of months) to meet objectives should be established. Projects with objectives to “reduce” or “eliminate” certain impacts should incorporate metrics of performance to evaluate project success. Outline how data will be recorded and managed (include a copy of data collection forms in appendix).

Describe any educational outreach and how the project will disseminate information and results to the public or stakeholders. Describe how local government agencies or potential users of the results (i.e., industry, resource managers, or community) are involved in the activity.

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

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

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

C. Budget Justification (not to exceed 2 pages in length)

(a) Each application must include clear and concise budget information covering total project cost, both on the required Federal forms and in the narrative detail of this section.

Multi-year applications must include detailed budget information for each year of the proposed activity. A scalable budget that can allow different components of the project to be funded independent of another component is encouraged. The NOAA Grants Management Budget Narrative guidance can be found on their website at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/training.html

(b) Applications must include OMB standard form 424A, "Budget information - Non Construction Programs." All instructions should be read before completing the form, and the amounts per category and total amounts indicated on the form should correspond with amounts indicated in the budget narrative and justification.

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(c) On a separate sheet or spreadsheet, list itemized costs per category and the corresponding Federal and non-Federal share and direct and indirect cost totals. Describe and justify the requested budget. For the non-Federal share, the itemized costs should be separated into cash and in-kind contributions. If in-kind contributions are included, describe briefly the basis for estimating the value of these contributions.

(d) If an applicant has not previously established an indirect cost rate with a Federal agency, they may choose to negotiate a rate with the Department of Commerce or use the de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of MTDC (as allowable under 2 C.F.R. §200.414). The negotiation and approval of a rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA and the Department of Commerce Standard Terms and Conditions, Section B.06. The NOAA contact for indirect or facilities and administrative costs is:

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

D. Data Sharing or Management Plan (up to 2 pages, if the project collects environmental data. The data sharing plan will not count towards any other page limits)

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

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

the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 13 of 27 such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance. Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements; however, NCEI is not obligated to accept all submissions and may charge a fee, particularly for large or unusual datasets.

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

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

E. Appendices An abbreviated curriculum vitae or resume of the primary PM/PI should be included with the application. Applicants requiring CITES export permits or scientific research permits must also include evidence of such a permit (e.g., by providing copy of cover page with permit number – full permit must be available upon request) or evidence they have submitted a permit application. Additional material that is necessary or useful to the description of the project may also be provided (e.g., letters of endorsement, tables or visual materials). Letters of commitment or collaboration are strongly recommended. Include data collection forms if relevant.

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

To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the quality of information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, to the extent applicable, any proposal awarded in response to this announcement will be required to use the System for Award Management (SAM), which may be accessed online at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. Applicants are also required to use the Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System, as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 CFR Part 25, which may be accessed at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=edc335f8786c55058518a8d024fc9989&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5.

D. Submission Dates and Times

Proposals must be received at the PIRO offices by 5:00 p.m. Hawai'i Standard Time, Federal Funding Opportunity Page 14 of 27

February 6, 2019. Proposals received after the established deadline will be rejected. For applications 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.

Note: It may take www.grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject an application, thus it is recommended to submit applications early before the deadline so any unknown errors can be resolved. Please keep this in mind when developing your submission timeline. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt.

Applications received later than 8 calendar days following the postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic mail applications 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 19 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372.

F. Funding Restrictions

The NOAA will not consider expenses associated with fees, fund-raising activities, travel for activities not directly related to project implementation, travel or salaries for Federal employees, or profit as allowable costs in the proposed budget. The total costs of a project consist of all allowable costs incurred in accomplishing project activities during the project period. Applicants will not be reimbursed for time expended or costs incurred in developing a project or in preparing an application, or in any discussions or negotiations with the agency prior to the award. Such expenditures may not be considered as part of the applicant's cost share or matching contribution.

G. Other Submission Requirements

Full Applications should be submitted through www.grants.gov. If you do not have Internet access, an application package may submitted to Penny Larin, Federal Programs Officer, NOAA/NMFS/PIRO; 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, Hawai'i, 96818.

Registration Process

1. Required registrations: You must complete and maintain the following registrations to be eligible to submit an application using the Grants.Gov website. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take between 3 days to

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4 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon 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. Your DUNS Number assignment is free.

(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. Registration is free.

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 email address provided for the primary point of contact will receive a message alerting that designee 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.

2. Only authorized individual(s) will be able to submit the application, and the system may need time to process a submitted application. 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 confirming receipt; the second confirming there are no errors with an application submission; and the third validating that the application has been forwarded to NOAA for further processing). You should save and

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 16 of 27 print the proof of submission. If all notifications are not received, applicants should follow up with both the Grants.gov help desk and the NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office, Federal Programs Office staff to confirm NOAA receipt of the complete submission. You must obtain a Grants.gov support number.

3. Federal employees are not allowed to assist in the preparation of an application or proposal, except that these individuals may provide you with information on program goals, funding priorities, application procedures, and completion of application forms. Because this is a competitive program, Federal employees will not provide assistance in conceptualizing, developing, or structuring proposals, or write letters of support for an application or proposal.

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers will assign scores to applications ranging from 0-100 points based on the following five standard NOAA evaluation criteria. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the factors that the reviewers will consider to determine how well an application meets the criterion. We encourage applicants to make explicit connections to the evaluation criteria and factors in their applications.

Written comments are required to justify provided scores in each section of the review.

Applications that best address these criteria will be most competitive.

One technical review/merit panel will be convened. The panel will evaluate proposals by assigning scores up to the maximum indicated for each of the criteria below.

1. Relevance and Applicability of Proposal to the Program’s Priorities as outlined in Section I.B. (25 points). This criterion ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and is relevant to NOAA/NMFS fishery management or recovery obligations, and is coordinated with other Federal, regional, State, or local activities. Will the project support, inform, or build capacity for the conservation, protection, or management of ESA-listed sea turtle species outlined in the Program’s Priority areas as outlined in section I.B? Will the project contribute to progress NOAA/NMFS mission for the stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management? Will the project operate at an index nesting beach or important foraging habitat? Will the project collect information from a previously unmonitored or understudied area? Is there community engagement or participation, and does the project adequately incorporate local government agencies and community leaders (or local land owners)? Is the project already established, recognized, and have necessary connections (government or local community)? If not, is there certainty that

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 17 of 27 the project can implement objectives while becoming established?

2. Technical/Scientific Merit (25 points). This criterion assesses whether the approach is technically sound or innovative, if the methods are appropriate, whether there are clear project goals and objectives, and whether the project’s anticipated benefits or outcomes can be achieved within the proposed performance period. Is the project design appropriate for addressing the research, monitoring, or conservation objectives? Does the project design include an evaluation component to ensure that project goals and objectives are met? Does the project utilize innovative research techniques, or apply social science (social marketing) strategies for long-term community engagement? Reviewers will consider if the project will secure productive results. Does the project have the necessary technical expertise, or access to technical support if needed to achieve objectives? Is there certainty that the project will be able to capture turtles if they propose to do so? If so, will the project collect GPS location data, morphometric data, tag turtles, and collect DNA genetic samples? Does the project have objectives to “reduce” or “eliminate” certain impacts or threats and incorporate metrics of performance to evaluate such success? For international projects, is the project designed to work with local governments, institutions or communities to build local in-country capacity for conservation or management? For multi-year proposals, is there a development plan outlined that describes progress over time to maximize benefits? Will the project generate data critical to advance NOAA/NMFS mission and management obligations? Per the NOAA Data Sharing Directive, does the proposal have an appropriate data management plans?

3. Overall Qualifications of the Applicants (15 points). This criterion ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, facilities, permits (if necessary) and administrative resources to accomplish the project. Reviewers will consider previous related experience and qualifications of the project's PM or PI, Co-Manager(s) 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 PM/PI, and their proven ability to produce high quality and timely work. Does the applicant demonstrate a proven capacity, expertise, and connections (approval) to implement programs within the island or areas of interest? Does the applicant have necessary research permits, authorizations, or letters of endorsement (or permission) to handle sea turtles or undertake proposed activities? Do international projects have a CITES export permits (or the capacity to acquire them), or have a plan to analyze samples in-country?

4. Project Costs (25 points). This criterion evaluates the budget to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame. Reviewers will consider if costs are reasonable with the required tasks to be performed, determine if the budget is sufficiently

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 18 of 27 detailed and adequately justified, and costs are effective for successfully completing the project. Does the project provide a high conservation value for low expenditure of resources?

Scalable projects are encouraged with budgets and objectives drafted such that specific components can be funded independently of other project components. Reviewers may recommend specific components of projects be funded based on merit of proposed activities.

5. Outreach and Education (10 points). This criterion assesses whether the project provides educational outreach or includes community participatory elements, as per NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural resources. Projects that can reach beyond traditional outreach methods (e.g., brochures, fliers) and utilize proven yet innovative social science strategies to build community-based capacity that support meaningful and effective conservation or management outcomes are encouraged. Are the methods and target audiences adequately described, and is there a strategy to the outreach methodology or proposed products?

Depending on the nature of the project, peer review publication of deliverables can be substituted for public outreach but will receive a partial score not to exceed 5 points. In this case, reviewers will consider how reliable or timely is the PI in publishing results of other projects? What is the certainty of publishing?

B. Review and Selection Process

Screening, review, and selection procedures will take place in 3 steps: initial screening;

technical review and panel; and final selection by the Selecting Official (the NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator).

1. Initial Screening - An initial administrative review is conducted on each application to determine compliance with application requirements and completeness of application materials. Applications determined to be ineligible, incomplete or non-responsive will be eliminated from further review. When applications are received, they will be screened to ensure that they were received by the deadline date (see Section IV. C. Submission Dates and Times); the applicant is eligible to apply; the proposed project addresses one of the funding priorities; and includes a title page, project description, budget, and supporting documentation, as outlined in Section IV.B. Content and Form of Application. We do not have to screen applications before the submission deadline in order to identify deficiencies that would cause your application to be rejected so that you would have an opportunity to correct them. However, should we do so and provide you information about deficiencies, or should you independently decide it is desirable to do so, you may correct any deficiencies in your application before the deadline.

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After the deadline, the application must remain as submitted; no changes can be made to it.

If your application does not conform to the requirements listed above, and the deadline for submission has passed, the application will be returned and rejected without further consideration.

2. Technical Review and Merit Panel - After the initial screening, independent written technical evaluations from three or more appropriate Federal, private or public sector experts (e.g. industry, academia, or governmental experts) with subject matter expertise will be obtained to determine the technical review and merit of each proposal. The technical reviewers and merit panel members will be the same reviewers. Their evaluation will be based solely on the information included in the application and based on the criteria described in Section V. A. Evaluation Criteria.

Each reviewer will independently evaluate each project and provide an individual score prior to a Merit Panel Meeting or Webinar. No consensus advice will be given. These reviewers will be required to certify they do not have a conflict of interest concerning the application(s) they are reviewing. NOAA will protect technical reviewer identity to the maximum extent permitted by law. During the Merit Panel Meeting or Webinar, reviewers can revise their scores and comments. Panelists must individually submit their final score to the competition manager by the end of the meeting. After the merit panel scores are submitted, a compilation of all proposals in rank order is developed based on the average score from the technical review and panel.

3. Selection. After applications have undergone technical review and panel, the Selecting Official will make the final decision regarding which applications will be funded based upon the numerical rankings and evaluations of the applications.

C. Selection Factors

The NOAA PIRO Regional Administrator, as the Selecting Official, will review the funding recommendation and comments of the technical merit review to determine which applications will be recommended to the NOAA Grants Officer. The Selecting Official shall recommend proposals to the Grants Officer for funding in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based on one or more of the following factors listed in no order of significance:

1. Availability of funds;

2. Balance/distribution of funds;

a. By research area;

b. By project type;

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c. By type of applicant;

d. By type of partners;

e. Geographic distribution;

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

4. Program priorities as, noted in Section I A. and B;

5. Applicant's prior award performance in conducting a previous award, such as the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions.