[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19403-19415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9683]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No.: 011113275-2038-03; I.D. 030602B]
RIN 0648-ZB11


Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program Fiscal Year 2002 Funding 
Guidance

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Federal assistance for coral reef 
conservation activities.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The purpose of this document is to advise the public that the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting 
proposals for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program (Program), 
pursuant to the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (Act). The Act 
authorizes the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), through the NOAA 
Administrator (Administrator) and subject to the availability of funds, 
to provide matching grants of financial assistance for coral reef 
conservation projects under the Program. This document provides the 
specific Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Funding Guidance (Guidance) necessary to 
award $5,500,000, of which NOAA is providing $5,150,000 and the 
Department of Interior is providing $350,000 in Federal assistance, 
consistent with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program 
Implementation Guidelines (Guidelines), published concurrently with 
this Guidance. The Proposed Guidelines were published in the Federal 
Register for public comment on December 10, 2001. The information 
published in this Guidance includes: specific program eligibility 
criteria, available funding, proposal submission and selection dates, 
and detailed application requirements and proposal evaluation criteria. 
All applications submitted pursuant to this notice must be consistent 
with the requirements stated herein and in the Guidelines, and be 
consistent with the National Coral Reef Action Strategy (Strategy). 
NOAA is in the final stages of completing the Strategy, in consultation 
with the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF), as required 
under the Act. The purpose of the Strategy is to provide an 
implementation plan to advance coral reef conservation, including a 
basis for funding allocations to be made under the Program. Upon final 
completion of the Strategy, NOAA will publish notice of the 
Availability of the Strategy in the Federal Register and at: 
www.coralreef.noaa.gov/. Until such notice is provided, NOAA and 
applicants for coral reef grant funds provided under this notice shall 
use the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (National Action 
Plan), dated March 2, 2000, in place of the Strategy. The Strategy and 
the National Action Plan share the same basic goals and objectives, 
thereby ensuring that the National Action Plan can provide sufficient 
guidance for the development and review of grant applications pursuant 
to this notice. The National Action Plan can be found at: http://coralreef.gov/. Applicants may also request copies of the National 
Action Plan from the contacts listed below.

DATES: Effective April 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send all proposals to: David Kennedy, NOAA Coral Program 
Coordinator, Office of Response and Restoration, N/ORR, Room 10102, 
NOAA National Ocean Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910, Fax: 301-713-4389. Only written proposals will be accepted, no 
electronic mail applications will be accepted. Envelopes or faxes 
should be sent to the attention of one of the following proposal 
categories, as appropriate: State and Territory Coral Reef Management; 
Coral Reef Monitoring and Research; General Coral Reef Conservation; 
Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management Plans; and 
International Coral Reef Conservation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
telephone and e-mail addresses of contacts for this program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contacts for Specific Information

    Administrative questions should be directed to Bill Millhouser, 
301-713-3155, extension 189 or e-mail at [email protected].
    Technical point of contact for State and Territory Coral Reef 
Management is Bill Millhouser, 301-713-3155, extension 189 or e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Technical point of contact for State and Territory Coral Reef 
Monitoring and Research is Ruth Kelty, 301-713-3020, extension 133 or 
e-mail at [email protected].
    Technical point of contact for General Coral Reef Conservation is 
Tom Hourigan, 301-713-2319, extension 121 or e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Technical point of contact for Projects to Improve or Amend Coral 
Reef Fishery Management Plans is Tom Hourigan, 301-713-2319, extension 
121 or e-mail at [email protected].
    Technical point of contact for International Coral Reef 
Conservation is Arthur Paterson, 301-713-3078, extension 217 or e-mail 
at [email protected].
    NOAA announces the availability of $5,500,000 of Federal assistance 
in FY 2002 for Coral Conservation Activities. NOAA is providing 
$5,150,000 and the Department of Interior (DOI) is providing $350,000. 
These funds will be used to support the following six program areas: 
State and Territory Coral Reef Management; State and Territory Coral 
Reef Monitoring; State and Territory Research to support monitoring 
technologies; General Coral Reef Conservation; Projects to Improve or 
Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management Plans; and International Coral Reef 
Conservation. The amount of funds available, and the application 
requirements for each program area are defined in Sections IV-IX of 
this notice. Selected recipients will enter into either a cooperative 
agreement with the NOAA Office responsible for the program or receive a 
grant depending upon the amount of NOAA's involvement in the project. 
Substantial involvement means a cooperative agreement, while 
independent work requires a grant.
    All applicants are required to submit a Federal financial 
assistance awards package and proposal write-up as described in the 
relevant program section below. The financial assistance awards package 
(which includes forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, CD-511, CD-512, and SF-
LLL) can be obtained from the NOAA grants Website at http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/grants/pdf. For each proposal submitted, applicants 
are required to prepare one original and two

[[Page 19404]]

signed copies for each application package.
    The number of awards made under this Program as a result of this 
solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications 
received, the amount of funds requested by eligible applicants, the 
merit review and ranking of the proposals, the application of the 
geographic and biological diversity requirements of 16 U.S.C. 6403(d), 
and how well the proposal satisfied the criteria in 16 U.S.C. 6403(g). 
As a result, awards may not necessarily be made to the highest scoring 
proposals. Successful applicants may be asked to revise award 
objectives, work plans, or budgets prior to final approval of an award. 
The exact amount of funds to be awarded, the final scope of activities, 
the project duration, and specific NOAA cooperative involvement with 
the activities of each project will be determined in pre-award 
negotiations among the applicant, the NOAA Grants Management Division 
(GMD), and the relevant NOAA staff. Projects should not be initiated in 
expectation of Federal funding until a notice of award document is 
received from the NOAA GMD. Publication of this document does not 
obligate NOAA to award any specific project or obligate all or any part 
of available funds.

I. Authority

    Statutory authority is provided under Section 6403 (Coral Reef 
Conservation Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 
U.S.C. 6403 et seq.). Each program's Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number can be found in the specific program 
information included below, Sections IV-IX.

II. General Background

    Rather than develop a new grant program under the Act, NOAA's 
approach to implementing this Program was to draw together existing 
financial assistance programs under the umbrella of the Program.

III. Application and Selection Schedule

    Applications must be received by NOAA before 5 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time on the dates specified below. Applicants should consider 
the delivery time when submitting their applications from international 
or remote areas. Selected proposals will receive funding no later than 
October 1, 2002. The following review and selection timetable applies 
to all proposals under the Program:
    Applications due to NOAA--May 24, 2002
    NOAA returns proposal comments and notice of intent to fund to 
applicants--June 28, 2002
    Final Applications due to NOAA--July 19, 2002
    The NOAA Grants Officer or the Program Officer for each grant 
program, as appropriate, will provide each applicant with written 
notice of the final funding decision on or before September 30, 2002.

IV. State and Territory Coral Reef Management

A. Program Description

    This description provides requirements for applying for funding 
appropriated by Congress to NOAA and DOI in FY 2002 to support 
comprehensive programs for the conservation and management of coral 
reefs and associated fisheries in the jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, the 
U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Florida, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa.
    NOAA's National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 
Management (OCRM) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office 
of Habitat Conservation (OHC), and DOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) 
are jointly providing approximately $2,100,000 in funding for 
cooperative agreements to support state and territorial coral reef and 
coral reef fishery management and conservation activities as listed in 
E(2) below.
    Each jurisdiction need only develop and submit one comprehensive 
coral reef management application for the funds available under this 
section. The Federal agencies will coordinate their reviews of each 
application to ensure comparability and continuity. It is anticipated 
that OCRM will make awards to four of the seven jurisdictions and that 
DOI/OIA will make awards to the remaining three jurisdictions.

B. Eligibility Criteria

    The eligible applicants are the governor-appointed point of contact 
agencies for coral reef activities in each of the jurisdictions of 
American Samoa, Florida, CNMI, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and USVI. To 
be eligible for FY 2002 funding, the jurisdiction must have made 
reasonable progress in completing tasks under applicable FY 2000 and FY 
2001 coral management awards, as evidenced in the required performance 
and financial reports.

C. Funding Availability and Mechanism

1. Funding Available
    Approximately $2,100,000 in FY 2002 funding is available for Coral 
Reef and Coral Reef Fishery Management cooperative agreements. Support 
in out years after FY 2002 is contingent upon the availability of funds 
and the requirements of the Federal agency supporting the project. Each 
jurisdiction is eligible to receive an award ranging from a minimum of 
$225,000 to a maximum of approximately $400,000.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Cooperative agreements will be awarded to each eligible 
jurisdiction. Proposals should cover a project period of 12 to 18 
months with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2002.

D. Matching Funds

    The requirements for matching funds under Section VIII of the 
Guidelines are applicable to funding available under this program. 
Specific information to be submitted in regard to matching funds can be 
found in the Proposal Content and Format Section below.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Proposal Content
    Applications should reflect the National Coral Reef Action 
Strategy, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force National Action Plan to 
Conserve Coral Reefs, and local strategies for coral reef management, 
such as the 1999, U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Initiative Strategy, as 
modified by the events and activities of the last 3 years. In addition, 
proposed activities should be coordinated, where appropriate, with 
ongoing and proposed NOAA coral reef mapping, monitoring, coastal zone 
and fishery management initiatives, and DOI Fish and Wildlife Service 
and National Park Service coral reef activities.
    In developing the application, state and territorial applicants 
must consult with all relevant governmental and non-governmental 
entities involved in coral reef activities in their respective 
jurisdictions. Those agencies consulted must include coastal zone 
management, water quality, and wildlife and/or marine resource 
agencies.
    Funding under this award is also intended to support jurisdictional 
participation in national coral reef planning activities, such as U.S. 
Coral Reef Task Force meetings. As such, applicants should include in 
their proposal, anticipated travel costs associated with attendance and 
participation at U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and other relevant meetings 
and conferences.

[[Page 19405]]

    Applicants may submit applications covering up to an 18-month 
period. Applicants must meet all applicable Department of Commerce 
(DOC) or DOI grant requirements, and submit, with the final application 
package, all required Federal financial assistance awards forms. One 
original and two signed copies of the complete application must be 
submitted by the applicant to NOAA by the indicated due date.
2. Proposal Format
    In developing the proposal, the applicant must organize proposed 
tasks into the following eleven (11) categories, which are based on 
those found in the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs:
    a. Coral Reef and Associated Coastal Management Activities 
Including Marine Protected Area Management and Development, e.g., tasks 
to forward the conservation and management of coral reefs through 
planning, designation, implementation and evaluation of marine 
protected areas; including personnel training, equipment procurement, 
signage, monitoring and enforcement, etc.,
    b. Mapping, Aerial Photography, and Digital/Satellite Imagery for 
Reef Conservation, e.g., developing benthic habitat maps or other 
Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers, etc., (such activities 
should be coordinated with the NOS coral mapping program),
    c. Monitoring and Assessment of Coral Reefs or Reef Resources, 
e.g., baseline characterizations of reef ecosystems, workshops to 
standardize methods, database system development, purchase of 
equipment, training, etc. (Note: most, if not all of proposed 
monitoring projects, should be funded under the National Centers for 
Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS) Coral Reef Monitoring grant program 
discussed in Section V. below),
    d. Targeted Research to Support Management, e.g., nutrient input 
modeling, coral recruitment studies, etc.,
    e. Socio-economic and Resource Valuation, e.g., economic 
valuations, alternative income generation workshops, etc.,
    f. Reducing Habitat Destruction, e.g., coastal zone management, 
vessel grounding prevention and management, mooring buoy installation, 
etc.,
    g. Reducing Pollution:
    (1) Oil-spill prevention and response, e.g., developing response 
plans, personnel training, interagency coordination, etc.;
    (2) Marine debris prevention and removal, e.g., developing 
prevention policies, collection and disposal of debris, etc.; and
    (3) Reducing impacts from land-based/watershed pollution source, 
e.g., Best Management Practices (BMP) planning and implementation, 
watershed restoration projects, etc.
    h. Invasive Alien Species Management, e.g., policy development, 
mitigation projects, etc.,
    i. Coral Reef Restoration, e.g., damage mitigation, coral 
transplantation, monitoring of restoration sites, etc.,
    j. Public Education and Outreach, e.g., brochures and other 
informational materials, public meetings and workshops, etc., and,
    k. Coral Reef Fisheries Management, in FY 2002, NMFS OHC has 
provided $350,000 of the total $2,100,000 to fund priority state and 
territorial coral reef fishery management activities. Proposed funding 
for coral reef fishery management tasks should range from $40,000 to 
$60,000 per jurisdiction, and should be budgeted within the 
jurisdiction's $225,000 to $400,000 comprehensive proposal. The mandate 
of NMFS is to build sustainable fisheries, recover protected species, 
and sustain healthy habitats for these species. These tasks should be 
developed in the same format as the other coral reef management tasks 
and included and submitted in the comprehensive application. Examples 
of eligible projects include:
    (1) Assessment and monitoring of fish and fishery resources, 
collection of fishery information;
    (2) Analysis of fishery impacts on reefs and support for the 
implementation of fishery gear restrictions or other priority 
regulations;
    (3) Development of fishery reserves;
    (4) Activities to improve management of ornamental reef species for 
the aquarium industry;
    (5) Hiring or training of enforcement officers; and,
    (6) Outreach and education on fishery and endangered species 
issues.
    Large equipment and/or infrastructure acquisitions are not a 
priority for funding under this program. Such purchases proposed herein 
will be reviewed on a case by case basis with respect to the specific 
management objectives of this and the local coral reef program.
    For each category in which a task is proposed, the applicant should 
include the following information:
    a. A brief introduction that describes the status of the issue in 
the jurisdiction as addressed by the proposed task; recent actions 
undertaken to address the issues, with a focus on the status of 
previous federally funded tasks; the jurisdiction's strategy to address 
critical needs over the medium term; and, a justification for the 
proposed task.
    b. A description of each proposed task that must include:
    (1) Clear identification of the work to be completed, who will 
perform the work, relationship to ongoing projects and how the project 
fits into the jurisdiction's strategy for addressing the issue;
    (2) How the project coordinates with relevant local governmental 
and non-governmental agencies and, if applicable, NOAA or DOI regional 
activities;
    (3) Task timetable with interim benchmarks and clearly-defined work 
products; and,
    (4) Project priority as compared to all other proposed projects.
    c. A Summary Budget that includes a detailed breakdown of costs by 
category and information regarding the amount of matching funds 
available to the applicant, pursuant to Section IX(6) of the 
Guidelines. Intended sources of matching funds must be identified in 
the application. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding 
will be required to submit with the final application, letter(s) of 
commitment to fund from the organization(s) providing matching funds.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    Applications will be peer-reviewed by individuals with coral reef 
and fisheries management experience on the following equally weighted 
evaluation criteria, as evidenced by information in the application:
    a. Documented need for the proposed coral reef management activity 
to fill gaps in the jurisdiction's management capacity;
    b. Demonstrated coordination with applicable ongoing local, state, 
territorial, and Federal coral reef management activities;
    c. Technical merit of the proposed management activity; and,
    d. Ability of the work to be completed for the funding and timing 
proposed.
    Subsequently, a Federal agency team of representatives from NMFS, 
OCRM, and OIA will review the applications, pursuant to equally 
weighted criteria described in Section X(3) of the Guidelines and 
comments received from peer reviewers. Based on this review, the team 
will make preliminary funding allocation recommendations for each 
jurisdiction.

[[Page 19406]]

2. Selection Criteria
    OCRM will then provide a notice of intent to fund and proposal 
comments to each selected applicant. These comments will include input 
from peer reviewers and the Federal agency team and are intended for 
use in the applicant's development of the final application.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal financial assistance forms, the Federal agency team will review 
the complete package and make final funding recommendations based on 
the response to comments that were returned to the applicant. The team 
will submit these funding recommendations to the NOAA review panel for 
final review, pursuant to Section X(4) of the Guidelines.
    If one or more applicants are ineligible to receive an award, NOAA 
and DOI will consult with the eligible applicants on the use of any 
residual funds. NOAA and DOI will work with each jurisdiction to ensure 
the greatest degree of success in meeting local, state, territorial, 
and national coral reef management needs.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for the NOAA program is found in 16 U.S.C. 6403. 
NOAA proposals will be reviewed and awarded by OCRM under title, 
Coastal Zone Management Program, CFDA Number: 11.419.

V. State and Territory Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring

A. Program Description

    This description provides requirements for applying for funding 
appropriated by Congress to the NOAA in FY 2002 to support state and 
territorial coral reef ecosystem monitoring. This program will be 
administered by NOS's National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science.
    NOAA and its partners designed and are implementing a nationally 
coordinated, comprehensive, long-term program to monitor and predict 
the condition of U.S. coral reef ecosystems. This program was requested 
by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which, along with the nation's coral 
reef program managers and the public, endorsed and called for 
implementation of ``A National Program to Assess, Inventory, and 
Monitor U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems.''
    NOAA began implementing the Program in 2000 and continues to 
administer it with Congressional appropriations for coral reef 
conservation. The Program includes the collection, analysis, and 
reporting of long-term coral reef ecosystem monitoring data pursuant to 
scientifically valid methodologies and protocols and is a key priority 
of the National Coral Reef Action Strategy.
    The implementation plan calls for integration of now-disparate 
monitoring sites into a coordinated national network, sharing of 
monitoring information among U.S. coral reef resource managers and 
scientists, and filling gaps in monitoring coverage nationwide. Through 
this Program, U.S. Federal, state, commonwealth, and territorial 
agencies support a variety of local and regional assessments, 
inventories, and monitoring of U.S. coral reef resources. Additionally, 
there are several regional volunteer and community monitoring programs 
regularly assessing reef resources. A nationally coordinated coral 
monitoring infrastructure will enable the preparation of a biennial 
science-based report on the condition or ``health'' of U.S. coral reef 
ecosystems and support local coral reef management efforts.
    The nation's coral reef resource managers have recommended a 
minimum suite of key biotic and abiotic parameters that should be 
monitored at all local sites in the national monitoring network:
    1. Benthic habitat characterization (e.g., depth, habitat 
delineation, and/or percent live/dead cover of corals, submerged 
aquatic vegetation, macroalgae, sponges, rugosity, diversity, etc.);
    2. Associated biological community structure including fish 
condition (e.g., abundance, density, size, diversity, disease, harvest 
trends) and large motile and sessile invertebrates condition 
(abundance, density, size, diversity, disease, harvest trends); and,
    3. Water/substrate quality (e.g., temperature, nutrient enrichment, 
toxic chemicals, turbidity).
    Proposed work should include multi-organizational partnerships 
(local, regional, Federal, and even international) that build local 
capacity for maintaining long-term monitoring sites as part of a 
National Coral Reef Monitoring Network. NOAA will be an active partner 
in the development and implementation of the award; thus, proposals 
should be structured as cooperative agreements between NOAA and the 
principal investigators. For these proposals, it is appropriate to 
include the equipment necessary to build capacity to archive biotic 
transects (e.g., one or more digital videography cameras with 
underwater housing, museum maintenance of reference specimen 
collections, etc.).

B. Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are limited to the natural resource management 
agency in each U.S. state or territory, or Freely Associated State with 
jurisdiction over coral reefs, as designated by the respective 
governors or other applicable senior jurisdictional official. NOAA is 
requesting proposals from Puerto Rico, Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands, 
Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands. Federal agencies are not eligible for 
funding under this Program.

C. Funding Availability and Mechanisms

1. Funding Available
    Approximately $800,000 will be available in FY 2002 for coral reef 
ecosystem monitoring activities under this program. FY 2002 awards to 
each jurisdiction are expected to range from $50,000 to $100,000.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Funds will be administered though non-competitive cooperative 
agreements between eligible organizations and NCCOS. Applicants may 
submit proposals up to 3 years in duration, at funding levels between 
$50,000-100,000 per year (i.e., up to $300,000 for 3 year continuation 
proposals). FY 2002 awards, however, will only provide funding for the 
monitoring activities proposed for FY 2002, and funding for out years 
is contingent on subsequent years' appropriations. Multiple-year 
proposals must specify the budget and activities for each year. Annual 
projects should follow the Federal fiscal year, beginning on October 1 
and ending September 30.

D. Matching Funds

    The requirements for matching funds under Section VIII of the 
Guidelines are applicable to funding available under this program. 
Specific information to be submitted in regard to matching funds can be 
found in the Proposal Content and Format section below.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Content
    Proposal content should be developed and submitted according to the 
following guidelines:
    a. First time applicants for monitoring awards: Eligible activities 
for the first year of proposed funding (i.e., FY 2002) include an 
initial characterization of baseline ecosystem condition, an inventory/
mapping of biotic resources,

[[Page 19407]]

and an assessment of anthropogenic stressors (e.g., contaminants in 
lagoon sediments, sedimentation conditions, eutrophication, etc.) if 
these studies are prerequisite to establishing new long-term monitoring 
sites. Activities can also include database development and training of 
field crew. Proposed second and third year work should follow the 
guidelines for previous recipients below.
    b. Previous recipients of NCCOS monitoring awards: Proposals from 
previous recipients should detail the monitoring design, sampling 
parameters and protocols, data management, and the need/context for 
establishing new long-term monitoring sites. Proposals should describe 
how the proposed monitoring meets local coral conservation needs and 
fits into ongoing long-term assessments, inventories, and monitoring 
within the jurisdiction and/or region. Each proposal must provide 
enough specificity on the parameters to be monitored, the design and 
frequency of sampling, methods used, data management and quality 
assurance, and other information for peer-reviewers to judge the 
quality of proposed work. Of particular importance to creating a 
National Coral Reef Monitoring Network, each proposal must also address 
(1) how compatible the proposed data (e.g., data confidence limits, 
standardized protocols) will be with other jurisdictional and regional 
databases, and (2) when and in what format the data will be available 
to NOAA. The information produced through these awards is intended to 
fill gaps in knowledge of coral reef ecosystems nationwide, track and 
predict changes in coral reef ecosystems nationwide, and serve as the 
foundation for biennial reporting in the Report of the Health of U.S. 
Coral Reef Ecosystems.
    In addition, each jurisdiction's proposal for FY 2002 must include 
the preparation of a comprehensive assessment of coral reef ecosystem 
health in FY 2003. This will be each jurisdiction's contribution to the 
Report on the Health of U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems: 2004. Toward this 
end, FY 2002 proposals may budget for travel to at least one national 
workshop, costs for preparing and printing a jurisdictional report on 
the condition of coral reef ecosystems, and related expenses.
2. Proposal Format
    Applicants must submit proposals in the following format:a. A 
Statement of Work (i.e., narrative description) for each proposed task 
that includes: the specific priority management questions that are 
driving the effort, how data collected will be translated and 
transferred to the local management community, project objectives, and 
a timetable with project milestones;
    b. A Summary Budget that includes a detailed breakdown of costs by 
category and a description of the amount of matching funds available to 
the applicant, as described in Section IX(6) of the Guidelines. 
Intended sources of matching funds must be identified in the 
application. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will 
be required to submit letter(s) of commitment to fund from the 
organization(s) providing matching funds with the final application. 
Multiple-year proposals must specify the budget and activities for each 
year;
    c. Curriculum Vitae for principal investigators;
    d. Summary Project Abstract; and,
    e. All required NOAA Federal financial assistance awards forms (see 
below). One original and two copies of the jurisdiction's application 
must be submitted to NOAA by the indicated due date.
    The NOAA Grants Management Division program web site, http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/grants/index.html, provides detailed application 
instructions and electronic versions of Federal financial assistance 
forms. The two most relevant sections at this web site are, ``C. 
Instructions and Guidelines,'' and, ``D. Application Forms for Initial 
Proposal Submission.'' Applicants should review their application 
package prior to submission and be sure that all blocks on forms SF 
424, SF-424A, SF-424B, CD-511, CD-512, and SF-LLL have been filled in 
completely.
    Special note for monitoring program applicants filling out form SF-
424: A paragraph explaining the qualification of the principal 
investigator's organization to do this work should be included in the 
Description of Work. The title should be Financial Assistance for 
National Centers of Coastal Ocean Science. In Block 13, the start date 
is always the first of the month; for ease in administering these as a 
block of grants, NOAA would prefer October 1, 2002, as the start date 
for all these cooperative agreements.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    Proposals will be peer-reviewed by a small panel of representatives 
from relevant state, Federal and island agencies as well as the 
jurisdictional coral reef Points of Contact (POCs) (each POC will be 
asked to review one or more proposals from other jurisdictions, but 
never their own). Proposals will be peer-reviewed on the following 
criteria:
    a. The jurisdiction's need for such work to fill gaps in monitoring 
coverage and build local capacity for long-term monitoring of coral 
reef ecosystems;
    b. The quality of the proposed science and potential for the 
resulting data to be incorporated into a National Monitoring Network;
    c. The ability of the principal investigators to conduct such work; 
and,
    d. Support for the All Islands Coral Reef Initiative, in applicable 
jurisdictions.
    Reviewer results will be shared with applicants, and applicants 
will be given the opportunity to revise their application and/or 
respond to reviewer comments.
    Taking into consideration comments received from peer reviewers, 
NCCOS will evaluate each proposal and develop funding recommendations 
based on the criteria in Section X(3) of the Guidelines. In evaluating 
the technical merit and adequacy of the implementation plan, NCCOS will 
apply the following three equally weighted criteria:
    a. Relevance to establishing a national monitoring network. The 
principal objective of the proposals should be to fill priority gaps or 
needs in coral reef monitoring and assessment programs, such that they 
contribute to the creation of a comprehensive and coordinated network 
of monitoring sites for U.S. coral reef ecosystems. In subsequent 
years, the project should be monitoring the ``minimum suite of key 
biotic and abiotic parameters,'' (as listed in the program description) 
at least once a year, at one or more sites;
    b. Quality assurance and error estimates for parameter 
measurements. Flexibility of methodologies for acquiring measurements 
is allowable, as long as they are done in situ and are quantitatively 
reliable within a jurisdiction and across a region. Where possible, 
NOAA favors a stratified random sampling design for site selection 
(i.e., ideally based on reliable habitat maps), multi-methodological 
monitoring of the ecosystem (i.e., line transects for cryptic species, 
point-count surveys for large pelagic species), and sample archiving 
(i.e., species reference collections, transect/survey videographic 
records); and
    c. Potential to meet data reporting requirements and the ability of 
transferring the data to the local or regional management community. 
Data from proposals must be useful in preparing the biennial report on 
the Health of U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems.

[[Page 19408]]

 Grant recipients will provide raw or synthesized data to NCCOS no 
latter than 3 months after data collection. The data generated in the 
National Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program will by used by NOAA 
and its partners to develop regional and national state of the reef 
reports and disseminated to the public via NOAA's Coral Reef 
Information (CoRIS) Web site, currently under development. Biotic data 
integrity is critical for sharing of information and detection of 
national/regional trends and hotspots. Each jurisdiction will need to 
have basic data management quality controls and quality assurances for 
its data. Funding eligibility for future funding years will be 
contingent on meeting data submission deadlines including all reporting 
requirements and data transfers.
2. Proposal Selection
    Based on these reviews, NCCOS will provide a notice of intent to 
fund and proposal comments to each selected applicant. These comments 
will include input from peer reviewers and the Federal agency team and 
are intended for use in the applicant's development of the final 
application.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal forms, the Federal agency team will review the complete package 
and make final funding recommendations based on the incorporation and/
or response to comments that were returned to the applicant. NCCOS will 
submit these funding recommendations to the NOAA review panel for final 
review, pursuant Section X(4) of the Guidelines.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for this program is found in 16 U.S.C. 6403. 
Proposals will be reviewed and awarded by NCCOS under title, Financial 
Assistance for National Centers of Coastal Ocean Science, CFDA 11.426.

VI. State and Territory Research to Support Development of 
Monitoring Technologies and Assessments

A. Program Description

    This program supports the development and field-testing of methods 
to assess and monitor coral reef ecosystem health, function, and 
resilience. These are critical components of a research program to 
support the monitoring of coral reef ecosystems as outlined in the 
Strategy. Advances in technologies and assessment techniques using 
remote sensing, in situ observations, high-end computing, and 
integrative biological and physical measurements need to be 
incorporated into the ``toolbox'' available to coral reef ecosystem 
managers. For example, models and assessments will assist resource 
managers in evaluating alternative management strategies to improve the 
health of coral reef ecosystems.
    Research is also needed to address development of appropriate 
indicators to define coral ecosystem health and function of reef 
ecosystems, such as coral and fish recruitment sources and sinks and 
explicit coupling of biological and physical models. These activities 
will directly support the NCCOS National Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Monitoring Program's key research questions relevant to establishing 
monitoring techniques that provide quantitative measures of coral 
ecosystem health, including reproduction, recruitment, growth, and 
survival of coral communities. In addition, the benefits from these 
research activities and subsequent products are directly applicable and 
will be applied to monitoring programs throughout the regions where 
they are conducted, as well as nationally.

B. Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are those U.S. state and territory 
organizations eligible for cooperative agreements under the State and 
Territory Coral Reef Monitoring program described above. As such, 
eligible applicants are limited to the natural resource management 
agency with jurisdiction over coral reefs, as designated by the 
respective governors, in Puerto Rico, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, 
Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands. Multi-organizational partnerships with local, 
regional, Federal, international and academic partners, are highly 
encouraged. Federal agencies are not eligible for direct funding under 
this program.

C. Funding Availability and Mechanisms

1. Funding Available
    Approximately $300,000 will be available in FY 2002 for targeted 
research that supports the NCCOS National Coral Reef Ecosystem 
Monitoring Program. Two awards of approximately $150,000 each will be 
made to eligible organizations. One award each will be made to an 
organization in the Pacific and Caribbean Regions. These funds are 
intended to enhance FY 2002 coral reef ecosystem monitoring awards to 
territory and state cooperative partners under the National Coral Reef 
Ecosystem Monitoring Program.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Funds will be awarded through cooperative agreements developed 
between NCCOS and the selected agency. Proposals must be included as an 
addendum to the Coral Monitoring application submitted by the eligible 
agency under that program; however, multi-organizational partnerships 
with local, regional, Federal, international and academic partners, are 
highly encouraged. As such, a joint monitoring and research grant 
application package must be submitted. The application must include 
separate monitoring and research budget sheets and project 
descriptions.
    Applicants may submit proposals up to 3 years in duration, at 
funding levels up to $150,000 per year (i.e., up to $450,000 for 3 year 
continuation proposals). FY 2002 awards, however, will only provide 
funding for the activities proposed for FY 2002, and funding for out-
years is contingent on subsequent years' appropriations. Multiple-year 
proposals must specify the budget and activities for each year.

D. Matching Funds

    The requirements described under the State and Territory Coral Reef 
Ecosystem Monitoring program apply to funding available under this 
program.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Proposal Content
    Due to limited funding, only proposals that address the following 
two national monitoring program research priorities will be considered 
for funding:
    a. Development of coral health indicators using remotely sensed 
oceanographic data; specifically developing meso-scale 
characterizations of bio-optical water quality to predict coral health 
at locations affected by land based run-off and/or other point and non-
point source pollution; and,
    b. Development of indices that identify threshold criteria of 
reproductive stress, recruitment failure, and/or mortality.
    Applications must include an integrated research team made up of 
appropriate coral managers, research organizations, and other relevant 
local, regional, Federal, and international partners. Applicants must 
demonstrate capacity to perform such research, provide a topical 
publication history, and have a well-established field and laboratory 
infrastructure to be considered for this research grant.

[[Page 19409]]

 Proposals that have rigorous quality assurance and error estimates for 
parameter measurements are encouraged. There will be flexibility of 
methodologies for acquiring measurements as long as they are done in 
situ and are quantitatively reliable within a jurisdiction and across a 
region.
    Products and data from proposals must be useful in developing coral 
management strategies under the appropriate authorities, and in the 
development of future biennial reports on the health of U.S. coral reef 
ecosystems (through monitoring). As such, applicants who have 
demonstrated working relationships with management authorities are 
preferred.
    All data must be made accessible to NOAA in a timely fashion for 
data archiving. Summaries of data will be required on at least an 
annual basis. Each proposal must address what specific, priority 
management questions are driving the effort and how its data will be 
translated and transferred to the local and regional management 
community.
2. Proposal Format
    Applicants must submit proposals in the following format:
    a. Introduction explaining how the project will help the National 
Monitoring Network;
    b. Rationale;
    c. Link to Existing Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Study in the 
jurisdiction where the project is proposed;
    d. Anticipated Outcomes;
    e. Milestone Dates;
    f. A Summary Budget that includes a detailed breakdown of costs by 
category and a description of the amount of matching funds available to 
the applicant, as described in Section IX(6) of the Guidelines. 
Intended sources of matching funds must be identified in the 
application. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will 
be required to submit with the final application, letter(s) of 
commitment to fund from the organization(s) providing matching funds; 
and,
    g. Personnel.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    Proposals will be peer-reviewed by a small panel of representatives 
from relevant state, Federal and island agencies as well as the 
jurisdictional coral reef Points of Contact (POCs). Each POC will be 
asked to review one or more proposals from other jurisdictions. 
Reviewer results will be shared with applicants, and applicants will be 
given the opportunity to revise their application and/or respond to 
reviewer comments. Proposals will be peer-evaluated on the following 
equally weighted criteria:
    a. The potential to meet reporting requirements in a timely manner, 
to provide data and research products to NOAA's Coral Reef Information 
System (CoRIS) Web site, currently under development;
    b. The demonstrated capacity of the applicant to perform the 
proposed research; and,
    c. The proposed quality assurance and error estimates and their 
relevance to the development of coral reef ecosystem management 
strategies and the biennial reports on the health of U.S. coral reef 
ecosystems. As such, applicants who have demonstrated working 
relationships with management authorities are preferred.
    Taking into consideration comments received from peer reviewers, 
NCCOS will review the applications, pursuant to equally weighted 
criteria described in Section X(3) of the Guidelines. Based on this 
programmatic review, the team will make preliminary funding decisions.
2. Selection Criteria
    NCCOS will then provide a notice of intent to fund and proposal 
comments to each selected applicant. These comments will include input 
from peer reviewers and NCCOS review and are intended to be used in the 
applicant's development of the final application.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal forms, NCCOS will review the complete package and make final 
funding recommendations based on the incorporation and/or response to 
comments that were returned to the applicant. NCCOS will submit these 
funding recommendations to the NOAA review panel for final review, 
pursuant to Section X(4) of the Guidelines.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for this program is found in 16 U.S.C. 6403. 
Proposals will be reviewed and awarded by NCCOS under title, Financial 
Assistance for National Centers of Coastal Ocean Science, CFDA Number 
11.426.

VII. General Coral Reef Conservation

A. Program Description

    This description provides guidance for applying for funding 
appropriated by Congress to NOAA in FY 2002 to support efforts by 
governmental and non-governmental entities to conserve the coral reef 
ecosystems of the United States and the Freely Associated States in the 
Pacific (Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and 
the Federated States of Micronesia). This program will be administered 
by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Habitat 
Conservation (OHC).
    The objective of this program is to support programs and projects 
in U.S. states and territories and the Freely Associated States, 
including projects that involve local communities and non-governmental 
organizations, to:
    1. Help preserve, sustain and restore the condition of coral reef 
ecosystems;
    2. Promote the wise management and sustainable use of coral reef 
resources;
    3. Develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral 
reef ecosystems and the threats to such ecosystems; and
    4. Increase public knowledge and awareness of coral reef ecosystems 
and issues regarding their conservation.

B. Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-
profit organizations, commercial organizations, state, local and Indian 
tribal governments and natural resource management authorities with 
demonstrated expertise in the conservation of coral reefs, or with 
jurisdiction over coral reefs, or whose activities directly or 
indirectly affect coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems. Proposals from 
U.S. state and territory government agencies will only be accepted for 
projects which promote advances in coral reef conservation and 
management issues of National or Regional importance and include 
partnerships with organizations not eligible under other sections. Core 
state and territorial coral reef management activities should be funded 
under Section IV above. Federal agencies are eligible under this 
program; however, pursuant to Section IV of the Guidelines, such 
proposals will be a low priority unless they are an essential part of a 
cooperative project with other eligible governmental or non-
governmental entities. In order for a Federal agency to receive an 
award under this program, it must provide the requisite statutory 
authority to receive funds from a federal agency for these purposes. 
Please note that the Economy Act, 31 U.S.C. 1535, is not sufficient 
legal authority because NOAA is not procuring goods or services from 
the federal agency. Regional Fishery Management Councils are not 
eligible under this program.

[[Page 19410]]

C. Funding Availability and Mechanisms

1. Funding Available
    Approximately $500,000 in funding is available in FY 2002 for 
awards under this program. It is expected that most awards will range 
from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of approximately $75,000.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Proposals selected for funding from non-Federal applicants will be 
funded through a project grant or cooperative agreement under the terms 
of this document. Proposals selected for funding from Federal agencies 
will be funded through an interagency agreement. Generally, NMFS will 
make awards only to those projects where requested funding will be used 
to complete proposed activities within a period of 18 months from the 
approved start date of the project.

D. Matching Funds

    The requirements for matching funds under Section VIII of the 
Guidelines are applicable to funding available under this program. 
Specific information to be submitted in regard to matching funds can be 
found in the Proposal Content and Format section here.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Proposal Content
    Applications should support the National Coral Reef Action Strategy 
and the following goals of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force National 
Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs: A.II. Assess and Monitor Reef 
Health; A.III. Conduct Strategic Research; A.IV. Understand Social and 
Economic Factors; B.I. Improve Use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); 
B.II. Reduce Impacts of Fishing; B.IV. Reduce Pollution; B.V. Restore 
Damaged Reefs; and B.VI. Improve Education. In addition, proposed 
activities should be coordinated, where appropriate, with ongoing and 
proposed NOAA mapping, monitoring, and coral reef or fishery management 
initiatives, and DOI Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park 
Service coral reef activities.
    Applicants must consult with all relevant state, territorial, and 
local governmental and non-governmental entities involved in coral reef 
activities in developing the application. Local government agencies 
that must be consulted include coastal zone management, water quality, 
and wildlife and/or marine resource agencies.
    Applicants may submit applications covering a 12 to 18-month 
period, and must meet all applicable DOC grant requirements, and 
submit, with the final application package, all required Federal 
financial assistance forms. One original and two signed copies of the 
complete application must be submitted by the applicant to NOAA by the 
indicated due date.
2. Proposal Format
    In developing the proposal, the applicant must catagorize proposed 
tasks into the following 8 categories, which are based on a subset of 
those found in the National Action Plan:
    a. Monitoring and Assessment of coral reefs or reef resources; 
e.g., community or non-governmental organization monitoring or 
assessment programs that complement State or Territorial coral reef 
monitoring programs funded out of the NCCOS Coral Reef Monitoring 
Award,
    b. Targeted research, e.g., studies that improve the understanding 
of coral reef ecosystems, their ecology and processes, and that are 
necessary to improve the management of these ecosystems,
    c. Socio-economic and Resource Valuation, e.g., community 
assessments, economic valuations, alternative income generation 
workshops, etc.,
    d. Marine Protected Areas and associated management activities, 
especially assessment of the gaps in protection of existing marine 
protected area systems, and outreach and education efforts,
    e. Coral Reef Fisheries Management, e.g., resource assessments, 
collection of fishery information, outreach to fishers, co-management 
of coral reef fisheries by fishing communities, etc.,
    f. Reducing Pollution, e.g.,marine debris prevention and removal, 
reducing impacts from land-based/watershed pollution sources, etc.,
    g. Coral Reef Restoration, e.g., restoration of coral reef habitats 
resulting from physical and biological disturbances such as orphan 
vessel groundings, storm events, coral disease and coral predator 
outbreaks, and anthropogenic disturbances, particularly projects 
utilizing innovative coral restoration technologies and/or 
comprehensive evaluation of restoration sites, and
    h. Public Education and Outreach activities, e.g., brochures and 
other informational materials, public meetings and workshops, etc., 
particularly those which address the needs of local user groups.
    The following projects will not be eligible for funding:
    (1) Activities that constitute legally required mitigation for the 
adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by state 
or Federal law;
    (2) activities that constitute mitigation for natural resource 
damages under Federal or state law, and
    (3) activities that are required by a separate consent decree, 
court order, statute or regulation.
    Funding available under this program may be sought to enhance coral 
reef conservation activities beyond the scope legally required by these 
activities.
    For each project proposed, the applicant should include the 
following:
    1. An introduction, not to exceed one page, that describes:
    a. The status and magnitude of the issues in the jurisdiction where 
the project will take place;
    b. Recent actions undertaken to address the issues, with a focus on 
federally-funded tasks; and
    c. How the project fits into the jurisdiction's strategy to 
addressing critical coral reef conservation needs the next two to three 
years.;
    2. A description of each proposed task that includes:
    a. Clear identification of the work to be completed and who will 
perform the work;
    b. How the project coordinates with relevant state, territorial, or 
local governmental and non-governmental agencies and, if applicable, 
NOAA regional activities;
    c. A Summary Budget that includes a detailed breakdown of costs by 
category and information regarding the amount of matching funds 
available to the applicant, pursuant to Section IX(6) of the 
Guidelines. Intended sources of matching funds must be identified in 
the application. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding 
will be required to submit with the final application, letter(s) of 
commitment to fund from the organization(s) providing matching funds; 
and
    d. Task timetable with interim benchmarks and clearly defined work 
products.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    Proposals will be peer-reviewed on the following equally weighted 
evaluation criteria by individuals with coral reef conservation 
experience:
    a. Documented need for the proposed coral reef activity in the 
jurisdiction;
    b. Demonstrated coordination with applicable ongoing local, state, 
territorial, and Federal coral reef management activities;
    c. Technical merit of the proposed activity;

[[Page 19411]]

    d. Ability of the work to be completed for the funding and timing 
proposed (projects that can be completed within 18 months of the start 
date will receive a higher ranking); and,
    e. Evidence presented of the capacity of the applicant to conduct 
the proposed work, including past performance on similar projects or 
programs involving coral reef ecosystems.
    NOAA will also request and consider written comments on proposed 
projects from each agency with jurisdiction over coral reef ecosystems 
in the area where the project is to be conducted, pursuant to Section 
X(1) of the Guidelines.
    NMFS will then review the applications, consistent with the equally 
weighted criteria listed in Section X(3) of the Guidelines and comments 
received from peer reviewers and jurisdictions. Based on this review, 
NMFS will make preliminary funding decisions. These preliminary funding 
decisions will be submitted to the NOAA review team, pursuant to 
Section X(4) of the Guidelines. The review team will ensure that the 
preliminary funding decisions are consistent with the geographic 
distribution requirements of 16 U.S.C. 6403(d).
2. Selection Criteria
    Based on these cumulative reviews, NMFS will provide a notice of 
intent to fund and proposal comments to each selected applicant. These 
comments will include input from peer reviewers, the solicited 
jurisdictions, and the NMFS review, and are intended to be used in the 
applicant's development of the final proposal.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal forms, NMFS will review the complete package and make final 
funding recommendations based on the incorporation of and/or response 
to comments that were returned to the applicant. NMFS will submit these 
funding recommendations to the NOAA review panel for final review, 
pursuant to Section X(4) of the Guidelines. The review panel will 
ensure that funding decisions are consistent with the geographic 
distribution requirements of 16 U.S.C. 6403(d). As a result, awards may 
not necessarily be made to the highest scoring proposals.
    If insufficient eligible projects are received, NOAA may shift 
residual funds from this program area to another program area.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for this program is found in 16 U.S.C. 6403. 
Proposals will be reviewed and awarded by the National Marine Fisheries 
Service Office of Habitat Conservation under title, Habitat 
Conservation, CFDA 11.463.

VIII. Regional Fishery Management Council Coral Reef Fishery 
Management Plans

A. Program Description

    This description provides guidance for applying for funding 
appropriated by Congress to NOAA in FY 2002 to support conservation and 
management of coral reef fisheries by Regional Fishery Management 
Councils with responsibilities for Fishery Management Plans that 
include shallow water coral reefs or fishery resources that depend on 
these reef ecosystems, as established under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). This 
program will be administered by the NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation 
(OHC).

B. Eligibility Criteria

    Applicants are limited to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery 
Management Council, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Gulf of 
Mexico Fishery Management Council, and Caribbean Fishery Management 
Council.

C. Funding Availability and Mechanisms

1. Funding Available
    NMFS OHC will provide approximately $1,500,000 in FY 2002 funding 
for cooperative agreements to support coral reef conservation 
activities under this program. In order to ensure the regional balance 
called for by the Act, a maximum of $750,000 will be available for 
activities in the Western Pacific, and a maximum of $750,000 will be 
available for activities in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and 
Caribbean.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Cooperative agreements will be awarded to each eligible Regional 
Fishery Management Council. Proposals should cover a project period of 
12 to 18 months with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2002.

D. Matching Funds

    The Administrator has waived the matching requirement of Section 
VIII of the Guidelines for the Fishery Management Councils. This waiver 
is based on the fact that the Councils are funded solely by awards from 
the U.S. Federal Government, and, therefore, do not have the ability to 
generate matching funds.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Proposal Content
    Applications should support the National Action Strategy and the 
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force National Action Plan to Conserve Coral 
Reefs. In addition, proposed activities should be coordinated, where 
appropriate, with ongoing and proposed NOAA mapping, monitoring, and 
fishery management initiatives, and State and Territorial coral reef 
conservation initiatives in their own waters contiguous to the Federal 
Exclusive Economic Zone.
    Fishery Management Councils must consult with state and territorial 
agencies and all other relevant local governmental and non-governmental 
entities involved in coral reef activities in developing applications.
    Applicants may submit applications covering a 12 to 18-month 
period, and must meet all applicable DOC grant requirements, and 
submit, with the final application package, all required Federal 
financial assistance forms. One original and two signed copies of the 
complete application must be submitted by the applicant to NOAA by the 
indicated due date.
    Eligible activities are those that support the objectives of the 
Strategy's goal of Reducing the Adverse Impacts of Fishing and other 
Extractive Uses on Coral Reefs and incorporating these objectives into 
existing or new Federal fishery management plans. Proposed activities 
should be in addition to those currently supported by NMFS and should 
not replace support for existing Council staff. The following represent 
priority activities for funding:
    a. Identifying, mapping and characterizing important essential fish 
habitat, habitat areas of particular concern, and spawning populations 
in U.S. coral reef ecosystems, especially those associated with areas 
that are currently, permanently, or seasonally closed to fishing or 
that may merit inclusion in an expanded network of no-take ecological 
reserves. Eligible activities would include multi-beam or sidescan 
sonar mapping and characterization of such areas on deeper coral reefs, 
banks and beds;
    b. Monitoring reef fish stocks in existing no-take marine reserves 
and reference sites to evaluate the effectiveness of reserves;
    c. Developing proposals to reduce over-fishing of coral reef 
resources, including background information on currently unassessed 
coral reef fishery stocks;
    d. Identifying adverse effects of fishing and fishing gear on 
essential fish

[[Page 19412]]

habitat and implementing actions to reduce these effects;
    e. Eliminating destructive and habitat-damaging fishing practices;
    f. Assessing the adequacy of current fishing regulations and the 
need for additional gear and anchoring restrictions to reduce habitat 
damage;
    g. Providing enhanced education and outreach to recreational and 
commercial fishers to reduce the adverse impacts of fishing on coral 
reef ecosystems;
    h. Incorporating ecosystem-scale considerations into coral reef 
fishery management plans;
    i. Conducting targeted research to understand ecosystem effects of 
fishing, including: the development of models and studies to improve 
our understanding of larval pathways, trophic interactions and their 
ecosystem impacts associated with fishing, and habitat impacts 
associated with certain types of fishing gear and practices; and
    j. Reducing the overexploitation of reef organisms for the aquarium 
trade.
2. Proposal Format
    For each discrete task or activity, the applicant must include:
    a. An introduction, not exceeding one page, that describes:
    (1) The status and magnitude of the issues in the Council's 
jurisdiction;
    (2) Recent actions undertaken to address the issues, with a focus 
on federally funded tasks; and,
    (3) The Council's strategy to address critical needs over the 
medium term (the next 2 to 3 years).
    b. A description of each proposed task that should include:
    (1) Clear identification of the work to be completed, who will 
perform the work, and how the project fits into the Council's strategy 
for addressing the larger issue;
    (2) How the project coordinates with relevant local governmental 
and non-governmental agencies and, if applicable, NOAA regional 
activities;
    (3) Summary budget;
    (4) Task timetable with interim benchmarks and clearly defined work 
products; and,
    (5) Project priority as compared to all other proposed projects.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    Proposals will be peer-reviewed on the following equally weighted 
evaluation criteria by individuals with coral reef conservation 
experience:
    a. Documented need for the proposed coral reef activity in the 
jurisdiction of the Council;
    b. Demonstrated coordination with applicable ongoing local, state, 
territorial, and Federal coral reef management activities;
    c. Technical merit of the proposed activity;
    d. Ability of the work to be completed for the funding and timing 
proposed; and,
    e. Evidence presented of the capacity of the applicant to conduct 
the proposed work, including past performance on similar projects or 
programs involving coral reef ecosystems.
    NOAA will also request and consider written comments on proposed 
projects from each agency with jurisdiction over coral reef ecosystems 
in the area where the project is to be conducted, pursuant to Section 
X(1) of the Guidelines.
    A NMFS team of representatives from the OHC, the Southeast Region, 
the Southeast Fishery Science Center, the Pacific Islands Area Office 
and the Southwest Fishery Science Center's Honolulu Laboratory will 
review the applications, consistent with the equally weighted criteria 
listed in Section X(3) of the Guidelines and consider comments received 
from peer reviewers and appropriate management authorities.
    Based on this review, the team will make preliminary funding 
decisions. These preliminary funding decisions will be submitted to the 
NOAA review team, pursuant to Section X(4) of the Guidelines.
2. Selection Criteria
    Based on these cumulative reviews, NMFS will provide a notice of 
intent to fund and proposal comments to each selected applicant. These 
comments will include input from peer reviewers, jurisdictions, the 
NMFS review team, and are intended to be used in the applicant's 
development of the final proposal.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal financial assistance forms, the NMFS team will review the 
complete package and make final funding recommendations based on the 
incorporation of and/or response to comments that were returned to the 
applicant. The team will submit these funding recommendations to the 
NOAA review panel for final review, pursuant to Section X(4) of the 
Guidelines.
    If proposals from one or more Councils are ineligible to receive 
funding, NOAA may award those residual funds for eligible activities 
proposed by another Council or move the residual funds to a different 
program area. NOAA will work with each Council to ensure the greatest 
degree of success in meeting that the goals of the Strategy.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for this announcement is found in 16 U.S.C. 
6403. These cooperative agreements will be reviewed and awarded by the 
NMFS OHC under title, Regional Fishery Management Councils, CFDA 
Number: 11.441.

IX. International Coral Reef Conservation

A. Program Description

    This description provides guidance for applying for funding 
appropriated by Congress to NOAA in FY 2002 to support the 
international conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems. 
These funds will be administered by NOS International Program Office 
(IPO).
    The Act authorizes cooperative conservation and management of coral 
reefs and coral reef ecosystems with local, regional, or international 
programs and partners. The National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs 
(National Action Plan) calls on the U.S. to, ``exercise global 
leadership in the international arena in shaping and developing 
environmentally sound and comprehensive coral reef policy, strengthen 
international conventions and foster strategic partnerships with other 
countries, international organizations and institutions, the public and 
private sectors, and non-governmental organizations to address 
international threats to coral reef ecosystems.''
    This program has four objectives:
    1. Promote Monitoring of Coral Ecosystems: The National Action Plan 
gives priority to collaboration with the Global Coral Reef Monitoring 
Network (GCRMN), recognizing the importance of its biennial Status of 
Coral Reefs of the World reports, and extensive partnerships with 
regional and national monitoring efforts. Therefore, activities will 
focus on expanding biophysical monitoring networks that contribute to 
understanding the status of coral reefs, promoting public awareness, 
and contributing to local management objectives. In FY 2002, emphasis 
will be placed on community participation in monitoring programs, 
communication of results to policy makers, and commitment to make data 
available to the GCRMN Data Centre at the International Centre for 
Living Aquatic Resources.
    2. Enhance Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas 
(MPAs): The National Action Plan calls for

[[Page 19413]]

strengthening the protection of resources within existing MPAs. NOAA 
has launched strategic partnerships with the World Conservation Union's 
(IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and World Wildlife 
Fund (WWF)International to improve the management of MPAs by providing 
managers, planners, and other decision-makers with methods for 
assessing the effectiveness of MPA sites and national systems of MPAs. 
Therefore, funded activities will focus on assessing the effectiveness 
of management at those pilot coral MPAs that apply and test the 
approach and indicators developed therein.
    3. Encourage Regional Approaches to Further Marine Reserves in the 
Caribbean and Southeast Asia: The National Action Plan highlights the 
role that highly protected areas (i.e., no-take ecological reserves) 
play in creating a network of coral marine protected areas for 
biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries management. Through 
this program, IPO will fund activities that support the development of 
networks of marine reserves in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. IPO 
will fund regional-level activities that promote the design and 
implementation of no-take marine reserves such as awareness campaigns 
on the value of marine reserves for government officials and policy 
makers throughout the region, or training workshops on sustainable 
financing mechanisms for marine reserve management. The Caribbean and 
Southeast Asia regions were selected in part because of the substantial 
interest and existing experience with marine reserves.
    4. Promote the Use of Socio-Economic Assessments in Marine 
Protected Areas: The National Action Plan recognizes that the human 
dimension is often overlooked in developing coral reef management 
strategies and calls for measures to enhance understanding of 
stakeholder benefits and resolve important user conflicts. Recognizing 
the importance of the human dimension, the GCRMN, in partnership with 
NOAA, WCPA, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), 
recently published The Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management, 
a guide to conducting socioeconomic assessments of reef user groups.
    As follow-up, the GCRMN and NOAA are working to develop 
socioeconomic monitoring approaches specific to Southeast Asia and the 
Caribbean and are planning training workshops for reef managers to 
learn how to conduct these assessments. The final, critical phase will 
be for the workshop participants to return to their sites and establish 
socioeconomic monitoring programs.
    Through this program, IPO will fund the establishment of 
socioeconomic monitoring programs at MPA sites in Southeast Asia and 
the Caribbean. These monitoring programs are intended to help managers 
better understand the communities whose activities affect the MPA and 
who are affected by MPA management decisions. The socioeconomic 
information from the monitoring programs is, therefore, intended to be 
used in MPA management.

B. Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants include all international governmental and non-
governmental entities, including the Federated States of Micronesia, 
Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as noted 
below. Specific guidance for each type of project is noted below:
    1. Applications for projects to ``Promote Monitoring of Coral 
Ecosystems'' must include:
    a. A strategy for submission of data to the GCRMN, as well as the 
means to document transmission of data to the GCRMN data center at the 
International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management in the 
evaluation section of the report.
    b. Evidence of commitment and capability to continue periodic 
monitoring after the grant period ends. Monitoring may include training 
at national or regional levels or in situ data collection.
    2. Applications for projects to ``Enhance Management Effectiveness 
of Marine Protected Areas'' must include:
    a. Incorporation of the approach being developed by the WCPA-
Marine/WWF International MPA Management Effectiveness Initiative, in 
particular, use of the Initiative's effectiveness indicators (http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/mgmteffect/indicatorlists.html). Projects should use 
these indicators to test their applicability and to determine if the 
indicators provide results on the effectiveness of a site's management 
goals and objectives;
    b. The method to implement these indicators should be based on the 
IUCN publication, Evaluating Effectiveness: A Framework for Assessing 
the Management of Protected Areas (http://wcpa.iucn.org/pubs/pdfs/evaluating_effect.pdf). Project leaders should be in consultation with 
the WCPA-Marine/WWF International MPA Management Effectiveness 
Initiative, and follow the ongoing development of the draft guidelines 
for MPAs; and
    c. In order to be selected, project sites must:
    (1) Have a management program in place, including a management 
plan, on-site staff, and infrastructure to carry out effectiveness 
assessments;
    (2) Be able to implement the WCPA approach and test biophysical, 
socioeconomic and governance indicators;
    (3) Demonstrate the intent to incorporate the assessment of 
indicators into management planning and review process; and
    (4) Include a letter of support from the MPA managing authority or 
site supervisor, which also demonstrates the involvement of the 
authority/supervisor in the project if the agency is not proposing the 
work.
    3. Applications for projects to ``Encourage Regional Approaches to 
Further Marine Reserves in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia'' must:
    a. Benefit more than one particular site;
    b. Be supported by regional-level conservation organizations and/or 
at least three marine reserve sites; and,
    c. Address a recognized regional need as demonstrated by 
documentation in regional reports, conference statements or elsewhere.
    4. Applications for projects to ``Promote the Use of Socio-Economic 
Assessments in Marine Protected Areas'' must:
    a. Link with an existing or planned marine resource management 
program (e.g., MPA, fisheries management program, coastal management 
program) with clearly defined goals (note: these would preferably 
include socioeconomic goals, such as improve livelihood, increase 
environmental awareness, etc.);
    b. Include a letter of support from the marine resource management 
authority;
    c. Incorporate one or more of the approaches outlined in the 
Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management (http://www.reefbase.org/);
    d. Demonstrate commitment to participating in the planned 
socioeconomic training workshop;
    e. Identify the people who will conduct the socioeconomic 
monitoring either from staff or others (e.g., local university);
    f. Demonstrate involvement of marine management staff in the 
proposed monitoring even if personnel not engaged in site-management 
are overseeing the monitoring;
    g. Identify how the people conducting the assessments will be 
involved in marine management beyond the periodic monitoring (i.e., as 
opposed to an outside entity conducting the assessment and then 
leaving); and,

[[Page 19414]]

    h. Identify how the socioeconomic data resulting from the 
monitoring program will be incorporated into decision-making for the 
marine resource management program.

C. Funding Availability and Mechanisms

1. Funding Available
    Approximately $300,000 will be available in FY 2002 to support 
grants and cooperative agreements under this program. Approximately 
$75,000 will be allocated to each of the four program areas described 
below. Most awards will range from $30,000-$40,000. Support in out-
years after FY 2002 is contingent upon the availability of funds and 
any new guidance issued in the Federal Register.
2. Funding Mechanism
    Grants and cooperative agreements will be reviewed and awarded by 
the International Program Office. Full proposals should cover a project 
period of 12 to 18 months with an anticipated start date of October 1, 
2002.

D. Matching Funds

    The requirements for matching funds under section VIII of the 
Guidelines are applicable to funding available under this program. 
Specific information to be submitted in regard to matching funds can be 
found in the Proposal Content and Format Section below.

E. Proposal Content and Format

1. Proposal Content
    Each of the four International Program themes are priorities of the 
National Action Plan. Applicants may submit applications covering a 12 
to 18-month period, must meet all applicable DOC grant requirements, 
and submit with the final application package, all required Federal 
financial assistance forms. A complete Federal financial assistance 
awards package is required. One original and two signed copies of the 
proposal must be submitted to NOAA.
2. Proposal Format
    Each application must include the following elements:
    a. A cover sheet with the following:
    (1) Name of the individual or entity responsible for conducting the 
project;
    (2) Nature of Applicant: nonprofit, university, government, 
individual, etc.;
    (3) Project name;
    (4) One paragraph project summary;
    (5) Location of Project and site;
    (6) Indication of the relevant International Project Category; and,
    (7) Grant Request and matching funds.
    b. A description of the qualifications of the individual(s) who 
will conduct the project
    c. Project Description which must address the specific project 
category eligibility criteria described in B above and also include:
    (1) Project need;
    (2) Objectives;
    (3) Implementation strategy;
    (4) Identification of how project fits into applicant (and site) 
strategy for management;
    (5) Project products and outcomes;
    (6) Partner justification and roles;
    (7) A methodology to evaluate the success of the project;
    (8) A Summary Budget that includes a detailed breakdown of costs by 
category and a description of the amount of matching funds available to 
the applicant, as described in Section IX(6) of the Guidelines. 
Intended sources of matching funds must be identified in the 
application. Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will 
be required to submit with the final application, letter(s) of 
commitment to fund from the organization(s) providing matching funds; 
and,
    (9) Task timetable with interim benchmarks linked to clearly 
defined work projects.
    d. Evidence of support for the project from the local management 
authority where the work is conducted at specific sites to support 
local management objectives. In those cases where training is 
envisaged, (e.g., training in monitoring), indication that participants 
will apply new techniques at their local sites is requested. Evidence 
of coordination with relevant national and regional project partners, 
including a list of agencies consulted in developing the proposal.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria

1. Evaluation Criteria
    IPO will provide for a merit-based peer review and standardized 
documentation of that review for proposals that meet the eligibility 
requirements. Each proposal will be reviewed by a minimum of three 
individuals with knowledge of the subject of the proposal. Each 
reviewer will submit a separate and individual review and reviewers 
will not provide a consensus opinion. The identities of the peer 
reviewers will be kept anonymous to the degree permitted by law. Peer 
reviewers will apply the following equally weighted evaluation 
criteria:
    a. Documented need for the proposed coral reef activity in the 
jurisdiction;
    b. Demonstrated coordination with applicable ongoing national and 
regional reef management activities;
    c. Technical merit of the proposed activity;
    d. Ability of the work to be completed for the funding and timing 
proposed; and,
    e. Evidence presented of the capacity of the applicant to conduct 
the proposed work, including past performance on similar projects or 
programs involving coral reef ecosystems.
    NOAA may also request and consider written comments on proposed 
projects from agencies with jurisdiction over coral reef ecosystems in 
the area where the project is to be conducted, as described in Section 
X(1) of the Guidelines. Under the international grant program, NOAA 
will request and consider written comments on the proposal from 
relevant U.S. government agencies such as the Agency for International 
Development and Department of the Interior; foreign governments and 
their coral management agencies; and other international entities as 
necessary. Each entity will be provided 21 days to review and comment 
on subject proposals. Comments submitted will be part of the public 
record.
    IPO will then review the applications, consistent with the equally 
weighted criteria listed in Section X(3) of the Guidelines and comments 
received from peer, agency, and jurisdiction reviewers. Based on this 
review, the team will make preliminary funding decisions.
2. Selection Criteria
    Based on these cumulative reviews, IPO will provide a notice of 
intent to fund and proposal comments to each selected applicant. These 
comments will include input from peer reviewers, agencies, 
jurisdictions, and IPO, and are intended to be used in the applicant's 
development of the final proposal.
    Upon receipt of the final application, complete with the requisite 
Federal forms, IPO will review the complete package and make final 
funding recommendations based on the incorporation of, and response to, 
comments that were returned to the applicant. IPO will submit these 
funding recommendations to the NOAA review panel for final review, 
pursuant to Section X(4) of the Guidelines to ensure that the Act's 
requirements for geographic funding distribution and consistency with 
the overall program goals outlined in the Strategy.

G. Program Authority

    Specific authority for this program is found in 16 U.S.C. 6403. 
Grants and

[[Page 19415]]

cooperative agreements will be reviewed and awarded by the NOS 
International Program Office under title, Habitat Conservation, CFDA: 
11.463.

X. General Information for All Programs

    The budget may include an amount for indirect costs if the 
applicant has an established indirect cost rate with the Federal 
government. Indirect costs are essentially overhead costs for basic 
operational functions (e.g., lights, rent, water, insurance) that are 
incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be 
identified specifically within a particular project. For this 
solicitation, the Federal share of the indirect costs must not exceed 
the lesser of either the indirect costs the applicant would be entitled 
to if the negotiated Federal indirect cost rate were used or 25 percent 
of the Federal direct costs proposed. For those situations in which the 
use of the applicant's indirect cost rate would result in indirect 
costs greater than 25 percent of the Federal direct costs proposed, the 
difference may be counted as part of the non-Federal share. A copy of 
the current, approved negotiated indirect cost agreement with the 
Federal Government should be included with the application. If the 
applicant does not have a current negotiated rate and plans to seek 
reimbursement for indirect costs, documentation necessary to establish 
a rate must be submitted within 90 days of receiving an award.
    Applicants receiving funding will be required to submit semiannual 
performance reports and copies of all products that are developed under 
the award. The specific information, products, or data to be submitted 
to NOAA will be determined by the program office and applicant in pre-
award negotiations.
    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. Any subsequent proposal to continue work on 
an existing project must be submitted to the competitive process for 
consideration and will not receive preferential treatment. Renewal of 
an award to increase funding or to extend the period of performance is 
at the total discretion of NOAA.
    The recipients must comply with Executive Order 12906 regarding any 
and all geospatial data collected or produced under grants or 
cooperative agreements. This includes documenting all geospatial data 
in accordance with the Federal Geographic Data Committee Content 
Standard for digital geospatial data.

Classification

    This is a new Program and will be added to the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance under the Coastal Zone Management Act (11.419), 
Financial Assistance for National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 
(11.426), and Habitat Conservation (11.463). The Program uses only the 
existing NOAA Federal financial assistance awards package requirements 
per 15 CFR parts 14 and 24.
    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
Notice of October 1, 2001, will be applicable to solicitations under 
this Program. However, please note that the Department of Commerce will 
not implement the requirements of Executive Order 13202, pursuant to 
guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 is finally resolved, the Department will 
provide further information on implementation of Executive Order 13202.
    The program will determine National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
compliance on a project by project basis.
    This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.
    The use of the Federal financial assistance awards package referred 
to in this notice involves collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 
424A, 424B and SF-LLL have been approved by OMB under the respective 
control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, and 0348-0046.
    This notice also contains a collection-of-information requirement 
subject the Paperwork Reduction Act and which has been approved by OMB 
under control number 0648-0448. The public reporting burden is 
estimated to average one hour per response for comments on a proposed 
project from each agency with jurisdiction over coral reef ecosystems 
in the area where the project is to be conducted. This estimate 
includes 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 these data collections, 
including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the NOAA Office of 
Response and Restoration, N/ORR, National Ocean Service, 1305 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, and to Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 Attention: NOAA 
Desk Officer.
    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 Paperwork 
Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

    Dated: April 15, 2002.
Alan Neuschatz,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 02-9683 Filed 4-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODES 3510-JE-S and 3510-22-S