noaa-nos-ocm-2016-2004574 ffo report.pdf

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

Funding Opportunity Title: FY16 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-OCM-2016-2004574

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.482, Coral Reef Conservation Program

Dates: Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by www.Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 6, 2016. See also Section IV. C and F of this FFO. 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 (see Section IV.F. of this Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)), and (2) if you submit an application via Grants.gov you will receive a series of e-mail notifications for up to two business days before learning via validation or rejection whether NOAA has received your application.

Funding Opportunity Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, 16 U.S.C. §§ 6401-6409, provides matching grants of financial assistance through the Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grant program to institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and local and Indian tribal government agencies. These awards are intended to support coral reef conservation projects in shallow water coral reef ecosystems, including reefs at mesophotic depths, in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and coral-dominated banks in U.S. portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Projects may be proposed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas, but these locations are not considered geographic priorities under this announcement. Proposals submitted to this competition must address at least one of the following four categories: 1) Fishing Impacts; 2) Land-Based Sources of Pollution; 3) Climate Change; and 4) Local and Emerging Management Issues. Each category is described in more detail in the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement. All proposed work must be consistent with Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) National Goals and Objectives 2010-2015 (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/currentgoals/resources/3threats_go.pdf) and/or the relevant Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities) developed for each of the seven states and territories. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a grant and will require a 1:1 match of non-Federal funds.

Funding for this program is subject to the availability of FY 2016 Congressional appropriations and is expected to range between approximately $800,000 to approximately $1,000,000. Funding made available from NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program is intended to support priority coral reef management activities as described in Section I(B) of this Federal Funding Opportunity announcement. Funding will be divided among the U.S. Pacific and Atlantic regions to maintain the geographic balance of the CRCP portfolio overall, as required by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. NOAA expects that each applicant will request Federal funding at a funding level between $30,000 and $80,000 under this solicitation and that the average award size will be approximately $50,000, with a project period of 12 or 18 months.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

Coral reefs and associated seagrass and mangrove communities are among the most complex and diverse ecosystems on earth. They support important fishing and tourism industries, protect coasts from wave and storm damage, build tropical islands, contain an array of potential pharmaceuticals, and provide essential services like food security, livelihood, and culture, among other benefits.

As shallow-water, near shore communities, coral reef ecosystems are ecologically linked to adjacent watersheds and are highly vulnerable to human activity. Stresses in the coral reef environment include poor water quality from runoff and inadequate sewage treatment, sedimentation, destructive fishing practices, recreational overuse and misuse, and impacts from climate change, including changes in ocean chemistry.

To address these and other threats, Congress passed the Coral Reef Conservation Act (Act), codified at 16 U.S.C. §§ 6401-6409, which established the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and provided guidance for allocation of Federal funding toward efforts to conserve coral reef ecosystems in the United States and internationally. As described in the Act, one of the primary functions of the CRCP is to provide financial assistance to external partners for coral reef conservation projects consistent with the Act and CRCP priorities. The CRCP implements several financial assistance programs under the Act’s authority, including the Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants solicited in this announcement. More information about CRCP is available at http://coralreef.noaa.gov/.

The CRCP priorities have been outlined in to focus program investments on three of the most pressing threats to coral reefs: land-based sources of pollution, fishing impacts, and climate impacts. The CRCP’s approach for addressing these threats is described in more detail in a number of documents, including:

* The CRCP Goals and Objectives 2010-2015 (still in effect) (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/currentgoals/resources/3threats_go.pdf );

* The seven Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities documents ( http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities);

* the Jurisdictional Capacity Assessments, which evaluate each jurisdiction’s ability to implement coral reef conservation measures and identify impediments to effective coral reef conservation and management (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/capacityassessments/); and

* The CRCP International Strategy (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/currentgoals/resources/intl_strategy.pdf).

These documents are relevant to the CRCP grant programs, but some may be more or less relevant to particular competitions. Please refer to the Program Priorities in Section I(B) for details on which of the above documents are most relevant to this funding announcement.

As directed by the Act, NOAA also issued the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program Implementation Guidelines, most recently published at 75 Fed. Reg. 48934 (Aug.

12, 2010) and available at http://go.usa.gov/3FT7z. The most recent Guidelines cover 2010-2015, but their approach remains generally in effect until further notice unless otherwise stated in a NOAA CRCP funding announcement posted on Grants.gov. Please note that the CRCP funding announcements are issued only on Grants.gov, not in the Federal Register as stated in the Guidelines, and the Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notice referenced in the Guidelines is updated as described in Section VI.B. of this announcement.

In Fiscal Year 2016, the CRCP intends to initiate new awards in the following funding categories, through separate funding announcements:

i. CRCP Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants;

ii. CRCP International Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements; and

iii. CRCP Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Cooperative Agreement

All of the following information in this funding opportunity announcement pertains only to the CRCP Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants funding category. The CRCP International Coral Reef Conservation Cooperative Agreements and the CRCP Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Cooperative Agreement will be covered in seperate funding opportunity announcements.

B. Program Priorities

The Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants program will accept applications for projects that fall within at least one of the following four categories: (a) Fishing Impacts; (b) Land-Based Sources of Pollution; (c) Climate Change; and (d) Local and Emerging Management Needs. The awards will support only activities associated with shallow water coral reef ecosystems, including coral reefs at mesophotic depths, in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and coral-dominated banks in U.S. portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Projects may be proposed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA), but these locations are not considered geographic priorities under this competition. Projects proposed in the NWHI and PRIA should include a statement explaining the relevance of project results to coral reef ecosystems located in the priority geographies noted above.

For the purpose of this solicitation, shallow water coral reef ecosystems include inconsolidated sediments (e.g., sand and mud); mangroves and other emergent vegetation;

submerged vegetation (e.g., seagrass and macroalgae); hermatypic coral reefs and associated colonized hardbottom habitats (e.g., spur and groove, individual and aggregated patch reefs, and gorgonian colonized pavement and bedrock); and uncolonized hardbottom (e.g., reef rubble and uncolonized bedrock). Projects focused on coral reef ecosystems at mesophotic depths should clearly describe how the mesophotic reefs are substantially linked to shallow water coral reefs (i.e., have a meaningful ecological connection between the mesophotic area and associated shallow water coral reefs) to be eligible under this competition.

The principal objective of this grant competition is to provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and local and Indian tribal governments to support domestic coral reef conservation projects in the United States. Proposals should address threats to coral reef ecosystems identified in the CRCP Goals and Objectives 2010-2015 (still current, http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/currentgoals/resources/3threats_go.pdf) , the Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities documents (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities); and/or other local or regional planning documents (e.g Endangered Species Recovery Plans, invasive species management plans, watershed management plans, or support of NOAA Habitat Focus Areas in Guam, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico). These include threats from fishery impacts, land-based sources of pollution, and climate change, and issues identified as local and emerging management needs.

Preference will be given to organizations with a demonstrated track record of conducting successful coral reef conservation projects; projects that involve community-based conservation activities; and projects that develop and disseminate high quality information and materials to relevant user groups and management agencies. Applicants should provide evidence of support (e.g., letter of support, co-principal investigator, or other indication of collaboration) for the project by appropriate representatives of States or other government jurisdictions in which the project will be conducted. Applicants are encouraged to consult with all relevant local governmental and non-governmental entities involved in coral reef activities while developing the application and demonstrate collaboration among these entities.

Research activities are eligible only if: 1) the project conducts applied research that directly contributes to improved coral reef resource management; and 2) the project includes prompt mechanisms to disseminate information to resource managers in addition to peer-reviewed publications (e.g., training of managers to use information or direct presentations to managers on project activities and outcomes); or 3) the research activity is a listed Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priority, in which case the applicant should cite the specific priority and obtain a letter of support from the local coral reef management authority that will utilize research results.

Proposed projects addressing the categories below should be consistent with CRCP Goals and Objectives 2010-2015 and the Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities documents referenced above. Applicants are also encouraged to show how the proposed activity contributes to other management efforts and plans (e.g., watershed management plans, conservation action plans, Local Action Strategies, communication and outreach strategies, and marine protected area (MPA) management plans) if applicable, and provide a link to the specific document whenever possible.

Details of the four categories are as follows:

1. Fishing Impacts: Activities under this category should address at least one of the following topics:

a. Obtaining essential life history and ecological information on key species or functional groups including analysis of existing data and samples to support management actions that reduce the impacts of fishing;

b. Addressing information gaps related to fishing effort (subsistence, recreational and/or commercial) on coral reef ecosystems by measuring fishing intensity, morality, frequency, area coverage, regulation compliance, and/or community dependence to inform management activities;

c. Identifying and characterizing fish spawning sites, nursery habitats, fish movement and larval connectivity, and other areas (e.g. near shore habitats) critical to particular life-history stages (e.g. juvenile); biodiversity hotspots; or coral reef areas with the greatest resilience;

d. Increasing participation of stakeholder or citizen groups in fisheries management planning, decision-making, and monitoring activities that improve conservation of coral reef ecosystems;

e. Working with relevant agencies, offices, and communities to create, implement, and improve the management of MPAs that protect key coral reef ecosystem components and functions;

f. Increasing public compliance with fishery regulations and MPA regulations that reduce fishing impacts on coral reef ecosystems, such as through establishment of community watch groups and provision of training workshops for enforcement personnel and/or prior violators; and

g. Developing targeted, locally-relevant outreach and communication strategies to increase community understanding and support for regulations to protect key coral reef ecosystems.

2. Land-Based Sources of Pollution: Activities under this category should address at least one of the following topics:

a. Working with local communities and jurisdictions to develop and implement watershed management plans or conservation action plans in priority coral reef associated watersheds (priority sites have been identified for each jurisdiction in the 7 jurisdictional management priorities documents found at:

http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities/);

b. Conducting applied research to address strategic scientific gaps that lead to informed management decisions related to planning and implementing activities in priority coral reef ecosystems and associated watersheds (e.g., identifying the causes and sources of pollution or estimating load reductions expected from implementation of specific management measures ); and

c. Conducting targeted outreach to increase awareness and understanding of ecological and socioeconomic impacts of land-based pollution on coral reefs to bolster local support for the implementation of watershed management plans or conservation action plans that have been developed for priority coral reef associated watersheds.

3. Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Activities under this category should address at least one of the following topics:

a. Conducting socioeconomic assessments of the effects of climate impacts on reef-dependent social and economic systems through the application of established assessment protocols, such as the SocMon and SEM-Pasifika regional socioeconomic monitoring guidelines found at: www.socmon.org;

b. Characterizing the response of coral reef ecosystems and their related components to climate change an ocean acidification including bleaching resistance; and

c. Promoting conservation of coral reef ecosystems through identification of areas that are potentially resilient to climate change and vulnerable areas where actions are likely to increase resilience. Projects under this category should include: 1) collaboration with managers to assess vulnerability and/or resilience and apply the results to management and policy decisions; 2) applied research (see Resilience Workshop Report priorities http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/noaa_documents/NOS/CRCP/TM_CRCP/TM_CRCP_20.pdf); 3) development of data products to inform assessments; and 4) disseminate results of and lessons learned. Projects under this category may also address challenges to using past resilient assessment results in the management and policy arena and support managers to incorporate this information into the decision making process.

4. Local and Emerging Management Needs: For this category, the applicant should identify the specific management need the proposal will address and explain how the proposed project activities and/or products will contribute to meeting the stated need.

Proposals under this category may address only the following topics:

a. Understanding the effects of and/or reducing the impacts of invasive species to coral reef ecosystems, including projects that address the proliferation of lionfish (Pterois volitans) in Florida and the U.S. Caribbean, invasive sea grass (i.e. Halophilia) in the U.S.

Caribbean, and invasive algae and fish species in the Pacific Islands;

b. Supporting the recovery of Endangered Species Act listed coral species, by filling critical information gaps about their locations, habitats, depth ranges, early life history, and field identification methods for the 20 newly listed coral species as well as supporting the recovery of the two listed species of Acropora in Florida and the U.S.

Caribbean. The Acropora recovery plan can be found here:

http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pr/recovery/plans/final_acropora_recovery_plan.pdf;

c. Investigating coral diseases that are directly correlated with land-based sources of pollution inputs or climate change impacts or increasing our understanding of coral resilience to diseases and bleaching.

d. Increasing the sustainability of the marine aquarium trade involving coral reef species found in U.S. waters through quantifying the ecological impacts associated with aquarium fisheries and the removal of rare and endemic organisms or by developing educational materials for aquarium hobbyists to reduce mortality of species kept in home aquariums.

All projects funded through this competition are expected to result in tangible improvements in the condition of coral reef ecosystems. To achieve this outcome, applicants should specify the activities they will undertake as well as the specific outputs, products and outcomes that are expected to result from funded proposals. Specific outputs may include:

1. Support to management authorities in the form of management plans, legislation, regulations or policies, best management practices, communication and outreach tools, and/or applied research aimed at enhancing local capacity to conserve coral reef resources;

2. Environmental data, including recorded and derived observations and measurements of the physical, chemical, biological, geological, and geophysical properties and conditions of the oceans and/or atmosphere, as well as correlative data, such as socio-economic data and media (e.g. recordings, photos, videos etc.), and their accompanying metadata files, should comply with standards developed or endorsed by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC, http://www.fgdc.gov). The FGDC has recently endorsed the use of International Standards Organization (ISO) 19115 Parts 1 and 2 and representation standard ISO 19139 for documenting environmental data and information (http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/metadata-standards/). If you are documenting geospatial data in accordance with the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Data this template identifies the minimum fields CRCP required for a complete record:

http://coris.noaa.gov/data/examples/bamf_min_crcp_fields.txt. All data products should be archived in multiple locations and provided to CRCP for long-term storage in accordance with the terms of the award and the award's Data/Information Sharing Plan, as described in

Section IV(B)13; and

3. Other outputs, such as assessments, publications, summary reports, outreach and education materials, and other useful products, that provide resource managers and the public with timely and readily understandable information on coral reefs.

These outputs and products must be identified in the original application as described in Section IV(B)4 and must be provided to NOAA at the end of the award period; products of awards may be made available to the public via NOAA's Coral Reef Information System. As such, all products must be of publishable quality, be written in English unless another language is specified in the application and approved by NOAA, and include appropriate acknowledgement of the support provided by NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program as described at: http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/whoweare/graphic/.

C. Program Authority

Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 16 U.S.C. §§ 6401-6409.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 6403, and pending Congressional appropriations in FY16 and subsequent years, CRCP expects the funding to range between approximately $800,000 and $1,000,000. NOAA will not accept proposals requesting less than $30,000 or more than $80,000 in Federal support under this solicitation. It is expected that the average award size will be $50,000. Accordingly, NOAA anticipates approximately 15 awards may be issued.

There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted by the same applicant during the FY 2016 competitive grant cycle. However, multiple applications submitted by the same applicant should have clearly distinct projects/activites in each application. The number of awards made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested for each project, the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the Coral Reef Conservation Program by Congress. In addition, funding will be divided between the U.S. Pacific and U.S. Atlantic/Caribbean to meet requirements for geographic distribution of funds as described in the Coral Reef Conservation Act.

Attempts will also be made to fund one or more projects in each jurisdiction, provided that the project addresses priorities outlined above, it is identified as having sufficient merit, and it meets all other requirements as stipulated in this solicitation. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards for this funding opportunity or that any proposal will be selected for funding.

Taking into account availability of funds, proposals may be considered for funding in another fiscal period without NOAA repeating the competitive process outlined in this announcement.

B. Project/Award Period

Projects with an award period of either 12 or 18 months will be considered for funding under this competition; the requested award start date should begin on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month. Proposals may include an award start date no earlier than July 1, 2016. If an application for a financial assistance is selected for funding, the CRCP has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years. Funding for subsequent years will require submission of a new application, which will compete with other project proposals submitted during the subsequent competition. If an applicant wishes to continue work on a project funded through this program beyond the project period and obligated award funds have not been expended by the end of the period, the applicant should submit (through NOAA’s electronic grants processing system, Grants Online) a no cost extension request to NOAA 30 or more days prior to the award end date.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

Successful applicants will enter into a grant agreement with NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and local and Indian tribal government agencies are eligible to apply for funding under this funding category. U.S. federal agencies, state, territory, and commonwealth governments and Regional Fishery Management Councils are not eligible to apply under this funding announcement, as NOAA funds their coral reef work in separate programs. They may contribute cost share that does not originate from a Federal source, serve as collaborative project partners , acknowledge support, and provide any necessary licenses, permits, etc.

Federal agencies and employees are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners. Federal agencies and employees ‘in-kind services cannot be considered as part of an applicant’s match on shared costs. If federal agencies are collaborators, applicants should provide detail on the expected level of federal engagement in the application. Examples might include, but are not limited to partnership services; serving in a review capacity; or participating in priority task teams, working groups, or leadership teams.

The lead applicant on any proposal will be responsible for ensuring that allocated funds are used for the purposes of, and in a manner consistent with, this program, including any funds awarded to an eligible sub-awardee.

NOAA CRCP staff is available to provide general information on programmatic goals and objectives, ongoing coral reef conservation programs/activities, and regional funding priorities. However, NOAA employees and contractors are not permitted to assist in the preparation of applications or write letters of support for any application. For proposals that involve collaboration with current NOAA projects or staff, NOAA employees and contractors may provide a statement confirming the degree and nature of the collaboration.

For applications working in National Marine Sanctuaries or with protected species, NOAA employees may provide a statement acknowledging the utility of the proposed work to meet management priorities. Letters of support from NOAA employees and contract staff will be discarded from application materials prior to technical review.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

NOAA CRCP awards are subject to statutory and regulatory matching fund policies.

Federal funds for any coral conservation project under 16 U.S.C. § 6403(b) may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the award. Therefore, any coral conservation project under this Grant Program requires a 1:1 contribution of non-Federal matching funds.

Cost sharing or matching” is defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.29 as “the portion of project costs not paid by Federal funds (unless otherwise authorized by Federal statute).” NOAA will accept any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third party in-kind contributions of goods and services, will be accepted as part of an applicant’s cost sharing or matching when they meet all of the following criteria listed in 2 C.F.R. § 200.306(b):

(1) Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records;

(2) Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award;

(3) Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives;

(4) Are allowable under Subpart E—Cost Principles of [2 C.F.R. Part 200];

(5) Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award, except where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other Federal programs;

(6) Are provided for in the approved budget when required by the Federal awarding agency; and

(7) Conform to other provisions of [2 C.F.R. Part 200], as applicable.

Matching funds can come from a variety of public and private sources and can include third party in-kind goods and services such as private boat use and volunteer labor.

In addition, Aapplicants are permitted to combine contributions for allowable costs from multiple non-federal partners in order to meet the 1:1 match requirement, consistent with the standards described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.306. Ordinarily, Federal sources cannot be considered as matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage.

Applicants should specify in their proposal the source(s) of match and may be asked to provide letters of commitment to confirm stated match contributions. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed by the NOAA Grants Officer and the recipient organization.

Applicants should be prepared to document matching contributions for each project selected for funding. Valuation of proposed cost sharing is described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.306(d)-(k).

Applicants may choose to designate part or all of their Federally-negotiated indirect costs as match. This may be convenient because the valuation of such costs has already been Federally-approved and documentation is readily available. Refer to the “Indirect Costs” policies in Section IV.B.10. of this announcement .

In addition, any Program Income that may arise in the project may be put toward cost sharing or added to the project, consistent with 2 C.F.R. § 200.307.

The NOAA Administrator may waive all or part of the matching requirement if the Administrator determines that the project meets the following two requirements identified in 16 U.S.C. § 6403(b)(2):

1. No reasonable means are available through which an applicant can meet the matching requirement, and,

2. The probable benefit of such project outweighs the public interest in such matching requirement.

In the case of a waiver request, the applicant should provide a detailed justification explaining the need for the waiver including attempts to obtain sources of matching funds, how the benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in providing match, and any other extenuating circumstances preventing the availability of match. Match waiver requests, including the appropriate justification, should be submitted as part of the final application package.

Please Note: applicants in Insular Areas who are eligible to claim the matching funds exemption contained in 48 U.S.C. § 1469a(d) may request use of the waiver for part or all of the matching requirement. Please contact the individual listed in section VII. Agency Contacts of this announcement for more information about eligibility for this exemption.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

If indirect costs are requested, indirect-cost-rate agreements must be included for the applicant organization and the negotiated rate must be requested. If an applicant does not have an indirect cost rate and wants to include indirect costs, the applicant has up to 90 days after the award start date to submit an indirect cost proposal or cost allocation plan.

Indirect-cost-rate-agreement documentation is not required for sub-awardees, however indirect cost rates at the negotiated levels should be paid by the primary awardee. Under 2 C.F.R. § 200.414 “Indirect (F&A) Costs,” any applicant that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs which may be used indefinitely. Costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.403 “Factors affecting allowability of costs.” If chosen, this methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a cooperator chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the non-Federal entity may apply to do at any time.

The negotiation and approval of a rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA and the Department of Commerce Standard Terms and Conditions Section B.06. The NOAA contact for indirect or facilities and administrative costs is: Lamar Revis, Grants Officer;

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

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

The standard application forms are available at through the apply function on Grants.gov or http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1. For applicants unable to access the application package, it may be requested by contacting the Federal Program Officer and technical point of contact for the CRCP Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants, Elizabeth Fairey. She can be reached at 301-427-8632, or via email at Liz.Fairey@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

The application process for this grant competition requires submission of a complete application on or before the submission date and time listed above. All application materials should use a legible 12-point font with 1-inch margins on all sides. For each application, the information provided in elements 1-6 (described below) may not exceed 30 pages total; the 30-page limit does not apply to required federal forms and other documentation (elements 7-15 below). Applications that exceed the 30-page limit will be shortened by removing pages before it is forwarded to merit reviewers. Pages excised from lengthy applications will not be reviewed and any activities described therein will not be eligible for funding consideration.

Applications that are incomplete, unclear, or contain numerous typographical errors, may not be understood effectively by the reviewers, leading to lower evaluation scores; so, applicants are advised to review their application materials closely before they are submitted to the agency for consideration. Application submitted through www.Grants.gov should have no more than three attachments in addition to the Federal Forms: 1) Cover page and project narrative (elements 1-4 below), 2) Budget table and budget narrative (element 5), and 3) all additional information (elements 6-10) combined into one file. Applications submitted in electronic format should be either Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) or Microsoft Word files. The total electronic file size of the proposal narrative and appendices combined shall not exceed 5 megabytes in storage space. Files that are larger than five megabytes may not be properly downloaded, uploaded, or received by the agency or the reviewers. Files that cannot be opened or downloaded will not be reviewed.

Applications should follow the format described below; failure to follow these requirements may result in the application being eliminated from the competition.

Each application should include the following information:

1. Application Cover Sheet (1-page limit), which includes:

a. Applicant name and contact information;

b. Applicant organization;

c. Primary and alternate points of contact;

d. Contact information for the primary and alternate points of contact, including address, phone number, and e-mail address;

e. Project title;

f. Geographic location of the proposed project;

g. Amount of Federal funding requested;

h. Amount and source(s) of matching funds provided;

i. Requested award start date, which should be the first day of the month, end date, which should be the last day of the month, and an award period of either 12 or 18-months duration. Proposals may include an award start date no earlier than July 1, 2016;

j. The specific priority or priorities (see Section I.B) that the proposal will address.

If the proposal addresses more than one priority, the applicant should list the priority that most closely reflects the overall objective of the proposal, followed by additional priorities;

and

k. Application summary - a brief, one-paragraph description of the application i ncluding an overview of the types of activities that are proposed for funding.

2. Project Summary (1-page limit) describing:

a. Status and magnitude of the issue(s) in the jurisdiction where the project will occur and recent actions undertaken to address the issue(s);

b. A description of how the project proposes to address the issue;

c. The partners that will be involved in the project;

d. A summary of the specific tasks to be accomplished and the proposed approach;

e. Expected outcomes of the proposed work; and

f. A description of how performance will be evaluated.

3. Project Narrative

The Project Narrative should be the majority of the application and should include a clear and thorough description of the proposed work including a timeline with milestones.

Each task should be completely and accurately described. Sufficient detail should be provided to enable reviewers to evaluate the relevance and applicability of proposed work to program goals, to determine the technical/scientific merit of the proposed work, to adequately review the qualifications of the applicants, and to assess whether proposed scope of work raises any concerns with regard to Federal policy considerations, such as those related to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Historic Preservation Act, etc. Applicants should clearly describe how the project will directly benefit coral reef management efforts.

The elements of a good project narrative include:

a. Introduction: Provide a brief summary of relevant background information that justifies the need for the proposed project or task. Identify the problem/issue the project intends to address and describe its significance to the conservation of U.S. coral reef ecosystems. Identify the specific objective, listed under I. Funding Opportunity Description, B. Program Priorities, to which the project's objective(s) corresponds. Objectives should be simple and understandable, as specific and quantitative as possible, and attainable within the proposed timeframe, the described budget, and the human resources available. Projects should be accomplishment-oriented and identify obtainable goals, outcomes, and products.

b. Project Narrative: The project narrative is the scientific or technical plan of activities that are to be accomplished to meet the project objectives, and should be written with sufficient detail to allow a review of suitability of the proposed work and the likelihood of successful completion in the stated timeframe. Please ensure your project narrative includes detailed descriptions of each activity, including the rationale for the activity, how it will be accomplished, specific milestones, and expected products. The narrative should include information on dissemination of the findings/results to resource managers, local communities, and other stakeholders as appropriate. The project narrative also needs to include information on how the project will be evaluated for success. If the work is one component of a larger project (or the activity is a pilot project for a larger initiative), and proposed activities will continue after the end of the grant period, describe future activities and potential future funding sources (and other mechanisms) to continue the work. If the goal of the project is to build capacity for improved conservation, describe proposed plans to ensure the activities continue into the future and how success will be evaluated.

c. Timeline: A description of specific activities and associated timelines necessary to meet them. Describe the time lines in increments (e.g., month 1, month 2, etc. or 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, etc.), rather than by specific dates.

d. Program Affected: List the programs (Federal, state, territorial or local governmental activities) this project would affect and describe how the project coordinates with relevant state, territorial, or local governmental and non-governmental agencies, and if applicable, NOAA activities.

e. Project Management/Personnel: Describe how the project will be organized and managed, and include the qualifications of the principal investigator(s) through a summary of professional backgrounds, which may be supplemented by short biographies, curricula vitae, or resumes in Element 6 below, Supporting Documents. The principal investigator may or may not be the applicant. However, if the applicant is not the principal investigator, there should be an explanation of the relationship between the applicant and principal investigator (e.g., the applicant may be responsible for managing the grant funds and the principal investigator will be responsible for completing the work). Please also include information about the specific responsibilities of other personnel funded through the proposal, including the technical and administrative points of contact as appropriate.

4. Table of Products/Outputs and Outcomes

Please provide a table to summarize the specific products/outputs and outcomes that will be produced under the award. All products resulting from Federally-funded awards should be provided to NOAA within 90 days of the end of the award period and should be of publishable quality. NOAA may make award products available to the public, so recipients are encouraged to omit sensitive information (i.e., budget or salary information) from products submitted to NOAA. All products should explicitly acknowledge the support of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program according to the guidance available at:

http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/whoweare/graphic/.

The information in the table should include all products and outputs that will be developed in conjunction with the award. For each entry, please provide a description of the product, a working title for the product, the type or format of the product (e.g., journal publication, public service announcement, watershed management plan, presentation, newsletter, metadata record, annual monitoring summary, etc.), and the expected date(s) when the product will be submitted to NOAA. NOAA will use this information to ensure that products are submitted to the agency in a timely manner and made available to the public whenever possible.

5. Project Budget.

In order to allow reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of all costs, applications should include a detailed budget narrative and a budget justification. The budget narrative submitted with the final application should match the dollar amounts included on all required forms and clearly link to the project narrative. Please explain each calculation and provide a narrative justification to explain expenditures for each budget category. The budget narrative should describe, by category of expenditure, the total funding needed to accomplish the objectives described in the project narrative for the entire award period. Please explain how categorical costs are derived in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to determine if costs are 'allowable and reasonable' according to the cost principles referenced in 2 CFR part 200, Subpart E. Budget narrative categories should correspond to the standard object class categories listed in Section B of the SF-424A. For additional details, please review the budget guidance provided at:

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

Include detailed budget information regarding all known contracts and subawards and indicate the basis for the cost estimates in the narrative. Describe products or services to be obtained and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project. Each subaward should include form SF-424A. Detailed budget information includes:

• Name of subrecipient, affiliation, and contact.

• Method of Selection.

• Period of Performance. Include the dates for the performance period. If it involves a number of tasks, include the performance period for each task.

• Scope of Work. List and describe the specific activities or tasks to be performed.

• Criteria for Measuring Accountability. Include reporting schedule.

• Itemized Budget. Include categories used in program budget.

All subawards and contracts must be made consistent with the requirements of 2 CFR §§200.330-200.332 for subawards, and §§200.317-200.326 for procurements.

For any equipment, a description of the item and associated costs is required, including a description of how it will be used in the project. Equipment purchases also require a lease vs.

purchase assessment. Note that equipment is defined as tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-Federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $5,000. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.33 Equipment, and see 2 CFR §200.313

Non-federal applicants shall identify, if this information is known when submitting the grant application, who they plan to request that NOAA transfer equipment or property ownership titles to after the project ends. The decision on grant ownership requests will be made by the Grants Officer during the grant closeout process.

The budget narrative should also provide, to the extent possible, detailed information on travel, including costs, a description of anticipated travel, destinations, the number of travelers, and a justification of how the requested travel is directly relevant to the successful completion of the project. If actual trip details are unknown, applicants should state the basis for the proposed travel charges. Applicants should allocate travel funds for any coordination meetings at regional or national levels.

If a foreign air carrier is anticipated to be used for any portion of travel, prior approval is required under the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, Section K.03.c., http://go.usa.gov/3zVu9, and therefore, such travel should be included in the proposal to avoid having to request prior approval after the project starts.

Applicants may also factor in travel costs for participation in an annual NOAA Grants Management Division workshop for recipients. See http://go.usa.gov/3zVeH.

The cost or price and purpose of acquisition contracts should be thoroughly justified in the Budget Narrative. Procurements are subject to policies described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.317-.326.

Refer to Element 10 below regarding Indirect Costs in the Budget Narrative.

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

6. Supporting Documents

This section includes the qualifications of the primary project personnel and letters of support received from the relevant jurisdictional representatives, partners, or communities involved in the project. The applicant may provide short biographies or resumes of key personnel. The applicant should provide evidence of support for the project by appropriate representatives of State or other government jurisdictions or letter acknowledging the utility of the work from a National Marine Sanctuary in which the project will be conducted.

Letters of collaboration from partners and any letters of support should be included in the applicationto confirm their participation. Additional letters of support are not required, but are encouraged.

7. Permits

Applicants should provide a list of all applicable permits that will be required to perform the proposed work and an indication of the status of any permits needed (e.g., not yet applied, permit application submitted/pending, permit granted, etc.) or provide a statement indicating that no permits are necessary. Applicants should address this element even if permits are not required.

8. Data/Information Sharing Plan

Environmental data and information, collected and/or created under NOAA grants/cooperative agreements should be made visible, accessible, and independently understandable to general users, free of charge or at minimal cost, in a timely manner (typically no later than two (2) years after the data are collected or created), except where limited by law, regulation, policy or by security requirements.

a. A Data/Information Sharing Plan of no more than two pages shall be required as part of the Project Narrative. A typical plan may include the types of environmental data and information to be created during the course of the project; the tentative…