[Federal Register: June 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 108)]
[Notices]
[Page 38644-38648]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jn02-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No 000202023-2049-03 I.D 041502E]
Announcement of Funding Opportunity to Submit Proposals for the
Coastal Ecosystem Research Project in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean
Program (CSCOR/COP), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability for financial assistance for
project grants and cooperative agreements.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that CSCOR/
COP is soliciting proposals to support 1 to 3 year studies of coastal
ecosystem research related to hypoxia over the Louisiana continental
shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Funding is contingent upon the
availability of Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that projects
funded under this announcement will have a May 1, 2003 start date.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of proposals at the CSCOR/COP office is
3 p.m., local time September 17,2002.
(Note that late-arriving applications provided to a delivery
service on or before September 16,2002 with delivery guaranteed before
3 p.m., local time on September 17,2002, will be accepted for review if
the applicant can document that the application was provided to the
delivery service with delivery to the address listed below guaranteed
prior to the specified closing date and time, and, in any event, the
proposals are received in the CSCOR/COP office by 3 p.m., local time,
no later than 2 business days following the closing date.)
ADDRESSES: Submit the original and 15 copies of your proposal to Center
for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program (N/SCI2),
SSMC-4, 8th Floor, Station 8243, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910, attn. N-GOMEX 2002.
NOAA and Standard Form Applications with instructions are
accessible on the following CSCOR/COP Internet Site: http://
www.cop.noaa.gov under the COP Grants Information Section, Part D,
Application Forms for Initial Proposal Submission.
Forms may be viewed and, in most cases, filled in by computer. All
forms must be printed, completed, and mailed to CSCOR/COP with original
signatures.
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If you are unable to access this information, you may call CSCOR/COP
at 301-713-3338 to leave a mailing request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical Information. Dr. Kenric
Osgood, N-GOMEX 2002 Program Manager, CSCOR/COP, 301-713-3338/ext 163,
Internet: Kenric.Osgood@noaa.gov.
Business Management Information. Leslie McDonald, CSCOR/COP Grants
Administrator, 301-713-3338/ext 155, Internet: Leslie.McDonald@noaa.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
The following web sites furnish results of studies concerning the
periodic hypoxia associated with the northern Gulf of Mexico: http://
www.cop.noaa.gov/pubs/das/das14.html, for results from the Nutrient
Enhanced Coastal Ocean Productivity (NECOP) study, and; http://
www.nos.noaa.gov/Products/pubs--hypox.html for Gulf of Mexico hypoxia
reports produced by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
(CENR). Hard copies of these reports can be obtained from the CSCOR/COP
office. The Action Plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling
hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico that resulted from the CENR
reports is available at: http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/planintro.htm
A general description of ongoing work in the northern Gulf of
Mexico funded by the CSCOR/COP is provided at: http://www.cop.noaa.gov/
Fact--Sheets/NGOMEX.htm A listing of the individual ongoing projects
funded by the CSCOR/COP is provided at http://www.cop.noaa.gov/
projects/GoMex/abstract-links.htm
University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Ship
Time Request Form is available in electronic format at: http://
www.gso.uri.edu/unols/ship/shiptime.html. UNOLS' vessel requirements
are identified later in this document under Part I: Schedule and
Proposal Submission, (7) Budget of this document.
Background
Program Description
For complete program description and other requirements criteria
for the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean
Program, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and Conditions
annual notification in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019, December 4,
2001) and at the CSCOR/COP home page.
Coastal regions dominated by large rivers are disproportionately
important to the biological production of the world's oceans primarily
because these rivers carry large amounts of ``new'' nitrogen. The
Northern Gulf of Mexico coastal ecosystem, which is influenced by the
Mississippi River, supports high primary and secondary production and
is an important river-dominated ecosystem. Approximately 20 percent of
the U.S. commercial fishery landings, by dollar value, are from the
northern Gulf. Major recreational fisheries also exist in this region.
There is a strong relationship between riverine inputs (especially
nutrients) and primary production, followed in turn by zooplankton
production and fish production in a classic nutrient-phytoplankton-
zooplankton-fish (NPZF) food web. Because anthropogenic nitrogen
loadings from the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico have
increased dramatically during the past several decades, many changes in
the ecosystem of the northern Gulf have occurred, including (1) an
initial increase in overall biological production, (2) the annual
development of an extensive zone of bottom water hypoxia during the
summer stratified period; and (3) an apparent shift from a balanced
pelagic/demersal fish community to one significantly more dominated by
pelagic fisheries.
Several past and present programs have studied the seasonal hypoxia
associated with the northern Gulf of Mexico. Notably, from 1990 to
1997, the CSCOR/COP supported a study on Nutrient Enhanced Coastal
Ocean Productivity (NECOP), and the Committee on Environment and
Natural Resources (CENR) recently completed an integrated assessment of
Gulf of Mexico hypoxia. Results and reports of these studies can be
found on the web sites or obtained from CSCOR/COP as listed under
``Electronic Access'' of this document.
This solicitation for proposals will augment the existing program
which was started in fiscal year 2000 and expanded in 2001, to examine
the inter-relationships driving the Mississippi River-dominated Gulf of
Mexico ecosystem. Abstracts of ongoing studies funded by CSCOR/COP in
the northern Gulf of Mexico are available on the CSCOR/COP internet
site that is provided in this document under ``Electronic Access'' of
this document. All ongoing studies are scheduled to end by September
2003. The planned suite of studies will enable improved predictions
about future effects of nutrient loading, eutrophication, hypoxia, and
climate change on the northern Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
The underlying goal of the entire program is to develop a
predictive capability for the physical, chemical, and biological
components of the Louisiana continental shelf ecosystem. In particular,
it is desirable to obtain the ability to input different possible
physical forcing and nutrient loading scenarios into a predictive model
for the region in order to predict the effects on the oxygen
concentrations and the biological system, including the effects on
economically and ecologically important species. CSCOR/COP's intent is
to provide timely and high-quality scientific results that can be used
in an adaptive management program to restore and protect the Louisiana
continental shelf ecosystem. The results of the funded research
proposals should be useful to resource managers by helping them make
informed decisions and assess alternative management strategies. This
solicitation for proposals is one more step in the development of this
predictive capability.
Research Priorities
This announcement seeks proposals to conduct research focused on
understanding the causes and effects of the hypoxic zone over the
Louisiana continental shelf and the prediction of its future extent and
impacts. At this time, top priorities for the CSCOR/COP research
program include (1) modeling studies for the region of the northern
Gulf of Mexico affected by seasonal hypoxia centered over the Louisiana
continental shelf, and (2) observational studies necessary to support
the modeling studies.
Modeling studies are requested that extend beyond prior modeling
efforts for the region of the northern Gulf of Mexico affected by
seasonal hypoxia. This could include a natural evolution from
empirically based statistical models, to process-oriented modeling
studies, to a predictive modeling capability. Models of particular
interest include the following: Models of oceanographic and climate
influences on water column stability and nutrient flux; the impacts of
the combination of these factors on productivity, trophic response and
hypoxic zone dynamics; and the ultimate impacts to, and responses of,
commercially and recreationally important fisheries. Individual studies
may model one or more of these portions of the desired whole, but the
models must be designed so that they can be combined with other
components to form an efficient, integrative whole.
[[Page 38646]]
Observational studies are requested in support of the modeling
studies. Physical, chemical, and biological observational studies are
needed to provide (1) data for the boundary conditions of the models,
(2) the process rate information needed by the models, and (3)
validation data for the models. It is expected that the data/results
acquired through the observational studies will be made available for
assimilation into models being developed for the region and would
thereby play an important role in their future development.
Observational studies could include shipboard surveys, mooring
observations, drifters, analysis of regional satellite data and in situ
or laboratory rate measurements/experiments.
Part I: Schedule and Proposal Submission
This document requests full proposals only. The provisions for
proposal preparation provided here are mandatory. Proposals received
after the published deadline or proposals that deviate from the
prescribed format will be returned to the sender without further
consideration. Information regarding this announcement, additional
background information, and required Federal forms are available on the
CSCOR/COP home page.
Full Proposals
Applications submitted in response to this announcement require an
original proposal and 15 proposal copies at time of submission. This
includes color or high-resolution graphics, unusually sized materials,
or otherwise unusual materials submitted as part of the proposal. For
color graphics, submit either color originals or color copies. The
stated requirements for the number of proposal copies provide for a
timely review process. Facsimile transmissions and electronic mail
submissions will not be accepted.
Required Elements
All recipients must follow the instructions in the preparation of
the CSCOR/COP application forms included under Part II: Further
Supplementary Information, (10) Application forms and kit of this
document. Each proposal must also include the following ten elements or
will be returned to sender without further consideration:
(1) Standard Form 424. At time of proposal submission, all
applicants anticipating direct funding shall submit the Standard Form,
SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' to indicate the total
amount of funding proposed for the whole project period. This form is
to be the cover page for the original proposal and all requested
copies. Multi-institutional proposals must include signed SF-424 forms
from all institutions requesting funding.
(2) Signed Summary title page. The title page should be signed by
the Principal Investigator (PI). The Summary title page identifies the
project's title, starting with the acronym: N-GOMEX 2002, a short title
(less than 50 characters), and the PI's name and affiliation, complete
address, phone, FAX and E-mail information. The requested budget for
each fiscal year should be included on the Summary title page. Multi-
investigator proposals must include the names and affiliations of each
investigator on the title page. Multi-institution proposals must also
identify the lead investigator from each institution and the requested
funding for each fiscal year for each institution on the title page,
but no signatures are required on the title page from the additional
institutions. Lead investigator and separate budget information is not
requested on the title page for institutions that are proposed to
receive funds through a subcontract to the lead institution; however,
the COP Summary Proposal Budget Form and accompanying budget
justification must be submitted for each subcontractor. For further
details on budget information, please see Section (7) Budget of this
Part.
(3) One-page abstract/project summary. The Project Summary
(Abstract) Form, which is to be submitted at time of application, shall
include an introduction of the problem, rationale, scientific
objectives and/or hypotheses to be tested, and a brief summary of work
to be completed. The prescribed CSCOR/COP format for the Project
Summary Form can be found on the CSCOR/COP Internet site under the
Grants Information section, Part D.
The summary should appear on a separate page, headed by the
proposal title, institution(s), investigator(s), total proposed cost
and budget period. It should be written in the third person. The
summary is used to help compare proposals quickly and allows the
respondents to summarize these key points in their own words.
(4) Statement of work/project description. The proposed project
must be completely described, including identification of the problem,
scientific objectives, proposed methodology, and relevance to the
program goals and objectives. The project description section
(including relevant results from prior support) should not exceed 15
pages. Page limits are inclusive of figures and other visual materials,
but exclusive of references and milestone chart.
This section should clearly identify project management with a
description of the functions of each PI within a team. It should
provide a full scientific justification for the research. Do not simply
reiterate justifications presented in this document. It should also
include:
(a) The objective for the period of proposed work and its expected
significance;
(b) The relation to the present state of knowledge in the field and
the relation to previous work and work in progress by the proposing
principal investigator(s);
(c) A discussion of how the proposed project lends value to the
program goal;
(d) Potential coordination with other investigators.
(5) References cited. Reference information is required. Each
reference must include the names of all authors in the same sequence in
which they appear in the publications, the article title, volume
number, page numbers and year of publications. While there is no
established page limitation, this section should include bibliographic
citations only and should not be used to provide parenthetical
information outside the 15-page project description.
(6) Milestone chart. Provide time lines of major tasks covering the
duration of the proposed project.
(7) Budget. At time of proposal submission, all applicants are
required to submit a COP Summary Proposal Budget Form for each fiscal
year increment. Multi-institution proposals must include a COP Summary
Proposal Budget Form for each institution, and multi-investigator
proposals using a lead investigator with a subcontract's approach must
submit a COP Summary Proposal Budget Form for each subcontractor.
Each subcontract or subgrant should be listed as a separate item.
Describe products/services to be obtained and indicate the
applicability or necessity of each to the project. Provide separate
budgets for each subgrant or contract regardless of the dollar value
and indicate the basis for the cost estimates. List all subgrant or
contract costs under line item number 5 - Subcontracts on the COP
Summary Proposal Budget Form.
The use of this budget form will provide for a detailed annual
budget and for the level of detail required by the CSCOR/COP program
staff to evaluate the effort to be invested by investigators and staff
on a specific project. The COP budget form is compatible with forms in
use by other agencies that participate in joint projects
[[Page 38647]]
with CSCOR/COP and can be found on the CSCOR/COP home page under the
COP Grants Information section, Part D.
All applications must include a budget narrative and a
justification to support all proposed budget categories. The SF-424A,
Budget Information (Non-Construction) Form, will be requested only from
those applicants subsequently recommended for award.
Ship time needs should be clearly identified in the proposed
budget. The investigator is responsible for requesting ship time and
for meeting all requirements to ensure the availability of requested
ship time. Copies of relevant ship time request forms should be
included with the proposal. For example, the UNOLS Ship Time Request
Form is available at the website cited earlier in this document under
the section ``Electronic Access.''
(8) Biographical sketch. All principal and co-investigators must
provide summaries of up to 2 pages that include the following:
(a) A listing of professional and academic essentials and mailing
address;
(b) A list of up to five publications most closely related to the
proposed project and five other significant publications. Additional
lists of publications, lectures, and the rest should not be included;
(c) A list of all persons (including their organizational
affiliation) in alphabetical order, with whom the investigator has
collaborated on a project or publication within the last 48 months,
including collaborators on the proposal and persons listed in the
publications. If no collaborators exist, this should be so indicated;
(d) A list of persons (including their organizational affiliation)
with whom the individual has had an association like thesis advisor or
postdoctoral scholar sponsor;
(e) A list of the names and institutions of the individual's own
graduate and postgraduate advisors.
The material presented in (c, d, and e) is used to assist in
identifying potential conflicts or bias in the selection of reviewers.
(9) Current and pending support. Describe all current and pending
financial/funding support for all principal and co-investigators,
including subsequent funding in the case of continuing grants. All
current support from whatever source (e.g., Federal, state or local
government agencies, private foundations, industrial or other
commercial organizations) must be listed. The proposed project and all
other projects or activities requiring a portion of time of the
principal investigator or co-investigators should be included, even if
they receive no salary support from the projects. The total award
amount for the entire award period covered (including indirect costs)
should be shown as well as the number of person-months per year to be
devoted to the project, regardless of source of support.
(10) Proposal format and assembly. The original proposal should be
clamped in the upper left-hand corner, but left individually unbound.
The 15 additional copies can be stapled in the upper left-hand corner
or bound on the left edge. The page margin must be 1 inch (2.5 cm) at
the top, bottom, left and right, and the typeface standard 12-point
size must be clear and easily legible. Proposals should be single
spaced.
Part II: Further Supplementary Information
(1) Program authorities. For a list of all program authorities for
the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program,
see the General Grant Administration Terms and Conditions of the
Coastal Ocean Program published in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019,
December 4, 2001) and at the CSCOR/COP home page. Specific Authority
cited for this announcement is 33 U.S.C. 1442.
(2) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number. The CFDA
number for the Coastal Ocean Program is 11.478.
(3) Program description. For complete CSCOR/COP program
descriptions, see the General Grant Administration Terms and Conditions
of the Coastal Ocean Program published in the Federal Register (66 FR
63019, December 4, 2001).
(4) Funding availability. Funding is contingent upon availability
of Federal appropriations. Approximately $3,000,000 will be available
for supporting studies proposed by submissions to this announcement
during the first year, and approximately $2,000,000 during the second
and third years. It is estimated that seven to fifteen awards will be
made as a result of this announcement.
If an application is selected for funding, NOAA has no obligation
to provide any additional prospective funding in connection with that
award in subsequent years. Continuation of an award to increase funding
or to extend the period of performance is based on satisfactory
performance and is at the total discretion of the funding agency.
Publication of this notice does not obligate any agency to any
specific award or to obligate any part of the entire amount of funds
available. Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws
and agency policies, regulations and procedures applicable to Federal
financial assistance awards.
(5) Matching requirements. None.
(6) Type of funding instrument. Project Grants for non-Federal
applicants, interagency transfer agreements, or any other appropriate
mechanisms other than project grants or cooperative agreements for
Federal applicants.
(7) Eligibility criteria: For complete eligibility criteria for the
CSCOR/COP, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and
Conditions annual document in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019
December 4, 2001) and the CSCOR/COP home page. Eligible applicants are
institutions of higher education, not-for-profit institutions, state,
local and Indian tribal governments, and Federal agencies. CSCOR/COP
will accept proposals that include foreign researchers as collaborators
with a researcher who is affiliated with a U.S. academic institution,
Federal agency, or with any other non-profit organization.
Applications from non-Federal and Federal applicants will be
competed against each other. Proposals selected for funding from non-
Federal applicants will be funded through a project grant or
cooperative agreement under the terms of this notice. Proposals
selected for funding from NOAA employees shall be effected by an intra-
agency fund transfer. Proposals selected for funding from employees of
a non-NOAA Federal agency will be funded through an inter-agency
transfer.
Note: Before non-NOAA Federal applicants may be funded, they must
demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive funds from
another Federal agency in excess of their appropriation. Because this
announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services from
applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate
legal basis.
(8) Award period. Full Proposals can cover a project period from 1
to 3 years. Multi-year project period funding may be funded
incrementally on an annual basis, but, once awarded, multi-year
projects will not compete for funding in subsequent years. Each annual
award shall require an Implementation Plan and statement of work that
can be easily divided into annual increments of meaningful work
representing solid accomplishments in the event that prospective
funding is not made available, or is discontinued.
(9) Indirect costs. Regardless of any approved indirect cost rate
applicable to
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the award, the maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for
which DOC will reimburse the recipient shall be the lesser of (a) the
line item amount for the Federal share of indirect costs contained in
the approved budget of the award or (b) the Federal share of the total
allocable indirect costs of the award based on the indirect cost rate
approved by a cognizant or oversight Federal agency and current at the
time the cost was incurred, provided the rate is approved on or before
the award end date.
(10) Application forms and kit. For complete information on
application forms for the CSCOR/COP, see the COP General Grant
Administration Terms and Conditions annual Document in the Federal
Register (66 FR 63019, December 4, 2001) at the CSCOR/COP home page,
and the information given under Required Elements,(6) Budget of this
Part.
(11) Project funding priorities. For description of project funding
priorities, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and
Conditions annual notification in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019,
December 4, 2001) and at the CSCOR/COP home page.
(l2) Evaluation criteria. For complete information on evaluation
criteria, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and Conditions
annual Document in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019, December 4, 2001)
and at the CSCOR/COP home page.
(13) Selection procedures. For complete information on selection
procedures, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and
Conditions annual Document in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019,
December 4, 2001) and at the CSCOR/COP home page. All proposals
received under this specific Document will be evaluated and ranked
individually in accordance with the assigned weights of the above
evaluation criteria by independent peer mail review and/or panel
review.
(14) Other requirements. (a) For a complete description of other
requirements, see the COP General Grant Administration Terms and
Conditions annual Document in the Federal Register (66 FR 63019,
December 4, 2001) and at the CSCOR/COP home page. NOAA has specific
requirements that environmental data be submitted to the National
Oceanographic Data Center (see section 16 below).
(b) The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements
for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
(66 FR 49917, October 1, 2001) are applicable to this solicitation.
However, please note that the Department of Commerce will not implement
the requirements of Executive Order 13202 (66 FR 49921), pursuant to
guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget in light of a
court opinion which found that the Executive Order was not legally
authorized. See Building and Construction Trades Department v.
Allbaugh, 172 F. Supp. 2d 138 (D.D.C. 2001). This decision is currently
on appeal. When the case has been finally resolved, the Department will
provide further information on implementation of Executive Order 13202.
(c) Please note that NOAA is developing a policy on internal
overhead charges; NOAA scientists considering submission of proposals
should contact the appropriate CSCOR/COP Program Manager for the latest
information.
(15) Intergovernmental review. Applications under this program are
not subject to Executive Order l2372, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.'' It has been determined that this notice is not
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(a)(2), an opportunity for public notice and comment is not required
for this notice relating to grants, benefits, and contracts. Because
this notice is exempt from the notice and comment provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not
required, and none has been prepared. It has been determined that this
notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as that
term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
(16) Data archiving. Any data collected in projects supported by
CSCOR/COP must be delivered to a National Data Center (NDC), such as
the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), in a format to be
determined by the institution, the NODC, and the Program Officer. It is
the responsibility of the institution for the delivery of these data;
the DOC will not provide additional support for delivery beyond the
award. Additionally, all biological cultures established, molecular
probes developed, genetic sequences identified, mathematical models
constructed, or other resulting information products established
through support provided by CSCOR/COP are encouraged to be made
available to the general research community at no or modest handling
charge (to be determined by the institution, Program Officer, and DOC).
(17) This notification involves collection-of-information
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The use of
Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL has been approved by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control numbers 0348-0043,
0348-0044, 0348-0040 and 0348-0046.
The following requirements have been approved by OMB under control
number 0648-0384: a Summary Proposal Budget Form (30 minutes per
response), a Project Summary Form (30 minutes per response), a
standardized format for the Annual Performance Report (5 hours per
response), a standardized format for the Final Report (10 hours per
response) and the submission of up to 20 copies of proposals (10
minutes per response). The response estimates include the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate
or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to Leslie.McDonald@noaa.gov.
Copies of these forms and formats can be found on the CSCOR/COP home
page under Grants Information sections, Parts D and F.
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 Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a
currently valid OMB control number
Dated: May 22, 2002.
Jamison S. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-14069 Filed 6-4-02; 8:45 am]
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