FY2021 Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed Project

Funding Opportunity Description: The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) is a national and regional partnership working to provide ocean, coastal and Great Lakes observations, data, tools, and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect our environment. NOAA and IOOS stakeholders view a coastal and ocean modeling test environment as essential to achieve a sustained and operational IOOS. The Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) was established to advance predictions and forecasts by fostering continued coordination of development and testing work between federal and non-federal operational and research partners. The COMT aims to support projects that facilitate and accelerate the transition of models and model based technologies from research environments toward operational readiness. The goal of this effort is to grow the federal suite of operational ocean modeling products to better understand coastal, ocean and lake processes and to improve predictions of events and changes that impact coastal lives and livelihoods. Of particular interest are coastal, ocean and lake phenomena that intersect the mission goals of NOAA, other operational agencies, and the IOOS Regional Associations.

The U.S. IOOS Program is seeking to fund projects which advance new or existing solutions that address long standing and emerging coastal modeling and forecast product development challenges. This announcement specifically funds activities needed to progress through the transitional stages from research toward full operations (such as system integration, testing, validation, and verification). Projects will be expected to participate in and advance the operation of the U.S. IOOS COMT under a community modeling environment. Funding will be targeted to models, tools or products, with demonstrated operators and end users, that are sufficiently mature for evaluation and transition to long term operations.

Total estimated funding for all awards is up to $2 million per year from the U.S. IOOS Program. Multiple awards are anticipated, subject to availability of funds, in amounts up to $300,000 per year for up to three years. The number of awards is anticipated to range from approximately three (3) to five (5), and will be adjusted based on availability of funds. Proposals not funded in the current fiscal period may be considered for funding in the next fiscal period (Fiscal Year 2021) without NOAA repeating the competitive process outlined in this announcement.