[Federal Register: February 20, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 33)]
[Notices]
[Page 7764-7769]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20fe07-15]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 070207025-7025-01; I.D. 051906D]
RIN 0648-ZB55
FY 2007 Broad Agency Announcement Request for Extramural
Research, Innovative Projects, and Sponsorships
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of the availability of Federal assistance.
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SUMMARY: NOAA announces the availability of Federal assistance under
the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for fiscal year 2007. The purpose
of this notice is to request proposals for special projects and
programs associated with the Agency's strategic plan and mission goals,
as described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section, and to provide
the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will
select proposals and administer discretionary Federal assistance under
this BAA. NOAA issued approximately $1 billion in Federal assistance
funds in fiscal year 2006. Approximately 81 percent was for
discretionary funding and 19 percent non-discretionary. This BAA is a
mechanism to encourage research, technical projects, or sponsorships
(e.g., conferences, newsletters, etc.) that are
[[Page 7765]]
not normally funded through our competitive discretionary programs.
DATES: Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis up to 5 p.m. ET
September 28, 2007. Applications shall be evaluated for funding
generally within 3 to 6 months of receipt.
ADDRESSES: All proposals should be submitted through Grants.Gov. For
those applicants without internet access, hard copy applications may be
submitted to the individuals listed below under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: This announcement, the Federal Funding
Opportunity (FFO) announcement, and application forms will be available
through Grants.Gov: http://www.grants.gov. For those applicants without
internet access, the above information can be acquired by contacting
the following individuals:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Joanna Grable, Route: F/
MB2, Bldg: SSMC3 Rm: 14359, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD
20910-3282, Phone: 301-713-1364.
National Ocean Service (NOS), Jane Piercy, Route: N/MB3, Bldg:
SSMC4 Rm: 13250, 1305 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring MD 20910-3281,
Phone: 301-713-3050.
Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR), Sharon Schroeder, Route: R/
OM61, Bldg: SSMC3 Rm: 11464, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD
20910-3282, Phone: 301-713-2474.
National Weather Service (NWS), Youngnan Cohan, Route: W/CFO2,
Bldg: SSMC2 Rm: 18394, 1325 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring MD 20910-3283,
Phone: 301-713-0420.
National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service (NESDIS),
Ingrid Guch, Route: E/RA1, Bldg: WWBG RM: 701, 5200 Auth RD, Camp
Springs, MD 20746-4304, Phone: 301-763-8282.
NOAA, Office of Education, Carrie McDougall, Bldg: HCHB Suite:
M6863, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20230-0001, Phone:
202-482-0875.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As an agency with responsibilities for
maintaining and improving the viability of marine and coastal
ecosystems, for delivering valuable weather, climate, and water
information and services, for understanding the science and
consequences of climate change, and for supporting the global commerce
and transportation upon which we all depend, NOAA must remain current
and responsive in an ever-changing world. We do this in concert with
our partners and stakeholders in federal, state, and local governments
and private organizations, applying a systematic approach that links
our strategic goals through multi-year plans to the daily activities of
our employees. Every year we are committed to re-evaluate our progress
and priorities, look for efficiencies, and take advantage of new
opportunities to improve our information, products, and services. In
furtherance of this objective, NOAA issues this BAA for extramural
research, innovative projects, and sponsorships that address one or
more of the following five mission goal descriptions contained in the
NOAA Strategic Plan:
1. Protect, Restore, and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean
Resources through an Ecosystem Approach to Management;
2. Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance Society's
Ability to Plan and Respond;
3. Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information;
4. Support the Nation's Commerce with Information for Safe,
Efficient, and Environmentally Sound Transportation; and
5. Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission.
A detailed description for each mission goal can be found in the
FFO that can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site, by contacting the
program official identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section, or by accessing the following: http://www.spo.noaa.gov/pdfs/STRATEGIC
[percnt]20PLANS/Strategic--Plan--2006--FINAL--04282005.pdf.
Proposals that fall within the scope of a separate competitive
program initiative or are duplicative of a nondiscretionary project/
program will not be accepted under this BAA and will be rejected by the
Line/Program Office. In addition, non-responsive applications, i.e.,
those not meeting the mission goals of NOAA or the intent of this
notice, will not be considered. It should be noted that specific
competitive program initiatives may have already been announced and
those unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may
be announced through future Federal Register notices.
This announcement also provides guidelines and details for the
application process, eligibility, evaluation criteria, and selection
procedures. Selected applicants will either enter into a grant or
receive a cooperative agreement depending upon the amount of NOAA's
involvement in the project - substantial involvement means a
cooperative agreement.
Electronic Access
The full text of the full funding opportunity announcement for this
BAA can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site: http://www.grants.gov.
The announcement will also be available by contacting the program
officials identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Applicants
must comply with all requirements contained in the FFO. This Federal
Register notice is available through the NOAA home page at: http://www.noaa.gov
.
You will be able to access, download and submit electronic grant
applications for this announcement at http://www.grants.gov. The
closing dates will be the same as for the paper submissions noted in
this announcement. NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until
the application deadline date to begin the application process through
Grants.gov. Getting started with Grants.gov is easy[excl] Go to http://www.grants.gov.
There are two key features on the site: Find Grant
Opportunities and Apply for Grants. Everything else on the site is
designed to support these two features and your use of them. While you
can begin searching for grant opportunities for which you would like to
apply immediately, it is recommended that you complete the remaining
Get Started steps sooner rather than later, so that when you find an
opportunity for which you would like to apply, you are ready to go.
Individuals do not need a DUNS number to register to submit
applications. The system will generate a default value in that field.
Individuals who plan to submit a grant application using Grants.gov are
required to register with the Credential Provider (Step 3 B) and
register with Grants.gov (Step 4 B).
Get Started, Step 1 B: Find Grant Opportunity for Which You Would Like
To Apply
Start your search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities
and register to receive automatic e-mail notifications of new grant
opportunities or any modifications to grant opportunities as they are
posted to the site by clicking the Find Grant Opportunities tab at the
top of the page.
Get Started, Step 2 B: Organizations Must Register With Central
Contractor Registry (CCR)
Your organization will also need to be registered with Central
Contractor Registry. You can register with them online. This will take
about 30 minutes. You should receive your CCR registration within 3
business days.
[[Page 7766]]
Important: You must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet before you
register with CCR. Many organizations already have a DUNS number. To
determine if your organization already has a DUNS number or to obtain a
DUNS number, contact Dun & Bradstreet at 1-866-705-5711. This will take
about 10 minutes and is free of charge. Be sure to complete the
Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic Business Primary Point of
Contact fields during the CCR registration process. These are mandatory
fields that are required when submitting grant applications through
Grants.gov.
Get Started, Step 3 B: Register With the Credential Provider
You must register with a Credential Provider to receive a username
and password. This will be required to securely submit your grant
application.
Get Started, Step 4 B: Register With Grants.gov
The final step in the Get Started process is to register with
Grants.gov. This will be required to submit grant applications on
behalf of your organization. After you have completed the registration
process, you will receive e-mail notification confirming that you are
able to submit applications through Grants.gov.
Get Started, Step 5: B Log on to Grants.gov
After you have registered with Grants.gov, you can log on to
Grants.gov to verify if you have registered successfully, to check
application status, and to update information in your applicant
profile, such as your name, telephone number, e-mail address, and
title. In the future, you will have the ability to determine if you are
authorized to submit applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your
organization. In the interim, only the authorized representative can
submit an application to Grants.gov. Please ensure your organization
makes an authorized representative designation.
Electronic Application File Format and Naming Conventions
After the initial grant application package has been submitted to
NOAA (e.g., via Grants.gov), requests for additional or modified forms
may be requested by NOAA. Applicants should resubmit forms in Portable
Document File (PDF) format and follow the following file naming
convention to name resubmitted forms. For example: 98042--SF-424-mm-dd-
yy--v2.pdf.
(1) 98042 = Proposal (provided to applicant by Grants.gov & NOAA)
(2) SF-424 = Form Number
(3) mm-dd-yy = Date
(4) v2 = Version Number
To learn how to convert documents to PDF go to: http://www.grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf
.
The above is suggested in order to obtain consistency and have the
documents readily identifiable to the appropriate program and/or grants
office staff personnel responsible for the application. The Grants.gov
website provides specific instructions regarding conversion. However,
in FY2007 applicants can still submit the requested additional
documents through the mail or facsimile as a last resort if needed.
Eligibility Criteria and Prescreening Process
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants may be institutions of higher education, non-
profits, commercial organizations, international or foreign
organizations, governments, individuals, state, local and Indian tribal
governments. Eligibility also depends on the statutory authority that
permits NOAA to fund the proposed activity. Eligible applicants should
go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) to see if they
are eligible. A current listing of the CFDA programs that may be
eligible for funding can be found in the FFO posted at Grants.gov that
accompanies this BAA.
Prescreening Process/Minimum Requirements Review
Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial
administrative review will be conducted to determine eligibility for
award, compliance with requirements and completeness of the
application. This review includes determining whether or not:
1. Statutory authority exists to provide financial assistance for
the project or organization;
2. A complete application package has been submitted;
3. The Project Description/Narrative is consistent with one or more
of NOAA's mission goals;
4. The proposal falls within the scope of an existing NOAA
competitive announcement or duplicates an existing nondiscretionary
project (if it does, it cannot be funded under this announcement); and
5. The work in the proposal will directly benefit NOAA (if it will,
it should be supported by a procurement contract, not a financial
assistance award which cannot be funded under this announcement, as
provided in 31 U.S.C. 6303).
Applications not passing this initial review will be returned to
the applicant.
Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures
All proposals submitted in response to this BAA shall be evaluated
and selected in accordance with the following procedures.
Proposal Review and Selection Process
NOAA will evaluate proposal(s) determined to be eligible under this
BAA individually (i.e., proposals will be not compared to each other).
Proposals are judged and awarded based on the evaluation factors
described below so long as funds, if any, are available. The merit
review is conducted by mail reviewers and/or peer panel reviewers. Each
reviewer will individually evaluate the proposal(s) using the
evaluation criteria provided below. A minimum of three merit reviewers
per proposal is required. The reviewers may be any combination of
Federal and/or non-federal personnel. The proposal(s) will be
individually scored (i.e., a consensus is not reached) unless all
reviewers are Federal employees. Only then can a consensus be reached
by the Federal reviewers, at the discretion of the selection official.
NOAA selects evaluators on the basis of their professional
qualifications and expertise as related to the unique characteristics
of the proposal. The NOAA Program Officer will assess the evaluations
and make a fund or do not fund recommendation to the Selecting Official
based on the evaluations of the reviewers. The Selecting Official
selects proposal(s) after considering the reviews and recommendations
of the Program Officer. Any application considered for funding may be
required to address the issues raised in the evaluation of the proposal
by the reviewers, Program Officer, Selecting Official, and/or Grants
Officer before an award is issued.
Applications not selected for funding under this announcement in
FY2007 may be considered for funding from FY2008 funds but, in response
to NOAA's request, may be required to revalidate the terms of the
original application or resubmit in the next BAA cycle if one is
published for the next fiscal year.
Proposals not selected for funding will be destroyed.
The Program Officer, Selecting Official and/or Grants Officer may
negotiate the final funding level of the proposal with the intended
applicant. The Selecting Official makes the final recommendation for
award to the
[[Page 7767]]
NOAA Grants Officer who is authorized to commit the Federal Government
and obligate the funds.
Evaluation Criteria for BAA Projects
NOAA has standardized evaluation criteria for all competitive
assistance announcements. The criteria as applied to this BAA are
listed below. Since proposals responding to this BAA may vary
significantly in their activities/objectives, assigning a set weight
for each evaluation criterion is not feasible but is based on a total
possible score of 100. The Program Office and/or Selection Official
will determine which of the following criteria and weights will be
applied. Some proposals, for example sponsorships, may not be able to
be evaluated against all the criteria like technical/scientific merit.
However, it is in your best interest to prepare a proposal that can be
easily evaluated against these five criteria.
1. Importance and/or Relevance and Applicability of Proposed Project to
the Mission Goals
This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed
work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal, regional, state, or local
activities: i.e., How does the proposed activity enhance NOAA's
strategic plan and mission goals? Proposals should also address
significance/possibilities of securing productive results: i.e., Does
this study address an important problem?; If the aims of the
application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced?;
What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods
that drive this field?; What effect will the project have on improving
public understanding of the role the ocean, coasts, and atmosphere in
the global ecosystem? Proposals will also be scored for innovation:
i.e., Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods?:
Are the aims original and innovative?: Does the project challenge
existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
2. Technical/Scientific Merit
This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and if the
methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and
objectives. Proposals should address the approach/soundness of design:
i.e., Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses
adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of
the project?; Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas
and consider alternative tactics? This criterion should also address
the applicant's proposed methods for monitoring, measuring, and
evaluating the success or failure of the project: i.e., What are they?
Are they appropriate?
3. Overall Qualifications of Applicants
This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary
education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative
resources to accomplish the project. If appropriate, proposals should
also address the physical environment and collaboration, if any: i.e.,
Does the environment in which the work will be done contribute to the
probability of success? Do the proposed experiments or activities take
advantage of unique features of the intended environment or employ
useful collaborative arrangements?
4. Project Costs
The Budget is evaluated to determine if it is realistic and
commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.
5. Outreach and Education
NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective
education and outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the
Nation's environmental resources. For example, how will the outcomes of
the project be communicated to NOAA and the interested public to ensure
it has met the project objectives over the short, medium or long term?
Does the project address any of the goals or employ any of the
strategies of the NOAA Education Plan (http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf
)?
Statutory Authority: The specific program authority will vary
depending on the nature of the proposed project. A list of the most
prevalent assistance authorities are 15 U.S.C. 1540; 15 U.S.C. 2901 et
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 661; 16 U.S.C. 1456c; 33 U.S.C. 883a-d; 33 U.S.C. 1442;
49 U.S.C. 44720(b).
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: The CFDA
number will vary depending on the nature of the proposed project. The
applicant should consult the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
series 11.400 [dash] 11.481 and review the subset of CFDA's applicable
to this BAA to select the most accurate program for the proposed
project. The link to the catalog for NOAA programs is as follows:
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_SUBAGENCY_PROGRAM_RPT.SHOW?p_arg_names=agency_id&p_arg_values=206
.
Funding Availability: There is no direct level of Congressional
funding available for this BAA. Funding of a project is completely at
the discretion of the program office willing to support the proposed
activities. Appropriations from FY2007 or FY2008 (if and when
available) may be used to fund applications in response to this BAA.
Application Deadline: Full applications can be submitted on a
rolling basis up to 5 p.m. Eastern Time September 28, 2007.
Applications received after this time will be returned without review.
Applications shall be evaluated for funding generally within 3 to 6
months of receipt. An applicant can expect to receive either a
rejection notice, request for additional information, and/or award
within that timeframe.
Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost sharing is not required unless it
is determined that a project can only be funded under an authority that
requires matching funds.
Application Requirements: Full applications will be required to
submit the standard forms as posted in the FFO, in addition to a
project narrative (which must include a synopsis which is not to exceed
one page), budget narrative, and project timeline.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program may be
subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.'' Refer to the appropriate CFDA number listed on your
application for the applicability of this E.O. to your proposal.
Limitation of Liability
Funding for potential projects in this notice is contingent upon
the availability of fiscal year 2007 appropriations. Applicants are
hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for any
proposed activities in this notice. In no event will NOAA or the
Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs.
Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any
specific project or to obligate any available funds.
Universal Identifier
Applicants should be aware that, for programs which have deadline
dates on or after October 1, 2003, they may be required to provide a
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during
the application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register (67
FR 66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the internet (http://www.dunandbradstreet.com
).
[[Page 7768]]
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects
or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities.
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the
following NOAA NEPA Web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/
NAO216--6--TOC.pdf, NEPA Questionnaire, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/questionnaire.pdf
, and the Council on Environmental Quality
implementation regulations, http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm.
Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under
their description of their program activities, applicants are required
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). In addition to providing specific information that will serve
as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting 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.
Compliance with Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security
Export Administration Regulations
a. This section applies to the extent that this BAA results in
financial assistance awards involving access to export-controlled
information or technology.
b. In performing a financial assistance award, the recipient may
gain access to export-controlled information or technology. The
recipient will then be responsible for compliance with all applicable
laws and regulations regarding export-controlled information and
technology, including deemed exports. The recipient shall establish and
maintain throughout performance of the financial assistance award
effective export compliance procedures at non-NOAA facilities. At a
minimum, these export compliance procedures must include adequate
controls of physical, verbal, visual, and electronic access to export-
controlled information and technology.
c. Definitions
1. Deemed export. The Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
define a deemed export as any release of technology or source code
subject to the EAR to a foreign national, both in the United States and
abroad. Such release is ``deemed'' to be an export to the home country
of the foreign national. 15 CFR 734.2(b)(2)(ii).
2. Export-controlled information and technology. Export-controlled
information and technology is information and technology subject to the
EAR (15 CFR parts 730 et seq.), implemented by the DOC Bureau of
Industry and Security, or the International Traffic I Arms Regulations
(ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120-130), implemented by the Department of State,
respectively. This includes, but is not limited to, dual-us items,
defense articles and any related assistance, services, software or
technical data as defined in the EAR and ITAR.
d. The recipient shall control access to all export-controlled
information and technology that it possesses or that comes into its
possession in performance of a financial assistance award, to ensure
that access is restricted, or licensed, as required by applicable
Federal laws, Executive Orders, and/or regulations.
e. Nothing in the terms of this section is intended to change,
supersede, or waive any of the requirements of applicable Federal laws,
Executive Orders or regulations.
f. The recipient shall include this clause, including this
paragraph (f), in all lower tier transactions (subawards, contracts,
and subcontracts) under the financial assistance award that may involve
access to export-controlled information technology.
NOAA implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 12
If the performance of a financial assistance award, if approved by
NOAA, requires recipients to have physical access to Federal premises
for more than 180 days or access to a Federal information system, any
items or services delivered under a financial assistance award shall
comply with the Department of Commerce personal identity verification
procedures that implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive -
12, FIPS PUB 201, and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-
05-24. The recipient shall insert this clause in all subawards or
contracts when the subaward recipient or contractor is required to have
physical access to a Federally controlled facility or access to a
Federal information system.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) are applicable to this
solicitation.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This document contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms
424 and 424A, 424B, 424C, 424D, SF-LLL, and CD-346 has been approved by
OMB under the respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-
0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of
information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that
collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Executive Order 12866
This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/ Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical
[[Page 7769]]
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not
been prepared.
Dated: February 12, 2007.
Daniel L. Clever,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-2833 Filed 2-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-S