[Federal Register: November 27, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 227)]
[Notices]
[Page 62283-62285]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27no09-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
[Docket No. 0911161405-91405-01]
New NOAA Cooperative Institute (CI): A CI To Support Satellite
Meteorology
AGENCY: National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
(NESDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
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SUMMARY: The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information
Service (NESDIS) publishes this notice to provide the general public
with a consolidated source of program and application information
related to a single competitive cooperative agreement award offering.
NOAA is accepting applications for a CI to Support Satellite
Meteorology. Applicants should review the CI Interim Handbook prior to
preparing a proposal for this announcement (http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/
ci).
DATES: Proposals must be received no later than February 25, 2010, 5
p.m., E.T. Proposals submitted after that date will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online through
the Grants.Gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov). Paper submissions are
acceptable only if Internet access is not available. Grants.gov
requires applicants to register with the system prior to submitting an
application. This registration process can take several weeks,
involving multiple steps. In order to allow sufficient time for this
process, you should register as soon as you decide that you intend to
apply, even if you are not yet ready to submit your proposal. If an
applicant has problems downloading the application package from
Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at (800) 518-4726 or
support@grants.gov.
If a hard copy application is submitted, the original and two
unbound copies of the proposal should be included. Paper submissions
should be sent to: Ms. Ingrid Guch, NOAA/NESDIS, 5200 Auth Road, Room
701, Camp Springs, MD 20746; telephone (301) 763-8127 ext. 152. No e-
mail or facsimile proposal submissions will be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please
contact Ms. Ingrid Guch, NOAA/NESDIS, 5200 Auth Road, Room 701, Camp
Springs, MD 20746; telephone: (301) 763-8127 ext. 152; e-mail:
Ingrid.Guch@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants must comply with all requirements
contained in the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for
this CI.
CI Concept/Program Background: A CI is a NOAA-supported, nonfederal
organization that has established an outstanding research program in
one or more areas that are relevant to the NOAA mission. CIs are
established at research institutions with outstanding graduate degree
programs in NOAA-related sciences. CIs provide significant coordination
of resources among all non-government partners and promote the
involvement of students and postdoctoral scientists in NOAA-funded
research. The CI provides mutual benefits with value provided by all
parties. For each CI, NOAA has identified the need to establish a CI to
focus on scientific research associated in support of NOAA's Strategic
Plan, NOAA's 5-year Research Plan, and NOAA's 20-year Research Vision.
(All documents are available at http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/plans.html).
CI To Support Satellite Meteorology
The proposed Satellite Meteorology CI should possess outstanding
capabilities to provide research under four themes: (1) Satellite
Meteorology Research and Applications, (2) Satellite Sensors and
Techniques, (3) Environmental Models and Data Assimilation, and (4)
Outreach and Education. The CI's primary sponsor will be the NESDIS
Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR), formerly known
as the Office of Research and Applications. Research and development
entities with which the proposed CI may work include NOAA programs,
laboratories, science centers, other CI and NOAA-owned facilities, Sea
Grant Colleges, other extramural NOAA partners, other Federal agencies,
academia, and the private sector. The new CI will be expected to work
closely with STAR's Advanced Satellite Products Branch currently
located in Madison, WI, with seven federal employees. It is NOAA's
intent to move these employees to the new CI as funding allows. The CI
should have the capacity (computers and technical support, phones,
office space) to host these individuals, as they will be a necessary
component for successful CI collaborations with NOAA/NESDIS.
A CI may partner with one or more research institutions that
demonstrate outstanding performance within one or more established
research programs in NOAA-related sciences, including Minority Serving
Institutions and universities that can contribute to the proposed
activities of the CI. If a CI is awarded to a consortium of
institutions, the consortium must propose a governance structure that
includes a single director and one award.
CIs will conduct research under approved scientific research
themes, listed in this notice and described in detail in Section I.B of
the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement. Activities of the CI are
usually organized into three Tasks (additional tasks can be proposed by
the CI).
i. Task I activities are related to the management of the CI, as
well as general education and outreach activities. This task also
includes support of postdoctoral and visiting scientists conducting
activities within the research themes of the CI that are approved by
the CI Director, in consultation with NOAA, and are relevant to NOAA
and the CI's mission goals.
ii. Task II activities usually involve on-going direct
collaboration with NOAA scientists. This collaboration typically is
fostered by the collocation of Federal and CI employees.
iii. Task III activities require minimal collaboration with NOAA
scientists and may include research funded by other NOAA competitive
grant programs.
Base funding for Task 1 is provided annually by NOAA to the CI,
contingent upon the availability of Federal appropriations. Throughout
the award period, funding for additional Task I activities, as well as
Task II and III (or other tasks by a particular CI) activities, is
added to the CI award as research project proposals are submitted by
the CI and approved by NOAA.
Request for Applications
Generally, applications must include all relevant Federal Standard
Forms, a project description that includes sufficient information to
address all the evaluation criteria identified in the FFO announcement,
a budget, and a budget justification. The project description must
include a thorough explanation of all themes and Tasks. The application
should also identify the capability and the capacity of the CI to
conduct research in the themes described in the FFO, as well as a
summary of clearly stated goals to be achieved, reflecting NOAA's
strategic goals and vision. Additional elements may also be requested.
Applicants are directed to the FFO for all application information and
requirements.
Funding Availability: The award period will be 5 years, and may be
renewed for up to an additional 5 years based on the outcome of a CI
review in the fourth year. All funding is contingent upon the
availability of
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Federal appropriations. NOAA anticipates that up to approximately $12M
will be available annually for this CI. Of that amount, approximately
$290,000 will be available per year for Task I. The final amount of
funding available for Task I will be determined during the negotiation
phase of the award based on availability of funding. The actual annual
funding that the CI receives may be less than the anticipated amount
and will depend on the actual projects that are proposed by the CI and
approved by NOAA after the main CI award begins, the availability of
funding, the quality of the research, the satisfactory progress in
achieving the stated goals described in project proposals, and
continued relevance to program objectives.
Electronic Access: Applicants can access, download, and submit
electronic grant applications, including the full funding opportunity
announcement, for NOAA programs at the Grants.gov Web site: http://
www.grants.gov. The closing date will be the same as for the paper
submissions noted in this announcement. For applicants filing through
Grants.gov, NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until the
application deadline date to begin the application process through
Grants.gov. Registration may take up to 10 business days.
Proposals must include elements requested in the FFO announcement
on the grants.gov portal. If a hard copy application is submitted, NOAA
requests that the original and two unbound copies of the proposal be
included. Proposals, electronic or paper, should be no more than 75
pages (numbered) in length, excluding budget, investigators, vitae, and
all appendices. Federally mandated forms are not included within the
page count. Facsimile transmissions and electronic mail submission of
full proposals will not be accepted.
Authorities: 15 U.S.C. 313, 15 U.S.C. 1540; 15 U.S.C. 2901 et
seq., 16 U.S.C. 753a, 33 U.S.C. 1442, Stat. 71 (January 23, 2004).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 11.440, National
Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
Joint and Cooperative Institutes)
Eligibility: Eligibility is limited to non-Federal public and
private non-profit universities, colleges and research institutions
that offer accredited graduate level degree-granting programs in NOAA-
related sciences. The lead institution applying for the award is where
the CI will be established.
Cost Sharing Requirements: To stress the collaborative nature and
investment of a CI by both NOAA and the research institution, cost
sharing is required. There is no minimum cost sharing requirement;
however, the amount of cost sharing will be considered when determining
the level of the CI's commitment under NOAA's standard evaluation
criteria for overall qualifications of applicants. Acceptable cost-
sharing proposals include, but are not limited to, offering a reduced
indirect cost rate against activities in one or more Tasks, waiver of
any indirect costs assessed by the awardee on subawards, waiver of
indirect costs assessed against base funds and/or Task I activities,
waiver or reduction of any costs associated with the use of facilities
at the CI, and full or partial salary funding for the CI director,
administrative staff, graduate students, visiting scientists, or
postdoctoral scientists.
Evaluation Criteria and Review and Selection Procedures: The
general evaluation criteria and selection factors that apply to full
applications to this funding opportunity are summarized below. The
evaluation criteria for full applications will have different weights
and details. Further information about the evaluation criteria and
selection factors can be found in the official full Federal Funding
Opportunity announcement which is only available through the Grants.gov
Web site (http://www.grants.gov).
Evaluation Criteria for Projects: Proposals will be evaluated using
the standard NOAA evaluation criteria. Various questions under each
criterion are provided to ensure that the applicant includes
information that NOAA will consider important during the evaluation, in
addition to any other information provided by the applicant.
1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed
project to the program goals (25 percent): This criterion ascertains
whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance
to NOAA, Federal, regional, State, or local activities.
Does the proposal include research goals and projects that
address the critical issues identified in NOAA's 5-year Research Plan,
NOAA's Strategic Plan, and program priorities (see Section I.B. of the
full funding opportunity announcement)?
Is there a demonstrated commitment (in terms of resources
and facilities) to enhance existing NOAA and CI resources to foster a
long-term collaborative research environment/culture?
Is there a strong education program with established
graduate degree programs in NOAA-related sciences that also encourage
student participation in NOAA-related research studies?
Does the proposal include plans for working closely with
NOAA's Advanced Satellite Products Branch (currently located in
Madison, Wisconsin) before, during, and after the Branch's transition
to the new CI?
2. Technical/scientific merit (30 percent): This criterion assesses
whether the approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the
methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and
objectives.
Does the project description include a summary of clearly
stated goals to be achieved during the five year period that reflect
NOAA's strategic plan and goals?
Does the CI involve partnerships with other universities
or research institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions and
universities that can contribute to the proposed activities of the CI?
3. Overall qualifications of applicants (30 percent): This
criterion ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary
education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative
resources to accomplish the project.
If the institution(s) and/or principal investigators have
received current or recent NOAA funding, is there a demonstrated record
of outstanding performance working with NOAA and/or NOAA scientists on
research projects?
Is there nationally and/or internationally recognized
expertise within the appropriate disciplines needed to conduct the
collaborative/interdisciplinary research described in the proposal?
Is there a well-developed business plan that includes
fiscal and human resource management, as well as strategic planning and
accountability?
Are there any unique capabilities in a mission-critical
area of research for NOAA?
Has the applicant shown a substantial investment to the
NOAA partnership, as demonstrated by the amount of the cost sharing
contribution?
4. Project costs (5 percent): The budget is evaluated to determine
if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-
frame.
5. Outreach and education (10 percent): NOAA assesses whether this
project provides a focused and effective education and outreach
strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural
resources.
Review and Selection Process: An initial administrative review/
screening is conducted to determine compliance with requirements/
completeness. All
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proposals will be evaluated and individually ranked in accordance with
the assigned weights of the above-listed evaluation criteria by an
independent peer review panel. At least three experts, who may be
Federal or non-Federal, will be used in this process. If non-Federal
experts participate in the review process, each expert will submit an
individual review and there will be no consensus opinion. The merit
reviewers' ratings are used to produce a rank order of the proposals.
The Selecting Official selects proposals after considering the peer
reviews and selection factors listed below. In making the final
selections, the Selecting Official will award in rank order unless the
proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one
or more of the selection factors. The Selecting Official makes the
final award recommendation to the Grants Officer authorized to obligate
funds.
Selection Factors: The merit review ratings shall provide a rank
order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. The
Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is
justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of
the following factors:
1. Availability of funding.
2. Balance/distribution of funds:
(a) Geographically;
(b) By type of institutions;
(c) By type of partners;
(d) By research areas;
(e) By project types.
3. Whether this project duplicates other projects funded or
considered for funding by NOAA or other Federal agencies.
4. Program priorities and policy factors.
5. Applicant's prior award performance.
6. Partnerships and/or participation of targeted groups.
7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) determination and draft
necessary documentation before recommendations for funding are made to
the Grants Officer.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.''
Limitation of Liability: In no event will NOAA or the Department of
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if these
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other
agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige
NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). NOAA must analyze the potential environmental
impacts, as required by 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 NOAA NEPA Web site,
http://www.nepa.noaa.gov, including our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6
for NEPA, http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/%7Eames/NAOs/Chap_216/
naos_216_6.html, and the Council on Environmental Quality
implementation regulations, http://www.nepa.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.
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 February 11, 2008 (73 FR
7696), 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, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL has been approved
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective
control numbers 4040-004, 4040-006, 0348-0040, and 0348-0046.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to,
nor shall a 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 requirements
for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been
prepared.
Mary E. Kicza,
Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services.
[FR Doc. E9-28419 Filed 11-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-HR-P