NOAA-NOS-NCCOS-2019-2005813 FFO Report Rev 10232018 (1)(a).pdf

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 41

2019 Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4

B. Program Priorities 7

C. Program Authority 11

II. Award Information 11

A. Funding Availability 11

B. Project/Award Period 11

C. Type of Funding Instrument 12

III. Eligibility Information 14

A. Eligible Applicants 14

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 16

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 16

IV. Application and Submission Information 16

A. Address to Request Application Package 16

B. Content and Form of Application 16

C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 24

D. Submission Dates and Times 25

E. Intergovernmental Review 26

F. Funding Restrictions 26

G. Other Submission Requirements 27

V. Application Review Information 28

A. Evaluation Criteria 28

B. Review and Selection Process 29

C. Selection Factors 31

D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 32

VI. Award Administration Information 32

A. Award Notices 32

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 32

C. Reporting 36

VII. Agency Contacts 40

VIII. Other Information 40

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 2 of 41

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: 2019 Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-NCCOS-2019-2005813

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.478, Center for Sponsored Coastal

Ocean Research - Coastal Ocean Program

Dates: An informational webinar on this opportunity will be offered at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 15, 2018 via https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/coastal-change/ecological-effects-sea-level-rise-program.

The required letters of intent (LOI) should be sent by e-mail to nccos.grant.awards@noaa.gov and must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2, 2018. Responses to LOI’s should be expected by November 17, 2018.

Full Applications: Full applications for the Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise (EESLR)

Program must be received and validated by Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January

16, 2019. Electronic or paper copies received after the deadline will not be considered, and paper copy applications will be returned to the sender. NOAA will also accept paper applications subject to further details described in this Announcement that are postmarked or provided to a commercial carrier with tracking number and receipt on or before 11:59 pm Eastern Time on

January 16, 2019. Private metered postmarks will not be accepted. Applicants submitting by paper are responsible for tracking their applications and should notify the Program Manager in

Section VII of this Announcement that they are submitting by paper.

When developing your submission timeline, keep in mind the following information necessary to submit an application on Grants.gov: (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, as described in Section IV.F. of this Announcement, and (2) if you submit an application via Grants.gov, you will receive a series of email notifications for up to two business days before learning via validation or rejection whether NOAA has received your application.

mailto:nccos.grant.awards@noaa.gov

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 3 of 41

Funding Opportunity Description: The purpose of this document is to advise the public that

NOAA/NOS/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Competitive Research

Program is soliciting proposals for the Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Program (EESLR).

This solicitation is to improve adaptation and planning in response to regional and local effects of sea level rise and coastal inundation through targeted research on key technologies, natural and nature-based infrastructure, physical and biological processes, and model evaluation. The overall goal of EESLR is to facilitate informed adaptation planning and coastal management decisions through a multidisciplinary research program that results in integrated models and tools of dynamic physical and biological processes capable of evaluating vulnerability and resilience under multiple SLR, inundation, and management scenarios.

Total funding for this research: Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2019

Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have a

September 1, 2019 start date. Approximately 3 to 6 projects, 2-3 years in duration, are expected to be funded at a level not to exceed $250,000 per year per proposal.

Electronic Access: Background information about NOAA’s EESLR Program can be found at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/coastal-change/ecological-effects-sea-level-rise-program

Any Frequently Asked Questions that arise will be posted at the NOAA EESLR web site.

Proposals should be submitted through Grants.gov, http://www.grants.gov. Sign up to receive any potential amendments to this Announcement via www.grants.gov. An information webinar covering EESLR and this solicitation, will be offered by a Program Manager on October 15, 2018 via https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/coastal-change/ecological-effects-sea-level-rise-program.

http://www.grants.gov/

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 4 of 41

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

Organization Background and Strategy:

The Competitive Research Program (CRP), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), develops and improves predictive capabilities for managing the Nation's use of its coastal resources through competitive research. NCCOS/CRP also supports efforts to translate the results of its research investments, and those of others, into accessible and useful information for coastal managers, planners, lawmakers, and the public to help balance the needs of economic growth with those of conserving the resources of our Nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes.

NCCOS/CRP provides a focal point for regional ecosystem-scale, multidisciplinary coastal ocean research within the NOAA National Ocean Service. Together with partners in NOAA and other organizations responsible for coastal resources, NCCOS/CRP advances the scientific understanding needed to protect coastal resources and ensure their viability for future generations. This increased understanding of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes directly benefits the management of U.S. coastal and ocean resources, and helps NOAA, other Federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments achieve their stewardship responsibilities.

A key objective of NCCOS/CRP research is the production of user-driven predictive tools that will enable resource managers to assess alternative management strategies to restore degraded ecosystems and protect healthy ones. Research supported is outcome-oriented towards predictions, as well as increased scientific understanding that will provide managers and the public with sound scientific information for making decisions in support of societal objectives. Articulation of outcome-based management goals is required in proposals (see

Section IV.B.) and recipients must report progress toward achieving outcome-based goals annually.

Responding to the growing problem of sea level rise and coastal flooding impacts:

Rising sea level represents a significant threat to coastal communities and ecosystems through land loss, altered habitats, and increased vulnerability to coastal storms, nuisance flooding, and wave run-up. Trends in increasing coastal sea level have been well documented and are expected to continue increasing, if not accelerate, in the coming decades

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 41

(Sweet et al. 2018). While global consequences of SLR provide a sobering assessment for possible coastal condition in the future, significant variability in the rates of SLR and response of ecosystem types and impacts at the regional and local level exists. The actual impact from a given sea level in a region varies substantially given the shoreline geomorphology, development and human response (e.g., beach nourishment) to changes.

Damages and economic losses could be reduced with improved knowledge on the potential impacts of SLR and coastal flooding as well as options for mitigation and adaptation

(Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience 2016).

In recognition of the need to facilitate increased coastal resiliency and improve adaptation and mitigation capabilities, numerous informational reports and tools have been produced to provide guidance to scientists, managers, and communities. NOAA (2015) outlined a series of steps for local managers to help them identify their greatest risks from coastal hazards

(i.e., storms, coastal flooding, sea level rise, etc.) and subsequently select a process towards improving their resiliency. Efforts like “Make Way for Marshes” outline how coastal decision makers can directly use marsh migration models and tools to make reliable decisions (NROC 2015). Similarly, The Nature Conservancy and NOAA (2011), and U.S.

Geological Survey (Doyle et al. 2015) have all offered guidance on using model results depicting potential impacts of SLR on coastal wetlands and highlighted the need for a multi-model approach, as well as described the key parameters and dynamics that should be considered.

Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Program:

Providing the scientific foundation for coastal decision making, particularly related to SLR and coastal flooding, is a high priority need identified by NOAA. To address this need, NCCOS’s Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise (EESLR) Program has sought to develop a suite of science products and tools required to assess coastal vulnerability and solutions to

SLR and inundation. Application of these tools allows for improved coastal planning, management, mitigation, and ecosystem restoration in response to sea level rise and inundation. EESLR was initiated in 2005 in North Carolina to examine ecosystem impacts in a collaboration with state and local managers that resulted in the development of mapping and modeling tools. EESLR shifted to the northern Gulf of Mexico in 2010, with an emphasis on a collaborative research approach to develop dynamic models of coastal change and improved abilities to examine SLR impacts to storm surge. In 2015, EESLR initiated a suite of projects in support of the NOAA Sentinel Site Program that focused on advancing capacity and capabilities required to improve long-term regional and local ecosystem predictions of SLR and coastal inundation effects. These projects occurred in West Hawai’i, North Carolina, and San Francisco Bay (CA). In 2016, three additional projects were

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 41 supported that reflect a new focus of EESLR on the use of Natural and Nature-based

Features (NNBF) for coastal protection and ecosystem services. These three project occurred in Southern California and the Gulf of Mexico. A detailed explanation of all past and current projects can be found at: https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/coastal-change/ecological-effects-sea-level-rise-program.

Increasing focus on Natural and Nature-based Features for Mitigation:

The use of Natural and Nature-based Features (NNBF) has gained traction as a means to enhance coastal resilience and mitigate the potential impacts of extreme events, SLR and inundation to coastal communities, while offering non-protective societal and ecosystem benefits (Sutton-Grier 2015; Bridges et al. 2015). NNBF refer to a spectrum of features from natural coastal ecosystems (e.g. marshes and dunes) to nature-based features that utilize a combination of natural and human engineered features to create a ‘hybrid’ shoreline (Sutton-

Grier 2015). Specifically, NCCOS/CRP defines NNBF as:

• Natural features are existing ecosystems including forests, wetlands, floodplains, dune systems, seagrasses, barrier islands and reefs that provide multiple benefits to communities, such as storm protection through wave attenuation or flood storage capacity and enhanced water services and security.

• Nature-based features (or green/gray infrastructure) are engineered systems where natural features are combined with hard or structural engineering approaches to create a hybrid system such as in a living shoreline.

Unlike hardened structures (e.g. bulkheads and groins), NNBF are often living features that can adapt to changing conditions and may become more stable over time, while providing multiple ecological and socio-economic benefits to coastal communities and ecosystems

(Sutton-Grier et al. 2015, Bridges et al. 2015, NACCS 2015). In recent years, there has been considerable effort among multiple levels of government, non-governmental organizations, scientists, and private interests to advance the use of NNBF (World Bank 2017). While these features often have perceived intrinsic value, quantification of both their current and long-term capabilities and performance has been limited. Considerable research gaps remain in our current understanding of how and where natural infrastructure can be implemented, the benefits and performance of NNBF and the value of features in enhancing coastal resilience.

Examples of identified research gaps include:

• the ability of NNBF to enhance coastal resilience (or performance) during extreme and chronic events and how these benefits vary with coastal landscape variables such as

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 7 of 41 topography, or bathymetry;

• a quantitative understanding of the biophysical, socioeconomic and behavioral factors that influence NNBF production functions (e.g., influence of sedimentation and water flows, performance and protective benefits of natural systems, combined hybrid approaches, and sources of non-linearity in ecosystem function);

• ecosystem service valuations to facilitate consistent, standardized monetary and non-monetary valuation of NNBF including benefits, co-benefits and trade-offs of NNBF versus other coastal protection approaches; and,

• development of best practices on construction or restoration of NNBF to enhance coastal resilience.

B. Program Priorities

NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CRP is soliciting proposals to evaluate and quantify the ability of

NNBF approaches to mitigate the effects of SLR and inundation (storm surge, nuisance flooding, and/or wave run-up) on coastal ecosystems and communities through integrated field research and advancement of predictive modeling applications. These efforts should focus on the advancement and application of dynamic models of physical and biologic processes with that of SLR and/or coastal inundation effects to evaluate the use of NNBF in mitigation and adaptation solutions. Specifically, proposals should address two or more of the following EESLR research priorities:

• assessment of coastal ecosystem risk and vulnerability to SLR and inundation effects through the advancement of existing predictive tools, field-based studies and dynamic models;

• evaluation of coastal community and ecosystem vulnerability to SLR and inundation under scenarios of shoreline condition and/or natural and nature-based feature (NNBF) use;

• quantification of non-protective ecosystem services provided by NNBF, in addition to those services that enhance community and ecosystem protection from SLR, nuisance flooding, and acute inundation.

Proposals incorporating predictive or scenario-based model application should focus on the advancement of existing modeling platforms and/or community modeling systems used by

NOAA and/or relevant partners. Advancements could include incorporation of dynamic model integration or downscaling, enhanced parameterization, uncertainty estimates, and/or

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 8 of 41 module development required to assess and evaluate NNBF approaches. Proposed new or novel modeling approaches require significant justification and explicit end-user demand for funding consideration. Ecosystem service assessments of NNBF must explicitly include coastal protection provided benefits provided by the feature. Proposals for studies that solely consider benefits and/or ecosystem services that do not directly relate to SLR and/or coastal flood protection will not be considered. The most effective ecosystem service proposals will address both protective and non-protective aspects of NNBF. In addition, proposals that assess multiple NNBF types, locations, and/or regional evaluation of a suite of approaches are preferred.

EESLR is open to all coastal regions of the United States. To the extent possible, proposals should build on existing research (e.g., prior projects through state resources, non-governmental organizations, EESLR, the NOAA Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications program, U.S. Geological Survey, Integrated Ocean Observing System, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, and/or Sea Grant). Leveraging of data and capabilities associated with National

Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR), National Wildlife Refuge, and other protected areas are encouraged.

Complementing a strong scientific foundation, proposals should focus on the production of actionable information for decision making through explicit linkages between the proposed research and the anticipated benefits to coastal communities. Within this context, proposals should apply a highly integrated and collaborative management-science approach and outline a continuous engagement process with relevant end-users and clearly defined management linkages and drivers. This could include, but is not limited to, pre-project meetings, annual workshops, training on application of tools, and inclusion of selected managers on coordination calls where local knowledge and natural resource management issues can help guide study objectives and methods. Successful proposals will work with relevant regional partners to ensure the study outlines management relevant objectives at the proposal stage.

We encourage the inclusion of a Management Transition Advisory Group (MTAG) and/or a dedicated principle investigator focused on coordinating stakeholder engagement, though these are not required. Examples of possible results and outcomes of EESLR applied and/or enhanced capabilities could include:

1. Advanced predictive models and tools that are designed in collaboration with end-users to enable coastal managers/planners the ability to better evaluate the effects of NNBF on the short- and long-term vulnerability of communities and ecosystems vulnerable to SLR and inundation;

2. Enhanced capabilities for quantifying changes in locally valued ecosystem services

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 9 of 41 associated with anticipated impacts from SLR and coastal inundation in conjunction with

NNBF approaches;

3. Improved scientific and management knowledge of the effectiveness, services and sustainability of NNBF under varying scenarios of application, inundation, and/or SLR;

4. Models and tools that will assist in evaluating the regional implications of the design, construction and adaptive management of restoration and/or NNBF projects to mitigate SLR and inundation effects;

5. Guidance and strategies for regional transition and application of integrated NNBF features and/or metrics for objective evaluation of performance.

Proposals should clearly demonstrate the value added of the proposed work, partnerships, and, where possible, leverage related regional efforts (e.g., NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants and/or state/local initiatives). Finally, linkages to topically relevant partners with a known interest in EESLR products are encouraged. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Damage Assistance Program o Cost benefit summaries of natural protective features are needed for FEMA to be able to consider more natural solutions to storm mitigation when making decisions on

Hazard Mitigation Assistance. FEMA requires estimates of damage frequencies of the feature or region and scale of impacts, as well as, site-specific wave intensity reduction, still water level, and wave height reduction for a natural feature to be considered for inclusion in a financial assistance award. See https://www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis for more information.

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) o Highways represent one of the stronger opportunities for mitigation support for natural and nature based protective features, as roads are large, are expensive to replace and require varying solutions for protection. FHWA is funding pilot projects that will analyze the potential for nature-based solutions to protect coastal roads from climate change impacts such as sea level rise and storm surge flooding. In addition, FHWA has conducted a series of peer-exchanges to inform a guidance and recommendations for the implementation of NBBF by state departments of transportation. See Nature-based Resilience for Coastal Highways for more information http://www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 10 of https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/resilience/ongoing_and_current_resear ch/ (copy and paste link).

• United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) o NOAA has partnered with the USACE Engineering with Nature Program to advance research and implementation of NNBF for coastal protection. NOAA and USACE have held a series of workshops in 2016 and 2017 to identify research needs and opportunities for collaboration. Specific regions of interest include the Galveston, Jacksonville, and Philadelphia districts. Additional information on these workshops can be found at https://ewn.el.erdc.dren.mil/nnbf-resources.html, while overall information on the

Engineering with Nature Program can be found at https://ewn.el.erdc.dren.mil/.

All NOAA environmental data developed through this announcement shall adhere to the guidelines documented in NOAA Administrative Order 212-15

(http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_212/212-

15.html). Proposals must include a data management plan that considers how to provide data as soon as it is feasible to the public (see Data Reporting Requirements in Section VI. C.).

References:

Bridges, T.S., Wagner, P.W., Burks-Copes, K.A., Bates, M.E., Collier, Z.A., Fischenich, J.C., Gailani, J.Z., Leuck, L.D., Piercy, C.D., Rosati, J.D., Russo, E.J., Shafer, D.J., Suedel, B.C., Vuxton, E.A., Wamsley, T.V. 2015. ERDC Special Reports Collection. ERDC-SR-15-

1. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

http://hdl.handle.net/11681/4769.

Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. 2016. Opportunities to Enhance the

Nation’s Resilience to Climate Change.

https://toolkit.climate.gov/sites/default/files/finalresilienceopportunitiesreport.pdf

Doyle, T.W., Chivoiu, B., and Enwright, N.M., 2015, Sea-level rise modeling handbook—Resource guide for coastal land managers, engineers, and scientists: U.S.

Geological Survey Professional Paper 1815, 76p. http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1815.

NACCS Report. 2015. North Atlantic Comprehensive Study. US Army Corps of Engineers.

http://www.nad.usace.army.mil/compstudy.

NOAA, Office for Coastal Management. 2015. Coastal Community Resilience Indicators http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/resilience/ongoing_and_current_resear http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_212/212-http://hdl.handle.net/11681/4769 http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1815 http://www.nad.usace.army.mil/compstudy

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 11 of and Rating Systems. https://coast.noaa.gov/data/digitalcoast/pdf/resilience-indicators.pdf

Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC). 2015. Make Way for Marshes.

http://northeastoceancouncil.org/committees/coastal-hazards-resilience/resilient-shorelines/make-way-for-marshes/.

Sutton-Grier, A., K. Wowk, and H. Bamford. 2015. Future of our coasts: The potential for natural and hybrid infrastructure to enhance the resilience of our coastal communities, economies and ecosystems. Environmental Science and Policy 51: 137-148.

Sweet, W., Dusek, G., Obeysekera, J., Marra, J. 2018. Patterns and Projections of High Tide

Flooding Along the U.S. Coastline Using a Common Impact Threshold. NOAA Technical

Report NOS CO-OPS 086.

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/publications/techrpt86_PaP_of_HTFlooding.pdf.

TNC and NOAA. 2011. Marshes on the Move:

https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/training/marshes-on-the-move-a-managers-guide-to-understanding-and-using-model-results-depicting.html

World Bank. 2017. Implementing nature-based flood protection: Principles and implementation guidance. Washington, DC: World Bank.

C. Program Authority

16 U.S.C. § 1456c; Public Law 102-567, § 201(c), Coastal Ocean Program.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Approximately 3-6 targeted EESLR projects of up to 3 years in duration are expected to be funded at a level not to exceed $250,000 per year per proposal. In addition to these annual funding limits, proposals should not contain a total budget (across all years) greater than

$750,000.

B. Project/Award Period

Full applications may cover a project/award period up to 3 years, but shorter-term project proposals are also welcomed.

http://northeastoceancouncil.org/committees/coastal-hazards-resilience/resilient-

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 12 of

Awards may be funded incrementally, generally on an annual basis, but once awarded, those awards will not compete for funding in subsequent years. This multi-year funding is often appropriate for projects to be funded for two to five years. Once approved, full applications are not required for the continuation out years. While applicants are not required to divide

Federal assistance project activities into annual increments based on appropriations law, this approach may be constructive given the possibility that funding may not be available in subsequent years.

Funding for each year's activity is contingent upon the availability of funds from Congress, satisfactory performance, and is at the sole discretion of the agency.

During the implementation phase of research projects funded under this announcement, regardless of the funding mechanism used, NCCOS/CRP Program Managers will analyze financial statements and progress reports for each continuing award, and will have dialogue with the Principal Investigators and Authorized Representatives of the recipient institutions to discuss research progress and expected time lines for the remaining award period. If

NOAA experiences budget shifts in future fiscal years, the amount of funding provided in any given fiscal year will be determined on a project-specific basis by the remaining tasks to be completed, the overall pace of the research and the length of time remaining on the award and/or across the board changes based on the overall funds available.

Regardless of the budget for any given fiscal year, Program Managers will consider the length of time remaining for each project, the amount of funds available, the tasks to be completed in the upcoming fiscal year, the pace of research, and any delayed progress relative to that originally proposed, before determining the funding amount in any given fiscal year.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

In an effort to maximize the use of limited resources, applications from non-Federal, non-NOAA Federal and NOAA Federal applicants will be evaluated in the same competition, with different funding instruments applicable to the type of applicant.

The funding instrument for a research application selected for funding from a non-Federal researcher is expected to be a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is appropriate when substantial Federal government involvement is anticipated. This means that the recipient can expect substantial agency collaboration, participation, or intervention in project performance. Substantial involvement exists when: responsibility for the management, control, direction, or performance of the project is shared by the assisting agency and the recipient; or the assisting agency has the right to intervene (including

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 13 of interruption or modification) in the conduct or performance of project activities. "Substantial involvement” will be coordinated and communicated by NCCOS/CRP Program Managers, and can include collaboration and participation by NOAA (including NCCOS, but see section III.A.5.) researchers, as well as NCCOS/CRP Program Manager involvement in

Principal Investigator (PI) meetings, setting up management advisory groups, development of management transition plans, and communication of project results.

If the non-Federal applicant is at an institution that has a NOAA Cooperative Institute (CI), it is allowed to submit applications that reference the CI by attaching a cover letter to the application stating its desire to have the application associated with the CI. This letter should specify the name of the cooperative institute, the CI cooperative agreement number, and the

NOAA-approved research theme and task that applies to the proposal. The application will use the Facilities & Administrative (F&A, or indirect cost) rate associated with the main CI agreement. If the application is selected for funding, NOAA will notify the university that a separate award will be issued with its own award number. However, the award will include two Special Award Conditions (SACs): (1) the existing University/NOAA Memorandum Of

Agreement (MOA) would be incorporated by reference into the terms of the competitive award, and (2) any performance report(s) for the competitive project must follow the timetable of the funding program and be submitted directly to the funding program.

Report(s) will be copied to the CI's administrator when due, to be attached to the main cooperative agreement progress report as an appendix. This will allow the CI to coordinate all the projects submitted through the CI, since the terms of these awards will specify that this is a CI project via the MOA.

If the non-Federal applicant is at an institution that has a NOAA approved Cooperative

Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU), it is allowed to submit applications. If the applicant is a member of one of these CESUs and is interested in using its CESU status, it may state its wishes in a cover letter to the application stating its desire to have the application associated with the CESU. This letter should specify the name of the CESU. Of the seventeen CESUs across the nation, NOAA is a member of ten: North and West Alaska, California, Hawaii-

Pacific Islands, South Florida-Caribbean, Gulf Coast, Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast, Chesapeake Watershed, North Atlantic Coast, Pacific Northwest, and Great Plains.

Applications are allowed to be submitted from these CESUs only.

The following criteria must be met for NOAA to use the established partnerships with

CESUs:

The proposed funding opportunity must fit within the objectives of the National CESU

Network Program outlined below:

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 14 of

• To provide research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies and their partners in biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines needed to address natural and cultural resource management issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context.

• The proposed funding opportunity must fit the intent of the Cooperative and Joint

Agreements, which means:

o The research partnership will carry out or stimulate an activity (data, products or services) for a public purpose; and o NOAA will be significantly involved in the work.

Previous research completed by a local CI will be considered in decisions made to issue an award to a CESU.

The funding instrument for a selected application from an eligible NOAA Federal applicant will be an intra-agency transfer of funds.

The funding instrument for a selected application from a non-NOAA Federal applicant will be through an inter-agency transfer of funds, provided legal authority exists for the Federal applicant to receive funds from another agency. Non-NOAA Federal applicants that intend to be the lead institution must call Laurie Golden/240-533-0285 to discuss technical details.

PLEASE NOTE: Before non-NOAA Federal applicants may be funded, they must demonstrate that they have applicable legal authority for an inter-agency transfer of funds.

Support may be solely through NCCOS/CRP or partnered with other Federal offices and agencies.

The intra- and inter-agency transfers of funds are not Federal assistance (grants or cooperative agreements), and the policies described in this Announcement applicable to

Federal assistance awards do not apply to Federal entities receiving intra- and inter-agency transfers of funds. Refer to the Agency Contact officials in Section VII. for more

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for Federal financial assistance in this competition are institutions of

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 15 of higher education, other non-profits, state, local, Indian Tribal Governments, for-profit organizations, U.S. Territories. Federal agencies that possess the statutory authority to receive transfers of funds are eligible to submit applications for intra- or interagency funds transfers through this competition. DOC/NOAA supports cultural and gender diversity and encourages women and minority individuals and groups to submit applications to the

NCCOS programs. In addition, DOC/NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. DOC/NOAA encourages applications involving any of the above institutions to apply.

Please note that:

(1) Principal Investigators should be employees of an eligible entity listed above; and applications should be submitted through that entity. Non-Federal researchers should comply with their institutional requirements for application submission.

(2) Non-Federal researchers affiliated with NOAA-University Cooperative/Joint Institutes will be funded through cooperative agreements.

(3) Foreign researchers must apply as subawards or contracts through an eligible US entity.

(4) Federal applicants are eligible to submit applications for intra- or interagency funds transfers through this competition. Non-NOAA Federal applicants will be required to submit certifications or documentation showing that they have specific legal authority to accept funds for this type of research.

(5) An eligible U.S. entity may propose Federal agency researchers as funded or unfunded collaborators. If Federal agency researchers are proposed as funded collaborators, the applicant should present the collaborator's funding request in the application in the same way documentation is provided for a subrecipient for purposes of project evaluation, even though intra- or interagency funding transfers will generally be used if the project is selected.

(6) NCCOS researchers may apply through an eligible U.S. entity as funded or unfunded collaborators, but cannot be the lead PI on the application.

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B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

None

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

Letters of intent are required. A full proposal that did not submit a LOI will not be considered and will be returned to the proposer without review.

Each application must substantially comply with the sixteen elements listed under Content and Form of Application, Required Elements, (1) - (16), or it will be returned to sender without further consideration. A checklist with the required and requested application elements can be found in Section VIII.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Laurie Golden

1305 East West Hwy

SSMC 4 Station 8219

Silver Spring, MD 20910

B. Content and Form of Application

1. Letter of Intent (LOI)

LOIs are required. Any full proposals submitted without a prior timely LOI submission will not be considered. The purpose of the LOI process is to provide information to potential applicants on the relevance of their proposed project and the likelihood of it being competitive in advance of preparing a full application. Full applications will be encouraged only for LOIs deemed relevant; however, the final decision to submit a full proposal is made by the investigator. The LOI should provide a concise description of the proposed work and its relevance to the EESLR Program. The LOI should be no more than two pages (front only) in length, single spaced in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and should include in order the components listed below. If all these components are not included, the LOI will not be considered.

(1) Tentative project title.

(2) Name(s) phone number(s), email address(s) and institution(s) of all Principal

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Investigator(s), and specification of which individual is the Lead Principal Investigator.

(3) Approximate cost of the project.

(4) Statement of the problem and its management relevance.

(5) Brief summary of work to be completed, methodology to be used, and the plan for engaging with the management community.

CRP Program Managers will review each LOI to determine whether it is responsive to the

Program's goals, as advertised in this notice. Letters or emails to encourage or discourage a full application are scheduled to be sent out approximately two weeks after the LOI due date.

Late LOIs will not be considered and any associated full applications will not be considered.

2. Full Applications

Example Application

An example application can be found on the NCCOS/CRP home page at:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/application-forms/.

Required Elements

Collaborative Proposals - If more than one institution is collaborating in a project awarded funds, the lead institution will be responsible for distributing funds to the partner institutions with the exception of Federal partners. Federal partners will be funded with either intra or inter agency agreements initiated by NCCOS. Collaborating institutions expected to receive funds must be budgeted as subawards or contracts. Unfunded collaborators may also participate.

Each application must substantially comply with the following sixteen elements to be forwarded for merit review. The Summary, Title page, Abstract, Project Description, References, Biographical Sketch, and Budget Justification must be single spaced in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. The Collaborators List must be an Excel spread sheet. The sixteen elements are as follows:

(1) Standard Form 424. The applicant must submit the Standard Form, SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance,” to indicate the total amount of funding proposed for

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 18 of the whole project period. This form is to be the cover page for the original application and is the first required form in the grants.gov application package.

(2) Summary title page. One-page maximum. The Summary title page identifies the project's title, starting with the acronym: EESLR 2019 and the Principal Investigator’s (PI) name and affiliation, complete address, phone and E-mail information. The requested funding amounts for each fiscal year with and without ship funding should be included on the Summary title page. If this proposal is a resubmission from a previous NCCOS competition, indicate that information on the Summary title page.

(3) One-page abstract/project summary. The summary (abstract) should appear on a separate single page, headed with the proposal title, institution(s), investigator(s), total proposed cost (with and without ship funds), and budget period. It should be written in the third person. The summary is used to help compare proposals quickly and allows the respondents to summarize their key points in their own words. Project summaries of applications that receive funding may be posted on program-related websites.

The project summary should include an introduction of the problem, rationale, scientific objectives and/or hypotheses to be tested, and a brief summary of work to be completed.

(4) Project Description. The description of the proposed project must include narratives of the Proposed Research (elements a through d), the Application to Management (element e), and the Data Management Plan (element f).

The description of the proposed project must not be more than 15 pages for elements (a) through (e) and an additional 2 pages for the Data Management Plan (f).

The Proposed Research Narrative should be thorough and explicitly indicate its relevance to the program goals and scientific priorities by:

(a) Identifying the topic that is being addressed by the proposal;

(b) Describing the proposed scientific objectives and research activities in relation to the present state of knowledge in the field and in relation to previous and current work by the proposing principal investigator(s).

(c) Discussing how the proposed project lends value to the program goals;

(d) Identifying the function of each PI. The Lead PI (s) will be responsible for

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 19 of communicating with the Federal Program Manager on all pertinent verbal or written

(e) The Applications to Management Narrative should establish the connection to relevant resource management needs by explicitly identifying the end user group(s) including evidence of the linkage between the scientific questions and management needs. If an MTAG is planned a description of the committee and its activities should also be included in this section (see required information in Section I.B.2.)

This narrative should provide the management justification for the research through:

(i) Articulating the coordination with one or more management entities;

(ii) Discussing the expected significance of the project to management priorities and needs. Specific management targets, with proposed outputs and outcomes, should describe how this project will improve management capabilities. Outputs are defined as products (e.g. publications, models) or activities that lead to outcomes (changes in management knowledge or action). Definitions and examples of outputs and outcomes can be accessed at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/outputs-and-outcomes/ The timeline for achieving outcomes should be included in the Milestone Chart

(below).

(iii) Describing specific activities, such as workshops or development of outreach materials that will enhance information transfer from project scientists to relevant management entities, other end-users, or the public.

If the proposal is a resubmission from a previous competition, any concerns identified in the previous review process and provided to the applicant should be addressed in the resubmitted proposal.

(f) Providing a detailed Data Management Plan that describes how metadata and data collected as part of the project will be disseminated to the broader community, and plans for longer term archiving of these data. PIs that propose to collaborate with data centers or networks, except the National Center for Environmental Information, are advised to obtain letters of commitment that affirm the collaboration. Where possible, all PIs are strongly encouraged to use existing data centers and data portals to archive and disseminate their data. Costs associated with use of data centers, or data archiving, should be included in the application budget. See the section on the NOAA Data Reporting requirements below

(Section VI.C.).

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 20 of

(5) References cited. Reference information is required. Each reference should include the names of all authors in the same sequence they appear in the publications, the article title, the journal or book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publications. While there is no established page limitation, this section should include bibliographic citations only and should not be used to provide parenthetical information outside of the Project Description.

(6) Milestone chart. Provide time lines of major tasks covering the duration of the proposed project.

(7) Biographical sketch. All principal and co-investigators must provide summaries of up to

2 pages that include the following:

(a) A listing of professional and academic credentials and mailing address;

(b) A list of up to five publications most closely related to the proposed project and five other significant publications.

(8) Current and pending support. Describe all current and pending Federal financial/funding support for all principal and co-investigators. Continuing grants must also be included. A current and pending support form is available on the CRP web site for your use:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/application-forms/. You should respond to this element whether or not you have any current and/or pending support, e.g., by indicating “not applicable.”

(9) A list of all known applicable permits that will be required to perform the proposed work.

You should respond to this requirement element whether or not permits are required.

(10) Accomplishments from Prior Federal Support addressing coastal vulnerability. If any PI or co-PI identified on the project has received Federal funding in the past five years for sea level rise impacts and coastal vulnerability to storm surge and nuisance flooding research, information on the award(s) is required. Each PI and co-PI who has received more than one award (excluding amendments) must report on the award most closely related to the proposal. This section should not exceed two pages per award in addition to the 15 pages for the Project Description.

The following information should be provided:

a) the award number, amount and period of support;

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 21 of

b) the title of the project;

c) a summary of the results of the completed work;

d) publications resulting from the award;

e) a brief description of outputs and outcomes; and

f) as appropriate, a description of the relation of the completed work to the proposed work.

When applicable, this information will be considered by reviewers in the evaluation of overall qualifications of applicants. You should respond to this element whether or not you have accomplishments from prior Federal support on this topic; e.g. by indicating “no prior

Federal research on coastal vulnerability to sea level rise or coastal flooding.”

(11) Budget narrative/justification. In order to allow reviewers to fully evaluate the appropriateness of costs, all applications must include a detailed budget narrative and a justification to support all proposed budget categories for each fiscal year. Personnel costs should be broken out by named PI and number of months and percentage of time requested per year per PI. Support for each PI should be commensurate with their stated involvement each year in the milestones chart (see Required Elements (6) Milestone chart).

Any unnamed personnel (graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, technicians) should be identified by their job title, and their personnel costs explained similar to PI personnel costs above. The contribution of any personnel to the project goals should be explained. Travel costs should be broken out by number of people traveling, destination and purpose of travel, and projected costs per person. Equipment costs should describe the equipment to be purchased, and its contribution to the achievement of the project goals. Each subaward should be listed as a separate item in the budget justification. Provide separate budget justifications for each subaward and indicate the basis for the cost estimates. Describe project activities for subawards and products/services to be obtained for acquisitions, and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project.

A separate budget justification is required for each subaward. Signed approval from each identified subaward institution is also required. For acquisition contracts, the purpose and cost or price must be fully justified and the contract must fully comply with 2 C.F.R.

200.317-.326. Further NOAA Grants Management Division Budget Narrative Guidance can

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 22 of be found at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/training.html.

An applicant requesting funds for indirect costs in its proposal budget that has a current

Federally approved rate should submit documentation of the indirect cost rate agreement as an attachment to its application submission. An applicant without a Federally approved rate should refer to Section IV.F. of this Announcement regarding options.

(12) CD 511. Certification Regarding Lobbying. Lead institutions can submit these forms through the grants.gov CD511 document placeholder without a hard signature because electronic signatures are allowed on documents from the submitting institution.

(13) SF 424B. Assurances - Non-Construction Programs. Lead institutions can submit these forms through the grants.gov SF 424B document placeholder without a hard signature because electronic signatures are allowed on document from the submitting institutions.

(14) Standard Form 424A. All applicants are required to submit a SF-424A Budget Form that identifies the budget for each fiscal year of the proposal. Place each fiscal year in separate columns in Section B of page 1 on the SF424A by filling in the fiscal years 1 to 3 in

Section A Budget Summary - Grant Program Function or Activity column. (Note that this revised 424A Section B format is a NOAA requirement that is not reflected in the

Instructions for the SF 424A). The budget figures must correspond with the descriptions contained in the proposal.

Each subaward should provide a SF424A…