oppNOAA-NOS-OCM-2018-2005389-cfda11.419-cid2688234-instructions.pdf

CZM Projects of Special Merit Competition - FY2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 3

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

II. Award Information 4 A. Funding Availability 4 B. Project/Award Period 4 C. Type of Funding Instrument 5

III. Eligibility Information 5 A. Eligible Applicants 5 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 6 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 6

IV. Application and Submission Information 6 A. Address to Request Application Package 6 B. Content and Form of Application 7 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 17 D. Submission Dates and Times 17 E. Intergovernmental Review 18 F. Funding Restrictions 18 G. Other Submission Requirements 19

V. Application Review Information 20 A. Evaluation Criteria 20 B. Review and Selection Process 22 C. Selection Factors 23 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 24

VI. Award Administration Information 25 A. Award Notices 25 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 25 C. Reporting 27

VII. Agency Contacts 28 VIII. Other Information 28

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 30

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

Funding Opportunity Title: CZM Projects of Special Merit Competition - FY2018

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-OCM-2018-2005389

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.419, Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards

Dates: Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 11:59 p.m.

U.S. Eastern Time on January 5, 2018.

Funding Opportunity Description: The purpose of this document is to advise eligible applicants that NOAA is soliciting proposals for competitive funding under the Coastal Zone Management Act's (CZMA) Enhancement Program Projects of Special Merit, authorized under Section 309 of the CZMA (16 U.S.C. §1456b). The objective of Section 309 assistance is to encourage each State or Territory with a federally-approved coastal management program (CMP) to continually improve its program in specified areas of national importance. The intent of Projects of Special Merit (PSM) funding is to offer CMPs the opportunity to develop innovative projects that further their approved enhancement area strategies and focus on the following national enhancement area priorities: Hazards, and Ocean and Great Lakes Resources (with a focus on comprehensive planning). Any CMP that has been approved by NOAA pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C. §1455) and has an approved 2016-2020 Section 309 Assessment and Strategy that contains at least one strategy addressing one or more of the priority enhancement areas is eligible to apply for this competition. Coastal Zone Management Program Regulations at 15 C.F.R. Part 923 apply to this Announcement, and program policies and procedures are further implemented through the provisions in this announcement.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

The objective of Section 309 is to encourage States or Territories with federally-approved coastal management programs (CMPs) to continually improve their programs. The intent of Projects of Special Merit (PSM) funding is to offer CMPs the opportunity to develop innovative projects that further their approved enhancement area strategies and focus on national priorities. The Secretary is authorized to make grants to a CMP for the development and submission of Federally approved program changes that support attainment of one or more enhancement area objectives established at 15 C.F.R. § 923.122.

PSM funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to CMPs. Proposed projects shall further the objectives of an approved enhancement area strategy but shall not be essential to meeting specific benchmarks in the strategy. PSM projects shall not be dependent on long-term levels of funding to succeed. Coastal Zone Management Program Regulations at 15 C.F.R. Part 923 apply to this Announcement, and program policies and procedures are further implemented through the provisions in this announcement.

B. Program Priorities

Proposals must focus on one or more of the following priority enhancement area objectives:

- Hazards: Preventing or significantly reducing threats to life and property by eliminating development and redevelopment in high-hazard areas, managing development in other hazard areas, and anticipating and managing the effects of potential sea-level rise and Great Lakes level change.

- Ocean and Great Lakes Resources: Planning for the use of ocean and Great Lakes resources. Ocean and Great Lakes Resources projects submitted to this competition should be designed to advance comprehensive ocean and Great Lakes planning efforts (e.g., planning initiatives that address multiple ocean and Great Lakes resources and uses rather than single-sector or issue plans).

Funds may be used for any of the following allowable uses which support the attainment of a program change:

- Project personnel costs;

- Supplies and overhead;

- Travel;

- Equipment (pursuant to relevant OMB guidance);

- Projects, studies and reports; and

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- Pass-through or contractual costs including contracts, sub-awards, personal service contracts with individuals, memoranda of agreement/understanding, and other forms of pass-through funding for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of Section 309.

Funds may not be used for land acquisition or construction projects.

C. Program Authority

Statutory authority for this program is provided under Section 309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1456b).

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Total anticipated funding for PSM is approximately $1.5 million or 15% of Section 309 funds for FY 2018. Funding is subject to availability of FY 2018 appropriations. The allocation may vary depending on the total Section 309 funds available. It is estimated that approximately 6-15 proposals ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 will be selected. The maximum amount that may be requested for the federal share of a PSM is $250,000. Funds not allocated for PSM awards will be returned to the weighted formula allocation under Section 309.

Publication of this announcement does not obligate NOAA to establish any specific partnership or to obligate available funds for partnership activities. 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. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, it does so at its own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce (DOC) be responsible for any proposal preparation costs. In addition, NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if this program fails to receive funding.

B. Project/Award Period

The standard financial assistance award period for FY 2018-funded projects is 18 months. NOAA may extend an award up to an additional 18 months, for a maximum performance period of three years if circumstances warrant, such as unforeseen circumstances that prevent the project from being completed within the original period of performance. In order to qualify for an extension, award recipients must be in good standing (i.e., up-to-date on all progress and financial reports), demonstrate progress during the initial period of performance, and be able to demonstrate that additional time is likely to result in successful completion of the project. It is anticipated that projects funded under this

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 4 of 30 announcement will have an award start date of October 1, 2018.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

Projects will be funded as cooperative agreements. A cooperative agreement is used when substantial involvement of the federal government during performance of the proposed activity is anticipated. The recipient can expect substantial collaboration, participation, and/or intervention in the management of the project by NOAA. Some examples of substantial involvement by NOAA include the ability to halt an activity immediately if detailed performance specifications are not met; NOAA specifying direction or redirection of scope of work due to the interrelationships with other projects; NOAA collaborating with the recipient by working jointly with a recipient scientist or technician in carrying out the scope of work, by training recipient personnel, or detailing federal personnel to work on the project; and by NOAA limiting recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations, and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Any coastal State or Territorial CMP that has been approved by NOAA pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C. § 1455) is eligible under this announcement if the requirements established at 15 C.F.R. § 923.121 are met. Specifically, applicants must have an approved Assessment and Strategy for the 2016-2020 assessment period that includes at least one strategy for one or more of the priority enhancement areas identified in Section I.B of this federal funding opportunity (FFO). In addition to strategies that were originally approved as part of a State or Territory's Assessment and Strategy, approved strategies also include strategies that were added or substantially modified and approved by NOAA's Office for Coastal Management prior to the closing date of the competition. See 15 C.F.R. §

923.121 for all requirements.

The designated lead agency for implementing each approved CMP is eligible to submit projects for funding under this competition. For the purposes of this competition, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission is an eligible applicant. Eligible applicants may submit a proposal on behalf of State agency partners within the approved State CMP network, if applicable. Local governments and nonprofits may participate as partners on the proposed projects; however, projects should be focused upon enhancing the approved State CMP. Each applicant may submit no more than two applications for consideration under this competition.

NOAA employees are not permitted to assist in the preparation of applications or write

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 30 letters of support for any application. For proposals that involve collaboration with current NOAA projects or staff, NOAA employees may provide a limited statement verifying the nature and extent of the collaboration and confirming prior coordination activities. Letters of support from NOAA employees are not allowable and will not be included among the application materials considered by merit reviewers.

Federal agencies and employees are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners. If federal agencies are collaborators, applicants must 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.

DOC/NOAA supports cultural and gender diversity and encourages women and minority individuals and groups to submit applications to this program. 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 participating as a project partner, to apply.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Pursuant to 15 C.F.R. § 923.124 (a) (1), there are no match requirements under this competition.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

As noted above, each applicant may submit no more than two applications for consideration under this competition.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Application materials are available online at: http://www.grants.gov (Grants.gov). If this is not feasible, application packages may be requested from the competition manager:

Elizabeth Mountz, Office for Coastal Management, NOAA National Ocean Service, 1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 240-533-0819, Elizabeth.Mountz@noaa.gov.

During the competition period, eligible applicants (the designated lead agency for implementing each approved CMP) should submit any questions regarding the competition via email to the competition manager listed above. Questions and answers will be compiled on a bi-weekly basis, at a minimum, and sent out to the CMP program managers' email list in order for all potential applicants to have access to the same level of information. All

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 30 competition policy-related questions should be submitted to NOAA no later than two weeks prior to the application deadline in order to allow NOAA to respond in a timely manner for the information to be useful for all potential applicants developing proposals. NOAA will not answer any competition policy-related questions submitted in the two weeks prior to the application deadline. Competition policy-related questions include inquiries on project eligibility, eligible costs, and project narrative requirements. However, during this period, NOAA will continue to assist applicants with questions regarding the application submittal process, such as resolving issues related to Grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

A complete NOAA financial assistance application package should be submitted in accordance with the guidelines in this document. All application materials should use a legible 11- or 12-point font with 1-inch margins on all sides. The complete application package should include the following forms and documents and should be grouped in two separate files.

A project description (proposal), as described in the application component section below, should be limited to no more than a total of 10 pages. The 10-page limit does not include the proposal title page, a table of contents if one is included, or any appendices. The budget narrative and justification should be included in the appendix, and therefore will not count towards the 10-page limit for the project description.

Project descriptions that exceed the 10-page limit will be shortened by removing pages at the end of the proposal narrative before it is forwarded to merit reviewers for evaluation. Pages excised from lengthy applications will not be reviewed or considered. Applications that are incomplete, unclear, or contain numerous typographical errors may not be understood effectively by reviewers, resulting in lower evaluation scores, so applicants are advised to review their application materials closely before they are submitted to the agency for consideration.

Federal forms from the SF-424 Form family should include the following forms as applicable:

--Application for Federal Assistance: Form SF-424 --Budget Information for Non-construction Programs: Form SF-424A --Assurances for Non-construction Programs: Form SF-424B --Certification Regarding Lobbying: Form CD-511 --Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Form SF-LLL (if applicable) Appendices should be limited to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal (e.g., detailed budget information, resumes, references, lists of relevant work products or reports, detailed methodologies, data sources, detailed budget information, letters of collaboration, letters of support, lists of data sources, and maps). Applicants should paginate their proposal and any appendices. Appendices should not total more than 30 total

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 7 of 30 pages.

Federal forms and NEPA information, and information provided (e.g., Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement) to complete the federal forms, can be separately submitted or combined and submitted in one PDF document.

Please keep in mind that the total electronic file size of the proposal narrative and appendices combined shall not exceed 5 megabytes. Files that are larger than 5 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.

Each application package should include the following required elements:

1. TITLE PAGE (PROPOSAL COVER SHEET)

a. Project title

b. Proposed project period (start and end dates)

c. Recipient name (must match registered name in DUNS)

d. Recipient DUNS number (must match applicant information in Sam.gov)

e. Principle and other investigators (names, organization, and contact information)

f. Financial representatives (names, organization and contact information)

g. Total requested funding

2. PROJECT OF SPECIAL MERIT ENHANCEMENT AREAS

Identify the enhancement area under which you would like this proposal to be considered (list all that apply: Coastal Hazards, and/or Ocean and Great Lakes Resources).

3. ASSOCIATED PROGRAM CHANGE

a. Identify the approved strategy that the proposed PSM will support (please use the exact title as approved in the Assessment and Strategy):

b. List the type(s) of program change that the supported strategy was approved in order to result in, or implement (list all that apply):

- A change to coastal zone boundaries; new or revised authorities, including statutes, regulations, enforceable policies, administrative decisions, executive orders, and memoranda of agreement/understanding;

- New or revised local coastal programs and implementing ordinances;

- New or revised coastal land acquisition, management, and restoration programs;

- New or revised Special Area Management Plans (SAMP) or plans for Areas of Particular Concern (APC), including enforceable policies and other necessary implementation mechanisms or criteria and procedures for designating and managing APCs;

and,

- New or revised guidelines, procedures and policy documents that are formally adopted by a state or territory and provide specific interpretations of enforceable CMP program

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 8 of 30 policies to applicants, local government and other agencies and will result in meaningful improvements in coastal resource management.

4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Provide a clear and concise description of the project that explains the relationship of the proposed project to the CMP's approved Assessment and Strategy and how the proposed project will further all or part of a program change that the CMP has identified in its Strategy. In addition, the project description should include:

- clear and specific project goals, measurable objectives, and outcomes;

- how the project will further the goals and objectives of the approved 309 strategy in an innovative way;

- project activities that will be undertaken and by whom (including the identification of any sub-awardees), including stakeholder and public engagement in the development of project outcomes;

- the likelihood for success of the project approach to achieve the identified goals, objectives, and outcomes; and

- project evaluation components and activities to communicate or disseminate project outcomes.

Sufficient detail should be provided to enable reviewers to evaluate the relevance and applicability of proposed work to program priorities described in Section I.B. of this announcement; to determine the technical/scientific merit of the proposed work; to adequately review the qualifications of the applicants; and to assess whether the proposed scope of work raises any concerns with regard to federal policy considerations, such as those related to the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Historic Preservation Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

5. BENEFITS TO COASTAL MANAGEMENT

Identify and describe the anticipated project products or outcomes. Explain how the project will benefit the coastal resource management community, the public, and/or specific coastal resources. Describe performance measures that will be used to evaluate project success. The narrative should include information on how resource managers, local communities, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, will be involved in the project and in knowledge sharing..

Describe how results may be transferred to other state Coastal Management Programs. The narrative should describe how the project is innovative, at either a state, regional, or national scale, particularly whether the project developments or implements new management tools or techniques that have the potential to advance the field of coastal management.

6. FISCAL AND TECHNICAL NEEDS AND PAST PERFORMANCE

a) Fiscal and Technical Needs: Provide a brief description of the fiscal and technical

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 9 of 30 needs of the State related to the proposed project.

b) Past Performance under the Section 309 Program: Provide a brief description of the CMP's past performance and success in achieving the expected results of Section 309 strategies that are similar in size, scope, and relevance to the proposed project.

7. PROJECT WORK PLAN

Provide a work plan that includes the major tasks or actions necessary for achieving the goals and outcomes of the proposed project. Briefly describe the capacity of the program to carry out the project, including through collaboration with partners. The work plan should also identify milestones, outcomes, and a schedule for their completion.

Example Work Plan Format (please duplicate outline as needed for multiple tasks):

Title:

Timeframe:

Description of Activities and Program Capacity:

Milestone(s) and Date of Completion:

Outcome(s) and Date of Completion:

List of Final Products:

8. APPENDICES

Appendices must be limited to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal (for example, detailed budget information, copies of Federally approved indirect cost rates, letters of collaboration, resumes, references, lists of data sources, and maps).

a. Mandatory Budget Narrative and Justification In order to allow reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of all costs, applications should include a detailed budget narrative and a budget justification broken out by individual task.

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/docs/gmd_budget_narrative_guidance_-_05-24- 2017_final.pdf The budget table should detail the federal Section 309 funds required for each task by budget category as described below:

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Budget Category Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Total Personnel Fringe Travel Subcontract Indirect Supplies Equipment Other Total Please note the following:

-Funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be requested only for those personnel who are directly involved in implementing the proposed project and whose salaries and fringe benefits are directly related to specific products or outcomes of the proposed project. NOAA strongly encourages applicants to request reasonable amounts of funding for salaries and fringe benefits to ensure that the proposal is competitive.

- PSM funds may not be used to contract with NOAA for products or services. NOAA also cannot 'retain' PSM funds; all PSM funds must be awarded to the state.

The budget narrative also should clearly identify the cost of separable elements of the proposed work and shall identify the elements of the project that the cooperator would recommend for revision or elimination if sufficient funding is not available for all proposed activities.

Applicants should include detailed budget information regarding all subawards, and should indicate the basis for the cost estimates in the narrative. Describe project activities to occur, and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project. Each identified subaward should include form SF-424A. Detailed budget information includes:

• Name of identified qualified subrecipient, affiliation, contact information, and method of selection. For “to be determined,” describe plans for selection. Information must include the name and location (city, state, and Congressional district) of the entity receiving funds and the location of the primary place of performance under the contract or sub award.

• 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 an itemized line item breakdown, as well as total contract/award amount. If applicable, include any indirect costs paid under the contract/award and the indirect cost rate used.

• Itemized Budget. Include categories used in program budget.

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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. 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 should 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 cost or price, purpose, and method of selection for identified and planned acquisition contracts should be thoroughly justified in the Budget Narrative. Describe products or services to be obtained and indicate the applicability or necessity of each to the project.

Procurements are subject to policies described in 2 C.F.R. 200.317-326. For “to be determined,” describe plans for selection.

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, G. National Policy Requirements, .05 Other National Policy Requirements, c.

Foreign Travel (Section G.05.c) http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/grants_management/policy/documents/Department%20of%20 Commerce%20Standard%20Terms%20&%20Conditions%2031%20March%202017.pdf and therefore, such travel should be included in the proposal to avoid having to request prior approval after the project starts. Applicants may factor in travel costs for participation in an annual NOAA Grants Management Division workshop for recipients.

Refer to item 15 below in this Section regarding treatment of Indirect Costs in the Budget Narrative.

b. Letters of Collaboration.

All supporting letters from partner organizations that are instrumental to the project should be included in the application package. Letters must clearly indicate the level of commitment and/or collaboration. Letters of collaboration do not need original signatures.

c. Resumes.

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Provide resumes of the Principal Investigator for the project and other key personnel critical to the success of the project. Ensure that resumes address qualifications relevant to conducting the proposed work. Please limit resumes to a maximum of two pages for each key investigator.

d. Data Sharing Plan

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

ii. Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management Plan of up to two pages describing how these requirements will be satisfied. The Data Management Plan should be aligned with the Data Management Guidance provided by NOAA within this section and via the Data Management Guidance included as an attachment to this federal funding opportunity announcement on grants.gov. The contents of the Data Management Plan (or absence thereof), and past performance regarding such plans, will be considered as part of proposal review. A typical plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance. Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements; however, NCEI is not obligated to accept all submissions and may charge a fee, particularly for large or unusual datasets.

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

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

NOAA's Administrative Order on the Management of Environmental Data Management and Information is available under:

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 13 of 30 http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_212/212- 15.html Principal Investigators should indicate how and when they have made their data accessible and usable by the community in the past.

e. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Environmental Compliance-- Under NEPA, NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts of projects or proposals seeking funding from NOAA.

After the application is submitted, NOAA may require additional information to fulfill NEPA and other compliance requirements. If NOAA determines that an environmental assessment is required, applicants may also be requested to assist in drafting the assessment.

Applicants may also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying and implementing feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for the denial of an application. In some cases, if additional information is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award condition, requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the environment.

The applicants selected for funding must complete questions 1 - 19 of the Environmental Compliance Questionnaire for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Financial Assistance Applicants, accessible at www.nepa.noaa.gov/questionnaire.pdf to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems).

Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the following NOAA NEPA website: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including the revised NOAA Administrative Order 216-6A for NEPA:

http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_216/216- 6A.html

9. STANDARD FORM 424: APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

Applicants requesting Federal funding in this program must submit a copy of Standard Form SF-424, 'Application for Federal Assistance.' If a hard-copy final application is submitted, it must be signed and dated by the organization's authorized representative, and used as the cover page for the final application. An electronic signature and date stamp will automatically be included on SF-424 forms submitted via Grants.gov.

10. STANDARD FORM 424A: BUDGET INFORMATION FOR NON-

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CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS (include a separate form for each year of funding and for each proposed sub-award of $25,000 or more) Applicants are required to submit a SF-424A Budget Form to summarize the budget for the proposed scope of work. The first column of sections A and B shows the federal funds requested, while the second column of sections A and B shows the non-federal matching funds provided for the project. Total award funding is shown in the final column of section B. Non-federal funding is broken out by source in section C. Forecasted cash needs in Section D should be inclusive of all funding for the project. Both federal and non- federal funds should be expended at a similar rate throughout the course of the project. Section E may be left blank. Section F summarizes the direct charges in line 21 and lists the indirect charges requested; please show the rate used in line 22. Please note that completion of the SF-424A form as described above represents NOAA's preference and may not be consistent with the instructions that accompany the SF-424A form. All budget figures should match the funding requested on the application cover sheet and correspond with the descriptions contained in the project and budget narratives.

All subawards should also be accompanied by a separate SF-424A form to fully document the proposed subaward budget.

11. STANDARD FORM 424B: ASSURANCES FOR NON-CONSTRUCTION

PROGRAMS

Applicants are required to submit a signed SF-424B, 'Assurances for Non-Construction Programs'.

12. STANDARD FORM CD-511: CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

Applicants are required to submit a form CD-511, 'Certifications Regarding Lobbying.’

13. STANDARD FORM LLL: DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES (if applicable) If applicable, applicants may be required to disclose certain lobbying activities described in form SF-LLL.

14. PERMITS AND APPROVALS

It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain all necessary federal, state, and local government permits and approvals for the proposed work. Applicants must provide a list of all known 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 a statement indicating that no permits are necessary. This required element should be included even if permits are not required.

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Failure to apply for and/or obtain federal, state, and local permits, approvals, letters of agreement, or failure to provide environmental analyses where necessary (i.e., NEPA environmental assessment) will delay or prevent the award of funds for projects that have been preliminarily selected for funding.

For work proposed within National Marine Sanctuaries, National Parks, National Seashores, and other federally designated managed areas, it is the responsibility of the applicant to request and obtain any necessary permits or letters of agreement from the appropriate government agencies prior to commencement of an award. For applicants who propose to conduct research or monitoring activities that may affect any coral species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act, you will likely need an Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit. For more information, see:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/corals.htm.

15. INDIRECT COST RATE

The proposed budget may include an amount for indirect or Facilities and Administrative costs if the applicant has an established indirect cost rate with the federal government.

Indirect costs are essentially overhead costs for basic operational functions (e.g., utilities, rent, and insurance) that are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be identified specifically within a particular project. See 2 C.F.R. 200.56-.57 and 200.412- .415.

A copy of the current, approved negotiated indirect cost agreement with the federal Government should be included with the final application package. If an award recipient has never established an indirect cost rate with any federal agency, the recipient may request to use the de minimis rate described at 2 CFR 200.414. Non-federal entities that have never received a negotiated indirect (F&A) cost rate elect to charge a de minimis rate at 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). The de minimis indirect cost rate should be used for all federal awards. Non-federal entities may use this rate indefinitely, but may choose to negotiate an indirect (F&A) cost rate at any time. This de minimis rate option is not available to state and local governments, and Indian tribes.

If the applicant does not have a current negotiated rate and plans to establish a new negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, documentation necessary to establish a rate must be submitted within 90 days of receiving an award. See Section IV. F. for more information on indirect cost rates and establishing a new indirect cost rate with the Department of Commerce.

16.ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

In addition to the standard elements described above, applicants may upload additional supporting documentation by using the 'Optional Form' box under 'Other Attachments' in Grants.gov during the application submission process.

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For applications submitted in electronic format, acceptable formats are limited to Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) or Microsoft Word files.

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

To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the quality of information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 Note, to the extent applicable, any proposal awarded in response to this announcement will be required to use the System for Award Management (SAM), which may be accessed online at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. Applicants are also required to use the Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS), as identified in OMB guidance published at 2 CFR Parts 25 at http://go.usa.gov/x9PYd.

Applicants should: (1) Be registered in the federal SAM before submitting an application;

(2) provide a valid DUNS number on an application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. The federal awarding agency may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the federal awarding agency is ready to make a federal award, the federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Applicants should allow a minimum of seven days to complete the SAM registration, although complete registration for SAM may take several weeks if problems arise.

Registration is required only once but must be renewed once a year.

Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through www.grants.gov.

D. Submission Dates and Times

Full proposals must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time, on January 5, 2018.

Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to two business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected/returned to the sender without further consideration.

If for any reason applicants are unable to submit their application through Grants.gov, they may provide a paper copy of their full application by mail. Applications submitted by mail

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 17 of 30 must include all relevant application elements described above, must include a SF-424 form with original ink or valid electronic signature and date from an authorized recipient organization representative, and must be stamped with an official U.S. Postal Service postmark or provided to a commercial carrier with tracking number and receipt on or before 11:59 pm Eastern on Friday, January 5, 2018; private metered postmarks are unacceptable.

Please address all mailed applications to: Elizabeth Mountz, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, N/OCM6, 10th Floor, Room 10652, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Paper applications received more than 5 business days after the deadline will not be reviewed, and applicants submitting by paper are responsible for tracking their applications.

E. Intergovernmental Review

Funding applications submitted under this competition are subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. It is the state agency's responsibility to contact their state's Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out about and comply with the state's process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed on the Office of Management and Budget's website:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc.

F. Funding Restrictions

1. Indirect Costs Applicants are permitted to request indirect costs if their organization has an established Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with a federal agency that covers the period of the award. Applicants requesting indirect costs should submit a copy of their current and signed indirect cost rate agreement with their application package.

If an award recipient has not previously established an indirect cost rate with any federal agency, the recipient may request to use the de minimus rate described at 2 CFR 200.414, as described in Section IV.B.15 of this Announcement. Alternatively, the negotiation and approval of a new rate is subject to the procedures required by NOAA and the Department of Commerce. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions require that recipients within 90 days of the award start date, submit to the address listed below documentation (indirect cost proposal, cost allocation plan, etc.)

necessary to perform the review.

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

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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, and this rate 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.

2. Ineligible projects:

The following projects will not be eligible for funding: (1) Activities that constitute legally required mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by state or federal law; (2) Activities that constitute mitigation for natural resource damages under federal or state law; and (3) Activities that are required by a separate consent decree, court order, statute, or regulation.

3. Cost Principles:

Funds awarded cannot necessarily pay for all the costs that the recipient might incur in the course of carrying out the project. Allowable costs are limited to costs necessary and reasonable to achieve the approved goals and objectives and are determined by reference to relevant Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements.

Recipients are subject to the 2 CFR 200, Subpart E “Cost Principles,” as well as any Department of Commerce implementing regulations that may be in effect at the time of award. Generally, costs that are allowable include salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, and training, as long as the costs are determined to be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the award.

G. Other Submission Requirements

The standard NOAA funding application package is available at www.grants.gov (Grants.gov), and application packages, including all letters of collaboration, shall be submitted through the “Apply” function on Grants.gov. Applicants must register with Grants.gov before any application materials can be submitted. To use Grants.gov, applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), and periodic renewals are required.

Applicants can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS

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Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Allow a minimum of five days to complete the SAM registration. (Note: Your organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) will be needed on the application form). An organization's one-time registration process may take up to three weeks to complete. In addition, it may take two days until the applicant is notified as to whether NOAA received the application, so applicants should allow sufficient time to ensure applications are submitted before the closing date.

The Grants.gov site contains directions for submitting an application, the application package (forms), and is also where the completed application is submitted. Applicants using Grants.gov must locate the downloadable application package for this solicitation by the Funding Opportunity Number or the CFDA number (11.419). After electronic submission of the application through Grants.gov, the person submitting the application will receive within the next 24 to 48 hours two email messages from Grants.gov updating them on the progress of their application. The first email will confirm receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system, and the second will indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the system before transmission to the grantor agency or has been rejected because of errors. Only validated applications are sent to NOAA for review. After the application has been validated, this same person will receive a third email when the application has been downloaded by the federal agency.

If use of Grants.gov is not feasible, one original set of the complete application and related SF-424, with original ink signature and date by the applicant’s authorized…