Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity

NOAA Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals for ocean exploration-related projects under three themes. By supporting exploration, i.e., discovery through disciplined, diverse observations, NOAA Ocean Exploration seeks to advance our basic understanding of waters under U.S. jurisdiction. Projects under the ocean exploration and discovery and technology themes are restricted to waters under U.S. jurisdiction and should support national priorities such as those in the Strategic Priorities for Ocean Exploration and Characterization of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NOMEC_OEC_Priorities_Report.pdf) developed per the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (https://www.noaa.gov/nomec). Projects under the maritime heritage theme are not restricted to waters under U.S. jurisdiction. All projects should support at least one of NOAA’s science and technology priorities of uncrewed systems, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, ’omics, data, and citizen science (https://sciencecouncil.noaa.gov/NOAA-Science-Technology-Focus-Areas). For Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) funding, NOAA Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals focused on any one of the following three themes: OCEAN EXPLORATION and DISCOVERY: Proposals should be in support of the NOAA Ocean Exploration mission to explore unknown or poorly known ocean areas, processes, and resources in waters deeper than 200 meters. Thus, NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in exploration of physical, chemical, and biological environments and processes within the oceanic water column in these deep waters. However, proposals for projects in shallower waters will be considered if they focus on exploration of tropical mesophotic environments. All proposals should be for work within waters under U.S. jurisdiction and describe how the work will address the thematic and geographic priorities for ocean exploration in the Strategic Priorities for Ocean Exploration and Characterization of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone.TECHNOLOGY: Proposals should feature application of new or novel use of existing ocean technologies or innovative methods that could increase the scope and efficiency of acquiring ocean exploration data and expanding its availability and use. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in proposals for technologies that are platform agnostic (work across multiple platforms) and/or address novel methods (for example machine learning and artificial intelligence) to analyze existing publicly accessible large datasets. Proposed ocean technologies must be applicable to water depths of 200 meters or greater, preferably full-ocean depth (testing in shallower water or lab-based testing is acceptable), address at least one of the defined ocean exploration variables as referenced in the “Exploration Variables Identified by NOAA Ocean Exploration” technical memorandum (https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/29495), and describe how the work will address the thematic and geographic priorities for ocean exploration in the Strategic Priorities for Ocean Exploration and Characterization of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone.MARITIME HERITAGE: Proposals should address exploration and discovery of significant maritime heritage resources that improve archaeological knowledge and inform decisions concerning preservation, management, and potential seafloor use. Maritime heritage projects can be conducted in any water depth, can focus on prehistoric and historic-period subjects, and are not restricted to waters under U.S. jurisdiction. Data products must benefit other academic and resource management disciplines. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in proposals that include the use of innovative and advanced technology and methodology. Informational documents about this funding opportunity are on the NOAA Ocean Exploration website (https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/funding-opps/welcome.html).For the purpose of this funding opportunity, costs for ship time and/or other ocean data collection platforms (e.g., remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, etc.) are considered rental costs and therefore are not included in the modified total direct cost. The exception is for organizations with a federal negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that covers these charges.All links were valid as of announcement publication date. If updated links are needed, email oer.nofo2024@noaa.gov.The following lists are provided to aid in preparing pre-proposals and full proposals.Pre-Proposals (due May 30, 2023 at 4:59 p.m. ET) - NOAA Ocean Exploration notice of funding opportunity cover sheet - Pre-proposal narrative, maximum 2 pages - Demographic informationAll applicants should submit proposals to oer.nofo2024@noaa.gov.Full Proposals (due October 5, 2023 at 11:59 pm ET) - Updated NOAA Ocean Exploration notice of funding opportunity cover sheet - Executive summary, maximum 1 page - Project narrative, maximum 15 pages - Data and information sharing plan, maximum 2 pages - Outreach and education plan, maximum 1 page - Statement of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), maximum 1 page - Previous significant results - Summary of current funding support for each principal and co-principal investigator - Curriculum vitae, maximum 2 pages for each principal investigator and co-principal investigator - Budget justification and budget tables - Negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable) - National Environmental Policy (NEPA) questionnaire - Letters of support (optional, e.g. from ship time operators) - Letter from state historic preservation office (SHPO) staff describing the project’s potential to affect historic resources (if applicable) - Details about coordination with the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), maximum 1 page (only applicable if the lead principal investigator is a federal employee) - Forms (for nonfederal applicants only): o Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) o Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) o Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) o Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) o Certification Regarding Lobbying (CD511) - Suggested reviewers (optional)Nonfederal applicants must submit all documents required for a full proposal individually through Grants.gov.Federal applicants must email full proposals to oer.nofo2024@noaa.gov.
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