noaa-nmfs-prpo-2016-2004558 ffo report.pdf

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 3

A. Program Objective 3 B. Program Priorities 4 C. Program Authority 11

II. Award Information 11 A. Funding Availability 11 B. Project/Award Period 12 C. Type of Funding Instrument 13

III. Eligibility Information 13 A. Eligible Applicants 13 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 15 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 16

IV. Application and Submission Information 17 A. Address to Request Application Package 17 B. Content and Form of Application 17 C. Submission Dates and Times 22 D. Intergovernmental Review 23 E. Funding Restrictions 23 F. Other Submission Requirements 24

V. Application Review Information 25 A. Evaluation Criteria 25 B. Review and Selection Process 27 C. Selection Factors 29 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 30

VI. Award Administration Information 30 A. Award Notices 30 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 30 C. Reporting 32

VII. Agency Contacts 33 VIII. Other Information 33

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 33

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: John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (Prescott Grant Program) for Fiscal Year 2016

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-PRPO-2016-2004558

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

Dates: Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 7, 2015. Use of a delivery service other than U.S. mail must be documented with a receipt. PLEASE NOTE: When developing your submission timeline, keep in mind that (1) a free annual registration process in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM) may take between three and five business days or as long as several weeks (see Section IV.F. of this FFO), and (2) if you submit an application via Grants.gov you will receive a series of e-mail notifications for up to two business days before learning via validation or rejection whether a Federal agency’s electronic system has received your application.

Funding Opportunity Description: NOAA NMFS' Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program is directed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to facilitate the collection and dissemination of reference data on stranded marine mammals and health trends of marine mammal populations in the wild. The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program is administered by NOAA to provide Federal assistance to eligible members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network to: 1) support basic needs of organizations for response, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals, 2) fund scientific research objectives designed to answer questions about marine mammal strandings, health, or rehabilitation techniques utilizing data from living and dead stranded marine mammals, and 3) support facility operations directly related to the recovery, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2016 and how NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded. This document should be read in its entirety, as some information has changed from the previous year.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (hereafter referred to as the Prescott Grant Program) was established under the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1), an amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The Prescott Grant Program is administered through the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

The Prescott Grant Program provides Federal assistance to eligible Stranding Network participants for: (1) basic needs of organizations for response, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals; (2) scientific research objectives designed to answer questions about marine mammal strandings, health, or rehabilitation techniques utilizing data from living and dead stranded marine mammals; and (3) facility operations directly related to the recovery, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals. A stranded marine mammal is a marine mammal in the wild that is (1) dead and on a beach, shore, or in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States or (2) is live and on a beach or shore of the United States and unable to return to the water, is in apparent need of medical attention, or is in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States but is unable to return to its natural habitat under its own power or without assistance.

The MMHSRP, through close coordination with Regional Stranding Networks, has the following objectives: (1) improve the rescue, care and treatment of stranded marine mammals; (2) reduce the health risk to animals, humans, and the ocean environment during response to, and rehabilitation and release of, stranded marine mammals; (3) collect life history, biological, and biomedical data from live and dead stranded marine mammals; (4) develop baseline reference data on the health of wild marine mammal populations, normal stranding rates, and causes of morbidity and mortality; improve the rapid detection of morbidity and mortality events; (5) collect archival samples for future retrospective studies on causes of mortality or illness, including genetics and genomics, and for placement in the National Marine Mammal Tissue (and Serum) Bank and other properly curated, professionally accredited archival facilities; and (6) refine and/or utilize comprehensive and consistent guidance for the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals, collection of specimens, quality assurance, and analysis of tissue samples.

A portion of Prescott funding may be available at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to provide assistance for emergency marine mammal stranding events throughout FY 2016 on an as-needed basis, until expended. Emergency proposals should not be submitted on Grants.gov. Please submit a proposal online through the NFWF Easygrants

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 3 of 33 system (http://www.nfwf.org/easygrants). Additional guidance on emergency grant requirements and the application process is available on the Prescott Grant Program website (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/prescott/emergency.htm).

B. Program Priorities

For this solicitation, all applications must fall within one of the three categories described below. The applicant must select one category to apply under. Since some projects could be designed to meet more than one category, you should determine which category best fits the goals of your proposed project. For each of the proposal categories the MMHSRP has identified multiple national and regional funding priorities. These program priorities pertain only to marine mammal species under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce (DOC) (cetaceans and pinnipeds, except walrus).

Category A - Fund marine mammal health, stranding, and rehabilitation scientific objectives.

Data or samples may be collected from stranded animals as well as bycaught, subsistence hunted, or live animals in the wild, which serve as controls or for comparisons in specific study designs. If proposals under Category A are using live animals in the wild, subsistence or by-caught animals, the proposal must link the use of these animals to known or suspected health issues of stranded marine mammals and ultimately to the health of the population or to the development and validation of new tools and techniques to assess such health conditions.

A1. Further the development of scientific research objectives designed to test hypotheses about marine mammal strandings, health, or rehabilitation techniques utilizing data from living and dead stranded marine mammals. Multi-organization, multi-regional or cross-regional proposals are encouraged.

1. National Funding Priorities

a. Improve understanding of health and health trends in populations of cetaceans and pinnipeds, with emphasis on infectious (i.e., zoonotic, epidemic, emerging) agents and diseases utilizing the infectious disease priority list developed by the Working Group for Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events by:

• Developing new tools and/or treatments (with the intent to operationalize);

• Validating new or existing tools and/or treatments;

• Using tools and/or treatments; or

• Assessing antibiotic resistance.

The infectious disease priority list is available on the Prescott Grant Program website (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/health/pathogens_prioritization.pdf). The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria is available on the White House website (https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/national_action_plan_for_combating_a ntibotic-resistant_bacteria.pdf).

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b. Conduct analyses and interpretation of baseline information, trends, and correlations between population demographics, diet, health (e.g. disease state or infectious disease), environmental parameters (e.g., environmental oscillations, distribution of prey, or harmful algal blooms) or types and frequency of anthropogenic interactions, as they relate to strandings and overall marine mammal population health.

2. Regional Funding Priorities - There are no additional regional funding priorities.

A2. Support collaborative, multi-organizational scientific and response services provided to the Stranding Network to enhance data collection and analyses and improve understanding of marine mammal health, strandings, and rehabilitation. Multi-regional or cross-regional proposals are encouraged.

1. National Funding Priorities

a. Increase Stranding Network diagnostic capabilities (see definitions in Section VIII of this federal funding opportunity (FFO) announcement) by providing diagnostics, disease surveillance, or histopathology services.

b. Performance and interpretation of additional services to improve understanding of marine mammal health and strandings. Examples of services include: hearing testing, imaging, gas analyses, tooth aging, genetics, stomach content analyses, parasites, stable isotopes, sample archiving/preservation, etc.

c. Provide tags, post-release monitoring, analysis and interpretation of stranded, out-of-habitat, entangled or rehabilitated, and released cetaceans and pinnipeds including large whales (except North Atlantic right whales).

d. Increase Stranding Network incident management and coordination capabilities for major events such as Unusual Mortality Events (UME), natural disasters, disease outbreaks and oil spills to enhance data collection and analyses.

e. Enhance regional and trans-regional logistical support, data collection and analyses for response to large whale stranding events by:

• Obtaining additional Incident Command System (ICS) training;

• Acquiring and maintaining supplies and equipment;

• Developing cooperative plans with local, state, or federal agencies to identify carcass landing/necropsy sites;

• Identifying and securing towing/transport and disposal services by promoting partnerships with local businesses/contractors; or

• Supporting costs of large whale responses as appropriate.

2. Regional Funding Priorities - There are no additional regional funding priorities.

Category B- Support basic and enhancement needs of organizations for response to, treatment of, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals.

Organizations should apply under Category A1 if the budget request for scientific research is more than 50% of the total Federal budget. If research objectives are included in Category B proposals, the objectives must be designed with testable hypotheses. Organizations should

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 33 apply under Category B2 if the budget request to modify or upgrade facilities is less than 20% of the total federal budget, if greater than 20% see Category C. NOTE: All organizations applying under Category B must be authorized to conduct Stranding Network activities as of October 7, 2015, either through a Stranding Agreement, official designee status from the applicable NMFS Region, or under Section 109(h) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C.

§ 1379(h)).

B1. Further the development of organizations for response, treatment, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals. Organizations (in existence for any amount of time) may only apply under Category B1 if they have never had a Prescott application accepted and reviewed during the Prescott technical reviewer process of an annual Prescott competition.

1. National Funding Priorities

a. Build capacity and infrastructure for basic stranding response and marine mammal rehabilitation activities in areas of low, intermittent or no coverage. This may include: the collection of Level A data and samples for analyses from a majority of stranded animals and outreach/education to raise community awareness for stranded animals.

b. Train new responders to improve consistency and quality of clinical care and treatment, assessments, necropsies, documentation, and data management for live and/or dead stranded marine mammals. Enhance participation in Regional or National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conferences.

2. Regional Funding Priorities - In addition to the above national priorities, each region has identified the following priorities of particular interest:

a. Alaska Region

i. Alaska Region high priority areas include: Western and Northern Alaska, as well as other areas of low and/or intermittent coverage in the state.

ii. Assist with community development, support, and training (e.g., regional and statewide meetings, training, etc.) for the Alaska Regional Stranding Network.

b. Greater Atlantic Region

i. Provide stranding response coverage for Level A data collection and increase capability to conduct live animal response and post-mortem examinations following established protocols in the following areas: Massachusetts' Northshore (Salem to New Hampshire border), Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Nantucket, MA.

ii. Develop (or enhance) reporting and documentation of live entangled pinnipeds in high sightings area with limited response coverage: Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Nantucket, MA.

iii. Increase public outreach and messaging through Public Service Announcements, online tools or printed materials to address and manage public expectations surrounding stranding responses to abundant pinniped species.

c. Pacific Islands Region

i. Support of outreach and training for Hawaiian monk seal stranding response and readiness

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 33 in the Main Hawaiian Islands.

d. Southeast Region

i. Southeast Region high priority geographic areas are: Florida (Citrus County through Franklin County).

ii. Establish capabilities to collect Level A data and perform necropsies on dead stranded marine mammals and/or respond quickly and humanely to live stranded marine mammals.

iii. Establish permanent and/or mobile necropsy facilities.

iv. Establish capabilities to perform diagnostics on live or dead stranded marine mammals.

v. Establish capabilities to humanely euthanize live stranded marine mammals.

vi. Increase collaboration with state and local government organizations (e.g. law enforcement, fire departments, life guards, environmental management agencies) to more effectively respond to stranding events.

e. West Coast Region

i. Provide coverage for Level A data collection in areas where coverage is sporadic or unknown by building volunteer or collaborative partnerships to establish marine mammal stranding response and investigation capabilities on all accessible beaches in the participants authorized response area. This may include: building additional volunteer base or negotiating collaborative partnerships and opening or enhancing communication and working relationships with local governments. An emphasis on education and outreach, addressing and managing public expectations, and distributing informational materials (handouts, permanent signage, promotion of Share the Shore, etc.) for public outreach is extremely important. Mendocino, Humboldt and Sonoma Counties in California and Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties in Oregon are high priority areas.

B2. Support basic and enhancement needs of organizations (in existence for any amount of time) that have previously applied for or received Prescott funding for response to, treatment of, and data collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals.

Collaborative proposals are encouraged.

1. National Funding Priorities

a. Enhance the quality, consistency, quantity, reporting, and sharing of Level A, B, and C data collected from stranded marine mammals, especially for NOAA Fisheries' Species in the Spotlight (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2015/05/05_14_15species_in_the_spotlight.html) and post-UME monitoring and analyses. This includes: completing diagnostic screening, collecting and analyzing samples and scientific data and detecting/reporting emerging diseases, new lesions or uncommon findings. Projects involving non-Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed or non-MMPA depleted species should provide data/information for conservation management needs such as establishing or maintaining baseline information and identifying human interactions, fisheries interactions habitat threats or other threats to co-occurring species.

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b. Enhance attendance and participation by professional staff and facility volunteers in training, particularly in: Regional or National Marine Mammal Stranding Network Conferences; Incident Command System relative to oil spill response and natural disasters involving marine mammals; public health in relation to marine mammals; marine mammal disease and treatment issues; and veterinary care.

c. Improve capacity for responses such as mass strandings, hazardous material spills, UMEs, natural disasters, out-of-habitat situations, and disease outbreaks. Responses may include necropsy and sample analyses, live animal triage, treatment, short- and long-term care, correcting rehabilitation facility non-compliance issues, and tagging to assess, monitor and analyze post-release success of rehabilitated animals.

2. Regional Funding Priorities - In addition to the above national priorities, each region has identified the following priorities of particular interest:

a. Alaska Region

i. Increase capacity to collect, archive, and analyze data from stranded marine mammals to investigate overall health parameters, prey types, diseases, and immune and reproductive functions.

ii. Enhance the quality and consistency of data collected and reported from stranded marine mammals (e.g., standardized necropsy examinations and reports, standardized sample analyses, increase supply of gear caches).

iii. Address underlying causes of pinniped entanglement in Alaska to reduce injury and mortality due to interactions with fishery gear and marine debris.

iv. Analyze and publish data related to historical Alaska marine mammal strandings and health.

v. Continue development, support, and training (e.g., regional and statewide meetings, training, etc.) for the Alaska Regional Stranding Network.

b. Greater Atlantic Region

i. Develop (or enhance) reporting and documentation of live and dead entangled pinnipeds.

ii. Analyze and publish data related to historical marine mammal strandings and health.

iii. Increase and enhance public outreach and messaging through Public Service Announcements, online tools or printed materials to address and manage public expectations surrounding stranding responses to abundant pinniped species.

iv. Enhance local logistical support for response to large whale stranding events by:

• Obtaining additional ICS training;

• Acquiring and maintaining supplies and equipment;

• Developing cooperative plans with local, state, or federal agencies to identify carcass landing/necropsy sites; or

• Identifying and securing towing/transport and disposal services by promoting partnerships with local businesses/contractors.

c. Pacific Islands Region

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i. Increase quality of dead cetacean disease and cause of death surveillance (focusing on cetacean morbillivirus, brucellosis and other diseases of concern within the region) in the main Hawaiian Islands and U.S. Pacific Islands (e.g., Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands). This includes enhancing: veterinary participation, data collection, and necropsies during stranding events.

ii. Organize outreach and training for stranding response and readiness for dead stranded cetaceans (in the Main Hawaiian Islands) and both live and dead stranded cetaceans in the U.S. Pacific Islands (e.g., Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands).

iii. Improve access to veterinary care for stranded marine mammals including: facility improvements and instruments for treatment monitoring for existing rehabilitation facilities as well as on-site (laboratory or field) equipment and instruments for more rapid medical assessments for live stranded cetaceans and pinnipeds.

d. Southeast Region

i. Southeast Region high priority areas are: Florida (Citrus County through Franklin County), areas where there are ongoing UMEs, repeated UMEs, or areas that may need to conduct post-UME surveillance, and areas where stranding/human interaction data are utilized by a Take Reduction Team.

ii. Enhance capabilities to rapidly perform thorough necropsies on dead stranded marine mammals in good condition prior to degradation- particularly during large whale stranding events, human interaction events (e.g. potential gunshot or entangled animals) and UMEs.

iii. Enhance or upgrade permanent and/or mobile necropsy facilities.

iv. Enhance capabilities to perform diagnostic tests on dead stranded marine mammals.

v. Enhance capabilities to triage live stranded marine mammals, including performing thorough diagnostics, such as hematology, histopathology and cytology, and euthanasia.

vi. Enhance capabilities to rapidly and effectively respond to mass strandings. This may include equipment caches, herding capabilities, triage, euthanasia, thorough necropsy, carcass disposal, and resources for potential release (immediate release or post-rehabilitation).

vii. Provide support for disentanglement of free-swimming small cetaceans. This may include capture resources and tools and methods for boat-based disentanglement.

viii. Increase collaboration with state and local government organizations (e.g. law enforcement, fire departments, life guards, environmental management agencies) through training and outreach to more effectively respond to stranding events.

e. West Coast Region

i. Provide coverage for Level A data collection in areas where coverage is sporadic or unknown by building volunteer or collaborative partnerships to establish marine mammal stranding response and investigation capabilities on all accessible beaches in the participants authorized response area. This may include: building additional volunteer base or negotiating collaborative partnerships and opening or enhancing communication and working

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 9 of 33 relationships with local governments. An emphasis on education and outreach, addressing and managing public expectations, and distributing informational materials (handouts, permanent signage, promotion of Share the Shore, etc.) for public outreach is extremely important. Mendocino, Humboldt and Sonoma Counties in California and Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties in Oregon are high priority areas.

ii. Determine if public reports to the Stranding Network are an accurate indication of actual marine mammal stranding events in areas with consistent response coverage. This may include: conducting systematic and/or periodic beach surveys to identify areas where marine mammal strandings are not being reported to the Stranding Network, and compiling the data to enhance future planning and outreach efforts.

iii. Provide conservation messaging outreach support to educate the public on harbor seal life history and to minimize public interference with wild harbor seal pupping and rearing processes in harbor seal nursery habitats in WCR coastal bays and estuaries, and the inland waters of Washington. An emphasis on education and outreach, addressing and managing public expectations, and developing informational materials (handouts, permanent signage, promotion of Share the Shore, etc.) for public outreach is extremely important.

iv. Increase capability to conduct post-mortem examinations using an appropriate protocol for the collection and submission of fluid samples and tissues for analysis by a qualified pathology laboratory and report the results for inclusion in the national MMHSRP database.

v. Develop a cooperative regional plan (includes California, Oregon, and Washington) to enhance large whale response and necropsies. This plan may include:

• Identifying suitable necropsy sites where large whale carcasses can be towed, beached, examined, left to decompose or removed for burial or landfill;

• Identifying processes for obtaining prior authorization/permission to use the identified sites on short notice and identify any pre-existing jurisdictional, permitting or other regulatory requirements;

• Researching and securing towing/transport services at minimal cost by promoting partnerships between the Stranding Network and local businesses that addresses leaving carcasses at the site for natural decomposition;

• Creation of a West Coast-wide database to house the above information on potential necropsy sites, points of contact, current/needed authorizations, and local resources for every stretch of beach along the west coast; or

• Providing funds for carcass disposal costs and network travel for necropsies. Collaborative proposals of one to three years are encouraged.

vi. Expand rehabilitation facilities and/or response areas to rehabilitate live pinnipeds in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. This may include: enhancement, repairs, or upgrading existing facilities to meet or exceed NMFS' Policies and Best Practices – Standards for Rehabilitation Facilities.

Category C - Support needed modifications and/or upgrades to rehabilitation facilities

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(existing and new) to meet or exceed the NMFS' Policies and Best Practices- Rehabilitation Facility Standards (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/publications.htm#policies).

Organizations should apply under Category C if the budget request to modify or upgrade facilities is more than 20% of the total federal budget. NOTE: All organizations applying under Category C must be authorized to conduct Stranding Network activities as of October 7, 2015, either through a Stranding Agreement or official designee status from the applicable NMFS Region, or under Section 109(h) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. § 1379(h)).

1. National Funding Priorities

a. Enhance, repair, or upgrade existing and new facilities to address non-compliance issues and deficiencies identified during the 2011- 2015 NMFS rehabilitation facility inspections for a total cost of more than 20% of the Federal budget request.

b. Enhance, repair, or upgrade existing and new facilities to meet (or exceed) NMFS' Policies and Best Practices - Standards for Rehabilitation Facilities.

2. Regional Funding Priorities - In addition to the above national priorities, each region has identified the following priorities of particular interest:

a. Alaska Region - No additional priorities.

b. Greater Atlantic Region - No additional priorities.

c. Pacific Islands Region

i. Enhance, repair, or upgrade existing necropsy or monk seal rehabilitation facilities in Hawaii.

d. Southeast Region - No additional priorities.

e. West Coast Region

i. Expand rehabilitation facilities and/or response areas to rehabilitate live pinnipeds in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. This may include: enhancement, repairs, or upgrading existing facilities to meet or exceed NMFS' Policies and Best Practices – Standards for Rehabilitation Facilities.

ii. Enhance facilities, equipment, and staff to increase rehabilitation and holding capabilities in Washington for ESA listed species or human interaction cases.

C. Program Authority

16 U.S.C. 1421 f-1

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

NOAA anticipates that up to $4,000,000 may be available for distribution under the FY 2016 annual competitive Prescott Grant Program. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 11 of 33 representatives. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that funds will be appropriated or that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects or any projects. Publication of this notice does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years beyond the award period. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when the award is made or Research Terms are applied to the award.

The maximum Federal award for each grant cannot exceed $100,000 (16 U.S.C. § 1421f-1).

If funds become available, NOAA estimates that approximately ten to 40 awards may be made, depending on the level funds that may be appropriated. Funds may be set aside from the annual appropriation to provide for emergency assistance awards to eligible stranding network participants. These emergency funds will be available until expended during the period of fiscal availability.

There is no limit on the number of proposals that can be submitted by the same Stranding Network participant during the FY 2016 competitive grant cycle. However, Stranding Network participants will receive no more than two awards per year as part of the competitive program. The two awards must be for completely independent projects that are clearly separate in their objectives, goals, and budget requests and must be successful in the competitive review process. Eligible researchers applying as Principal Investigators, but not independently authorized under Sections 112(c) or 109(h) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. §§ 1382(c) and 1379(h), respectively, or the National Contingency Plan for Response to Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events, can only receive one award per year as part of the competitive grant cycle.

B. Project/Award Period

Prescott awards may have a maximum project period of three years, but the total federal award cannot exceed $100,000 for each award regardless of the length of the project period.

Proposals requesting incrementally funded projects exceeding $100,000 will not be accepted.

If an applicant would like to continue work on a project funded through this program beyond the approved award period, the applicant may notify the assigned Grants Officer no less than 30 days prior to the end of the period to determine eligibility for a no-cost extension, or follow in the award terms if Research Terms have been applied to the award. If the money is expended and funds are needed to continue the project, the applicant should submit another proposal during the next competitive award cycle (FY 2017) or seek an alternate source of funding.

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C. Type of Funding Instrument

Under this solicitation, NOAA will fund Prescott projects as grants or cooperative agreements, as appropriate for the nature of the project. Where a cooperative agreement is issued, the nature of NOAA's "substantial involvement" will generally be collaboration between NOAA and a Recipient on the scope of work. Additional forms of substantial involvement that may arise are described in Chapter 5.C of the Department of Commerce (DoC) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Manual, which is available at http://go.usa.gov/SNJd.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

All eligible applicants must currently be an active, authorized participant or researcher in the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Eligible applicants must be: 1) Stranding Agreement (SA) holders or their designee organizations; or 2) holders of researcher authorization letters issued by a NMFS Regional Administrator and/or an MMPA and/or ESA scientific research or enhancement permit (when applicable); or 3) an eligible Federal, state, or local government personnel or tribal personnel (pursuant to Section 109(h) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)); or 4) diagnostic laboratories performing services for the stranding network. Federal agencies in the DOC or Department of the Interior (DOI) are not eligible to receive Federal assistance under this notice.

1. "In Good Standing" Criteria. All eligible applicants must meet the following "in good standing" criteria:

a. If the applicant is a designated Principal Investigator of an MMPA and/or ESA scientific research or enhancement permit, the applicant must have fulfilled all permit requirements.

The applicant must not have any pending or outstanding enforcement actions under the MMPA or ESA.

b. The applicant must have complied with the terms and responsibilities of the appropriate SA, MMPA Section 109(h) authorization, or researcher authorization letter. This includes, but is not limited to: 1) completion of all reporting requirements; 2) cooperation with state, local, and federal officials; 3) cooperation with state and local officials in the disposition of stranded marine mammals; and 4) cooperation with stranding network participants.

c. The applicant must have cooperated in a timely manner with NMFS in collecting and submitting Level B and Level C data and samples, when requested.

d. The applicant must not have any current enforcement investigation for the take of marine mammals contrary to MMPA/ESA regulations.

e. The applicant must not have any pending NMFS notice of violation(s) regarding the policies governing the goals and operations of the Stranding Network and SA, if applicable

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(e.g., probation, suspension, or termination).

2. Category Specific Criteria. Organizations and individuals must meet all of the following eligibility criteria specific to their category of participation in order for a proposal to be considered for funding:

a. SA Holder Participant or SA Designee Participant - SA participants must hold a current, active SA for stranding response and/or rehabilitation from a NMFS Regional Administrator or the Assistant Administrator. SA Designee participants must be holding a current, active letter of designation from a NMFS SA holder. Designees cannot request authorization for activities beyond the scope of what is authorized by the SA to the agreement holder.

b. Researcher Participant - Researcher participants must hold a current, active authorizing letter for the proposed award period from the appropriate NMFS Regional Administrator or the Assistant Administrator to salvage stranded marine mammal specimens, parts and samples for the purpose of utilization in scientific research (50 CFR 216.22). Persons authorized to salvage dead marine mammal specimens under this section must register the salvage with the appropriate NMFS Regional Office within 30 days after the taking occurs.

Researchers who are authorized under an MMPA/ESA Scientific Research Permit must still obtain an authorizing letter from the Regional Stranding Coordinator in order to use parts or specimens from stranded animals. Researcher participants that would not require an authorizing letter from the NMFS Regional Administrator (i.e., they will be working with data only and not possessing samples or specimens) must still provide a letter of eligibility from the Regional Stranding Coordinator (see section III.A.3. of this FFO). Researcher participants must also have designated Co-Investigator(s) that are active NMFS authorized Stranding Network participants in good standing, and provide documentation to this effect.

c. State, Local, Federal Government Employees or Tribal Participants - State and local government officials or employees participating pursuant to Section 109(h) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)) for marine mammal species not listed under the ESA must fulfill reporting obligations outlined in 50 CFR § 216.22.

d. Diagnostic Laboratories – While diagnostic laboratories performing analyses for Stranding Network members do not need authorization from NMFS to receive and possess samples or specimens from stranded marine mammals (50 CFR § 216.22(c)(8)), diagnostic laboratory applicants must still provide a letter of eligibility from the MMHSRP at NMFS Headquarters (see section IV.B.7.a. of this FFO). When requesting a letter of eligibility, laboratories should submit examples of their diagnostic capabilities, diagnostic services proposed and their testing turn-around time to the MMHSRP (see section VII of this FFO for contact information).

3. Letter of Eligibility. All applicants must submit a letter of eligibility issued by the appropriate NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator or the MMHSRP at NMFS Headquarters. This letter is required in order to be considered for an award in this funding cycle. The letter of eligibility states that you are: 1) an eligible Stranding Network

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 14 of 33 participant, diagnostic laboratory or researcher at the time of the application submission and during the award period; 2) in good standing; 3) have a history of participation in/with the Stranding Network or that your organization is from a local area with no pre-existing stranding response and/or rehabilitation capabilities or your organization provides diagnostic services. A copy of your SA or research authorization will not be considered as proof of eligibility. Any proposal that does not provide a letter from the NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator (or NMFS Headquarters) will not be considered eligible and will not be considered for further review. Contact the NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinators (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/coordinators.htm) or the Prescott Grant Program at the address in the Agency Contacts, Section VII of this FFO to request this letter.

Federal agencies in the DOC or DOI are not eligible to receive Federal assistance under this notice. In addition, NOAA employees shall not provide assistance in writing any application, writing letters of support for any application, or otherwise confer any unfair advantage on a particular application. However, for activities involving collaboration with current NOAA programs, NOAA employees can write a letter verifying that they are collaborating with the project. MMHSRP staff and other Federal Program Officers can provide guidance on application procedures and proper completion of required forms. Applications encompassing activities conducted under the authority of a MMPA Scientific Research Permit issued to the DOC or DOI should include a copy of the permit and a letter from the Principal Investigator (DOC/DOI employee) verifying that the work is being conducted with their approval. Federal employee travel costs or salaries are not allowable costs under this program. Refer any questions about potential collaboration or support by non-DOC/DOI Federal employees to the official listed in Agency Contacts, Section VII. of this FFO.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

All proposals submitted must provide a minimum non-Federal cost share of 25% of the total budget (i.e., 0.25 x total project costs = total non-Federal share). Therefore, the total Federal share will be 75% or less of the total budget. For a proposed total Federal share of $100,000, the minimum non-Federal share is $33,334 (total budget of $133,334; .25 x $133, 334 = $33,334). Cost share must be an integer, so please round up. The applicant may include a non-Federal cost share for more than 25% of the total budget, but this obligation is a binding offer. In order to reduce calculation errors when determining the correct cost share amounts, we urge all applicants to use the cost share calculator on the Prescott Program website (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/prescott/proposals/costshare.htm). If a proposal does not comply with these cost share requirements, it will not be considered for further review in this annual funding cycle. Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a, the match requirement does not apply to the U.S. insular areas (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

NOAA will review the valuation of the applicant’s proposed non-Federal cost share

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 15 of 33 according to 2 C.F.R. § 200.306. This regulation describes valuation for property or services contributed by the applicant as well as third-party in-kind contributions, which are specifically allowed by the Prescott Grant Program statute and § 200.306. An in-kind contribution is a non-cash contribution, including such contributions donated or loaned, by a third party to the applicant. In many cases, the value of in-kind services or property used to fulfill a non-Federal cost share will be the fair market value of the services or property. The fair market value is the cost of obtaining such services or property, had they not been donated, or of obtaining such services or property for the period of a loan. The applicant must document any third party in-kind services or property used to fulfill the non-Federal cost share.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

Permits and Approvals It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary Federal, state, and local government permits and approvals. The applicant must include in the application package either: 1) an application cover letter from the Prescott applicant to the appropriate authorizing entity requesting permits (e.g., MMPA scientific research/enhancement permit, etc.) or approvals, or 2) a copy of the cover letter of the final permit or approval. The applicant must be able to provide the entire permit or approval if requested by the Prescott Grant Program.

If the proposed activities fall under the jurisdiction of a facility’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), the applicant must have requested or obtained approval from the IACUC prior to applying for funding (as required by the Animal Welfare Act and its relevant implementing regulations at 9 C.F.R. 2.30-2.31). If the proposed data collection involves intrusive research (50 C.F.R. 216.27(c)(6)) or if animals must be held after rehabilitation has been completed (prevented from release), the applicant must also obtain a MMPA (and ESA, if applicable) scientific research and enhancement permit before the proposal will be considered for funding. Receipt of required MMPA (and ESA, if applicable) scientific research and enhancement permits and verification of IACUC approval is required prior to awarding of funds. Activities directly related to the individual animal’s health assessment, standard diagnostics, treatment, approved post-release monitoring, or release are separately authorized by NMFS under the Stranding Agreement for Stranding Network participants. These activities do not require an additional permit.

If proposed activities will take place within National Marine Sanctuaries, National Parks, National Seashores, State Parks, and other Federal or state-designated protected areas, it is the applicant’s responsibility to request and obtain from the appropriate government agencies any necessary permits or letters of agreement for conducting the proposed activities. For further information on permit requirements and applications procedures for Federal natural resource permits, contact the NMFS Office of Protected Resources (see Section VII, Agency Contact(s)). The awarding of funds will be delayed if other Federal, Federal Funding Opportunity Page 16 of 33 state, and local permits are not obtained.

For proposals involving construction projects, it is the applicant’s responsibility to request or obtain all necessary permits and include documentation of such requests or approvals in the application package. Documentation must, to the extent possible, include environmental information that has been, or will be, submitted to the appropriate Federal, state, and local government offices (see Section IV, Application and Submission Information, for required information for each proposal category). These documents will help the Prescott Grant Program in determining the potential for environmentally significant activities and ensure NMFS compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Applications will be reviewed to determine if the proposed activities were analyzed in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) for the MMHSRP. For those activities analyzed in the FPEIS, no further environmental documentation will be required.

For applications whose activities were not analyzed in the FPEIS, program staff will ensure sufficient environmental documentation has been provided to determine the appropriate level of environmental analysis needed to comply with NEPA. Proposal activities maybe be categorically excluded or an Environmental Assessment (EA) may be necessary. For those applications needing an EA, affected applicants will be informed after the peer review stage.

Applicants will be requested to assist in the preparation of an EA by providing all necessary information to complete the assessment (prior to the award).

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Both this FFO and application instructions for this grant program are available via the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants without internet access can obtain application instructions from Jaclyn Taylor or Sarah Wilkin, NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources (F/PR), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Phone:

(301) 427-8402; e-mail: Jaclyn.Taylor@noaa.gov or Sarah.Wilkin@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

Proposals must adhere to the following instructions and requirements by the proposal submission deadline. Failure to follow these instructions may be reflected in lower scoring by reviewers. Proposals should be submitted via the Grants.gov website. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit proposals early (at least one week prior to the deadline) in the event that the Federal Program Officers are able to pre-screen applications for any deficiencies, contact applicants, and obtain revised applications by the solicitation deadline.

Please note that a pre-screening is not guaranteed even if an application is submitted before the deadline. If you cannot submit your application via Grant.gov, a hard copy of the

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 17 of 33 application will be accepted. One signed original (may be printed double-sided) of the complete proposal package must be sent to the address listed in Section IV.F. of this FFO and postmarked by the submission deadline.

The following forms are required as part of each application and are available on Grants.gov:

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

• Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

• Assurances, Non-Constructions Programs (SF-424-B)

• Certifications Regarding Lobbying (CD-511), and

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (if applicable) Proposals and all attachments must be in 10-point font, double-spaced with one inch margins. For applicants submitting proposals by mail, the SF-424 must be signed in ink (preferably blue ink).

Applicants must choose and identify one category and the specific funding priority or priorities within the identified category to which the proposal is addressing. Applicants may choose national, regional or a combination of both funding priorities. If the proposal addresses more than one priority, clearly identify and list first the priority that most closely reflects the objective of the proposal. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the part of the Prescott Grant Program or the reviewers as to the relative merits of the project described in the application.

All applications must include the following information:

1. Budget Information (no page limit): Applications must include the SF-424A (Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs) form. All instructions should be read before completing the form. The amounts per category and total amounts indicated on the form must correspond with the amounts indicated on all other proposal documents. The Federal and non-Federal columns must be filled in completely and separately.

Each application must have a detailed budget narrative and corresponding spreadsheet describing the total project costs, including contributions and donations. The narrative must justify the itemized costs per category between Federal and non-Federal shares and the corresponding direct and indirect cost totals. For the non-Federal share, the itemized costs in the budget narrative and spreadsheet should be separated into applicant and third party in-kind contributions. If third party in-kind contributions are included, briefly describe the method for calculating the value of these contributions.