NOAA-NOS-NCCOS-2020-2006219 Full Announcement.pdf

National Competitive Harmful Algal Bloom Programs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4 B. Program Priorities 6 C. Program Authority 16

II. Award Information 16 A. Funding Availability 16 B. Project/Award Period 17 C. Type of Funding Instrument 17

III. Eligibility Information 19 A. Eligible Applicants 19 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 21 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 21

IV. Application and Submission Information 21 A. Address to Request Application Package 21 B. Content and Form of Application 21 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 30 D. Submission Dates and Times 30 E. Intergovernmental Review 32 F. Funding Restrictions 32 G. Other Submission Requirements 33

V. Application Review Information 34 A. Evaluation Criteria 34 B. Review and Selection Process 35 C. Selection Factors 37 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 38

VI. Award Administration Information 38 A. Award Notices 38 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 38 C. Reporting 43

VII. Agency Contacts 47 VIII. Other Information 47

Notice of Federal Funding Page 1 of 48

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: National Competitive Harmful Algal Bloom Programs

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-NCCOS-2020-2006219

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

Dates: The required letters of intent (LOI) sent by e-mail to nccos.grant.awards@noaa.gov and must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the specified date:

PCMHAB: Monday, November 11, 2019

HAB Socioeconomics: Monday, November 11, 2019

Full applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date specified.

PCMHAB: Friday, January 10, 2020

HAB Socioeconomics: Friday, January 10, 2020

Electronic submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.

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 the date specified above for each program.

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.

Investigators are advised to submit full applications well in advance of the deadline as a precaution against unanticipated delays. Applicants must register with Grants.gov before submitting application materials. When developing your submission timeline, keep in mind the

Notice of Federal Funding Page 2 of 48 following information regarding application submission on Grants.gov:

1. Grants.gov requires applicants to complete a free annual registration process in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM), which may take between three and five business days or as long as several weeks to process as described in Section IV.G. of this Announcement.

2. If you submit a full 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.

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 (CRP) is soliciting proposals for the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (PCMHAB) and HAB Socioeconomics Research Programs. Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2020 Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have a September 1, 2020 start date.

Total funding for this research:

It is anticipated that approximately $2,500,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2020 for the first year for all PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomics projects.

Approximately 4-6 small projects up to 3 years in duration are expected to be funded under PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomics at a level of approximately $200,000 to $400,000 per year per proposal. In addition, 1-2 large projects up to 4 years in duration are expected to be funded under PCMHAB at up to approximately $500,000 to $600,000 per year per proposal. NOAA will not accept any proposals submitted with total budgets (across all years) that are greater than $1,200,000 for small projects and $2,400,000 for large projects.

Electronic Access: Background information about the PCMHAB Program can be found at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/stressor-impacts-mitigation/pcmhab/. Additional information on this Announcement, including Frequently Asked Questions, is available at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/stressor-impacts-mitigation/pcmhab/. An information webinar covering PCMHAB and this solicitation, will be offered by a Program Manager within approximately two weeks from the publication date of the FFO.. Information on the date/time can be found at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/stressor-impacts-mitigation/pcmhab/.

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.

Notice of Federal Funding Page 3 of 48

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

1. Growing Problem of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Occurrence and Impacts

HABs are caused by diverse organisms, including toxic and noxious phytoplankton, some protists, cyanobacteria, benthic algae, and macroalgae. Blooms can extend over large geographic areas, be composed of more than one harmful or toxic species, and cause significant impacts on fisheries, recreation, human health, and the ecology of both marine and freshwater bodies. HABs are now a recurrent and serious problem in many areas of the US. Evidence suggests that the frequency and distribution of HABs are increasing globally, impacting many countries that have commercial and recreational activities in coastal areas.

Increases in HAB frequency and distribution leads to significant HAB impacts to public health and local/regional economies. Costs are attributable to maintenance of toxin monitoring programs; closures of shellfish harvesting; mortality of fish, shellfish, turtles, birds, and mammals; disruptions in tourism; threats to public and coastal resource health;

publication of watershed, health, drinking water and seafood advisories; and medical treatments (8). Despite greater public awareness and advisories of bloom events, human illnesses and even fatalities continue to be reported. Additionally, some toxins may cause only a few documented illnesses but result in serious public reaction and temporary aversion to local seafood products and activities. These deleterious impacts have increased public awareness and demand for intervention to reduce or eliminate bloom impacts on coastal resources, local economies, and threats to public health, but appropriate response requires an understanding of the causes and impacts. Over the course of the last decade, numerous reports have described the magnitude of the HAB problem and outlined research plans to systematically address the issue (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

2. Legislative Mandates and Justification for HAB Programs

The 1998 Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Control Act (HABHRCA) and the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 2004 (2004 HABHRCA Reauthorization) authorized the establishment of three national research programs for HABs:

Ecology and Oceanography of HABs (ECOHAB), Monitoring and Event Response for HABs (MERHAB), and Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of HABs (PCMHAB). The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014 and 2019 require these existing competitive programs be maintained and enhanced. See 33

Notice of Federal Funding Page 4 of 48

U.S.C. §§ 4001-4009.

NOAA described each national competitive program in more detail and established a regional rotation in a 2009 Federal Register Notice found at 74 FR 20465 (May 4, 2009).

NOAA ended the regional rotation of HAB programs in 2016, as announced at 81 FR 37187 (June 9, 2016). This announcement does not re-establish the regional rotation or counter any language in 81 FRN 37187. Abstracts of previously funded National Competitive HAB Programs projects, including past PCMHAB projects, are available online at http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/research/projects.

The National Competitive HAB Programs address multiple interagency, Department of Commerce, and NOAA goals and objectives.

-The Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Comprehensive Research and Action Plan (14), mandated by the 2014 HABHRCA Reauthorization, calls on all federal agencies to:

^Add to and improve scientific understanding of HABs and hypoxia, and their causes and effects, as well as improve testing and research methods.

^Strengthen and integrate new and existing monitoring programs.

^Improve predictive capabilities by developing and enhancing HAB and hypoxia modeling programs; improve disease surveillance for human and animal exposure, illnesses, and death.

^Improve stakeholder communications, including having more effective and readily-available public advisories, stronger connections with susceptible communities, and a better understanding of the socioeconomic and health-related impacts of HABs and hypoxia.

^Continue and expand collaborations in research, management, and policy-related arenas.

-NOAA’s Ecological Forecasting Roadmap 2015-2019 (17) specifies, “NOAA’s priority through this Ecological Forecasting Roadmap is to develop ecological forecasts for harmful algal blooms in regions of the country where these are issues of major concern.” (p.3).

-NOAA National Marine Fisheries Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan FY 2016-2020

(18) –supports NOAA internal and extramural research focused on designing and refining scientific “tools for management” including those that promote understanding of how

Notice of Federal Funding Page 5 of 48 changing ocean conditions impact aquaculture. A strategy highlighted under Goal 2 (p. 13) is “assessing the impacts of environmental change (including ocean acidification) on marine aquaculture, as well as aquaculture’s role in mitigating environmental change.”

-The U.S. Department of Commerce 2018-2022 Strategic Plan (19) Objective 2.1 calls for NOAA to “support research to advance marine aquaculture” (p. 9). The planned expansion of U.S. aquaculture production coincides with increased threats from HABs.

Problems stemming from HABs including costly product loss or recalls and public fears about seafood product safety pose a clear and growing threat. NOAA Competitive HAB programs support research that can “help remove production bottlenecks,” related to HABs.

Objective 2.3 to “amplify the economic value of recreational and commercial fisheries,” calls on NOAA to “ensure that fisheries and their habitats are managed to optimize sustainable commercial harvest and recreational opportunities while conserving marine resources for future generations.” Further, Objective 3.3 identifies the need to manage impacts from extreme water events, like HABs, on our nation’s economy. DOC will support efforts to enhance prediction capabilities via better data gathering and modeling technology.

DOC also plans to provide expert, timely, and actionable weather information to emergency managers, water resource managers, and other government agencies at the state, local, and tribal levels in partnership with the commercial sector.

-The Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) fosters and promotes shellfish sanitation through the cooperation of state and federal control agencies (Food and Drug Administration, NOAA, Environmental Protection Agency), the shellfish industry, and the academic community. One of the HAB research priorities that the ISSC identified is cell and toxin monitoring and prediction for early warning (8). This is in order to address the needs of state managers and the shellfish industry, while assisting these groups with monitoring HAB toxins in seafood.

B. Program Priorities

This solicitation provides an opportunity for investigators to propose research projects in two focus areas: a) research, development, demonstration, and technology transfer leading to implementation of strategies to prevent, control, and mitigate HABs (PCMHAB) and b) the socioeconomic impacts of HABs, particularly pertaining to PCM (HAB Socioeconomics).

1) PCMHAB

a) PCMHAB Objectives NOAA established the PCMHAB program in 2009

Notice of Federal Funding Page 6 of 48

(https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/05/04/E9-10187/implementation-of-new-competitive-prevention-control-and-mitigation-of-harmful-algal-blooms-hab) to foster the development, demonstration, and transition of existing and promising prevention, control, and mitigations technologies and strategies to end-users, as authorized in HABHRCA (1998, 2004, 2014, and 2019); the first competitively awarded projects were initiated in 2010.

Multiple interagency and HAB community reports and plans provide guidance for the PCMHAB Program. The HAB Research, Development, Demonstration, and Technology Workshop Report: A Plan for Reducing HABs and HAB Impacts (2008) (5) and the Harmful Algal Bloom Management and Response: Assessment and Plan (2008) (8) provide recommendations to advance research on prevention, control and mitigation of HABs, which forms the basis for the PCMHAB program. Additional guidance is provided by Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms: A Research Plan (15), and Harmful Algal Blooms in Coastal Waters: Options for Prevention, Control, and Mitigation (4).

The PCMHAB program moves promising HAB technologies through three phases (development, demonstration, and transfer) and culminates with the expectation of widespread stakeholder use. The technologies may arise from HAB research conducted by the two existing national HAB programs or from other research programs. Abstracts of previously funded National Competitive HAB Programs projects, including past PCMHAB projects, are available online at http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/research/projects.

b) PCMHAB Priorities

The focus of PCMHAB is to develop, demonstrate, and make widely available new socially and environmentally acceptable strategies and methods for preventing, controlling, and mitigating HABs and their impacts. For FY2020, NOAA seeks to emphasize control and mitigation approaches by supporting projects in these two categories. Examples of research needs under these two categories – derived from recent reports (5,8) – are below, but additional related topics as well as prevention-focused proposals may also be considered.

Control

-Research on technologies or approaches that eliminate or reduce the levels of harmful algae and their toxins through the following approaches:

^Biological controls (e.g. bacterial compounds, viruses) [must call Program Manager before submitting a Letter of Intent], Notice of Federal Funding Page 7 of 48

^Chemical controls (e.g., algicides, algistatic compounds, coagulants, electrocoagulation) that are either targeted or widespread in application, or

^Physical (e.g., destratification, flushing, ultrasound, skimming) removal mechanisms.

Mitigation

-Research on technologies or approaches that mitigate HABS and their impacts by developing or improving methods for:

^HAB cell and toxin detection

^Relocating or modifying aquaculture practices

^Fishing and processing practices

^Making decisions on harvesting bans and closures

^Intervening to reduce wildlife mortality

^Education and outreach

PCMHAB projects are typically conducted in three phases, as described below. The Research in the Development phase (phase 1) will advance and evaluate unproven but promising PCM technologies and strategies. Evaluation of control methods must include assessment of possible environmental impacts in the laboratory. The Demonstration phase (phase 2) will test, validate, and evaluate promising technologies in the field across broad temporal and spatial scales. The Technology Transfer phase (phase 3) will facilitate the transition of technologies and strategies to end-user application and/or commercialization.

A single proposal can cover one or more phases, depending on the magnitude of the project.

In general, however, it is anticipated that projects will not combine all three phases in one proposal, especially if phase 2 or 3 involves field trials. Phase 2 and 3 projects are highly encouraged, but will likely require an environmental review or assessment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508) (see Section VI.B.6.). Therefore, applicants submitting projects in phase 2 or 3 that include field trials must contact the PCMHAB Program Manager prior to

Notice of Federal Funding Page 8 of 48 submission of a letter of intent to determine the possible scale of required environmental review. It is highly recommended that all proposals consider how environmental and social risks will be addressed through the proposed project. A programmatic environmental assessment (https://cdn.coastalscience.noaa.gov/page-attachments/about/pcm_hab_pea_finaldoc.pdf) for the PCMHAB program can provide a guide for the types of environmental risks to consider. Proposals submitted for phase 2 or 3 may request funds to complete a detailed environmental review at the project start.

Proposals can be submitted for any phase (i.e., a project does not have to start in the first phase). All projects must specify the phase or phases of the research to be conducted for the project period. If not all three phases are covered by the proposal, the proposal must outline how additional phases were, or will be, conducted. Target end-users (including local, state, and Federal resource and public health managers, nonprofit organizations, and a variety of businesses as appropriate) must be identified and will normally be involved in all three stages (see Section I.B.4.c. for exceptions). Projects in phase 3 will also need to demonstrate secured end-user support for either long-term operations and/or application, or a market analysis of demand for the developed tool or technology. Examples of end-user support include, but are not limited to, matching funds or demonstrated commitment of in-kind support for the technology transfer. The market analysis for projects in phase 3 focused on commercialization should include, to the extent possible, an outline of the anticipated target customers’ market demand, costs of purchase and ownership, potential barriers to use, and/or likely competition.

2) HAB Socioeconomics

The HAB program also supports socioeconomic research that assesses the societal impacts of HAB events and the costs and benefits of mitigation strategies. The recent increase in number, frequency, and type of HABs are resulting in more impacts that have increased society's concerns about the safety of our seafood, drinking water, the health of endangered species, fish, and other animals, the sustainability of beach and lakeside communities, losses to aquaculture enterprises, increased strain on shrinking state and local resources, and long-term aquatic ecosystem changes. Significant economic costs are associated with HAB impacts to public health, fisheries, recreation, and tourism, as well as the use of scarce funds for monitoring and management can be significant for local communities (7). The research needed to understand the socioeconomic effects of HABs has been the focus of national level planning efforts that include HARRNESS (6), and HARR-HD (3), and more recently the HAB RDDTT Workshop Report (5) Chapter 2 Section 2.B.3.c.

a) HAB Socioeconomic Objectives

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The second focal area of this funding opportunity is an assessment of the social and economic costs of HAB events as well as the costs and benefits of prevention, control, and mitigation efforts. These assessments will guide future research and aid in the selection of the most appropriate management strategies and methods. Information from socioeconomic research will allow resource management and public health agencies, affected sectors and communities, and biophysical scientists to develop and implement coordinated, effective responses to HAB events at local and regional scales.

b) HAB Socioeconomics Priorities

Studies are needed to determine the extent to which HABs and management responses (such as fisheries closures) directly or indirectly result in economic impacts or in family disruption, community conflict, disruption to or shifts in livelihoods, threats to subsistence, increased reliance on social services, degradation of cultural practices and values, loss of recreational opportunities, and/or other sociocultural impacts. While it may not be possible to place a dollar value on all of these impacts, it is important to document them so that appropriate mitigation strategies can be funded, planned, and implemented.

Applicants to HAB Socioeconomics are encouraged to consult national level HAB research needs reports that include gaps in socioeconomic research when identifying the topics of their proposal. National level planning efforts such as HARRNESS (6), HARR-HD (3), and more recently the HAB RDDTT Workshop Report (5) Chapter 2 Section 2.B.3.c. have focused on the research needed to understand the socioeconomic effects of HABs.

The following are examples called from these reports that are applicable to the goals of HAB Socioeconomics:

-Research that helps:

^identify the data needed to assess the economic, public health, and sociocultural impacts of HAB events on local and regional scales, and facilitates comprehensive and coordinated data collection and storage across affected sectors and communities;

^assess the sociocultural impacts of HAB events at local and regional scales;

^determine the economic impacts of HAB events at local and regional scales;

^quantify the vulnerability of actual and potential HAB-affected communities to

Notice of Federal Funding Page 10 of 48 sociocultural and economic impacts of HAB events;

^measure the economic benefits of forecasts.

Proposed research on socioeconomic impacts can be submitted either as stand-alone proposals under HAB Socioeconomics or as part of a larger PCMHAB proposal if related to that proposal’s goals and objectives.

3) Important information about HAB Programs Criteria

The following guidance clarifies the scope of PCMHAB in relation to the ECOHAB and MERHAB programs:

a) Developing methods of measuring and monitoring HAB cells and toxins.

i. ECOHAB will fund method development only when it is necessary to conduct research.

ii. MERHAB will fund the improvement or testing of existing methods to facilitate use in monitoring HAB cells, toxins or environmental conditions that foster blooms.

iii. PCMHAB Development phase will fund novel method development where the concept is so new to the HAB community that it is unknown whether it will be suitable for research or monitoring.

iv. PCMHAB will also fund efforts to develop sufficiently proven HAB methods to translate them into products that are widely available to potential end-users, including obtaining approval for regulatory use for measuring biotoxins in shellfish through the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (see the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference Priorities to Improve Shellfish Monitoring for Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins at http://www.issc.org/Data/Sites/1/media/issc%20lmrc%20priorities%20ver%208%20final%2 0(2).pdf.

b). Use of models for forecasting and prediction.

i. HAB forecasting and prediction through the development of models, is covered by

ECOHAB.

ii. Development of partnerships to test and utilize models for forecasting, as part of

Notice of Federal Funding Page 11 of 48 specific monitoring programs, is under the purview of MERHAB.

iii. Transfer of models for HAB forecasting and prediction to end users will be covered by PCMHAB.

iv. Modification or use of models to develop prevention strategies will be funded by PCMHAB, although this is not a priority of this FFO.

4) Examples of Non-Applicable Research Topics

Some HAB research is conducted by other programs within NOAA or within other state or federal agencies. To avoid duplication of effort, ECOHAB, MERHAB, and PCMHAB will not fund research in the following areas:

a) Prevention of HABs by implementation of nutrient reductions or hydrodynamic modifications as a possible strategy. Numerous other programs in other agencies address implementation issues. PCMHAB will not fund, for example, research to develop new methods of nutrient removal or develop land use practices that may reduce nutrient inputs.

However, if actual nutrient reductions or hydrodynamic changes are implemented, PCMHAB may fund research to monitor and model the consequences of those activities if they will be transferable to other situations;

b) Direct human health impacts of HABs, such as disease surveillance, clinical characterization, and therapeutic guidance in humans, are the purview of other programs, such as the National Science Foundation/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Centers of Oceans and Human Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Food and Drug Administration;

c) Freshwater bodies (e.g. ponds, lakes, and reservoirs) other than the Great Lakes (see Section I.A. 3 for specific definition);

d) Routine monitoring for HABs, HAB toxins, and water quality.

5) PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomic Programs Project Requirements

a) All the NOAA HAB programs support the needs of Federal, state, local, and tribal resources, public health managers, and other end users. However, the degree of management focus and end user involvement varies depending on the program and project. Investigators are urged to confer with the Program Manager to ensure that they have included the

Notice of Federal Funding Page 12 of 48 appropriate level of end user participation. In the demonstration and technology transfer phases of the PCMHAB program projects must involve end users in the project and include a specific plan to transition the project to applications. While most projects in the development phase will include end users, it is possible that some developmental projects will be too exploratory to include end users. In that case, end users must still be identified and a plan to transition the project to applications must be outlined. Permission of the program managers is required to submit a proposal without end user involvement, and proposals should explain why end users are not involved in the project. Instructions for obtaining Program Manager permission are given in Section III.C.

b) All proposals are required to articulate outcome-based goals. Funding recipients will be expected to report project outputs and their progress toward achieving outcome-based goals annually. NOAA definitions and examples of outputs and outcomes can be accessed at https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/outputs-and-outcomes/.

c) All projects must undergo environmental reviews pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (see Section VI.B.) Any project proposed to PCMHAB seeking to conduct field based research or demonstration of prevention, control, or mitigation strategies, must contact the program manger prior to submitting a letter of intent to determine potential NEPA issues.

d) All NOAA HAB projects are required to have a Transition Advisory Committee (TAC) whose purpose is to provide advice to the investigator team. For PCMHAB, the TAC is expected to assist with project design and ensure technology/information transfer. For HAB Socioeconomics, the TAC is expected to help with HAB scientific expertise and identification of critical HAB management and policy issues in the relevant community and business sectors perspectives. The structure, size, and activities of the TAC will be designed by the investigators and described in the proposal, including a plan for how the TAC will provide advice to the investigators. Members of the TAC must be named and letters included in the proposal indicating that they have agreed to serve on the TAC; these letters do not count towards the page limit. The TAC must include some members that are independent of the project (not funded investigators), who will typically have expertise in the research area and/or be potential end users. CRP employees cannot be TAC members. Projects that are national in scope or involve multiple regions should include TAC members that are representative of the scale of the proposed effort, with TAC representation from each region for multi-regional proposals and national TAC representation for proposals focused on the nation as a whole. The TAC for HAB Socioeconomics projects must include at least one HAB science expert and one representative from a relevant impacted community and/or business sector. The PCM Program Manager may request additional members during the

Notice of Federal Funding Page 13 of 48 project negotiation stage. Funding can be requested for TAC activities such as participation in project investigator meetings, observation of field tests, or participation in technology/information transfer events. Travel funds for the TAC should be included within the budget. If the TAC member is a Federal employee and needs travel assistance to attend some TAC activities, they must obtain approval from their agency before receiving travel funds. When travel by TAC members to TAC functions is not practical or feasible, virtual TAC meetings and/or virtual participation of TAC members is allowed.

6. References

1) Anderson, D.M. 1995. ECOHAB, the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms. Woods Hole, MA: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=24158&pt=10&p=19132

2) Anderson, D.M., S.B. Galloway, and J.D. Joseph. 1993. Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algae: A National Plan. WHOI Technical Report 93-02, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 44 pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=24155&pt=10&p=19132

3) Bauer, M. (ed.). 2006. Harmful Algal Research and Response: A Human Dimensions Strategy. National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms. Woods Hole, MA: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 72 pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/cms/files/HARR-HD_18203_23047.pdf

4) Boesch, D.F., Anderson, D.M., Horner, R.A., Shumway, S.E., Tester, P.A. and Whitledge, T.E. 1997. Harmful Algal Blooms in Coastal Waters: Options for Prevention, Control, and Mitigation. NOAA/COP/Decision Analysis Series No.10. Silver Spring, MD.

NOAA Coastal Ocean Office, 61 pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=24161&pt=10&p=19132

5) Dortch, Q., Anderson, D., Ayres, D., and Glibert, P., editors, 2008. Harmful Algal Bloom Research, Development, Demonstration and Technology Transfer: A National Workshop Report. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole, MA.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=43464&pt=10&p=19132

6) FDA. Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance Fourth Edition – April 2011 (updated August 3, 2011).

https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM251970.pdf

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7) FDA, 2015. National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish 2015 Revision. 464 pp. (Updated March 2018).

https://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/federalstatefoodprograms/ucm2006754.htm

8) Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference. Priorities to Improve Shellfish Monitoring for Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins. Accessed June 4, 2018.

http://www.issc.org/harmfulalgaebloominformation

9) HARRNESS, 2005. Harmful Algal Research and Response: A National Environmental Science Strategy 2005-2015. Ramsdell, J.S., D.M. Anderson and P.M. Glibert (Eds.), Ecological Society of America, Washington DC, 96 pp.

http://www.esa.org/HARRNESS/harrnessReport10032005.pdf

10) Hoagland, P. and S. Scatasta. 2006. The economic effects of HABs. In Ecology of Harmful Algae (E. Graneli and J. Turner, Eds), the Ecology Studies Series. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer-Verlag, pp. 391-402.

11) Jewett, E.B., Lopez, C.B., Dortch, Q., Etheridge, S.M., Backer, L.C., 2008. Harmful Algal Bloom Management and Response: Assessment and Plan. Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Blooms, Hypoxia and Human Health of the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology. Washington, DC, 76 pp.

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/publications/handler.aspx?key=5689

12) Lopez, C.B., Dortch, Q., Jewett, E.B., Garrison, D. 2008. Scientific assessment of marine Harmful Algal Blooms. Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Blooms, Hypoxia, and Human Health of the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, Washington, D.C., 62 pp. http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=233744&pt=10&p=19132

13) Lopez, C.B., Jewett, E.B., Dortch, Q., Walton, B.T., Hudnell, H.K. 2008. Scientific Assessment of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms. Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Blooms, Hypoxia, and Human Health of the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, Washington, D.C., 65 pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=41023&pt=10&p=19132

14) National Assessment of Harmful Algal Blooms in U.S. Waters. 2000. National Science and Technology Council Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources, 47pp.

http://www.coastalscience.noaa.gov/publications/handler.aspx?key=172

15) National Science and Technology Council, Subcommittee on Ocean Sciences and

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Technology, 2016. Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Comprehensive Research and Action Plan: An Interagency Report. Washington, DC. 94 pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=230904&pt=10&p=19132

16) NOAA National Sea Grant College Program. 2001. Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms: A Research Plan. 28pp.

http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=24160&pt=10&p=19132

17) NOAA - A Strategic Vision for NOAA’s Ecological Forecasting Roadmap 2015-2019.

14 pp. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ecoforecasting/noaa-ecoforecasting-roadmap.pdf

18) NOAA Fisheries Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan FY 2016-2020. 33pp. 2016.

https://www.afdf.org/wp-content/uploads/8h-NOAA-Marine-Aquaculture-Strategic-Plan- FY-2016-2020.pdf

19) U.S. Department of Commerce, 2018–2022 Strategic Plan: Helping the American Economy Grow Washington, DC. 36 pp.

https://www.decsocal.org/NewsEvents/us_department_of_commerce_2018- 2022_strategic_plan.pdf

C. Program Authority

33 U.S.C. §§ 4001-4009, The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (HABHRCA), as amended; Public Law 102-567, § 201(c), Coastal Ocean Program.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Funding is contingent upon availability of Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that approximately $2,500,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2020 for the first year for all PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomics projects.

Approximately 4-6 small projects up to 3 years in duration are expected to be funded under PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomics at a level of $200,000 to $400,000 per year per proposal. In addition, 1-2 large projects up to 4 years in duration are expected to be funded under PCMHAB at up to approximately $600,000 per year per proposal. NOAA will not accept any proposals submitted with total budgets (across all years) that are greater than

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$1,200,000 for small projects and $2,400,000 for large projects.

B. Project/Award Period

Full proposals for PCMHAB may cover a project/award period up to 3 years for small projects and up to 4 years for large projects. Full proposals for HAB Socioeconomics may cover a project/award period up to 3 years.

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 four 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 appropriations, 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, 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 reductions 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 reductions based on the overall funds available.

Regardless of the budget for any given fiscal year, CRP 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.

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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 interruption or modification) in the conduct or performance of project activities. "Substantial involvement” will be coordinated and communicated by CRP Program Managers, and can include collaboration and participation by NOAA (including NCCOS) researchers, as well as 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), https://ci.noaa.gov/ 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 Unit (CESU), http://www.cesu.psu.edu/. and meets the criteria described below for using that status, they may include a cover letter with their application stating their desire to have the application associated with that CESU. This letter should specify the name of the CESU. Of the 17 CESUs across the nation, NOAA is a member of 10: North and West Alaska, California, Hawaii-Pacific Islands, South Florida-Caribbean, Gulf Coast, Piedmont-

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South Atlantic Coast, Chesapeake Watershed, North Atlantic Coast, Pacific Northwest, and Great Plains. The following criteria must be met for NOAA to use the established partnerships with CESUs:

1. The proposed project must fit within the objectives of the National CESU Network Program, which are to provide research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies and their partners in biological, physical, social, cultural, or engineering disciplines needed to address natural and cultural resource management issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context.

2. The proposed project must fit the intent of the CESU’s existing Cooperative and Joint Agreement, which means (1) the research partnership will carry out or stimulate an activity (e.g., data, products, or services) for a public purpose, and (2) NOAA will be significantly involved in the work.

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 Laura Golden/240-533-0285 to discuss how to structure budgets and prepare required documentation. 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 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. In the agreements implemented in these situations, NOAA will be substantially involved in the projects in a manner similar to the cooperative agreements with non-federal parties. Contact the NCCOS Grants Administrator for more information (refer to Section VII for contact information).

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

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Eligible applicants for Federal financial assistance in this competition are institutions of higher education, other non-profits, state, local, Indian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories, and for-profit organizations. Federal agencies that possess the statutory authority to receive transfers of funds are eligible to submit applications for intra- or inter-agency 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 CRP 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 must be employees of an eligible entity listed above; and applications must 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 inter-agency 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 inter-agency 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. NOAA federal salaries will not be paid.

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B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Requirement None

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

Letters of intent are required for both the PCMHAB and HAB Socioeconomics programs. 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

Laura Golden 1305 East West Hwy SSMC 4 Station 8219 Silver Spring, MD 20910

B. Content and Form of Application

1. Letter of Intent (LOI)

Submission of a LOI within the timeframe specified in section D below is required before submission of a full proposal. 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 PCMHAB or HAB Socioeconomics Programs. 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.

a) Tentative project title.

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b) Program (PCMHAB or HAB Socioeconomics)

c) Name phone number, email address and institution of all Principal Investigators and specification of which individual is the Lead Principal Investigator.

d) Approximate cost of the project.

e) Statement of the problem and its management relevance.

f) Brief summary of work to be completed, methodology to be used and the plan for transition results to management application

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 two weeks after the LOI due date.

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

2. Full Application

a) Example Application

An example application and other guidance can be found under “Information for Applicants” located on the NCCOS webpage at:

https://cdn.coastalscience.noaa.gov/page-attachments/funding/sample_application%202019.pdf

b) Collaborative Proposals

If more than one institution is collaborating in a project awarded funds, the lead institution will be the only institution to directly receive funds from NOAA unless a federal agency is a funded collaborator. Federal agencies may be funded directly by NOAA. Only one full proposal per project must be submitted via grants.gov. Collaborating institutions expected to receive funds must be budgeted as subawards or contracts in the submitted proposal and provide the lead institution with their documents for submission by the lead.

Unfunded collaborators may also participate.

c) Required Elements

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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 Narrative must be single spaced in 12-point font with 1- inch margins. The Collaborators List must be an Excel spreadsheet.