The purpose of this notice is to solicit proposals for a single cooperative agreement between NOAA and an institution of higher learning. The Hydrographic Services Improvement Act and the Coastal and Ocean Mapping Integration Act has authorized NOAA to operate up to three joint-ocean and coastal mapping centers of excellence for the nation. These centers typically focus on coastal and ocean research, applied hydrography, disaster response, forecasting, remote sensing technologies, and graduate education.
The program priorities for this opportunity support NOAA's mission goal of "Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies" and the objective of "Safe, efficient and environmentally sound marine transportation."