[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 126 (Monday, July 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36244-36274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12653]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 030602141-7123-50; I.D.051906D]
RIN 0648-ZB55


Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2008

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes 
this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of 
program and application information related to its competitive grant 
and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 
2008. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal 
Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of 
NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. It should be noted 
that additional program initiatives unanticipated at the time of the 
publication of this notice may be announced through subsequent Federal 
Register notices. All announcements will also be available through the 
Grants.gov Web site.

DATES: Proposals must be received by the date and time indicated under 
each program listing in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to the addresses listed in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for each program. The 
Federal Register and Full Funding Opportunity (FFO) notices may be 
found on the Grants.gov Web site. The URL for Grants.gov is http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the person listed 
within this notice as the information contact under each program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants must comply with all requirements 
contained in the FFO announcements for each of the programs listed in 
this omnibus notice. These FFOs are available at http://www.grants.gov.
    The list of entries below describe the basic information and 
requirements for competitive grant/cooperative agreement programs 
offered by NOAA. These programs are open to any applicant who meets the 
eligibility criteria provided in each entry. To be considered for an 
award in a competitive grant/cooperative agreement program, an eligible 
applicant must submit a complete and responsive application to the 
appropriate program office. An award is made upon conclusion of the 
evaluation and selection process for the respective program.

NOAA Project Competitions

    This omnibus notice describes funding opportunities for the 
following NOAA discretionary grant programs:

National Marine Fisheries Service

    1. Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Partnership Grant.
    2. Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN).
    3. Protected Species Cooperative Conservation.
    4. Cooperative Research Program.
    5. General Coral Reef Conservation.
    6. FY2008 Community-based Marine Debris Prevention and Removal 
Project Grants.
    7. Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management 
Plans.
    8. FY2008 Community-based Habitat Restoration Project Grants.
    9. FY2008 Open Rivers Initiative.
    10. Bay Watershed Education & Training Program.
    11. 2008 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program.
    12. 2008/2009 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program.
    13. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.
    14. Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program.

National Ocean Service

    1. CRCP-State and Territory Coral Reef Management Grants.
    2. National Estuarine Research Reserve Land Acquisition and 
Construction Program FY08.
    3. 2008 CRCP Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring.
    4. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship 
Program FY08.
    5. FY08 California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program.
    6. Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, Hawaii.
    7. CSCOR FY08 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program.
    8. Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program.
    9. FY 2008 Implementation of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing 
Systems.
    10. FY 2008 Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Association 
Support.
    11. FY 2008 Oceans and Human Health Initiative, External Grants 
Program.
    12. International Coral.

National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service

    1. Research in Primary Vicarious Calibration of Ocean Color 
Satellite Sensors.
    2. Research in Satellite Data Assimilation for Numerical Weather, 
Climate, and Environmental Forecast Systems.

National Weather Service

    1. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) 
Program.

Oceans and Atmospheric Research

    1. Climate Program Office for FY 2008.

Office of the Under Secretary (USEC)

    1. Environmental Literacy Grants for Spherical Display Systems for 
Earth System Science-Installations and Content Development.

NOAA Mission Goals

    The mission of the agency is to understand and predict changes in 
the Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine 
resources to meet our Nation's economic, social, and environmental 
needs. Below is a listing of the program solicitations that generally 
fall under one or more areas of NOAA's strategic plan, i.e., mission 
goals. It is imperative that potential applicants tie their proposals 
to one of the mission goals. Program solicitations are provided from 
each of the five operating units within NOAA.

NOAA Project Competitions Listed by NOAA Mission Goals

I. Protect, Restore and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources 
Through Ecosystem-Based Management

    Summary Description: Coastal areas are among the most developed in 
the Nation. More than half the population lives on less than one-fifth 
of the land in the contiguous United States. Furthermore, employment in 
near shore areas is growing three times faster than population. Coastal 
and marine waters support over 28 million jobs and provide a tourism 
destination for nearly 90 million Americans a year. The value of the 
ocean economy to the United States is over $115 billion. The value 
added annually to the national economy by the commercial and 
recreational fishing industry alone is over $48 billion. U.S. 
aquaculture sales total almost $1 billion annually. With its Exclusive 
Economic Zone of 3.4 million square miles, the United States manages

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the largest marine territory of any nation in the world.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    A. Healthy and productive coastal and marine ecosystems that 
benefit society; and
    B. A well-informed public that acts as a steward of coastal and 
marine ecosystems
    Program Names:
    1. Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Partnership Grant.
    2. Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN).
    3. Protected Species Cooperative Conservation.
    4. Cooperative Research Program.
    5. General Coral Reef Conservation.
    6. FY2008 Community-based Marine Debris Prevention and Removal 
Project Grants.
    7. Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management 
Plans.
    8. FY2008 Community-based Habitat Restoration Project Grants.
    9. FY2008 Open Rivers Initiative.
    10. Bay Watershed Education & Training Program.
    11. CRCP-State and Territory Coral Reef Management Grants.
    12. National Estuarine Research Reserve Land Acquisition and 
Construction Program FY08.
    13. 2008 CRCP Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring.
    14. National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research 
Fellowship Program FY08.
    15. FY08 California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program.
    16. 2008 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program.
    17. 2008/2009 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program.
    18. Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, Hawaii.
    19. CSCOR FY08 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program.
    20. Research in Primary Vicarious Calibration of Ocean Color 
Satellite Sensors.
    21. Research in Satellite Data Assimilation for Numerical Weather, 
Climate, and Environmental Forecast Systems.
    22. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) 
Program.
    23. FY 2008 Oceans and Human Health Initiative, External Grants 
Program.
    24. International Coral.
    25. John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.
    26. Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program.

II. Understand Climate Variability and Change To Enhance Society's 
Ability To Plan and Respond

    Summary Description: Climate shapes the environment, natural 
resources, economies, and social systems that people depend upon 
worldwide. While humanity has learned to contend with some aspects of 
climate's natural variability, major climatic events, combined with the 
stresses of population growth, economic growth, public health concerns, 
and land-use practices, can impose serious consequences on society. The 
1997-98 El Nino, for example, had a $25 billion impact on the U.S. 
economy--property losses were $2.6 billion and crop losses approached 
$2 billion. Long-term drought leads to increased and competing demands 
for fresh water with related effects on terrestrial and marine 
ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and even the spread of 
infectious diseases. Decisions about mitigating climate change also can 
alter economic and social structures on a global scale. We can deliver 
reliable climate information in useful ways to help minimize risks and 
maximize opportunities for decisions in agriculture, public policy, 
natural resources, water and energy use, and public health. We continue 
to move toward developing a seamless suite of weather and climate 
products. The Climate Goal addresses predictions on time scales of up 
to decades or longer.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    A. A predictive understanding of the global climate system on time 
scales of weeks to decades with quantified uncertainties sufficient for 
making informed and reasoned decisions; and
    B. Climate-sensitive sectors and the climate-literate public 
effectively incorporating NOAA's climate products into their plans and 
decisions.
    Program Names:
    1. Climate Program Office for FY 2008.

III. Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information

    Summary Description: Floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, 
tsunamis, wildfires, and other severe weather events cause $11 billion 
in damages each year in the United States. Weather is directly linked 
to public health and safety, and nearly one-third of the U.S. economy 
(about $3 trillion) is sensitive to weather and climate. With so much 
at stake, NOAA's role in understanding, observing, forecasting, and 
warning of environmental events is expanding. With our partners, we 
seek to provide decision makers with key observations, analyses, 
predictions, and warnings for a range of weather and water conditions, 
including those related to water supply, air quality, space weather, 
and wildfires. Businesses, governments, and non-governmental 
organizations are getting more sophisticated about how to use this 
weather and water information to improve operational efficiencies, to 
manage environmental resources, and to create a better quality of life. 
On average, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and other severe weather 
events cause $11 billion in damages per year. Weather, including space 
weather, is directly linked to public safety and about one-third of the 
U.S. economy (about $3 trillion) is weather sensitive. With so much at 
stake, NOAA's role in observing, forecasting, and warning of 
environmental events is expanding, while economic sectors and its 
public are becoming increasingly sophisticated at using NOAA's weather, 
air quality, and water information to improve their operational 
efficiencies and their management of environmental resources, and 
quality of life.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    A. Reduced loss of life, injury, and damage to the economy;
    B. Better, quicker, and more valuable weather and water information 
to support improved decisions; and
    C. Increased customer satisfaction with weather and water 
information and services.
    Program Names:
    1. Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) 
Program
    2. FY 2008 Implementation of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing 
Systems
    3. FY 2008 Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Association 
Support

IV. Support the Nation's Commerce With Information for Safe, Efficient, 
and Environmentally Sound Transportation

    Summary Description: Safe and efficient transportation systems are 
crucial to the U.S. economy. The U.S. marine transportation system 
ships over 95 percent of the tonnage and more than 20 percent by value 
of foreign trade through U.S. ports, including 48 percent of the oil 
needed to meet America's energy demands. At least $4 billion is lost 
annually due to economic inefficiencies resulting from weather-related 
air-traffic delays. Improved surface weather forecasts and specific 
user warnings would reduce the 7,000 weather related fatalities and 
800,000

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injuries that occur annually from crashes on roads and highways. The 
injuries, loss of life, and property damage from weather-related 
crashes cost an average of $42 billion annually.
    We provide information, services, and products for transportation 
safety and for increased commerce on roads, rails, and waterways. We 
will improve the accuracy of our information for marine, aviation, and 
surface weather forecasts, the availability of accurate and advanced 
electronic navigational charts, and the delivery of real-time 
oceanographic information. We seek to provide consistent, accurate, and 
timely positioning information that is critical for air, sea, and 
surface transportation. We will respond to hazardous material spills 
and provide search and rescue routinely to save lives and money and to 
protect the coastal environment. We will work with port and coastal 
communities and with Federal and state partners to ensure that port 
operations and development proceed efficiently and in an 
environmentally sound manner. We will work with the Federal Aviation 
Administration and the private sector to reduce the negative impacts of 
weather on aviation without compromising safety. Because of increased 
interest by the public and private sectors, we also will expand weather 
information for marine and surface transportation to enhance safety and 
efficiency.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    A. Safe, secure, efficient, and seamless movement of goods and 
people in the U.S. transportation system; and
    B. Environmentally sound development and use of the U.S. 
transportation system.
    Program Names:
    None.

V. Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission

    Summary Description: Strong, effective, and efficient support 
activities are necessary for us to achieve our Mission Goals. Our 
facilities, ships, aircraft, environmental satellites, data-processing 
systems, computing and communication systems, and our approach to 
management provide the foundation of support for all of our programs. 
This critical foundation must adapt to evolving mission needs and, 
therefore, is an integral part of our strategic planning. It also must 
support U.S. homeland security by maintaining continuity of operations 
and by providing NOAA services, such as civil alert relays through NOAA 
Weather Radio and air dispersion forecasts, in response to national 
emergencies.
    NOAA ships, aircraft, and environmental satellites are the backbone 
of the global Earth observing system and provide many critical mission 
support services. To keep this capability strong and current with our 
Mission Goals, we will ensure that NOAA has adequate access to safe and 
efficient ships and aircraft through the use of both NOAA platforms and 
those of other agency, academic, and commercial partners. We will work 
with academia and partners in the public and private sectors to ensure 
that future satellite systems are designed, developed, and operated 
with the latest technology.
    Leadership development and program support are essential for 
achieving our Mission Goals. We must also commit to organizational 
excellence through management and leadership across a ``corporate'' 
NOAA. We must continue our commitment to valuing NOAA's diverse 
workforce, including effective workforce planning strategies designed 
to attract, retain and develop competencies at all levels of our 
workforce. Through the use of business process re-engineering, we will 
strive for state-of-the-art, value-added financial and administrative 
processes. NOAA will ensure state-of-the-art and secure information 
technology and systems. By developing long-range, comprehensive 
facility planning processes, NOAA will be able to ensure right-sized, 
cost-effective, and safe facilities.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    A. A dynamic workforce with competencies that support NOAA's 
mission today and in the future.
    Program Names:
    1. Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program.
    2. Environmental Literacy Grants for Spherical Display Systems for 
Earth System Science--Installations and Content Development.

I. Electronic Access

    The full funding announcement for each program is available via the 
Grants.gov Web site: http://www.grants.gov. These announcements will 
also be available by contacting the program official identified below. 
You will be able to access, download and submit electronic grant 
applications for NOAA Programs in this announcement at http://www.grants.gov. The closing dates will be the same as for the paper 
submissions noted in this announcement. NOAA strongly recommends that 
you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process through Grants.gov. Getting started with Grants.gov 
is easy! Go to http://www.grants.gov. There are two key features on the 
site: Find Grant Opportunities and Apply for Grants. Everything else on 
the site is designed to support these two features and your use of 
them. While you can begin searching for grant opportunities for which 
you would like to apply immediately, it is recommended that you 
complete the remaining Get Started steps sooner rather than later, so 
that when you find an opportunity for which you would like to apply, 
you are ready to go.

Get Started Step 1 Find Grant Opportunity for Which You Would Like To 
Apply

    Start your search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities 
and register to receive automatic e-mail notifications of new grant 
opportunities or any modifications to grant opportunities as they are 
posted to the site by clicking the Find Grant Opportunities tab at the 
top of the page.

Get Started Step 2 Register With Central Contractor Registry (CCR)

    Your organization will also need to be registered with Central 
Contractor Registry. You can register with them online. This will take 
about 30 minutes. You should receive your CCR registration within 3 
business days. Important: You must have a DUNS number from Dun & 
Bradstreet before you register with CCR. Many organizations already 
have a DUNS number. To determine if your organization already has a 
DUNS number or to obtain a DUNS number, contact Dun & Bradstreet at 1-
866-705-5711. This will take about 10 minutes and is free of charge. Be 
sure to complete the Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic 
Business Primary Point of Contact fields during the CCR registration 
process. These are mandatory fields that are required when submitting 
grant applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started Step 3 Register With the Credential Provider

    You must register with a Credential Provider to receive a username 
and password. This will be required to securely submit your grant 
application.

Get Started Step 4 Register With Grants.gov

    The final step in the Get Started process is to register with 
Grants.gov. This will be required to submit grant applications on 
behalf of your organization. After you have completed

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the registration process, you will receive e-mail notification 
confirming that you are able to submit applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started Step 5 Log on to Grants.gov

    After you have registered with Grants.gov, you can log on to 
Grants.gov to verify if you have registered successfully, to check 
application status, and to update information in your applicant 
profile, such as your name, telephone number, e-mail address, and 
title. In the future, you will have the ability to determine if you are 
authorized to submit applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your 
organization.

Electronic Application File Format and Naming Conventions

    After the initial grant application package has been submitted to 
NOAA (e.g., via Grants.gov), requests for additional or modified forms 
may be requested by NOAA. Applicants should resubmit forms in Portable 
Document File Format (PDF) and follow the following file naming 
convention to name resubmitted forms. For example: 98042--SF-424--
mmddyy--v2.pdf.
    (1) 98042 = Proposal  (provided to applicant by Grants.gov 
& NOAA).
    (2) SF-424 = Form Number.
    (3) mmddyy = Date.
    (4) v2 = Version Number.
    To learn how to convert documents to PDF go to: http://www.grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf.

II. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures

    NOAA standardized the evaluation and selection process for its 
competitive assistance programs. All proposals submitted in response to 
this notice shall be evaluated and selected in accordance with the 
following procedures. There are two sets of evaluation criteria and 
selection procedures, one for project proposals, and the other for 
fellowship, scholarship, and internship programs. These evaluation 
criteria and selection procedures apply to all of the programs included 
below.

Proposal Review and Selection Process for Projects

    Some programs may include a pre-application process which provides 
an initial review and feedback to the applicants that have responded to 
a call for letters of intent or pre-proposals; however, not all 
programs will include such a process. If a pre-application process is 
used by a program, it shall be described in the Summary Description and 
the deadline shall be provided in the Application Deadline section. 
Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial administrative 
review is conducted to determine compliance with requirements and 
completeness of the application. A merit review is conducted to 
individually evaluate, score, and rank applications using the 
evaluation criteria. A second merit review may be conducted on the 
applicants that meet the program's threshold (based on scores from the 
first merit review) to make selections using the selection factors 
provided below. Merit review is conducted by mail reviewers and/or peer 
panel reviewers. Each reviewer will individually evaluate and rank 
proposals using the evaluation criteria provided below. A minimum of 
three merit reviewers per proposal is required. No consensus advice 
will be given. The merit reviewer's ratings are used to produce a rank 
order of the proposals. The NOAA Program Officer may review the ranking 
of the proposals and make recommendations to the Selecting Official 
based on the mail and/or panel review(s) and selection factors listed 
below. The Selecting Official selects proposals after considering the 
mail and/or peer panel review(s) and recommendations of the Program 
Officer. In making the final selections, the Selecting Official will 
award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out 
of rank order based upon one or more of the selection factors below. 
The Program Officer and/or Selecting Official may negotiate the funding 
level of the proposal. The Selecting Official makes final 
recommendations for award to the Grants Officer who is authorized to 
obligate the funds.

Evaluation Criteria for Projects

    1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed 
project to the program goals: This ascertains whether there is 
intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal, 
regional, state, or local activities.
    2. Technical/scientific merit: This assesses whether the approach 
is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are appropriate, 
and whether there are clear project goals and objectives.
    3. Overall qualifications of applicants: This ascertains whether 
the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, training, 
facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project.
    4. Project costs: The Budget is evaluated to determine if it is 
realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.
    5. Outreach and education: NOAA assesses whether this project 
provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy 
regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural resources.

Selection Factors for Projects

    The merit review ratings shall provide a rank order to the 
Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. A program officer 
may first make recommendations to the Selecting Official applying the 
selection factors below. The Selecting Official shall award in the rank 
order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order 
based upon one or more of the following factors:
    1. Availability of funding.
    2. Balance/distribution of funds:
    a. Geographically.
    b. By type of institutions.
    c. By type of partners.
    d. By research areas.
    e. By project types.
    3. Whether this project duplicates other projects funded or 
considered for funding by NOAA or other federal agencies.
    4. Program priorities and policy factors.
    5. Applicant's prior award performance.
    6. Partnerships and/or Participation of targeted groups.
    7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA 
determination and draft necessary documentation before recommendations 
for funding are made to the Grants Officer. Proposal Review and 
Selection Process for NOAA Fellowship.

Scholarship and Internship Programs

    Some programs may include a pre-application process which provides 
an initial review and feedback to the applicants that have responded to 
a call for letters of intent or pre-proposals; however, not all 
programs will include such a process. If a pre-application process is 
used by a program, it shall be described in the Summary Description and 
the deadline shall be provided in the Application Deadline section. An 
initial administrative review of full applications is conducted to 
determine compliance with requirements and completeness of 
applications. A merit review is conducted to individually evaluate, 
score, and rank applications using the evaluation criteria. A second 
merit review may be conducted on the applicants that meet the program's 
threshold (based on scores from the first merit review) to make 
selections using

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the selection factors provided below. No consensus advice will be 
given. The Program Officer may conduct a review of the rank order and 
make recommendations to the Selecting Official based on the panel 
ratings and the selection factors listed below. The Selecting Official 
considers merit reviews and recommendations. The Selecting Official 
will award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be 
selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the selection 
factors below. The Selecting Official makes final recommendations for 
award to the Grants Officer who is authorized to obligate the funds.

Evaluation Criteria for Fellowship/Scholarships/Internships

    1. Academic record and statement of career goals and objectives of 
student.
    2. Quality of project and applicability to program priorities.
    3. Recommendations and/or endorsements of student.
    4. Additional relevant experience related to diversity of 
education; extra-curricular activities; honors and awards; 
interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills.
    5. Financial need of student.

Selection Factors for Fellowship/Scholarships/Internships

    1. Balance/Distribution of funds:
    a. Across academic disciplines.
    b. By types of institutions.
    c. Geographically.
    2. Availability of funds.
    3. Program-specific objectives.
    4. Degree in scientific area and type of degree sought.

III. NOAA Project Competitions

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

(1) Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Partnership Grant
    Summary Description: The NOAA Great Lakes Habitat Restoration 
Program invites applications requesting funding to establish one or 
more regional habitat restoration partnership(s) for 1 to 3 years. The 
partnership(s) is expected to catalyze the implementation of habitat 
restoration projects that will benefit coastal resources through 
improved Great Lakes habitat quality.
    The centerpiece of the program will be one or more restoration 
projects in an Area of Concern that: are based on strong science and 
data availability; are ecosystem focused; and, involve significant 
problems and lake-wide improvements. Project areas should include 
locations where: (1) Maximum use can be made of on-going restoration 
efforts and partnerships, (2) availability of matching funds are met, 
(3) the problem is significant to the Great Lakes region, NOAA's 
mission and established priorities, and, (4) there is a scientific 
merit in restoration. NOAA envisions working jointly on such a 
partnership(s) through its Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program 
(GLHRP) to fund and administer projects that support community-
identified priorities such as: (1) Restoring and enhancing critical, 
nearshore areas, tributaries and connecting channels; (2) remediating 
basin-wide sources of stress; (3) protecting healthy functioning areas; 
and, (4) monitoring ecosystem health. This document describes the types 
of partnership(s) that NOAA envisions establishing, portrays the 
qualities that NOAA has found to be ideal in a partnership, and 
describes criteria under which applications will be evaluated for 
funding consideration. The partnership application(s) selected through 
this announcement must be in support of ongoing efforts in an Area of 
Concern (AOC) and will be implemented through a cooperative agreement. 
The selection process is anticipated to be highly competitive.
    Funding of up to $1 million may be available to establish one or 
more habitat restoration partnership(s) in 2008, and annual funding is 
anticipated to maintain them for 1 to 3 years duration. Definitions of 
Terms: (1) The Great Lakes region will be defined by the Great Lakes 
Water Quality Agreement: Article 1.(h) ``Great Lakes System: means all 
of the streams, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water that are within 
the drainage basin on the St. Lawrence River at or upstream from the 
point at which this river becomes the international boundary between 
Canada and the United States.'' (2) Areas of Concern are severely 
degraded geographic areas within the Great Lakes Basin. They are 
defined by the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (Annex 2 
of the 1987 Protocol) as ``geographic areas that fail to meet the 
general specific objectives of the agreement where such failure has 
caused or is likely to cause impairment of beneficial use of the area's 
ability to support aquatic life.''
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of 
up to $1 million is expected to be available for establishing a habitat 
restoration partnership(s) with the NOAA Great Lakes Habitat 
Restoration Program in FY 2008. Actual funding availability for this 
program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional 
appropriations. Funding for subsequent years will depend on the ability 
of partners to successfully perform partnership activities as stated in 
their applications. NOAA anticipates that the typical partnership(s) 
award will range from $250,000 to $1,000,000 for the initial year of a 
regional habitat restoration partnership(s) established in FY 2008. 
Applicants can request increases to continue scaling up partnership 
activities in subsequent budget periods to a limit of $2,000,000 in FY 
2009, and to $3,000,000 in FY 2010. As this is the first year of the 
Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program, no prior award information can 
be provided for reference purposes.
    Statutory Authority: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under 
the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by 
the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, to provide grants or cooperative 
agreements for fisheries habitat restoration.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Applications should be submitted via 
www.grants.gov, and must be received by grants.gov no later than 11:59 
p.m. EST on August 31, 2007. No facsimile or electronic mail 
applications will be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: If grants.gov cannot reasonably 
be used, applications must be postmarked, or provided to a delivery 
service and documented with a receipt, by August 31, 2007 and sent to: 
NOAA Restoration Center (F/HC3), Office of Habitat Conservation, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East West Highway, Room 14726, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910. ATTN: GLHRP Partnership Applications.
    Information Contacts: For further information contact Jenni Wallace 
(301) 713-0174 x191 or David Landsman at (301) 713-0174 x 151 or 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, hospitals, other non-profits, commercial (for-profit) 
organizations, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, state, local and Indian 
tribal governments whose applications propose to benefit Great Lakes 
coastal and open-lake habitats. Applications from federal agencies or 
employees of federal agencies will not be considered.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: The overall initial focus of the GLHRP 
is to provide seed money to a regional partnership(s) that leverages 
funds and other contributions from a broad public and private sector to 
implement locally important habitat restoration projects to

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benefit Great Lakes coastal and open-lake resources within an Area of 
Concern (AOC).
    Additionally, the partnership(s) that propose to provide cash match 
toward project implementation funds at the local level (before local, 
project-specific contributions are included) will be likely to score 
higher in the evaluation of project costs. While this is not a 
requirement, the GLHRP strongly advises applicants to leverage as much 
investment as possible.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program from 
state and local governments are subject to the provisions of Executive 
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
(2) Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN)
    Summary Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
Southeast Region, is seeking proposals under the Marine Fisheries 
Initiative Program (MARFIN), for research and development projects that 
optimize the use of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and off the South 
Atlantic states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida 
involving the U.S. fishing industry (recreational and commercial), 
including fishery biology, resource assessment, socioeconomic 
assessment, management and conservation, selected harvesting methods, 
and fish handling and processing.
    Funding Availability: Approximately $2.0 million may be available 
in fiscal year (FY) 2008 for projects. This amount includes possible 
in-house projects. Actual funding availability for this program is 
contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. The NMFS 
Southeast Regional Office anticipates awarding projects that will range 
from $25,000 to $300,000. The average award is $150,000.
    Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 713c-3(d).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.433, 
Marine Fisheries Initiative.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m., 
eastern time on August 1, 2007. For applications submitted through 
Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is included and will be 
the basis of determining timeliness. Hard copy applications will be 
date and time stamped when they are received. Facsimile transmission 
and electronic mail submission of applications will not be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
electronically through www.grants.gov. Only if an applicant does not 
have Internet access, hard copies may be sent to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service, State/Federal Liaison Branch, 263 13th Avenue South, 
St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    Information Contacts: Ellie F. Roche, Chief, State/Federal Liaison 
Branch at (727) 824-5324.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants include Institutions of higher 
education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, state, local and 
Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not 
eligible. Foreign governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of 
foreign governments, and international organizations are excluded for 
purposes of this solicitation since the objective of the MARFIN program 
is to optimize research and development benefits from U.S. marine 
fishery resources.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost sharing is not required.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
(3) Protected Species Cooperative Conservation
    Summary Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
is soliciting applications to support the conservation of threatened 
and endangered species, recently de-listed species, and candidate 
species under the jurisdiction of the NMFS or under the joint 
jurisdiction of the NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (e.g. 
sea turtles). Any state that has entered into an agreement with the 
NMFS and maintains an adequate and active program for the conservation 
of endangered and threatened species pursuant to section 6(c) of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) is eligible to apply.
    These financial assistance awards can be used to support 
management, monitoring, research, and outreach activities that provide 
direct conservation benefits to listed species, recently de-listed 
species, or candidate species that reside within that state. Projects 
involving North Atlantic right whales will not be considered for 
funding under this grant program; such projects may be submitted under 
the North Atlantic Right Whale Research Program of the NMFS Northeast 
Regional Office. Projects focusing on listed Pacific salmon will also 
not be considered under this grant program; State conservation efforts 
for these species are funded through the Pacific Salmon Coastal 
Recovery Fund. The program priorities for this opportunity support 
NOAA's mission support goal of ``Ecosystems''.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that a minimum of 
$250K and a maximum of $800K may be available for distribution under 
the FY 2008 PSCC program, in award amounts to be determined by the 
proposals and available funds. Actual funding availability for this 
program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional 
appropriations. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, 
and there is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to 
make awards for all qualified projects. Publication of this notice does 
not oblige NOAA to award any specific grant proposal or to obligate any 
available funds. Award periods may extend up to 3 years with annual 
funding contingent on the availability of Federal appropriations and 
satisfactory performance by the grant recipient. There are no 
restrictions on maximum or minimum award amounts within the available 
funding.
    Statutory Authority: The NMFS is authorized to provide Federal 
assistance to eligible states for the purpose of assisting the states 
in the development of programs for the conservation of listed, recently 
de-listed, and candidate species that reside within that state (16 
U.S.C. 661; 1535).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.472, 
Unallied Science Program.
    Application Deadline: Proposals submitted through Grants.gov must 
be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 15, 2007; 
proposals submitted by mail must be postmarked by September 15, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
electronically through the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. If online submission is not possible, hard copy 
applications may be submitted (by postal mail, commercial delivery, or 
hand delivery) to NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources, Attn: Lisa 
Manning, 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Information Contacts: Lisa Manning at the NOAA/NMFS/Office of 
Protected Resources, Endangered Species Division, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, by phone at 301-713-1401, or by e-
mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are states that, through their 
respective state agencies, have entered into an agreement with the NMFS 
pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA. The terms `state' and `state 
agency' are used as defined in

[[Page 36250]]

section 3 of the ESA. Currently eligible state agencies are from the 
following states: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South 
Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Any state agency that enters 
into a section 6(c) agreement with the NMFS prior to the application 
deadline (September 15, 2007) is also eligible to apply. Proposals may 
address federally listed species that are included in the state's ESA 
section 6 agreement or any species that has become a ``candidate'' 
species by the grant application deadline.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: In accordance with section 6(d) of the 
ESA, all proposals submitted must include a minimum non-Federal cost 
share of 25 percent of the total budget if the proposal involves a 
single state. If a proposal involves collaboration of two or more 
states, the minimum non-Federal cost share decreases to 10 percent of 
the total project costs.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
(4) Cooperative Research Program
    Summary Description: The CRP program provides financial assistance 
for projects that seek to increase and improve the working relationship 
between researchers from the NMFS, state fishery agencies, 
universities, and fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico and off the South 
Atlantic states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida 
involving the U.S. fishing industry (recreational and commercial). The 
program is a means of involving commercial and recreational fishermen 
in the collection of fundamental fisheries information. Collection 
efforts support the development and evaluation of management and 
regulatory options.
    Funding Availability: Approximately $2.0 million may be available 
in fiscal year (FY) 2008 for projects. Actual funding availability for 
this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional 
appropriations. The NMFS Southeast Regional Office estimates awarding 
eight projects that will range from $25,000 to $400,000. The average 
award is $150,000. Publication of this notice does not obligate NMFS to 
award any specific grant or cooperative agreement or any of the 
available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the CRP is provided by the 
following: 15 U.S.C. 713c-3(d).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, 
Unallied Management Projects.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received by 5 p.m., 
eastern time on August 31, 2007. For applications submitted through 
Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is included and will be 
the basis of determining timeliness. Hard copy applications will be 
date and time stamped when they are received. Facsimile transmission 
and electronic mail submission of applications will not be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. Only if an applicant does not have internet 
access, hard copies may be sent to: National Marine Fisheries Service, 
State/Federal Liaison Branch, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701.
    Information Contacts: For questions regarding the application 
process, you may contact: Robert Sadler, State/Federal Liaison Branch, 
(727) 824-5324, or [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants may be Institutions of higher 
education, nonprofits, commercial organizations, individuals, and 
state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or 
institutions are not eligible. Foreign governments, organizations under 
the jurisdiction of foreign governments, and international 
organizations are excluded for purposes of this solicitation since the 
objective of the CRP is to optimize research and development benefits 
from U.S. marine fishery resources. Applicants who are not commercial 
or recreational fishermen must have commercial or recreational 
fishermen participating in their project. There must be a written 
agreement with a fisherman describing the involvement in the project 
activity.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost-sharing is not required for this 
program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local 
governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. Any applicant submitting 
an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 
regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 
established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and comply with 
a States process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers 
of participating SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and 
Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(5) General Coral Reef Conservation
    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program/
General Coral Reef Conservation Grants (GCRCGP) provides funding to 
institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, commercial 
organizations, Freely Associated State government agencies, and local 
and Indian tribal governments to support coral reef conservation 
projects in the United States and the Freely Associated States in the 
Pacific, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. 
Projects funded through the GCRCGP support on-the-ground efforts that: 
(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) increase public knowledge and awareness of 
coral reef ecosystems and issues regarding their conservation and (4) 
develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef 
ecosystems and the threats to such ecosystems. Projects should 
complement and fill gaps in state, territorial and commonwealth coral 
reef programs, emphasize community-based conservation, or address local 
action strategy priorities. Proposals selected for funding through this 
solicitation require a 1:1 match and will be implemented through a 
grant. Funding of up to $600,000 is expected to be available for GRCGP 
in FY 2008. These funds will be divided approximately equally among the 
U.S. Pacific and Atlantic to maintain geographic balance, as outlined 
in the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Awards will range from 
$15,000-$50,000.
    Funding Availability: NOAA announces the availability of up to 
$600,000 of Federal assistance may be available in FY 2008 for the 
GCRCGP to support financial assistance awards for coral conservation 
activities. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent 
upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. Proposals can be 
submitted for a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $50,000; NOAA will 
not accept proposals requesting over $50,000 of Federal funds.
    There is no limit on the number of applications that can be 
submitted by the same applicant during the 2008 competitive grant 
cycle. However, multiple applications submitted by the same applicant 
must clearly identify different projects and must be successful in the 
competitive review process. The number of awards made as a result of 
this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications

[[Page 36251]]

received, the amount of funds requested for each project, the merit and 
ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the 
Program by Congress. In addition, funding will be divided between the 
U.S. Pacific and U.S. Atlantic to meet requirements for geographic 
distribution of funds, as described in the Coral Reef Conservation Act. 
Attempts will also be made to fund one or more projects in each 
jurisdiction, provided that the project addresses priorities outlined 
above, it is identified as having sufficient merit, and it meets all 
other requirements as stipulated in this solicitation. The funds have 
not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee 
that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all 
qualified projects. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to 
award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation 
Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 (Coral Reef Conservation 
Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et 
seq.).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received no later than 
11:59 PM EST on November 1, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. If applicants are unable to submit through 
www.grants.gov, an original paper copy of signed Federal financial 
assistance forms and the complete project narrative and budget 
narrative must be submitted by mail to: Andrew Bruckner, NOAA Coral 
Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Habitat 
Conservation (F/HC), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
ATTN: CRCGP Project Applications. Electronic copies of the project 
narrative and budget narrative are requested when submitting by mail 
([email protected]), however e-mail applications submitted without a 
mailed hard copy with appropriate postal date stamp will not be 
accepted.
    Information Contacts: Technical point of contact for NOAA Coral 
Reef Conservation Grant Program/General Grants is Andy Bruckner, 301-
713-3459, extension 190 or e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Institutions of higher education, non-profit 
organizations, commercial organizations, local and Indian tribal 
governments and Freely Associated State Government Agencies can apply 
for funding under the GCRCGP. U.S. federal, state, territory, and 
commonwealth governments and Regional Fishery Management Councils are 
not eligible under this category. NOAA employees are not allowed to 
help in the preparation of applications or write letters of support for 
any application. NOAA staff are available to provide information on 
programmatic goals and objectives, ongoing coral reef conservation 
programs, Regional funding priorities, and, along with other Federal 
Program Officers, can provide information on application procedures and 
completion of required forms. For activities that involve collaboration 
with current NOAA programs or staff, NOAA employees must provide a 
letter verifying that they are collaborating with the project. Federal 
employee travel and salaries are not allowable costs under this 
program.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: As per section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000, Federal funds for any coral conservation 
project funded under this Program may not exceed 50 percent of the 
total cost of the project. All GCRCGP projects submitted to this 
program require a 1:1 match obtained from non-Federal sources. 
Applicants must specify in their proposal the source of the match and 
provide letters of commitment to confirm stated match contributions. 
The match can include in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. 
Applicants are permitted to combine contributions from additional non-
Federal partners in order to meet the 1:1 match expected, as long as 
such contributions are not being used to match any other funds. Federal 
funds may not be used as matching funds. The nature of the contribution 
(cash versus in-kind) and the amount of matching funds will be taken 
into consideration in the review process, with cash being the preferred 
method of contribution. However, applicants should note that cost 
sharing is an element considered in Evaluation Criterion d. Project 
Costs. Applicants may request a waiver from the 1:1 match pursuant to 
Section 6403(b)(2) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act. As per section 
6403(b)(2) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, the NOAA 
Administrator may waive all or part of the matching requirement if the 
Administrator determines that the project meets the following two 
requirements: (1) No reasonable means are available through which an 
applicant can meet the matching requirement; and (2) The probable 
benefit of such project outweighs the public interest in such matching 
requirement. In the case of a waiver request, the applicant must 
provide a detailed justification at the time the proposal is submitted 
explaining the need for the waiver including attempts to obtain sources 
of matching funds, how the benefit of the project outweighs the public 
interest in providing match, and any other extenuating circumstances 
preventing the availability of match. Notwithstanding any other 
provisions herein, and in accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), the 
Program shall waive any requirement for local matching funds for any 
project under $200,000 (including in-kind contribution) to the 
governments of Insular Areas, defined as the jurisdictions of the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible applicants choosing to apply 48 
U.S.C. 1469a(d) must include a letter requesting a waiver that 
demonstrates that their project meets the requirements of 48 U.S.C. 
1469a(d).
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this Program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. Any applicant submitting an application for funding is 
required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State 
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
(6) FY2008 Community-based Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Project 
Grants
    Summary Description: The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP), 
authorized in the Marine Debris Reduction, Prevention, and Reduction 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.), provides funding to catalyze the 
implementation of locally driven, community-based marine debris 
prevention and removal projects that will benefit coastal habitat, 
waterways, and NOAA trust resources including diadromous fish. Projects 
funded through the MDP have strong on-the-ground habitat components 
involving the removal of marine debris and derelict gear that will 
provide educational and social benefits for people and their 
communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements 
for NOAA trust resources. Through this solicitiation the MDP identifies 
potential marine debris prevention and removal projects, strengthens 
the development and implementation of habitat restoration through the 
removal of marine debris within communities, and fosters awareness of 
the effects of marine debris through the funding of outreach and 
education proposals to further the

[[Page 36252]]

conservation of living marine resource habitats across a wide 
geographic area.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of 
up to $2,000,000 is expected to be available for Community-based Marine 
Prevention and Removal Project Grants in FY 2008. Actual funding 
availability for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 
Congressional appropriations. The NOAA Restoration Center anticipates 
that typical project awards will range from $15,000 to $150,000; NOAA 
will not accept proposals for under $15,000 or proposals for over 
$250,000 under this solicitation.
    Statutory Authority: The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration is authorized under the Marine Debris 
Reduction, Prevention, and Reduction Act (33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.) to 
provide grants or cooperative agreements to identify, determine sources 
of, assess, reduce, and prevent marine debris and its adverse impacts 
on the marine environment and navigation safety. The Secretary of 
Commerce is also authorized under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 
1970, to provide grants or cooperative agreements for fisheries habitat 
restoration.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Applications should be submitted via 
www.grants.gov, and must be received by grants.gov no later than 11:59 
p.m. EDT on October 31, 2007. No facsimile or electronic mail 
applications will be accepted. Applications postmarked or provided to a 
delivery service after that time will not be considered for funding. 
Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an 
official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any 
event, applications received later than 15 business days following the 
postmark closing date will not be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through Grants.gov. If grants.gov cannot reasonably be used, a hard 
copy application with the SF424 signed in blue ink must be postmarked, 
or provided to a delivery service and documented with a receipt, by 
October 31, 2007, and sent to: NOAA Restoration Center (F/HC3), 
Community-based Restoration Program, NOAA Fisheries, 1315 East West 
Highway, Rm. 14727, Silver Spring, MD 20910. ATTN: MDP Project 
Applications.
    Information Contacts: For further information contact David 
Landsman at 301-713-0174 or by e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other non-profits, commercial (for profit) organizations, 
organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments, 
international organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal 
governments whose projects have the potential to benefit NOAA trust 
resources. Applications from federal agencies or employees of Federal 
agencies will not be considered. Federal agencies are strongly 
encouraged to work with states, non-governmental organizations, 
national service clubs or youth corps organizations and others that are 
eligible to apply. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to 
broadening the participation of historically black colleges and 
universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and 
universities, and institutions that work in under-served areas. The MDP 
encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost-sharing is not required however it 
does affect a proposal's score (see criterion 4, Section V.A. of the 
Federal Funding Opportunity). Federal sources cannot be considered for 
matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to 
demonstrate additional leverage.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local 
governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
(7) Projects To Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management Plans
    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant 
Program/Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management 
Plans (CRFMPGP) provides funding to the Regional Fishery Management 
Councils for projects to conserve and manage coral reef fisheries, as 
authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Projects 
funded through the CRFMPGP are for activities that (1) provide better 
scientific information on the status of coral reef fisheries resources, 
critical habitats of importance to coral reef fishes, and the impacts 
of fishing on these species and habitats; (2) identify new management 
approaches that protect coral reef biodiversity and ecosystem function 
through regulation of fishing and other extractive uses; and (3) 
incorporate conservation and sustainable management measures into 
existing or new Federal fishery management plans for coral reef 
species. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will 
be implemented through a Cooperative Agreement. The role of NOAA in the 
CRFMPGP is to help identify potential projects that reduce impacts of 
fishing on coral reef ecosystems, strengthen the development and 
implementation of the projects, and assist in coordination of these 
efforts with Federal, state, territory or commonwealth management 
authorities and various coral reef user groups.
    Funding up to $1,050,000 is expected to be available for CRFMPGP 
Cooperative Agreements in FY 2008. These funds will be divided equally 
among the Atlantic and Pacific to maintain the geographic split 
required by the Act. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program 
anticipates that awards will range from $175,000-$525,000.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $1,050,000 is expected to be available for cooperative 
agreements in support coral reef conservation activities for Projects 
to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management Plans (CRFMPGP) in FY 
2008. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent upon 
Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. The NOAA Coral reef 
Conservation Program anticipates that typical project awards will range 
from about $175,000 to $525,000; NOAA will not accept proposals for 
over $525,000 under this solicitation. Equal funding will be provided 
to the Atlantic and Pacific, up to a maximum of $525,000 for activities 
in the Western Pacific, and a maximum of $525,000 for activities in the 
South Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. The exact amount 
of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award 
negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Activities 
approved by NOAA will be awarded as new cooperative agreements through 
the NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation (HC). The number of awards made 
as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible 
applications received, the amount of funds requested for each project, 
the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made 
available to the Program by Congress. The funds have not yet been 
appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that 
sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified 
projects. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award

[[Page 36253]]

any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation 
Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 (Coral Reef Conservation 
Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et 
seq).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.441, 
Regional Fishery Management Councils.
    Application Deadline: Applications should be submitted via 
www.grants.gov and must be received by grants.gov no later than 11:59 
p.m. EST on November 1, 2007.
    Address For Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. If applicants are unable to submit through 
www.grants.gov, an original paper copy of signed Federal financial 
assistance forms and the complete project narrative and budget 
narrative must be submitted by mail to: Andrew Bruckner, NOAA Coral 
Reef Conservation Program, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Habitat 
Conservation (F/HC), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
ATTN: CRCGP Project Applications. Electronic copies of the project 
narrative and budget narrative are requested when submitting by e-mail 
([email protected]), however e-mail applications submitted without a 
mailed hard copy with appropriate postal date stamp will not be 
accepted.
    Information Contacts: Information on submission requirements and 
Federal forms can be obtained from Liz Fairey at 301-713-3459 or by e-
mail at [email protected]. Technical point of contact for NOAA Coral 
Reef Conservation Grant Program/Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef 
Fishery Management Plans Grants Program is Andy Bruckner, 301-713-3459, 
extension 190 or e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are limited to the Western Pacific 
Regional Fishery Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, and 
the Caribbean Fishery Management Council.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing or matching is required 
under this program. The Administrator has waived the matching 
requirement for the Fishery Management Councils as discussed in Section 
VII of the Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program Implementation 
Guidelines (Federal Register Vol. 67, No. 76, page 19396, Friday, April 
19, 2002). 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.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this CRFMPGP are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. Specific information regarding Intergovernmental Review can 
be found above in Section IV. Application and Submission Information, 
D. Intergovernmental Review.
    (8) FY2008 Community-based Habitat Restoration Project Grants
    Summary Description: The NOAA Community-based Restoration Program 
(CRP) provides funding and technical expertise to catalyze the 
implementation of locally-driven, grass-roots habitat restoration 
projects that will benefit living marine and coastal resources, 
including diadromous fish. Projects funded through the CRP have strong 
on-the-ground habitat restoration components that provide educational 
and social benefits for people and their communities in addition to 
long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. 
Through this solicitation, the CRP identifies potential restoration 
projects, strengthens the development and implementation of sound 
restoration projects and science-based monitoring of such projects 
within communities, and develops long-term, ongoing national and 
regional partnerships to support community-based restoration of living 
marine and coastal resource habitats across a wide geographic area. 
Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be 
implemented through a cooperative agreement.
    Funding of up to $3,000,000 is expected to be available for 
Community-based Habitat Restoration Project Grants in FY 2008. The NOAA 
Restoration Center (RC) anticipates that typical awards will range from 
$50,000 to $200,000.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of 
up to $3,000,000 is expected to be available for Community-based 
Habitat Restoration Project Grants in FY 2008. Actual funding 
availability for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 
Congressional appropriations. The NOAA Restoration Center anticipates 
that typical project awards will range from $50,000 to $200,000; NOAA 
will not accept proposals for under $30,000 or proposals for over 
$250,000 under this solicitation. There is no guarantee that sufficient 
funds will be available to make awards for all proposals. The number of 
awards to be made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the 
number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested 
for initiating restoration projects by the applicants, the merit and 
ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the 
CRP by Congress. The CRP anticipates that between 10 and 20 awards will 
be made as a result of this solicitation. The exact amount of funds 
that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations 
between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this 
document does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or 
obligate all or any parts of any available funds. In FY 2006, 12 
applications were recommended for funding ranging from $32,766 to 
$175,000 for a total of $1,009,466. In FY 2005, 18 applications were 
recommended for funding ranging from $20,000 to $211,507 for a total of 
$1.72 million. In FY 2004, 14 applications were recommended for funding 
ranging from $30,000 to $206,277 for a total of $1.37 million.
    Statutory Authority: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Reauthorization Act of 2006 (H.R. 5946) to provide funding and 
technical expertise for fisheries and coastal habitat restoration and 
to promote significant community support and volunteer participation in 
such activities. The Secretary of Commerce is also authorized under the 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by the 
Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, to provide grants or cooperative 
agreements for fisheries habitat restoration.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received by Grants.gov 
no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 27, 2007. If Grants.gov 
cannot reasonably be used, a hard copy application must be postmarked, 
or provided to a delivery service and documented with a receipt, by 
September 27, 2007. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will 
be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to apply through www.grants.gov. It takes approximately 3 
weeks to register with Grants.gov, and registration is required only 
once. Applicants should consider the time needed to register with 
Grants.gov, and should begin the registration process well in advance 
of the application due date if they have never registered with 
Grants.gov. Applications must be received by Grants.gov no later than 
11:59 PM EDT on September 27, 2007 to be considered

[[Page 36254]]

for funding. Applicants should allow themselves time to submit the 
proposal to Grants.gov, as the deadline for submission cannot be 
extended and there is the potential for human or computer error during 
the Grants.gov submission process. If Grants.gov cannot reasonably be 
used, a hard copy application with the SF424 signed in ink (blue ink is 
preferred) must be postmarked, or provided to a delivery service and 
documented with a receipt, by September 27, 2007, and sent to: NOAA 
Restoration Center (F/HC3), Community-based Restoration Program, NOAA 
Fisheries, 1315 East West Highway, Rm. 14727, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
ATTN: CRP Project Applications. Applications postmarked or provided to 
a delivery service after that time will not be considered for funding. 
Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an 
official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any 
event, applications received later than 15 business days following the 
postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic 
mail applications will be accepted. Applicants desiring acknowledgment 
of receipt of their applications should include a self-addressed 
postcard. Paper applications should be printed on one side only, on 
8.5'' x 11'' paper, and should not be bound in any manner. Applicants 
submitting paper applications should also include a full copy of the 
application on a compact disc (CD).
    Information Contacts: For further information contact Cathy Bozek 
or Melanie Gange at (301) 713-0174, or by fax at (301) 713-0184, or by 
e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected]. Potential 
applicants are invited to contact CRP staff before submitting an 
application to discuss the applicability of project ideas to the CRP's 
goals and objectives. Additional information on the CRP, including 
examples of community-based habitat restoration projects that have been 
funded to date, can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, hospitals, other non-profits, commercial (for profit) 
organizations, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments whose projects have the potential to benefit NOAA 
trust resources.
    Applications from federal agencies or employees of Federal agencies 
will not be considered.
    Federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-
governmental organizations, national service clubs or youth corps 
organizations and others that are eligible to apply. The Department of 
Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is 
strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically 
black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal 
colleges and universities, and institutions that work in under-served 
areas. The CRP encourages proposals involving any of the above 
institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: A major goal of the CRP is to provide 
seed money to projects that leverage funds and other contributions from 
a broad public and private sector to implement locally important 
habitat restoration to benefit living marine and coastal resources. 
Cost-sharing is not required however it does affect a proposal's score 
(see criterion 4, Section V.A. of the Federal Funding Opportunity).
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local 
governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Any applicant 
submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 
on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and 
comply with a State's process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and 
phone numbers of participating SPOC's are listed in the Office of 
Management and Budget's home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(9) FY2008 Open Rivers Initiative
    Summary Description: The NOAA Open Rivers Initiative (ORI) provides 
funding to catalyze the implementation of locally-driven projects to 
remove dams and other barriers, in order to benefit living marine and 
coastal resources, particularly diadromous fish. Projects funded 
through the Open Rivers Initiative have strong on-the-ground habitat 
restoration components that foster economic, educational, and social 
benefits for citizens and their communities in addition to long-term 
ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. Through the 
ORI, NOAA provides funding and technical assistance for barrier removal 
projects. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will 
be implemented through a cooperative agreement. Funding of up to 
$6,000,000 is expected to be available for ORI Project Grants in FY 
2008. The NOAA Restoration Center (RC) within the Office of Habitat 
Conservation will administer this grant initiative, and anticipates 
that typical awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000. Although a 
select few may fall outside of this range, project proposals requesting 
less than $30,000 or greater than $1,000,000 will not be accepted or 
reviewed.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that funding of 
up to $6,000,000 is expected to be available for Open Rivers Initiative 
Project Grants in FY 2008. Actual funding availability for this program 
is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. NOAA 
anticipates that typical project awards will range from $50,000 to 
$250,000; proposals requesting less than $30,000 or more than 
$1,000,000 will not be accepted under this solicitation.
    NOAA does not guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to 
make awards for all proposals. The number of awards to be made as a 
result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible 
applications received, the amount of funds requested by the applicants, 
the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made 
available to the ORI by Congress. NOAA anticipates that between 20 and 
40 awards will be made as a result of this solicitation. The exact 
amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award 
negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives.
    Publication of this document does not obligate NOAA to award any 
specific project or obligate all or any parts of any available funds.
    Statutory Authority: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under 
the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by 
the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, to provide grants or cooperative 
agreements for fisheries habitat restoration. The Secretary of Commerce 
is also authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (H.R. 5946) to provide funding 
and technical expertise for fisheries and coastal habitat restoration 
and to promote significant community support and volunteer 
participation in such activities.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Applications should be submitted via 
grants.gov, and must be received by grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. 
EDT on October 31, 2007. If http://www.grants.gov cannot

[[Page 36255]]

reasonably be used, a hard copy application, with the SF-424 Form 
bearing an original, ink signature must be postmarked, or provided to a 
delivery service and documented with a receipt, by October 31st, 2007. 
No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to apply through www.grants.gov and should note that it 
takes approximately 3 weeks to register with grants.gov, and 
registration is required only once. Applicants should consider the time 
needed to register with grants.gov, and should begin the registration 
process well in advance of the application due date if they have never 
registered with grants.gov. If www.grants.gov cannot reasonably be 
used, a hard copy application with the SF-424 bearing an original, ink 
signature must be postmarked, or provided to a delivery service and 
documented with a receipt, by October 31st, 2007, and sent to: NOAA 
Restoration Center (F/HC3), Office of Habitat Conservation, NOAA 
Fisheries, 1315 East West Highway, Rm. 14718, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
ATTN: Open Rivers Initiative Project Applications. Applications 
postmarked or provided to a delivery service after that time will not 
be considered for funding.
    Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an 
official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. In any 
event, applications received later than 15 business days following the 
postmark closing date will not be accepted. No facsimile or electronic 
mail applications will be accepted. Paper applications should be 
printed on one side only, on 8.5 x 11 paper, and 
should not be bound in any manner. Applicants submitting paper 
applications should also include a full copy of the application on a 
compact disc (CD).
    Information Contacts: For further information contact Tisa Shostik 
([email protected]) or Melanie Gange ([email protected]) at 
(301) 713-0174.
    Potential applicants are invited to contact NOAA Restoration Center 
staff before submitting an application to discuss the applicability of 
project ideas to the goals and objectives of ORI. Additional 
information on the ORI can be found on the world wide web at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other non-profits, industry and commercial (for profit) 
organizations, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments whose projects have the potential to benefit NOAA 
trust resources.
    Applications from federal agencies or employees of federal agencies 
will not be considered.
    Federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-
governmental organizations, national service clubs or youth corps 
organizations and others that are eligible to apply. The Department of 
Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is 
strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically 
black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal 
colleges and universities, and institutions that work in under-served 
areas. The ORI encourages proposals from or involving any of the above 
institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: A major goal of the ORI will be to 
provide seed money for projects that leverage funds and other 
contributions from a broad public and private sector to implement 
locally important barrier removals to benefit living marine and coastal 
resources. Cost-sharing is not required however it does affect a 
proposal's score (see criterion 4, Section V.A. of the Federal Funding 
Opportunity).
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this initiative are 
subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental 
Review of Federal Programs.'' Any applicant submitting an application 
for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 regarding 
clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a 
result of EO 12372. To find out about and comply with a State's process 
under EO 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers of participating 
SPOC's are listed in the Office of Management and Budget's home page 
at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(10) Bay Watershed Education and Training Program
    Summary Description: B-WET Chesapeake is a competitively based 
program that supports existing environmental education programs, 
fosters the growth of new programs, and encourages the development of 
partnerships among environmental education programs throughout the 
entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Funded projects assist in meeting the 
Stewardship and Community Engagement goals of the Chesapeake 2000 
Agreement. Specifically, projects support organizations that provide 
meaningful watershed educational experiences for students or related 
professional development for teachers. NCBO is encouraging applications 
that include innovative technologies in the delivery of these 
experiences.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $3.5M may be available in FY 2008 in award amounts to be 
determined by the proposals and available funds. Actual funding 
availability for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 
Congressional appropriations. Annual funding is anticipated to maintain 
partnerships for up to 3 years duration, but is dependent on funding 
made available by Congress.
    1. About $2.75M will be for exemplar programs that successfully 
integrate teacher professional development on the Chesapeake Bay 
watershed with in-depth classroom study and outdoor experiences for 
their students.
    2. About $500K will be for proposals that provide opportunities 
either for students (K through 12) to participate in Meaningful 
Watershed Educational Experiences related to Chesapeake Bay or 
Professional Development in the area of Chesapeake Bay watershed 
education for teachers.
    3. About $250K will be for proposals that incorporate innovative 
technologies into meaningful watershed educational experiences. The 
NCBO anticipates that typical awards for B-WET Exemplar Programs that 
successfully integrate teacher professional development with in-depth 
classroom student and outdoor experiences for their students will range 
from $50,000 to $200,000. Projects that represent either meaningful 
watershed educational experiences for students or teacher professional 
development in watershed education will range from $10,000 to $75,000. 
Technology-Based Projects will generally range from $20,000 to 
$150,000.
    There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to 
make awards for all qualified projects. The exact amount of funds that 
may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the 
applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this notice does not 
oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available 
funds. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they 
do so at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. 
Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been 
received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award 
costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when 
the award is made.

[[Page 36256]]

    Statutory Authority: Under 15 U.S.C. 1540, the Secretary of 
Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements and 
other financial agreements with any nonprofit organization to aid and 
promote scientific and educational activities to foster public 
understanding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or 
its programs.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.457, 
Chesapeake Bay Studies.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. eastern 
time on Friday, October 19, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to submit applications electronically through http://www.grants.gov. Hard copies may be submitted by postal mail, commercial 
delivery service, or hand-delivery. Proposals being submitted by hard 
copy must be received by: NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; Education 
Coordinator; 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A; Annapolis, Maryland 21403. 
Facsimile transmissions and e-mail submission of proposals will not be 
accepted.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the B-WET Web site for further 
information at: http://noaa.chesapeakebay.net/educationgrants.aspx or 
contact Shannon Sprague, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; 410 Severn Avenue, 
Suite 107A, Annapolis, MD 21403, or by phone at 410-267-5664, or fax to 
410-267-5666, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are K-through-12 public and 
independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher 
education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local 
government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments 
in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Department of Commerce/National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed 
to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and 
universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and 
universities, and institutions that work in undeserved areas. The NCBO 
encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this 
program, however, the NCBO strongly encourages applicants include a 25% 
or higher match. Funds from other Federal awards may not be considered 
matching funds. The nature of the contribution (cash versus in-kind) 
and the amount of matching funds will be taken into consideration in 
the review process.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(11) 2008 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program
    Summary Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
announces that the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Councils (Councils) have set aside 500 monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) to be 
used for research endeavors under a research set-aside (RSA) program. 
NMFS is soliciting proposals to utilize the DAS for research activities 
concerning the monkfish fishery for fishing year 2008 (May 1, 2008-
April 30, 2009). Through the allocation of research DAS, the Monkfish 
RSA Program provides a mechanism to reduce the cost for vessel owners 
to participate in cooperative monkfish research. The intent of this RSA 
program is for fishing vessels to utilize these research DAS to conduct 
monkfish related research, rather than their allocated monkfish DAS, 
thereby eliminating any cost to the vessel associated with using a 
monkfish DAS.
    Funding Availability: No Federal funds are provided for research 
under this notification. Rather, projects funded under the Monkfish RSA 
Program would be provided with additional opportunity to harvest 
monkfish, and the catch sold to generate income to offset research 
costs. The National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (NMFS), the 
Federal Government may issue an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), if 
needed, to provide special fishing privileges in response to research 
proposals selected under this program. For example, vessels 
participating in an approved research project may be authorized by the 
Northeast Regional Administrator, NMFS, to harvest monkfish in excess 
of established possession limits. Two awards were issued under the 2006 
Monkfish RSA Program, with these projects recently ending in April 
2007. Three awards were issued under the 2007 Monkfish RSA Program, and 
these projects are expected to commence in May 2007. A total of 137.5 
RSA DAS were issued to projects during FY 2006, and a total of 367 RSA 
DAS have been issued to projects for FY 2007. For FY 2008, it is 
anticipated that 2-5 awards will be made. Funds generated from landings 
harvested and sold under the Monkfish RSA Program shall be used to 
cover the cost of research activities, including vessel costs. For 
example, the funds may be used to pay for gear modifications, 
monitoring equipment, the salaries of research personnel, or vessel 
operation costs. The Federal Government shall not be liable for any 
costs incurred in the conduct of the project. Specifically, the Federal 
Government is not liable for any costs incurred by the researcher or 
vessel owner should the sale of catch not fully reimburse the 
researcher or vessel owner for his/her expenses.
    Statutory Authority: Grants issued through the RSA program are 
consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1853(b)(11), 16 U.S.C. 1881a(e), and 16 
U.S.C. 1881(c). The ability to set aside monkfish DAS for research 
purposes was established in the final rule implementing Amendment 2 to 
the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (70 FR 21927, April 28, 2005), and 
codified in the regulations at 50 CFR 648.92(c).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, 
Unallied Management Projects.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received on or before 5 
p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, August 31, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposals must be submitted 
electronically through http://www.grants.gov, or as hard copy (by 
postal mail, commercial delivery service, or hand delivery) to NMFS, 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 
02543. Delays may be experienced when Registering with Grants On-line 
near the end of a solicitation period. Therefore, NOAA strongly 
recommends that applicants do not wait until the deadline date to begin 
the application process through http://www.grants.gov. Electronic or 
hard copies received after the deadline will not be considered, and 
hard copy applications will be returned to the sender.
    Information Contacts: Administrative questions: Allison McHale, 
Fishery Policy Analyst, NMFS, by phone 978-281-9103, fax 978-281-9135, 
or e-mail at [email protected]. Technical questions: Kelly 
Taranto, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, 
Woods Hole, MA 02543 by phone 508-495-2312, fax 508-495-2004, or e-mail 
at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, 
institutions of higher education, hospitals, other non-profits, 
commercial organizations, individuals, state, local, and Native 
American tribal governments. Federal agencies and institutions are not 
eligible to receive Federal assistance under this

[[Page 36257]]

notice. Additionally, employees of any Federal agency or Regional 
Fishery Management Council (Council) are ineligible to submit an 
application under this program. However, Council members who are not 
Federal employees may submit an application.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: None.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under the program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(12) 2008/2009 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside (RSA)
    Program: NMFS announces that for 2008 and 2009 Atlantic herring 
(herring) fishing years (January 1-December 31), the New England 
Fishery Management Council (Council), in consultation with the Atlantic 
States Marine Fisheries Commission, has set aside 3 percent of the 
total allowable catch (TAC) from herring management areas 1A, 1B, 2, 
and 3, to be used for research endeavors under a research set-aside 
(RSA) program. The RSA program provides a mechanism to fund research 
and compensate vessel owners through the sale of fish harvested under 
the research quota. Vessels participating in research and/or 
compensation activities of an approved research project may be 
authorized by the Northeast Regional Administrator, NMFS, to harvest 
and land fish from management areas closed due to attainment of a 
commercial quota. Landings from such trips shall be sold to generate 
funds that help defray the costs associated with the approved research 
projects. No Federal funds are provided for research under this 
notification. Priority shall be given to funding research proposals in 
the following general subject areas: (1) Efforts to define localized 
herring depletion on a spatial and temporal scale, (2) assessment of 
bycatch/discards in the directed herring fishery, (3) commercial 
herring catch sampling programs and portside bycatch surveys, (4) 
herring predator/prey information synthesis and investigations 
addressing information gaps, (5) development and testing of herring 
gear modifications to minimize interactions with non-target species in 
the herring fishery, and (6) development of tagging and morphometric 
studies to explore uncertainties in herring stock structure, stock 
mixing rates, and the impacts of harvest mortality on different 
components of the stock. For a detailed description of the research 
priorities, see 2008/2009 Atlantic Herring RSA Program Research 
Priorities listed in full text at http://www.grants.gov, Federal 
Funding Opportunity NMFS-NEFSC-2008-2001107.
    Funding Availability: No Federal funds are provided for research 
under this notification, but rather the opportunity to fish with the 
catch sold to generate income to offset research costs. Individual 
research projects may apply for the use of more than one herring 
research set-aside allocation from the 2008 and/or 2009 fishing 
year(s). Multi-year projects can be funded since the herring RSA 
program is intended to be consistent with the three-year harvest 
specification process. The research compensation trips must be 
conducted in the management area from which the set-aside was derived. 
In addition, an awarded TAC set-aside must be utilized in the same 
fishing year from which it was distributed. For example, a 2008 TAC RSA 
from Management Area 2 must be harvested before the end of the 2008 
fishing year (December 31, 2008). However, the money generated from the 
RSA may be rolled over into, or used to fund research in, future years, 
consistent with the multi-year proposal. No more than 50 percent of an 
allocated set-aside should be taken before the research begins. 
Proposals may request that set-aside herring be collected separately 
from the research trip(s) or as part of the research trip(s). To set a 
value on the TAC set asides, the value of the herring must be 
estimated. This Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) uses an estimated 
price based on the average 2005 price of $202 per metric ton (mt) 
established through herring dealer reports. By requiring researchers to 
use this price in requesting RSA TAC, all proposals will relate herring 
catch to research costs similarly. The Federal Government may issue a 
Letter of Authorization (LOA) or Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), as 
applicable, which may provide special fishing privileges in response to 
research proposals selected under this program. Funds generated from 
the RSA landings shall be used to cover the cost of the research 
activities, including vessel costs, and to compensate vessels for 
expenses incurred during the collection of the set-aside species. For 
example, the funds may be used to pay for gear modifications, 
monitoring equipment, additional provisions (e.g., fuel, ice, food for 
scientists), or the salaries of research personnel. The Federal 
Government is not liable for any costs incurred by the researcher or 
vessel owner should the sale of the excess catch not fully reimburse 
the researcher or vessel owner for their expenses. If a research 
project is terminated for any reason prior to completion, any funds 
collected from the catch sold to pay for research expenses must be 
refunded to the U.S. Treasury. The Council, in consultation with the 
Commission, has incorporated the level of RSA (amounts or percentages) 
for each of the management areas into the final two years of the three 
year quota specification process. Final specifications were published 
in the Federal Register on April 10, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 68). NMFS 
will consider the recommended level of RSA as part of the associated 
rulemaking process. The estimated values of the set-aside allocations 
will vary, depending on market considerations prevailing at the time 
the research compensation trips are conducted.
    Statutory Authority: Grants issued through the RSA program are 
consistent with 16 U.S.C.1853(b)(11), 16 U.S.C. 1881a(e), and 16 U.S.C. 
1881(c). Amendment 1 of the FMP established a process which allows 
herring set-aside for the RSA program to be awarded to selected RSA 
applicants to fund approved herring research.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, 
Unallied Management Projects.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received on or before 5 
p.m. EST, August 16, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Application information is 
available at http://www.grants.gov. Electronic copies of the Standard 
Forms for submission of research proposals may be found on the Internet 
in a PDF (Portable Document Format) version at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/appkit.shtml. Delays may be experienced when registering with 
Grants.gov near the end of a solicitation period. Therefore, NMFS 
strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline 
to begin the registration/application process through the Grants.gov 
Web site. Applicants without Internet access can contact Kelly A. 
Taranto, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, 
Woods Hole, MA 02543, or by phone at 508-495-2312, or fax at 508-495-
2004, or via e-mail at [email protected]. To apply for this NOAA 
Federal funding opportunity, please go to http://www.grants.gov and use 
the following funding opportunity NMFS-NEFSC-2008-2001107.
    Information Contacts: Information may be obtained from Paul Howard, 
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, by phone at 
978-465-0492, or fax at 978-465-3116; or Kelly A. Taranto, NMFS, 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166

[[Page 36258]]

Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, or by phone at 508-495-2312, or fax 
at 508-495-2004, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: 1. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher 
education, hospitals, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, 
individuals, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments. 
Federal agencies and institutions are not eligible to receive Federal 
assistance under this notice. Additionally, employees of any Federal 
agency or Regional Fishery Management Council are ineligible to submit 
an application under this program. However, Council members who are not 
Federal employees may submit an application. 2. DOC/NOAA supports 
cultural and gender diversity and encourages women and minority 
individuals and groups to submit applications to the RSA program. In 
addition, DOC/NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the 
participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic 
serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and 
institutions that work in underserved areas. DOC/NOAA encourages 
proposals involving any of the above institutions. 3. DOC/NOAA 
encourages applications from members of the fishing community and 
applications that involve fishing community cooperation and 
participation.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: None required.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applicants will need to determine if 
their state participates in the intergovernmental review process. This 
information can be found at the following Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. This information will assist 
applicants in providing either a Yes or No response to Item 16 of the 
Application Form, SF-424, entitled. ``Application for Federal 
Assistance.''
(13) John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program
    Summary Description: The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding 
Response Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service is charged 
under the Marine Mammal Protection Act with facilitating the collection 
and dissemination of reference data on stranded marine mammals and 
health trends of marine mammal populations in the wild. Through 
cooperation with NMFS Regional Coordinators, local organizations and 
state and local government officials respond to and collect valuable 
data from stranded marine mammals as participants in the national 
Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal 
Rescue Assistance Grant Program is conducted by NOAA to provide Federal 
assistance to eligible members of the Stranding Network to: (A) Support 
basic needs of organizations for response, treatment, and data 
collection from living and dead stranded marine mammals, (B) fund 
scientific research objectives designed to answer questions about 
marine mammal strandings, health, or rehabilitation techniques 
utilizing data from living and dead stranded marine mammals, and (C) 
support facility operations directly related to the recovery or 
treatment of stranded marine mammals and collection of data from living 
or dead stranded marine mammals.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that a maximum of 
$4M may be available for distribution under the FY 2008 annual 
competitive Prescott Program. The maximum Federal award for each grant 
cannot exceed $100,000, as stated in the legislative language (16 
U.S.C. 1421f-1). Actual funding availability for this program is 
contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. 
Applicants are hereby given notice that these funds have not yet been 
appropriated for this program, and therefore exact dollar amounts 
cannot be given. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be 
available to make awards for all qualified projects. The total amount 
available may also be reduced by the use of funds to supplement the 
emergency assistance portion of the Prescott program if necessary.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.439 Marine 
Mammal Data Program.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be postmarked or submitted 
online by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, October 1, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: All applications should be 
submitted via the Grants.Gov Find and Apply Web site. Should you 
encounter a problem with submitting your application online, you may 
submit a paper proposal package (one signed original and two copies) 
to: NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources, Marine Mammal Health and 
Stranding Response Program, Attn: Michelle Ordono, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Room 13620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, phone 301-713-2322 
ext 177.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the Prescott Grant Program Web 
site at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/prescott/ or contact 
Michelle Ordono or Sarah Wilkin at the NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected 
Resources, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, 1315 
East-West Highway, Room 13620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, by phone 
at (301) 713-2322, or by fax at (301) 427-2525, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: There are 3 categories of eligible stranding network 
participants that may apply for funds under this Program: (1) Stranding 
Agreement (SA) holders or their designee organizations; (2) holders of 
researcher authorization letters issued by a NMFS Regional 
Administrator; and, (3) state, local, eligible federal government or 
tribal employees or personnel.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: All proposals submitted must provide a 
minimum non-Federal cost share of 25 percent of the total budget (i.e., 
.25 x total project costs = total non-Federal share). Therefore, the 
total Federal share will be 75 percent or less of the total budget. The 
applicant can include a non-Federal cost share for more than 25 percent 
of the total budget, but this obligation will be binding. In order to 
reduce calculation error in determining the correct cost share amounts, 
we urge all applicants to use the cost share calculator on the Prescott 
Program Web page http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/prescott/proposals/costshare.htm). If a proposal does not comply with these cost share 
requirements, it will not be considered in this annual funding cycle.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted under this program 
are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Any applicant 
submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 
on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and 
comply with a State's process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and 
phone numbers of participating SPOC's are listed in the Office of 
Management and Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(14) Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program
    Summary Description: The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act established a fund 
(known as the S-K fund) that the Secretary of Commerce uses to provide 
grants or cooperative agreements for fisheries research and development 
projects addressed to any aspect of U.S. fisheries, including, but not 
limited to,

[[Page 36259]]

harvesting, processing, marketing, and associated infrastructures. U.S. 
fisheries include any fishery, commercial or recreational, that is, or 
may be, engaged in by citizens or nationals of the United States, or 
citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of 
Micronesia.
    Funding Availability: Funding is contingent upon availability of 
Federal allocations. The program has sought funding for $5.3 million in 
grant awards. There are four individual program areas in which a single 
grant of approximately $1 million in each area will be issued. These 
programs involve: (1) Cooperative research on right whale gear 
entanglement mitigation strategies; (2) Strategies to minimize catch of 
Klamath River Chinook Salmon in mixed salmon fisheries on the West 
Coast; (3) Efforts to understand impacts of reduced fishing effort in 
shrimp and reef fish (e.g. red snapper) fisheries on the Gulf of Mexico 
ecosystem; and (4) Support for the New England fishing industry in 
cooperative groundfish survey projects related to the change in trawl 
survey procedures. For the remaining $1.3 million, we anticipate 
awarding 8-10 grants of approximately $100,000 to $250,000 each. 
Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been 
allocated for this program. In no event will NOAA or the Department of 
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if this program 
fails to receive funding or is cancelled because of other agency 
priorities. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award 
any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant 
Program is provided under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act (S-K Act), as 
amended (15 U.S.C. 713c-3).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.427, 
Fisheries Dev and Utilization Research and Dev Grants and Coop 
Agreements Program.
    Application Deadline: Applications should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal grants portal-- http://www.grants.gov and must be received by 5 p.m. EST on October 1, 2007. 
Grants.gov provides a date and time indicator for timeliness. Facsimile 
transmission and electronic mail submission of applications will not be 
accepted. Hard copies may only be sent if an applicant does not have 
Internet access. Hard copy applications will be date and time stamped 
when they are received.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications submitted in 
response to this announcement should be submitted electronically 
through the Federal grants portal--http://www.grants.gov. Electronic 
access to the full funding announcement for this program is also 
available through this Web Site. Hard copies may only be sent if an 
applicant does not have Internet access. They must be received by the 
deadline. These should be addressed to SK Competitive Program, Attn: 
Steve Aguzin, National Marine Fisheries Service, F/MB5-SSMC3, Room 
13134, 1315 East West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.
    Information Contacts: The point of contact is: Steve Aguzin, S-K 
Program Manager, NOAA/NMFS (F/MB5); 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13134; 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282; or by Phone at (301) 713-2358 ext. 215, 
or fax at (301) 713-1306, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: You are eligible to apply for a grant or a cooperative 
agreement under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program if: 1. You are a 
citizen or national of the United States; 2. You are a citizen of the 
Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), being an individual who qualifies as 
such under section 8 of the Schedule on Transitional Matters attached 
to the constitution of the NMI; 3. You are a citizen of the Republic of 
the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, or the Federated States of 
Micronesia; or 4. You represent an entity that is a corporation, 
partnership, association, or other non-Federal entity, non-profit or 
otherwise (including Indian tribes), if such entity is a citizen of the 
United States or NMI, within the meaning of section 2 of the Shipping 
Act, 1916, as amended (46 U.S.C. app. 802). We support cultural and 
gender diversity in our programs and encourage women and minority 
individuals and groups to submit applications. Furthermore, we 
recognize the interest of the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior in 
defining appropriate fisheries policies and programs that meet the 
needs of the U.S. insular areas, so we also encourage applications from 
individuals, government entities, and businesses in U.S. insular areas. 
We are strongly committed to broadening the participation of Minority 
Serving Institutions (MSIs), which include Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges 
and Universities, in our programs, including S-K. Therefore, we 
encourage all applicants to include meaningful participation of MSIs. 
We encourage applications from members of the fishing community, and 
applications that involve fishing community cooperation and 
participation. We will consider the extent of fishing community 
involvement when evaluating the potential benefit of funding a 
proposal. You are not eligible to submit an application under this 
program if you are an employee of any Federal agency; a Council; or an 
employee of a Council. However, Council members who are not Federal 
employees can submit an application to the S-K Program. Our employees 
(whether full-time, part-time, or intermittent) are not allowed to help 
you prepare your application, except that S-K Program staff may provide 
you with information on program goals, funding priorities, application 
procedures, and completion of application forms. Since this is a 
competitive program, NMFS and NOAA employees will not help with 
conceptualizing, developing, or structuring proposals, or write letters 
of support for a proposal.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: We are requiring cost sharing in order 
to leverage the limited funds available for this program and to 
encourage partnerships among government, industry, and academia to 
address the needs of fishing communities. You must provide a minimum 
cost share of 10 percent of total project costs, but your cost share 
must not exceed 50 percent of total costs. You may find this formula 
useful: 1. Total Project Cost (Federal and non-Federal cost share 
combined) x .9 = Maximum Federal Share. 2. Total Cost - Federal share = 
Applicant Share. For example, if the proposed total budget for your 
project is $100,000, the maximum Federal funding you can apply for is 
$90,000 ($100,000 x .9). Your cost share in this case would be $10,000 
($100,000-$90,000). For a total project cost of $100,000, you must 
contribute at least $10,000, but no more than $50,000 (10-50 percent of 
total project cost). Accordingly, the Federal share you apply for would 
range from $50,000 to $90,000. If your application does not comply with 
these cost share requirements, we will return it to you and will not 
consider it for funding.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local 
governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Any applicant 
submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 16 
on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and 
comply with a State's process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and 
phone

[[Page 36260]]

numbers of participating SPOC's are listed in the Office of Management 
and Budget's home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

National Ocean Service (NOS)

(1) CRCP-State and Territory Coral Reef Management Grants

    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant 
Program, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
provides matching grants to Governor-appointed point of contact 
agencies for 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 for coral reef management 
activities. The objective of the State and Territory Coral Reef 
Management Grant program is to support comprehensive management 
programs for the conservation of coral reef ecosystems in these 
jurisdictions.
    Funding Availability: Funding up to $3,000,000 is expected to be 
available from OCRM and DOI/OIA for cooperative agreements to support 
priority coral reef management activities that address areas a-j above. 
There is no appropriation of funds at this time and the final funding 
amount will be subject to the availability of federal appropriations. 
Support in out-years following FY2008 is likewise contingent upon the 
availability of future funding and the requirements of the Federal 
agency supporting the project (DOC or DOI). Each eligible jurisdiction 
can apply for a maximum $600,000. A minimum of 40% of the final award 
amount must be dedicated to the implementation and support of the Local 
Action Strategy initiative in each jurisdiction. In certain instances, 
when requested by the applicant and agreed upon by NOAA and DOI, NOAA 
may hold back a portion of any awarded funds in order to provide 
specific coral reef conservation technical assistance in the form of 
contractual or other services. This will only be allowed where such 
priority technical assistance and/or the lack of sufficient means to 
deliver it are unavailable at the local level. Such requests 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. If all funds that become available after Congressional 
appropriation are not awarded, 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.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation 
Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 (Coral Reef Conservation 
Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et 
seq).
    Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.419, 
Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards.
    Application Deadline: Pre-applications must be received no later 
than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. 
Final applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern 
Standard Time on Friday, February 22, 2008.
    Address For Submitting Proposals: Pre-applications should be 
submitted electronically by e-mail to: [email protected]. If 
internet access is not available, submissions by surface mail should be 
sent to: David Kennedy, NOAA National Ocean Service, NOAA Coral Reef 
Conservation Program, Office of Response and Restoration, N/ORR, Room 
10102, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Final 
applications should be submitted electronically to: www.grants.gov, the 
Federal grants portal. If internet access is unavailable, hard copies 
can be submitted to: David Kennedy, NOAA National Ocean Service, NOAA 
Coral Reef Conservation Program, Office of Response and Restoration, N/
ORR, Room 10102, 1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Information Contacts: Technical point of contact for State and 
Territory Coral Reef Management is Dana Wusinich-Mendez at 301-713-
3155, extension 159 or e-mail at [email protected]. FAX; 
301-713-4367. Address: OCRM/NOAA, N/-ORM3, 1305 East West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD, 20910.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are the governor-appointed point 
of contact agencies for coral reef activities in each of the 
jurisdictions of American Samoa, Florida, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.Virgin 
Islands.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: As per section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000, Federal funds for any coral conservation 
project funded under this Program may not exceed 50 percent of the 
total cost of the projects. Therefore, any coral conservation project 
under this program requires a 1:1 match. Match can come from a variety 
of public and private sources and can include in-kind goods and 
services such as private boat use and volunteer labor. Federal sources 
cannot be considered for matching funds, but can be described in the 
budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage. Applicants are 
permitted to combine contributions from multiple non-federal partners 
in order to meet the 1:1 match recommendation, as long as such 
contributions are not being used to match any other funds. Applicants 
must specify in their proposal the source(s) of match and may be asked 
to provide letters of commitment to confirm stated match contributions. 
Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by 
the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed 
by the NOAA Grants Officer. Applicants should be prepared to carefully 
document matching contributions for each project selected to be funded. 
As per section 6403(b)(2) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
the NOAA Administrator may waive all or part of the matching 
requirement if the Administrator determines that the project meets the 
following two requirements: 1. No reasonable means are available 
through which an applicant can meet the matching requirement, and, 2. 
The probable benefit of such project outweighs the public interest in 
such matching requirement. In the case of a waiver request, the 
applicant must provide a detailed justification explaining the need for 
the waiver including attempts to obtain sources of matching funds, how 
the benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in providing 
match, and any other extenuating circumstances preventing the 
availability of match. Match waiver requests including the appropriate 
justification should be submitted as part of the final application 
package. Notwithstanding any other provisions herein, and in accordance 
with 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), the Program shall waive any requirement for 
local matching funds for any project under $200,000 (including in-kind 
contribution) to the governments of Insular Areas, defined as the 
jurisdictions of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Please Note: eligible 
applicants choosing to apply 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) should note the use of 
the waiver and the total amount of funds requested to be waived in the 
matching funds section of the respective application.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under the this program are 
not subject to Executive Order 12372,

[[Page 36261]]

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
(2) National Estuarine Research Reserve Land Acquisition and 
Construction Program FY08
    Summary Description: The National Estuarine Research Reserve System 
consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its territories 
which are designated and managed for research and educational purposes. 
Each reserve within the system is chosen to represent different bio-
geographic regions and to include a variety of ecosystem types in 
accordance with the classification scheme of the national program as 
presented in 15 CFR part 921.
    Through the funding of designated reserve agencies and universities 
to undertake land acquisition and construction projects that support 
the NERRS purpose, NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and 
water areas; enhance long-term protection of the area for research and 
education; and provide for facility and exhibit construction.
    Funding Availability: This funding opportunity announces that 
approximately $7.178 million may be available to designated reserve 
agencies or universities only through this announcement for fiscal year 
2008. Awards will be issued as competitive grants. It is anticipated 
that the awards will run for up to two years. In the past, funding for 
land acquisition/construction awards has ranged in amount from 
approximately $50,000 to $3 million.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NERR program is provided by 
16 U.S.C. 1461 (e)(1)(A)(i),(ii), and (iii).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.420, 
Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves.
    Application Deadline: Complete grant application proposals must be 
submitted to Grants.gov by Friday, 6 p.m., Eastern standard time, 
November 30, 2007. Notification regarding the selection of proposals 
will be issued on or about January 18, 2008. The grant awards will 
start the first day of the month beginning June 1 through November 1, 
2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. For applicants without internet access, contact 
Doris Grimm, NOAA/OCRM/ERD, 1305 East-West Highway, Room 10501; Silver 
Spring, Maryland 20910, or by phone at 301-713-3155, ext. 107.
    Information Contacts: Administrative and Technical questions 
regarding the program and application process, please contact Doris 
Grimm, program coordinator, at NOAA/Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 
East-West Highway, N/ORM5, SSMC4, Station 10509, Silver Spring, MD 
20910 or via phone: 301-713-3155 ext. 107, e-mail: 
[email protected], or fax: 301-713-4363. The program Web site can be 
accessed at www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/nerr.html. Other questions should be 
directed to Doris Grimm at 301-713-3155, extension 107, 
[email protected] or Laurie McGilvray at (301) 713-3155 ext. 158, 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are National Estuarine Research 
Reserves (NERR) lead state agencies or universities in coastal states. 
Eligible applicants should have completed all requirements as stated in 
the NERRS regulations [CITE 15 CFR 921] Title 15--Commerce and Foreign 
Trade, Chapter IX--National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
Department of Commerce, Part 921--National Estuarine Research Reserve 
System. regulations, http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Background_Regulations.html.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: The amount of federal funds requested 
must be matched by the applicant: 30 percent total project match for 
construction awards and 50 percent total project match for land 
acquisition awards. Cash or in-kind contributions directly benefiting 
the project may be used to satisfy the matching requirements. If using 
Reserve land acquisition banked match, a list of the banked match must 
be included with the application. Applicants must identify all match 
sources and amounts equal to that requested above.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.'' Applicants should contact their State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the States process 
under EO12372. The names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the 
Office of Management and Budgets Web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(3) 2008 CRCP Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring
    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Monitoring Grant Program, 
as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, provides 
matching grants to Governor appointed point of contact agencies for the 
jurisdictions of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Florida, 
Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands (CNMI), the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of 
Micronesia (including Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae, and Pohnpei), and the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands to support State and Territory Coral 
Reef Monitoring activities.
    Funding Availability: NCCOS may provide approximately $1,100,000 in 
funding for FY 2008 to support coral reef ecosystem monitoring 
activities under this program. FY 2008 awards to Puerto Rico, Florida, 
U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands are expected to range from $50,000 to 
$130,000. FY 2008 awards to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM--
including Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae, and Pohnpei), Republic of Palau, and the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) are expected to be approximately 
$10,000 to $30,000 per year. Funding will be subject to the 
availability of federal appropriations. FY 2008 grant seekers may 
submit proposals up to three years in duration, at funding levels 
specified above (i.e., up to $90,000 for three year proposals for 
Palau, FSM, and RMI, and up to $390,000 for three year proposals for 
all other eligible applicants). In certain instances, when requested by 
the applicant and agreed upon by NOAA, NOAA may hold back a portion of 
any awarded funds in order to provide specific technical assistance in 
the form of contractual or other services. This will only be allowed 
where such priority technical assistance and/or the lack of sufficient 
means to deliver it are unavailable at the local level. Such requests 
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. If all available funds are not awarded, NOAA will consult with 
the eligible applicants on the use of any residual funds. NOAA will 
work with each jurisdiction to ensure the greatest degree of success in 
meeting local, state, territorial, and national coral reef monitoring 
needs.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6403.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.426, 
Financial Assistance for National Centers for Central Coastal Ocean 
Science.
    Application Deadline: Pre-Applications Due: 11/6/2007 Final 
Applications Due: 02/22/2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Pre-applications may be submitted 
by surface mail or e-mail. Submissions by encrypted e-mail are 
preferred. If submitting by surface mail, applicants

[[Page 36262]]

are encouraged to include an electronic copy of the pre-application on 
disk or CD-ROM. Pre-applications must be sent to [email protected] 
or to Jenny Waddell, NOAA National Ocean Service, N/SCI-1, 1305 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Final applications should be 
submitted via www.grants.gov, the Federal grants portal.
    Information Contacts: The technical point of contact for State and 
Territory Coral Reef Monitoring is Jenny Waddell. She can be reached at 
301-713-3028 extension 174 or by e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are limited to a 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, and 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.
    Furthermore, to be eligible for FY 2008 funding, applicants 
previously receiving funds under this program must have made 
significant progress implementing those tasks and met data submission 
deadlines, including all performance and fiscal reporting requirements 
and data transfers.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: As per section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000, Federal funds for any coral conservation 
project funded under this Program may not exceed 50 percent of the 
total cost of the projects.
    Therefore, any coral conservation project under this program 
requires a 1:1 match. Matching funds must be from non-Federal sources 
and can include in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. NOAA 
strongly encourages applicants to leverage as much investment as 
possible. Federal funds may not be considered as matching funds.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(4) National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship 
Program FY08
    Summary Description: The National Estuarine Research Reserve System 
(NERRS) consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its 
territories which are designated and managed for research and 
educational purposes. Each reserve within the system is chosen to 
reflect regional differences and to include a variety of ecosystem 
types in accordance with the classification scheme of the national 
program as presented in 15 CFR part 921. Each reserve supports a wide 
range of beneficial uses of ecological, economic, recreational, and 
aesthetic values which are dependent upon the maintenance of a healthy 
ecosystem. The sites provide habitats for a wide range of ecologically 
and commercially important species of fish, shellfish, birds, and other 
aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Each reserve has been designed to 
ensure its effectiveness as a conservation unit and as a site for long-
term research and monitoring. As part of a national system, the 
reserves collectively provide an excellent opportunity to address 
research questions and estuarine management issues of national 
significance. For detailed descriptions of the sites, refer to the NERR 
Web site at http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov/fellowship or contact the site 
staff.
    Funding Availability: The National Estuarine Research Reserve 
System of NOAA announces the availability of graduate research 
fellowships. The Estuarine Reserves Division anticipates that 25 
Graduate Research Fellowships will be competitively awarded to provide 
funding to qualified graduate students whose research occurs within the 
boundaries of at least one reserve. Minority students are encouraged to 
apply. The amount of the fellowship is $20,000; at least 30% of total 
project cost match is required by the applicant (i.e. $8,572 match for 
$20,000 in federal funds for a total project cost of $28,572).
    Statutory Authority: Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
of 1972, as amended (CZMA), 16 U.S.C. 1461, establishes the National 
Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). 16 U.S.C. 1461(e)(1)(B) 
authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make grants to any coastal 
state or public or private person for purposes of supporting research 
and monitoring within a National Estuarine Research Reserve that are 
consistent with the research guidelines developed under subsection (c).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.420, 
Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be no later than 11 pm 
(EST) November 1, 2007 or postmarked no later than November 1, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications submitted in 
response to this announcement are strongly encouraged to be submitted 
through the www.grants.gov web site no later than November 1, 2007 at 
11 pm (EST). Electronic access to the full funding announcement for 
this program is available via the www.grants.gov Web site. The 
announcement will also be available by contacting Susan White with the 
Estuarine Reserves Division at [email protected] or 301-713-3155 x 
124. If internet access is not available, paper applications (a signed 
original and two copies) should be submitted to the Estuarine Reserves 
Division at the following address postmarked by November 1, 2007: Attn: 
Dr. Susan White, NOAA/Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West 
Highway, Room 10626, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
    Information Contacts: For questions regarding the program and 
application process, please contact Susan White (301-713-3155 ext. 124) 
at NOAA/Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 
SSMC4, Station 10626, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or via e-mail: 
[email protected], or fax: 301-713-4012. The program Web site can be 
accessed at http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov/fellowship. If the Web page does 
not provide sufficient information and Dr. White is unavailable, please 
contact Erica Seiden at (301) 713-3155 ext. 172 or 
[email protected]. For further information on specific research 
opportunities at National Estuarine Research Reserves, contact the site 
staff listed in Appendix I.
    Eligibility: Awards are normally made to the fellow's graduate 
institution through the use of a grant. However, institutions eligible 
to receive awards include institutions of higher education, other non-
profits, commercial organizations, and state and local governments. All 
reserve staff are ineligible to submit an application for a fellowship 
under this announcement. Funds are expected to be available on a 
competitive basis to qualified graduate students for research within a 
reserve(s) leading to a graduate degree. Applicants must be admitted to 
or enrolled in a full-time master's or doctoral program at a U.S. 
accredited university in order to be eligible to apply. Applicants 
should have completed a majority of their graduate course work at the 
beginning of their fellowship and have an approved thesis research 
program. Minority students are encouraged to apply.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Requested federal funds must be matched 
by at least 30 percent of the

[[Page 36263]]

TOTAL cost, not the federal share, of the project (i.e. $8,572 match 
for $20,000 in federal funds for a total project cost of $28,572). 
Requested overhead costs under fellowship awards are limited to 10% of 
the federal amount. Waived overhead costs may be used as match.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.'' Applicants should contact their State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the States process 
under EO12372. The names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the 
Office of Management and Budgets Web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(5) FY08 California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program
    Summary Description: The California B-WET grant program, is a 
competitively based program that supports existing environmental 
education programs, fosters the growth of new programs, and encourages 
the development of partnerships among environmental education programs 
throughout the San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, and Santa Barbara 
Channel watersheds. Funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed 
Experiences to students and teachers.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $1,650,000 may be available in FY2008 in award amounts to 
be determined by the proposals and available funds. About $700,000 will 
be made available to the San Francisco Bay watershed area, $600,000 
will be made available to the Monterey Bay watershed area, and about 
$350,000 will be made available to the Santa Barbara Channel watershed 
area. The National Marine Sanctuary Program anticipates that 
approximately 35 grants will be awarded with these funds. The 
California B-WET Program should not be considered a long-term source of 
funds; applicants must demonstrate how ongoing programs, once 
initiated, will be sustained. The National Marine Sanctuary Program 
anticipates that typical project awards for Meaningful Watershed 
Experiences and Professional Development in the Area of Environmental 
Education for Teachers will range from $10,000 to $60,000. Proposals 
will be considered for funds greater than the specified ranges if there 
is sufficient demonstration that the project requires additional funds 
and/or if the proposal includes multiple partners. There is no 
guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for 
all qualified projects. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded 
will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and 
NOAA representatives. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA 
to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If 
applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do so at 
their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. 
Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been 
received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award 
costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when 
the award is made.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1440.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.429, 
Marine Sanctuary Program.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. Pacific 
Standard time October 9, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to submit applications electronically through http://www.grants.gov. If internet access is not available, paper 
applications, a signed original and 2 copies (submission of ten 
additional hard copies is strongly encouraged to expedite the review 
process, but it is not required) may be submitted to Attn: Seaberry 
Nachbar, B-WET Program Manager, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 
Office, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940. The closing deadline for 
applying through grants.gov is the same as for the paper submission 
noted in this announcement.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the National Marine Sanctuaries 
B-WET Web site for further information at: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/BWET or contact Seaberry Nachbar, Monterey Bay National Marine 
Sanctuary office; 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940, or by phone at 
831-647-4201, or fax to 831-647-4250, or via Internet at 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are K-through-12 public and 
independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher 
education, nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, 
and Indian tribal governments. The Department of Commerce/National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed 
to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and 
universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and 
universities, and institutions that service undeserved areas.
    The National Marine Sanctuary Program encourages proposals 
involving any of the above institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this 
program; however, the National Marine Sanctuary Program strongly 
encourages applicants applying for either area of interest to share as 
much of the costs of the award as possible. Funds from other Federal 
awards may not be considered matching funds. The nature of the 
contribution (cash versus in-kind) and the amount of matching funds 
will be taken into consideration in the review process with cash being 
the preferred method of contribution.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(6) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, Hawaii
    Summary Description: The B-WET Hawaii Programs Grant Opportunity is 
an annually awarded, competitively-based grant that provides initial 
funding to: (1) Assist in the development of new programs; (2) 
encourage innovative partnerships among environmental education 
programs throughout Hawaii; (3) support geographically targeted 
programs to advance environmental education efforts that complement 
appropriate school requirements.
    The program supports NOAAs goal of developing a well-informed 
citizenry involved in decision-making that positively impact our 
coastal, marine and watershed ecosystems.
    Funded projects provide meaningful science-based outdoor 
experiences for K-12 students and professional development 
opportunities for teachers in the area of environmental education as 
defined in this announcement.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $1,000,000 may be available in FY 2008 in award amounts 
to be determined by the proposals and available funds. The NOAA Pacific 
Services Center anticipates that approximately 5 to 15 grants will be 
awarded with these funds, pending availability of funds. Applicants are 
hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for this 
program. It is anticipated that typical project awards for Priority 1 
and 2 will range from approximately $10,000 to $100,000. Applications 
requesting Federal support from NOAA of more than $100,000 total will 
not be considered for review or funding. There is no guarantee that 
sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified 
projects. The exact amount of

[[Page 36264]]

funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations 
between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Publication of this 
notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to 
obligate any available funds. If applicants incur any costs prior to an 
award being made, they do so at their own risk of not being reimbursed 
by the government.
    Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been 
received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award 
costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when 
the award is made.
    Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1540; 33 U.S.C. 883d.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, 
Coastal Services Center.
    Application Deadline: Full proposals must be received through 
Grants.gov no later than 11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. Hawaii time, August 15, 
2007. If applicants do not have Internet access and submit through 
surface mail, full proposals must be received no later than 11 p.m. ET/
5 p.m. Hawaii time, August 15, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Full proposal application 
packages should be submitted through Grants.gov/APPLY. The standard 
NOAA funding application package is available at www.grants.gov. Please 
be advised that potential funding applicants must register with 
Grants.gov before any application materials can be submitted. An 
organization's one time registration process may take up to three weeks 
to complete so please allow sufficient time to ensure applications are 
submitted before the closing date. The Grants.gov site contains 
directions for submitting an application, the application package 
(forms), and is also where the completed application is submitted. If 
the applicant has difficulty downloading the required forms, the 
applicant should contact the Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-
4726 or [email protected]. Additional information about registering 
and submitting an application through Grants.gov may be found at 
www.Grants.gov and at the B-WET Hawaii Web page at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/psc/bwet.html.
    Applicants using Grants.gov must locate the downloadable 
application package for this solicitation by the Funding Opportunity 
Number or the CFDA number (11.473).
    Applicants will be able to download a copy of the application 
package, complete it off line, and then upload and submit the 
application via the Grants.gov site. After electronic submission of the 
application, the person submitting the application will receive within 
the next 24 to 48 hours two e-mail messages from Grants.gov updating 
them on the progress of their application. The first e-mail will 
confirm receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system, and the 
second will indicate that the application has either been successfully 
validated by the system prior to transmission to the grantor agency or 
has been rejected due to errors. After the application has been 
validated, this same person will receive another e-mail when the 
application has been downloaded by the federal agency. To use 
Grants.gov, applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR). Allow a minimum of five days to complete the 
CCR registration. (Note: Your organization's Employer Identification 
Number (EIN) will be needed on the application form.) With regard to 
rural areas for an applicant who does not have Internet access, 
application kits may be requested from Sam Thomas, Federal Program 
Officer for grants at 808-532-3960. These applicants are asked to mail 
one (1) hard copy of the entire application package, a CD copy of the 
package, including all forms with original signatures to the following 
address: NOAA Pacific Services Center, 737 Bishop Street, Suite 1550, 
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, ATTN: Sam Thomas. The postmark will be used to 
determine the timeliness of the proposal.
    Hand-delivered, facsimile transmissions and electronic mail 
submissions and proposals received after the deadline will not be 
accepted.
    Information Contacts: For administrative issues and technical 
questions, please contact Sam Thomas, Federal Program Officer for 
Grants, NOAA Pacific Services Center office; 737 Bishop Street, Mauka 
Tower, Suite 1550, Honolulu, HI 96813-3212, or by phone at (808) 532-
3960, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants for Priority 1 and 2 are K-12 
public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of 
higher education, commercial and nonprofit organizations, state or 
local government agencies, and Indian tribal governments. Applicants 
that are not eligible are individuals and Federal agencies. The 
Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of 
historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving 
institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaskan Native and 
Native Hawaiian institutions, and institutions that service undeserved 
areas.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this 
program, however, the NOAA Pacific Services Center strongly encourages 
applicants to share as much of the costs of the award as possible. 
Funds from other Federal awards may not be considered matching funds. 
The nature of the contribution (cash versus in-kind) and the amount of 
matching funds will be taken into consideration in the review process 
with cash being the preferred method of contribution.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(7) CSCOR FY08 Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program
    Summary Description: The purpose of this document is to advise the 
public that NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CSCOR is soliciting proposals for three 
separate regional ecosystem prediction projects on Invasive Species in 
the Great Lakes--A Regional Scale Approach, Cumulative Impacts of 
Stressors at the Land-Water Interface in the Mid-Atlantic and Ecosystem 
Goal-Setting in Coastal Waters and Reefs of South Florida; for the 
Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic programs, projects will be of up to 5 
years in duration. In the Great Lakes, proposals are requested for a 
regional-scale ecosystem research study investigating recent and future 
changes in water quality, habitats and populations of living resources 
in the context of invasive species. For the Mid-Atlantic region, 
proposals are requested for a regional-scale ecosystem research study 
investigating the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors at the land-
water interface of estuaries and bays on recreationally, economically 
or ecologically important living resource populations and communities. 
Proposals for these two programs should be regional in scale, 
interdisciplinary, comprehensive, integrated, and multiple investigator 
to develop capabilities for innovative forecasts and predictions for 
improved management and control capabilities. For the South Florida 
program, proposals will be 2-3 years in duration. In the South Florida 
program, proposals are solicited to develop, undertake and conclude a 
consensus-building process that results in scientifically-based 
quantifiable goals for aquatic resources and habitats of the Florida 
Bay and Keys. Proposals should include a diverse and comprehensive

[[Page 36265]]

team of managers, scientists and NGOs and be regional in scope. 
Proposals submitted to this solicitation should not have overlap with 
other active NCCOS/CSCOR programs including the Coastal Hypoxia 
Research Program (CHRP), Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal 
Blooms (ECOHAB), Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms 
(MERHAB), and the Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise or previously 
awarded grants (see http://www.cop.noaa.gov for program descriptions). 
Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2008 Federal 
appropriations. It is anticipated that final recommendations for 
funding under this announcement will be made by April 2008 and that 
projects funded under this announcement will have a June through August 
start date.
    Electronic Access: Background information about the NCCOS/CSCOR 
efforts can be found at http://www.cop.noaa.gov. Proposals should be 
submitted through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov.)
    Funding Availability: Funding is contingent upon availability of 
Federal appropriations. NOAA is committed to continual improvement of 
the grants process and accelerating the award of financial assistance 
to qualified recipients in accordance with the recommendations of the 
Business Process Reengineering Team. In order to fulfill these 
responsibilities, this solicitation announces that award amounts will 
be determined by the proposals and available funds. Funds for the 
Invasive Species in the Great Lakes--A Regional Scale Approach and for 
the Cumulative Impacts of Stressors at the Land-Water Interface in the 
Mid-Atlantic programs typically will not exceed $500,000-$1,000,000 per 
project per year, exclusive of ship costs. It is anticipated that 1-3 
projects will be awarded for each of these two programs with project 
duration of 3 to 5 years. The Ecosystem Goal-Setting in Coastal Waters 
and Reefs of South Florida program is expected to have a project 
duration of 2 to 3 years with funds not to exceed $500,000 per project 
per year. It is anticipated that 1 project will be awarded for this 
program. Support in out years after FY 2008 is contingent upon the 
availability of funds.
    Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been 
appropriated for this program. In no event will NOAA or the Department 
of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if this 
program fails to receive funding or is cancelled because of other 
agency priorities. There is not guarantee that sufficient funds will be 
available to make awards for all qualified projects.
    Publication of this notice does not obligate NOAA to award any 
specific project or to obligate any available funds. If one incurs any 
costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized 
NOAA official, one would do so solely at one's own risk of these costs 
not being included under the award. Publication of this notice does not 
obligate any agency to any specific award or to obligate any part of 
the entire amount of funds available.
    Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and 
agency policies, regulations and procedures applicable to Federal 
financial assistance awards.
    Statutory Authority: For Invasive Species in the Great Lakes--A 
Regional Scale Approach and the Cumulative Impacts of Stressors at the 
Land-Water Interface in the Mid-Atlantic, the program authority is 16 
U.S.C. 1456c. For Ecosystem Goal-Setting in Coastal Waters and Reefs of 
South Florida, the program authority is 33 U.S.C. 1442.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.478, 
Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research--Coastal Ocean Program.
    Application Deadline: The deadline for receipt of proposals at the 
NCCOS/CSCOR office is 3 p.m., Eastern Time for each of the three 
program elements for the Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program. 
Invasive Species in the Great Lakes--A Regional Scale Approach October 
1, 2007, Cumulative Impacts of Stressors at the Land-Water Interface in 
the Mid-Atlantic October 15, 2007, Ecosystem Goal-Setting in Coastal 
Waters and Reefs of South Florida October 29, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposals must include evidence 
of linkages between the scientific questions and management needs, such 
as the participation of co-investigators from both scientific and 
management entities. Proposals previously submitted to NCCOS/CSCOR FFOs 
and not recommended for funding must be revised and reviewer or panel 
concerns addressed before resubmission. Resubmitted proposals that have 
not been revised will be returned without review.
    Information Contacts: Technical Information. Program Managers 
contact information is: Invasive Species in the Great Lakes A Regional 
Approach, Felix Martinez ([email protected], 301-713-3338 x 153); 
Cumulative Impacts of Stressors at the Land-Water Interface in the Mid-
Atlantic, Elizabeth Turner ([email protected], 603-862-4680) 
and; Ecosystem Goal-Setting in Coastal Waters and Reefs of South 
Florida, Larry Pugh ([email protected], 301-713-3338 x 160). Business 
Management Information: Laurie Golden, NCCOS/CSCOR Grants 
Administrator, 301-713-3338/ext 151, Internet: [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other non-profits, states, local governments, commercial 
organizations and Federal agencies that possess the statutory authority 
to receive financial assistance. Please note that: (1) NCCOS/CSCOR will 
not fund any Federal Full Time Employee (FTE) salaries, but will fund 
travel, equipment, supplies, and contractual personnel costs associated 
with the proposed work. (2) Researchers must be employees of an 
eligible entity listed above; and proposals must be submitted through 
that entity. Non-Federal researchers should comply with their 
institutional requirements for proposal submission. (3) Non-NOAA 
Federal applicants will be required to submit certifications or 
documentation showing that they have specific legal authority to 
receive funds from the Department of Commerce (DOC) for this research. 
(4) NCCOS/CSCOR will accept proposals that include foreign researchers 
as collaborators with a researcher who has met the above stated 
eligibility requirements. (5) Non-Federal researchers affiliated with 
NOAA-University Cooperative/Joint Institutes should comply with joint 
institutional requirements; they will be funded through grants either 
to their institutions or to joint institutes.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: None.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. It has been determined that this notice is not significant 
for purposes of Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2), 
an opportunity for public notice and comment is not required for this 
notice relating to grants, benefits and contracts. Because this notice 
is exempt from the notice and comment provisions of the Administrative 
Procedure Act, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required, and 
none has been prepared. It has been determined that this notice does 
not contain policies with Federalism implications as that term is 
defined in Executive Order 13132.
(8) Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
    Summary Description: The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program 
provides support for independent graduate-level

[[Page 36266]]

studies in oceanography, marine biology or maritime archaeology 
(including all science, engineering, and resource management of ocean 
and coastal areas), particularly to women and minorities. Individuals 
who have been accepted into a graduate program and are U.S. citizens 
may apply. Scholarship selections are based on academic excellence, 
letters of recommendations, research and career goals, and financial 
need. Additional information about the scholarship can be obtained from 
the Web site: http://www.fosterscholars.noaa.gov. The program 
priorities for this opportunity support NOAA's mission support goal of: 
Critical support--facilities, ships, aircraft, environmental 
satellites, data-processing systems, computing and communications 
systems.
    Funding Availability: Subject to appropriations, approximately 
$500,000 will be available for FY 2008. Approximately 5 to 10 new 
awards may be made, based on the availability of funds. The Dr. Nancy 
Foster Scholarship Program provides yearly support of up to $32,000 per 
student (a 12-month stipend of $20,000 in addition to a tuition 
allowance of up to $12,000), and up to $20,000 support for a four to 
six week research collaboration at a NOAA facility. A maximum of 
$84,000 may be provided to masters students (up to 2 years of support 
and one research collaboration opportunity) and up to $168,000 may be 
provided to doctoral students (up to 4 years of support and two 
research collaboration opportunities). Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship 
Program recipients will also travel to Silver Spring, MD, for a 
mandatory NOAA orientation and to meet with leadership and staff from 
the National Marine Sanctuaries Program from May 26 to May 31, 2008. 
Awards will include travel expenses to attend the Scholarship Program 
orientation.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1445c-1.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.429, 
Marine Sanctuary Program.
    Application Deadline: Completed applications must be received by 
the Program Manager between December 1, 2007 and February 8, 2008, at 5 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applicants should submit their 
application via Grants.gov. Only those applicants who do not have 
access to the internet should submit a hard copy application. If a hard 
copy application is necessary, it should be sent to the Dr. Nancy 
Foster Scholarship Program, Attention: Priti Brahma, NOAA Office of 
Education, Room 10725, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 
by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
    Information Contacts: Send requests for information to 
[email protected] or mail requests to the attention of Priti 
Brahma, Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, Office of Education, 1315 
East-West Highway, Room 10725, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Eligibility: Only individuals who are United States citizens 
currently pursuing a masters or doctoral level degree in oceanography, 
marine biology or maritime archaeology (including all science, 
engineering, and resource management of ocean and coastal areas) are 
eligible for an award under this scholarship program. In addition, 
students must have and maintain a cumulative and term grade point 
average of 3.0 and maintain full-time student status every term for the 
duration of their award. Universities or other organizations may not 
apply on behalf of an individual. Prospective scholars do not need to 
be enrolled, but must be admitted to a graduate level program in order 
to apply for this scholarship. Eligibility must be maintained for each 
succeeding year of support and semi-annual reporting requirements, to 
be specified at a later date, will apply.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There are no matching requirements for 
this award.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(9) FY 2008 Implementation of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing 
Systems
    Summary Description: The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 
will efficiently link national and regional observations, data 
management, and modeling to provide required data and information on 
local to global scales. Regional coastal ocean observing systems 
(RCOOSs) are designed to complement the observing systems managed 
directly by federal agencies that meet national priorities. With the 
guidance of Regional Associations to understand regional priorities, 
RCOOSs provide the types of data, information, and products needed to 
address the estuarine and coastal issues experienced by the different 
regions, and to leverage the delivery and applicability of data 
collected by local data network nodes. NOAA views this announcement as 
an opportunity to demonstrate the regional observing system concept. To 
assist in the implementation of the regional component of IOOS, NOAA 
seeks proposals for one- to two-year grant or cooperative agreement 
projects, with an optional third year, that will result in a regional 
system that has been optimized to provide data and products that are 
tailored to regional needs. The regional system will provide data and 
information in forms and at rates designed to meet the needs of 
regional decision makers. To accomplish that task, the regional system 
will integrate existing observing system components, prioritize 
additional observing system acquisition, and construct products and 
data management processes to deliver data and information to the 
regional stakeholders for the benefit of the region. Proposals 
submitted will demonstrate the approach and benefits of integration and 
implementation at the scale of the Regional Association and should 
address the following: a) Regional deployment, operation and 
maintenance of sensors and platforms to address needs for data and 
information that have been clearly articulated by the Regional 
Associations as representative of their stakeholders. b) Regional 
participation in developing a data integration framework for data 
streams, quality assurance procedures, and data delivery. c) Generation 
of regional or appropriately-scaled products, including data and model 
output, that facilitate the development of value-added, targeted 
products for identified users. NOAA anticipates making multiple awards 
in response to this announcement. The program priorities for this 
opportunity support NOAA's mission support goal of: Weather and Water 
Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information. Other goals 
are supported, but this is the goal the opportunity most closely 
addresses.
    Funding Availability: Total anticipated funding for all awards is 
approximately $25,000,000 and is subject to the availability of FY 2008 
appropriations. Multiple awards are anticipated from this announcement. 
The anticipated federal funding per award (min-max) is approximately 
$500,000 to $3,500,000 per year. The anticipated number of awards 
ranges from four (4) to ten (10), approximately, and will be adjusted 
based on available funding.
    Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is 
provided under Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1456c (Technical 
Assistance); 33 U.S.C. 883d; and 33 U.S.C. 1442 (Research program 
investigating possible long-range effects of pollution, overfishing, 
and anthropogenically-induced changes of ocean ecosystems).

[[Page 36267]]

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, 
Coastal Services Center.
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be received by 
the Coastal Services Center by 5 p.m. ET on September 12, 2007. Full 
proposals must be received by 5 p.m. ET, November 15, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: A letter of intent (LOI) must be 
sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Applicants submitting a LOI 
should reference the Funding Opportunity Title (FY 2008 Implementation 
of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing Systems) as the subject line of 
the e-mail containing the LOI. If an applicant does not have Internet 
access, the applicant must submit through surface mail one original and 
two copies of the LOI to the Coastal Services Center. No fax copies 
will be accepted. LOIs submitted by mail must be received by NOAA 
Coastal Services Center no later than 5 p.m. ET, September 12, 2007. 
Any U.S. Postal Service correspondence should be sent to the attention 
of James Lewis Free, NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South Hobson 
Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413. Full proposal 
application packages should be submitted through Grants.gov. If an 
applicant does not have Internet access, the applicant must submit 
through surface mail one set of originals (signed) and two copies of 
the proposals and related forms to the Coastal Services Center. Full 
proposal application packages submitted by mail must be received by 
NOAA Coastal Services Center no later than 5 p.m. ET, November 15, 
2007. Any U.S. Postal Service correspondence should be sent to the 
attention of James Lewis Free, NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South 
Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413.
    Information Contacts: For administrative questions, contact James 
Lewis Free, NOAA CSC; 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Room B-119, Charleston, 
South Carolina 29405-2413; or by phone at 843-740-1185, or by fax 843-
740-1290, or via e-mail at [email protected]. For technical 
questions regarding this announcement, contact: Mary Culver, NOAA CSC; 
2234 South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413; or by 
phone at 843-740-1250, or by fax 843-740-1298, or via e-mail at 
[email protected]; or Geno Olmi, NOAA CSC; 2234 South Hobson Avenue, 
Room 1-132, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413; or by phone at 843-
740-1230, or by fax 843-740-1313, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher 
education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and state, local 
and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions and 
foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under 
this announcement, but are encouraged to partner with applicants when 
appropriate. Federal partners must identify the relevant statutory 
authorities that will allow for the receipt of funds. If applicants 
will have partners who would receive grant funds, the lead grantee will 
be expected to provide funds using subcontracts or other appropriate 
mechanisms to the project partners. If the partners are federal 
agencies other than NOAA, the grantee and the federal partner must use 
interagency agreements or otherwise take steps relevant to their 
organizations to ensure that funds can be transferred by the primary 
grantee and received by any federal partners. If a federal partner is a 
NOAA office, the funds will be transferred internally. Before non-NOAA 
Federal applicants may be funded, they must demonstrate that they have 
legal authority to accept funds in excess of their appropriation. 
Because of the nature of this competition, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 
1535) is not an appropriate authority.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There is no requirement for cost 
sharing.
    Intergovernmental Review: Funding applications under the Center are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. It is the state agency's responsibility to contact their 
states Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out about and comply with 
the states process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, the names 
and addresses of the SPOCs are listed on the Office of Management and 
Budget's Web site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(10) FY 2008 Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Association 
Support
    Summary Description: The Integrated Ocean Observing System 
Development Plan (OceanUS, 2006) calls for an integrated system of 
observations that support national and regional priorities. Regional 
priorities are to be determined by a comprehensive effort to engage 
stakeholders at the local and regional level. The responsibility for 
such engagement is directed to IOOS Regional Associations. With the 
guidance of Regional Associations to understand regional priorities and 
coordinate regional observing implementation, regional coastal ocean 
observing systems RCOOSs provide the types of data, information, and 
products needed to address the estuarine and coastal issues experienced 
by the different regions. IOOS Regional Associations provide the 
network and organization to ensure that local and regional data 
collection meets national as well as local needs. For the past few 
years, NOAA has been funding entities, through competitively awarded 
cooperative agreements, to engage stakeholders in the formation of IOOS 
Regional Associations. Proposals submitted under this announcement will 
further engage stakeholders in the formalization of the IOOS Regional 
Association. Projects funded under this announcement are expected to 
build on previous progress of the IOOS Regional Association and engage 
stakeholders in the conduct of the regional association, design a 
regional system to optimize deployment to meet regional needs, and 
coordinate with stakeholders (data providers, information users, and 
other interested parties) to achieve a unified network of data 
acquisition, management, and product development. The program 
priorities for this opportunity support NOAAs mission support goal of: 
Weather and Water Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water 
Information. Other goals are supported, but this is the goal the 
opportunity most closely addresses.
    Funding Availability: Total anticipated funding for all awards is 
approximately $4,500,000 and is subject to the availability of FY 2008 
and FY 2009 appropriations. Multiple awards are anticipated from this 
announcement. The anticipated federal funding per award (min-max) is 
$300,000 to $400,000 per year. The anticipated number of awards is 
approximately eleven (11).
    Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is 
provided under Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1456c (Technical 
Assistance); 33 U.S.C. 883d; and 33 U.S.C. 1442 (Research program 
investigating possible long-range effects of pollution, overfishing, 
and anthropogenically-induced changes of ocean ecosystems).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, 
Coastal Services Center.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by no later than 5 
p.m. ET, August 22, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposal application packages 
should be submitted through Grants.gov. The standard NOAA funding 
application package is available at http://www.grants.gov. If an 
applicant does not have Internet access, the applicant must

[[Page 36268]]

submit through surface mail one set of originals (signed) and two 
copies of the proposals and related forms to the Coastal Services 
Center. No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. Any U.S. Postal 
Service correspondence should be sent to the attention of Lisa Holmes, 
NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, 
South Carolina 29405-2413.
    Information Contacts: For administrative questions, contact Lisa 
Holmes, NOAA CSC, 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Room 1-141, Charleston, 
South Carolina 29405-2413, or by phone at 843-740-1256, or by fax 843-
740-1313, or via e-mail at [email protected]. For technical 
questions regarding this announcement, contact Geno Olmi, NOAA CSC, 
2234 South Hobson Avenue, Room 1-132, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-
2413, or by phone at 843-740-1230, or by fax 843-740-1313, or via e-
mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher 
education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and state, local 
and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions and 
foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under 
this announcement, but are encouraged to partner with applicants when 
appropriate. Federal partners must identify the relevant statutory 
authorities that will allow for the receipt of funds. If applicants 
will have partners who would receive grant funds, the lead grantee will 
be expected to provide funds using subcontracts or other appropriate 
mechanisms to the project partners. If the partners are federal 
agencies other than NOAA, the grantee and the federal partner must use 
interagency agreements or otherwise take steps relevant to their 
organizations to ensure that funds can be transferred by the primary 
grantee and received by any federal partners. If a federal partner is a 
NOAA office, the funds will be transferred internally. Before non-NOAA 
Federal applicants may be funded, they must demonstrate that they have 
legal authority to accept funds in excess of their appropriation. 
Because of the nature of this competition, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 
1535) is not an appropriate authority.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: N.A.
    Intergovernmental Review: Funding applications under the Center are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. It is the state agency's responsibility to contact their 
states Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out about and comply with 
the states process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, the names 
and addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and 
Budgets home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

(11) FY 2008 Oceans and Human Health Initiative, External Grants 
Program

    Summary Description: This funding opportunity is offered as part of 
NOAAs Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI) External Grants 
Program. The OHHI was established by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant 
to the Oceans and Human Health Act of 2004 and by the recognition of 
the Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans (NOAA Administrator) that a 
national investment in research on oceans and human health would 
improve understanding of ocean and coastal ecosystems, allow prediction 
and prevention of ocean and coastal public health problems, and assist 
in realizing the potential of the oceans to contribute to the 
development of effective new treatments for human diseases and a 
greater understanding of human biology. The mission of the OHHI is to 
improve understanding and management of the ocean, coasts and Great 
Lakes to enhance benefits to human health and reduce public health 
risks. Toward that end, as the nations lead ocean agency, NOAAs OHHI 
investigates the relationship between environmental stressors, coastal 
condition and human health to maximize health benefits from the oceans, 
improve the safety of seafood and drinking waters, reduce beach 
closures, and detect emerging health threats. This funding opportunity 
is intended to engage the non-federal research community in research 
across the physical, chemical, biological, medical, public health and 
social sciences on priority issues for the OHHI. The specific priority 
areas for this funding opportunity are: (1) Develop methods, tools, and 
technologies to identify, detect, or predict ocean-related public 
health risks from pathogens and chemical pollutants; (2) Assess the 
economic and socio-cultural risk of ocean-related health threats from 
pathogens or chemical pollutants, and the benefits and value of health 
early warning systems or related information; (3) Improve the healthful 
characteristics and minimize ocean-related contamination of seafood 
through either aquaculture techniques or tools to rapidly identify 
presence or virulence of toxins (e.g., ciguatera, domoic acid), 
chemical contaminants (including but not limited to pharmaceuticals and 
personal care products, flame retardants, current-use pesticides, 
surfactants and stain repellants), or pathogens. Research proposed 
under this priority area should engage public health and natural 
resource managers and decision-makers in order to optimize relevance of 
the proposed research for the development and delivery useful products 
and services. Links to ocean observing systems and their enabling 
regional governance structures or public health surveillance systems 
are strongly encouraged. The program priorities for this opportunity 
support NOAAs mission support goal of: Ecosystems To Protect, Restore, 
and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources through an Ecosystem 
Approach to Management. Other goals are supported, but this is the goal 
the opportunity most closely addresses.
    Funding Availability: Total anticipated funding for all awards is 
expected to be between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000 and is subject to the 
availability of FY 2008 appropriations for the OHHI. Multiple awards 
are anticipated from this announcement. The anticipated federal funding 
per award (min-max) is $100,000 to $1,000,000. The anticipated number 
of awards ranges from 7 to 14, approximately, and will be adjusted 
based on available funding.
    Statutory Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3102(d).
    Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, 
Coastal Services Center.
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be received by 
5 p.m. ET on August 15, 2007. Full proposals must be received by 5 p.m. 
ET, November 15, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: LOIs must be sent via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Funding applicants submitting a LOI should 
reference the Funding Opportunity Title (FY 2007 OHHI External Grant-
LOI) as the subject line of the e-mail containing the LOI. Applicants 
submitting more than one LOI must submit separate e-mails containing 
each LOI. The lead PI identified in the LOI cover page should be from 
the organization that would receive the grant award. If an applicant 
does not have Internet access, the applicant must submit through 
surface mail one original and two copies of the LOI to the Coastal 
Services Center. No fax copies will be accepted. LOIs submitted by mail 
must be received by NOAA Coastal Services Center no later than 5 p.m. 
ET, September 12, 2007. Any U.S. Postal Service correspondence should 
be sent to the attention of James Lewis Free, NOAA Coastal Services 
Center, 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-
2413.

[[Page 36269]]

Full proposal application packages should be submitted through 
Grants.gov APPLY. If an applicant does not have Internet access, the 
applicant must submit through surface mail one set of originals 
(signed) and two copies of the proposals and related forms to the 
Coastal Services Center. No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. Full 
proposal application packages submitted by mail must be received by 
NOAA Coastal Services Center no later than 5 p.m. ET, November 15, 
2007. Any U.S. Postal Service correspondence should be sent to the 
attention of James Lewis Free, NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South 
Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413. All proposal 
package material must be submitted through Grants.gov or through 
surface mail by the submission deadline, including any letters of 
support.
    Information Contacts: For administrative questions, contact James 
Lewis Free, NOAA CSC; 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Room B-119, Charleston, 
South Carolina 29405-2413; or by phone at 843-740-1185, or by fax 843-
740-1290, or via e-mail at [email protected]. For technical 
questions regarding this announcement, contact Paul A. Sandifer, NOAA, 
National Ocean Service, c/o Hollings Marine Laboratory; 331 Fort 
Johnson Road, Room A112; Charleston, SC 29412, or by phone at 843-762-
8814, or by fax 843-762-8737, or via e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher 
education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, international 
organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Federal 
agencies or institutions and foreign governments may not be the 
recipient of awards under this announcement or receive any federal 
funds, but are encouraged to partner with applicants. If applicants 
will have partners who would receive grant funds, the lead grantee will 
be expected to move funds using subcontracts or other appropriate 
mechanisms to the project partners.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There is no requirement for cost 
sharing.
    Intergovernmental Review: Funding applications under the Center are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. It is the state agencys responsibility to contact their 
states Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out about and comply with 
the states process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, the names 
and addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and 
Budgets home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(12) International Coral
    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant 
Program, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
provides matching grants of financial assistance for international 
coral reef conservation projects. The Program solicits proposals under 
four funding categories: (1) Promote Watershed Management in the Wider 
Caribbean, Brazil, and Bermuda; (2) Regional Enhancement of Marine 
Protected Area Management Effectiveness; (3) Encourage the Development 
of National Networks of Marine Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean, 
Bermuda, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific; and (4) Promote 
Regional Socio--Economic Training and Monitoring in Coral Reef 
Management in the Wider Caribbean, Brazil, Bermuda, the Western Indian 
Ocean, the Red Sea, the South Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. 
Each funding category has specific applicant and project eligibility 
criteria.
    Funding Availability: NOAA announces the availability of up to 
$500,000 in FY 2008 to support grants and cooperative agreements under 
the International Coral Reef Grant Program. These funds will be used to 
support financial assistance awards under the program categories listed 
in section IV. Applicants that are invited to submit a final 
application may be requested to revise award objectives, work plans, or 
budgets prior to submittal of the final application. The amount of 
funds to be awarded and the final scope of activities will be 
determined in pre-award negotiations among the applicant, NOAA Grants 
Management Division (GMD) and relevant NOAA staff. Up to approximately 
$500,000 may be available in FY 2008 to support grants and cooperative 
agreements under this program. Approximately $75,000-$100,000 may be 
allocated to each of the four project categories listed below, with the 
following award ranges: 1. Watershed Management: $30,000-$50,000 2. 
Regional Management Effectiveness capacity building projects: up to 
$80,000 3. MPA National Networks: $40,000-$50,000 4. Regional Socio--
Economic Monitoring projects: $15,000-$35,000 Pre- and final 
applications with requests over the limit of each category will NOT be 
accepted. Pre- and final applications must be submitted under only one 
of the above mentioned categories. Funding will be subject to the 
availability of federal appropriations. Support in outyears after FY 
2008 is contingent upon the availability of funds. Applicants should 
never begin a project in expectation of funds under this program. IPO 
reserves the right to transfer any given proposal to another category 
within the International program if the proposal better addresses the 
criteria of another category.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation 
Grant Program is provided by Section 6403 (Coral Reef Conservation 
Program) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et 
seq.).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.463, 
Habitat Conservation.
    Application Deadline: Pre-applications must be received by NOAA by 
11:59 p.m., U.S. Eastern Time, on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007. Final 
applications must be received by NOAA by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, 
on Friday, Feb. 22, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: The application process required 
by this FFO requires both a pre-application and final application, 
subject to the submission dates and times listed below. 1. Pre-
application Submission Information Pre-applications may be submitted by 
surface mail or e-mail. Submissions by e-mail to [email protected] 
are preferred. Electronic acceptable formats are limited to Adobe 
Acrobat (.PDF), WordPerfect or Microsoft Word files. If submitting by 
surface mail, applicants are encouraged to include an electronic copy 
of the pre-application or final application on disk or CD. Federal 
financial assistance forms are not required to be submitted with the 
pre-application. Paper pre-applications must be submitted to: David 
Kennedy, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Coordinator, Office of 
Response and Restoration, N/ORR, Room 10102, NOAA National Ocean 
Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Fax 
submittals will also be accepted for pre-applications (Fax: 301-713-
4389). 2. Final Application Submission Information: Applicants who are 
invited to submit a final application may be required to make 
modifications or revisions to the project and budget narratives and 
must submit a Federal financial assistance award application package 
(federal forms described below). Only applicants who submitted pre-
applications by the deadline will be eligible to be considered for 
invitations to submit a final application. The applicant may submit the 
final application (narratives, federal forms, and supporting 
documentation) in one of two ways: a. The preferred method is

[[Page 36270]]

www.grants.gov: applicants will be strongly encouraged to submit the 
final applications through this secure Web site and guidance will be 
sent to those who will be chosen to submit a final application. 
Applicants are encouraged to log on to this portal Web site and begin a 
registration process at any time in preparation for this potential 
funding opportunity as well as other federal grant opportunities. The 
registration process can take 2-4 weeks. b. By electronic mail to 
[email protected] including signed and scanned copies of all pages 
requiring original signatures and signed and scanned copies of original 
support letters. c. If internet access is not available, send one 
original signed copy by surface mail to Scot Frew, NOAA/NOS 
International Program Office, 1315 East West Highway, 5th Floor, N/IP, 
Room 5735, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Applicants should consider the 
delivery time when submitting their pre- and final applications from 
international or remote areas. Late applications by any method cannot 
be accepted under any circumstances. The required Federal financial 
assistance forms to accompany the final application are SF-424, SF-
424A, SF-424B, CD-511, CD-512, and if applicable, CD-346 and/or SF-LLL. 
These forms can be obtained from the NOAA grants Web site at http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/grants/pdf. If internet access is not available, 
please contact: Scot Frew, NOAA/NOS International Program Office, 1315 
East West Highway, 5th Floor, N/IP, Room 5735, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 
or telephone 301-713-3078 extension 220; or fax 301-713-4263.
    Information Contacts: Technical point of contact for International 
Coral Reef Conservation is Scot Frew, NOAA/NOS International Program 
Office, 301-713-3078, extension 220 or e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants include all international, 
governmental (except U.S. federal agencies), and non-governmental 
organizations. For specific country eligibility per category, please 
refer to individual category descriptions in Section V. The proposed 
work must be conducted at a non-U.S. site. Eligible countries are 
defined as follows: The Wider Caribbean includes the 37 States and 
territories that border the marine environment of the Gulf of Mexico, 
the Caribbean Sea, and the areas of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent 
thereto, and Brazil and Bermuda, but excluding areas under U.S. 
jurisdiction. The South Pacific Region includes South Pacific Regional 
Environment Programs Pacific island countries and territories, 
including the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and 
the Republic of the Marshall Islands, but excluding U.S. territories 
and four developed country members. South Asia includes India, Sri 
Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Southeast Asia Region 
includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, 
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Western Indian Ocean Region 
includes Comoros, France (La Reunion), Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, 
Mozambique, Seychelles, the United Republic of Tanzania, and South 
Africa. The Red Sea Region includes five member countries of the 
Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the 
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA): Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, the Kingdom 
of Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: The International Coral Grant Program is 
subject to the matching fund requirements described below. As per 
section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, Federal 
funds for any coral conservation project funded under this Program may 
not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the projects. Therefore, any 
coral conservation project under this program requires a 1:1 match. 
Match can come from a variety of public and private sources and can 
include in-kind goods and services such as private boat use and 
volunteer labor. Federal sources cannot be considered for matching 
funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate 
additional leverage. Applicants are permitted to combine contributions 
from multiple non-federal partners in order to meet the 1:1 match 
recommendation, as long as such contributions are not being used to 
match any other funds.
    Applicants must specify in their proposal the source(s) of match 
and may be asked to provide letters of commitment to confirm stated 
match contributions. Applicants whose proposals are selected for 
funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in 
the award document signed by the NOAA Grants Officer. Applicants should 
be prepared to carefully document matching contributions for each 
project selected to be funded. As per section 6403(b)(2) of the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000, the NOAA Administrator may waive all or 
part of the matching requirement if the Administrator determines that 
the project meets the following two requirements: 1. No reasonable 
means are available through which an applicant can meet the matching 
requirement, and 2. The probable benefit of such project outweighs the 
public interest in such matching requirement. In the case of a waiver 
request, the applicant must provide a detailed justification explaining 
the need for the waiver including attempts to obtain sources of 
matching funds, how the benefit of the project outweighs the public 
interest in providing match, and any other extenuating circumstances 
preventing the availability of match. Match waiver requests including 
the appropriate justification should be submitted as part of the final 
application package. Notwithstanding any other provisions herein, and 
in accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), the Program shall waive any 
requirement for local matching funds for any project under $200,000 
(including in-kind contribution) to the governments of Insular Areas, 
defined as the jurisdictions of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Please 
Note: eligible applicants choosing to apply 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) should 
note the use of the waiver and the total amount of funds requested to 
be waived in the matching funds section of the respective pre- and 
final applications.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under the International 
Coral Reef Grant program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service

(1) Research in Primary Vicarious Calibration of Ocean Color Satellite 
Sensors
    Summary Description: The Center for Satellite Applications and 
Research (STAR) announces the availability of Federal assistance in the 
research area of ocean color satellite sensor calibration and 
validation. STAR is committed to improving the vicarious calibration 
capabilities of a Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) system located in Hawaii, 
with an ultimate goal of a continuous, climate-quality time-series of 
normalized water-leaving spectral radiances across multiple agency 
missions and ocean color satellite sensors. Research efforts are 
focused on the reduction of the total uncertainty budget in the 
determination of the normalized water-leaving radiances from MOBY 
measurements, improvements in the process used with the MOBY system for 
validation of ocean color satellite sensor retrievals of water-leaving 
spectral radiances, and the development of new MOBY system

[[Page 36271]]

components which would increase measurement integrity. These advances 
in vicarious calibration capabilities would improve the quality and 
accuracy of ocean color satellite sensor bio-optical product 
retrievals. The program priorities for this opportunity support NOAAs 
mission support goal of: Mission Support--Provide Critical Support for 
NOAA's Mission.
    Funding Availability: Funding availability is anticipated to range 
from a minimum of $700,000 to a maximum of $1,300,000 per year for no 
more than three years. Only one applicant will receive an award.
    Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is 
provided under 33 U.S.C. 883d and 33 U.S.C. 1442.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.440, 
Environmental Sciences, Applications, Data, and Education.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by 4 p.m., Eastern 
Daylight Savings Time on September 28, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: For proposals submitted through 
http:/www.grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is included 
and will be the basis of determining timeliness. Hard copy proposals 
will be date and time stamped when they are received in the program 
office. Hard copy proposals should be sent to Marilyn Yuen-Murphy; DOC/
NOAA/NESDIS/STAR; 5200 Auth Rd., Rm. 104; Camp Springs, MD 20746.
    Information Contacts: Marilyn Yuen-Murphy by telephone (301-763-
8102 x159), fax (301-763-8020), or e-mail 
([email protected]); or Patty Mayo by telephone (301-763-
8127 x107), fax (301-763-8108), or e-mail ([email protected]).
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions of higher 
education, other non-profits, commercial organizations, and state, 
local and Indian tribal governments.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: None.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
(2) Research in Satellite Data Assimilation for Numerical Weather, 
Climate, and Environmental Forecast Systems
    Summary Description: The NOAA/NASA/DOD Joint Center for Satellite 
Data Assimilation (JCSDA) announces the availability of Federal 
assistance for research in the area of Satellite Data Assimilation in 
Numerical Weather, Climate, and Environmental Forecast Systems. The 
goal of the JCSDA is to accelerate the use of observations from earth-
orbiting satellites in operational numerical prediction models for the 
purpose of improving weather, ocean mesoscale, and other environmental 
forecasts, improving seasonal to interannual climate forecasts, and 
increasing the physical accuracy of climate reanalysis. The advanced 
instruments of current and planned NOAA, NASA, DOD, and international 
agency satellite missions will provide large volumes of data on 
atmospheric, oceanic, and land surface conditions with accuracies and 
spatial resolutions never before achieved. The JCSDA will strive to 
ensure that the Nation realizes the maximum benefit of its investment 
in space as part of an advanced global observing system. Funded 
proposals will help accelerate the use of satellite data from both 
operational and experimental spacecraft in operational weather, ocean 
mesoscale, climate, and environmental prediction environments, improve 
community radiative transfer models and surface emissivity models, 
improve characterization of the error covariances related to forecast 
models, radiative transfer models and satellite observations. The 
program priorities for this opportunity support NOAA's mission support 
goal of: Weather and Water--Serve Societys Needs for Weather and Water 
Information.
    Funding Availability: Total funding available for this Notice is 
anticipated to be approximately $600,000. Individual annual awards in 
the form of grants or cooperative agreements are expected to range from 
$50,000 to $150,000, although greater amounts may be awarded. It is 
anticipated that 4-6 awards will be made.
    Statutory Authority: Statutory authorities for this program are 
provided under 15 U.S.C. 313, 49 U.S.C. 44720(b); 15 U.S.C. 2901.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.440, 
Environmental Sciences, Applications, Data, and Education.
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent (LOI) must be received by 
NOAA/NESDIS no later than 5 p.m. eastern time, August 10, 2007. Full 
proposals must be received no later than 5 p.m. eastern time, October 
2, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Letters of intent must be 
submitted to the JCSDA, NOAA/NESDIS, Attn: Dr. Fuzhong Weng, 5200 Auth 
Road, Room 808, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Letters of Intent can be faxed 
to 301-763-8149, or e-mailed to [email protected] with a copy to 
[email protected]. Full proposals should be submitted through 
Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov or those applicants without 
internet access, hard copy proposals (1 unbound original and 1 copy) 
may be sent to the above address. No facsimile applications will be 
accepted.
    Information Contacts: Administrative questions: Ms. Ada Armstrong, 
by phone at 301-763-8172 ext. 188, fax: 301-763-8149, or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Technical questions: Fuzhong Weng (NOAA Program 
Officer), by phone at 301-763-8172 ext. 123, fax: 301-763-8149, or via 
e-mail: [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applications can be from institutions of 
higher education, other non-profits, international organizations, 
state, local and Indian tribal governments. U.S. Federal agencies or 
institutions are eligible to receive Federal assistance under this 
Notice.

    Please Note: Before non-NOAA Federal applicants may be funded, 
they must demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive 
funds from another Federal agency in excess of their appropriation. 
The only exception to this is governmental research facilities for 
awards issued under the authority of 49 U.S.C. 44720(b). Because 
this announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services from 
applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate 
legal basis.

    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing nor matching is required 
under this program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''

National Weather Service (NWS)

(1) Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) 
Program
    Summary Description: The CSTAR Program represents an NOAA/NWS 
effort to create a cost-effective transition from basic and applied 
research to operations and services through collaborative research 
between operational forecasters and academic institutions which have 
expertise in the environmental sciences. These activities will engage 
researchers and students in applied research of interest to the 
operational meteorological community and will improve the accuracy of 
forecasts and warnings of environmental hazards by applying scientific 
knowledge and information to operational products and services. The 
NOAA CSTAR Program is a contributing element of the U.S. Weather 
Research Program. NOAA's program is designed to complement other agency 
contributions to that national effort. The

[[Page 36272]]

CSTAR Program addresses NOAA's Mission Goal 3--Serve society's needs 
for weather and water information.
    Funding Availability: The total funding amount available for 
proposals is anticipated to be approximately $250,000 per year. 
However, there is no appropriation of funds at this time and no 
guarantee that there will be. Individual annual awards in the form of 
cooperative agreements are limited to a maximum of $125,000 per year 
for no more than three years. We anticipate making 1-4 awards.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the CSTAR program is provided by 
the following: 15 U.S.C. 313; 49 U.S.C. 44720(b); 33 U.S.C. 883d; 15 
U.S.C. 2904; 15 U.S.C. 2934.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.468, 
Applied Meteorological Research.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by the NWS no 
later than 5 p.m., EDT, October 19, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposals should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. For those organizations without internet 
access, proposals may be sent to Sam Contorno, CSTAR Program Manager, 
NOAA/NWS, 1325 East-West Highway, Room 15330, Silver Spring, Maryland 
20910.
    Information Contacts: Contact Sam Contorno, NOAA/NWS; 1325 East-
West Highway, Room 15330; Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283, or by 
phone at 301-713-3557 ext. 150, by fax to 301-713-1253, or via e-mail 
at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education and federally funded educational institutions such as the 
Naval Postgraduate School. This restriction is needed because the 
results of the collaboration are to be incorporated in academic 
processes which ensure academic multidisciplinary peer review as well 
as Federal review of scientific validity for use in operations.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing is required under this 
program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

(1) Climate Program Office for FY 2008
    Summary Description: The NOAA Climate Program represents a 
contribution to national and international programs designed to improve 
our ability to observe, understand, predict, and respond to changes in 
the global environment. The Program builds on NOAAs mission 
requirements and long-standing capabilities in climate and global 
change research and prediction. The Program is a key contributing 
element of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) that is 
coordinated by the interagency Committee on Environmental and Natural 
Resources (CENR). NOAAs Climate Program is designed to complement other 
agencies contributions to that national effort.
    Funding Availability: NOAA believes that the Climate Program will 
benefit significantly from a strong partnership with outside 
investigators. Please be advised that actual funding levels will depend 
upon the final FY 2008 budget appropriations. In FY 2006, $6M in first 
year funding was available for 54 new awards; similar funds and number 
of awards are anticipated in FY 2008. Total Anticipated Federal Funding 
for FY 2008 is $6M in first year funding for 40-60 number of awards. 
Federal Funding for FY 2009 may be used in part to fund some awards 
submitted under this competition. Current plans assume that 100% of the 
total resources provided through this announcement will support 
extramural efforts, particularly those involving the broad academic 
community. Past or current grantees funded under this announcement are 
eligible to apply for a new award, which builds on previous activities 
or areas of research not covered in the previous award. Current 
grantees should not request supplementary funding for ongoing research 
through this announcement. We anticipate that the annual cost of most 
funded projects will fall between $50,000 and $200,000 per year. The 
exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-
award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. 
Neither NOAA nor the Department of Commerce is responsible for proposal 
preparation costs if this program is not funded for whatever reason.
    Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any 
specific project or to obligate any available funds. Awards are to be 
up to three years in length except where noted otherwise by the 
Program.
    Statutory Authority: 49 U.S.C. 44720(b), 33 U.S.C. 883d, 15 U.S.C. 
2904, 15 U.S.C. 2931-2934.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.431, 
Climate and Atmospheric Research.
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent for all Program Elements 
other than Assessing Meridional Overturning Circulation Variability: 
Implications for Rapid Climate Change should be received by 5 p.m. 
Eastern Time, July 23, 2007. Full proposals for all Program Elements 
other than Assessing Meridional Overturning Circulation Variability: 
Implications for Rapid Climate Change must be received no later than 5 
p.m. Eastern Time, September 24, 2007. Letters of Intent to the 
Assessing Meridional Overturning Circulation Variability: Implications 
for Rapid Climate Change Program Element should be received by 5 p.m. 
Eastern Time October 5, 2007. Full proposals to the Assessing 
Meridional Overturning Circulation Variability: Implications for Rapid 
Climate Change Program Element must be received no later than 5 p.m. 
Eastern Time December 7, 2007.
    Anticipated Award Date: May 1, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: To apply for this NOAA federal 
funding opportunity, please go to http://www.grants.gov, and use the 
following funding opportunity  OAR-CPO-2008-2000994 to obtain 
a complete application package. If the applicant does not have Internet 
access, and would like to request a hard copy of a full application, 
please contact the CPO Grants Manager, Diane Brown, NOAA Climate 
Program Office (R/CP1), SSM3, Room 12112, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910, by phone at 301-734-1206, or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Other Submission Requirements: (1) Location for Letter of Intent 
Submission: LOIs are encouraged to be submitted by e-mail to the 
identified NOAA program elements Program Manager. If an applicant does 
not have Internet access, LOI hard copies should be sent to the Program 
Managers listed with each program in the Program Priorities section.
    (2) Location for Application Submission: Applications should be 
submitted through Grants.gov APPLY (http://www.grants.gov). If an 
applicant does not have Internet access, please contact the CPO Grants 
Manager (see below) for hard copy instructions.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the CPO Web site for further 
information http://www.climate.noaa.gov/ or contact the CPO Grants 
Manager, Diane Brown, NOAA Climate Program Office (R/CP1), SSM3, Room 
12112, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-734-
1206 Fax: 301-713-0158 E-mail: [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international 
organizations, and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Federal 
agencies or institutions are not eligible to receive Federal assistance 
under this notice.

[[Page 36273]]

    Cost Sharing Requirements: None of the Competitions have Cost 
Sharing requirements.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of federal 
programs.

Office of the Under Secretary (USEC)

(1) Environmental Literacy Grants for Spherical Display Systems for 
Earth System Science-Installations and Content Development
    Summary Description: The NOAA Office of Education (OEd) is issuing 
a request for applications from institutions with interest in 
developing exhibits featuring spherical display systems showing Earth 
system science, or developing science modules for these display 
systems. Spherical display systems are sphere-shaped ``screens'' onto 
which global data and other imagery can be shown. Awards will be 
offered in two priorities, with priority 1 supporting installation of 
spherical displays systems into public exhibits and priority 2 
supporting development and evaluation of Earth system science modules 
for the spherical display systems. Awards in priority 1 will be made as 
one-year cooperative agreements and grants. Awards in priority 2 will 
be made as one or two-year grants. Successful priority 1 projects will 
support installation of spherical displays systems into public exhibits 
with an Earth system science theme. Successful priority 2 projects will 
support partnerships designed to create content focused on Earth system 
science topics for spherical display systems. The goal of this program 
is to build environmental literacy among the general public through 
increased use of NOAA and NOAA-related data and data products in 
informal education institutions. It is anticipated that recommendations 
for funding under this announcement will be made by January 30, 2008 
and that projects funded under this announcement will have a start date 
no earlier than April 30, 2008, and possibly as late as March 30, 2009. 
This program meets NOAA's Mission Goal to provide Critical Support for 
NOAA's Mission.
    Funding Availability: NOAA anticipates the availability of 
approximately $4,000,000 of funding from FY08 and FY09. Actual funding 
availability for this program is contigent upon Fiscal Year 2008 and 
2009 appropriations. Approximately $500,000 for each fiscal year may be 
dedicated to awards in priority 1. The total Federal amount that may be 
requested from NOAA for projects in priority 1 shall not exceed 
$100,000 including direct and indirect costs. Approximately $1,500,000 
for each fiscal year may be dedicated to awards in priority 2. The 
total Federal amount that may be requested from NOAA for priority 2 
shall not exceed $300,000 including direct and indirect costs.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for this program is provided by the 
following: 15 U.S.C. 1540.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.469, 
Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects.
    Application Deadline: The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. EDT 
on October 30, 2007.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through Grants.gov APPLY (http://www.grants.gov). If an applicant does 
not have Internet access, paper applications will be accepted submitted 
by express delivery (U.S. mail is not recommended as it can take up to 
4 weeks to reach the program office). Paper applications should be 
delivered to: Carrie McDougall, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Office of 
Education, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 6863, Washington, DC 
20230. See the Office of Education's frequently asked questions site 
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/dataviz_faqs.html for more details.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the OEd Web site for further 
information at http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html or contact 
Carrie McDougall at (202) 482-0875 or [email protected]; or 
John McLaughlin at (202) 482-2893 or [email protected]. For 
those applicants without Internet access, please contact Carrie 
McDougall via mail at DOC/NOAA Office of Education, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other nonprofits, and state, local and Indian tribal 
governments in the United States. For profit organizations, foreign 
institutions, foreign organizations and foreign government agencies are 
not eligible to apply. For-profit organizations can be project 
partners. Federal agencies are not eligible to receive Federal 
assistance under this announcement, but may be project partners. An 
individual may apply only once per priority as principal investigator 
(PI) through this funding opportunity. However institutions may submit 
more than one application and individuals may serve as co-PIs or key 
personnel on more than one application.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There are no cost-sharing requirements. 
Applicant resource commitment will, however, be considered in the 
competitive selection process (see Evaluation Criteria, Project Costs 
in the Federal Funding Opportunity).
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted to this funding 
opportunity are not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental 
Review of Federal Programs.

Limitation of Liability

    Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the 
availability of Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations. Applicants are hereby 
given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for the programs 
listed in this notice. In no event will NOAA or the Department of 
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if these 
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other 
agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige 
NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware that, they are required to provide a Dun 
and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the 
application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register, (67 FR 
66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet http://www.dunandbradstreet.com.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required 
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects 
or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. 
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the 
following NOAA NEPA Web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our 
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementation regulations, http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm.
    Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under their 
description of their program activities, applicants are required to 
provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, 
locations, sites, species

[[Page 36274]]

and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any 
environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and disposal of 
hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, 
impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and 
impacts to coral reef systems). In addition to providing specific 
information that will serve as the basis for any required impact 
analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA in drafting 
of an environmental assessment, if NOAA determines an assessment is 
required. Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in 
identifying and implementing feasible measures to reduce or avoid any 
identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure 
to do so shall be grounds for the denial of not selecting an 
application. In some cases if additional information is required after 
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer 
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit 
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable 
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on 
the environment.

Compliance With Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security 
Export Administration Regulations

    (a) This clause applies to the extent that this financial 
assistance award involves access to export-controlled information or 
technology.
    (b) In performing this financial assistance award, the recipient 
may gain access to export-controlled information or technology. The 
recipient is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws and 
regulations regarding export-controlled information and technology, 
including deemed exports. The recipient shall establish and maintain 
throughout performance of the financial assistance award effective 
export compliance procedures at non-NOAA facilities. At a minimum, 
these export compliance procedures must include adequate controls of 
physical, verbal, visual, and electronic access to export-controlled 
information and technology.
    (c) Definitions.
    (1) Deemed export. The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 
define a deemed export as any release of technology or source code 
subject to the EAR to a foreign national, both in the United States and 
abroad. Such release is ``deemed'' to be an export to the home country 
of the foreign national. 15 CFR 734.2(b)(2)(ii).
    (2) Export-controlled information and technology. Export-controlled 
information and technology is information and technology subject to the 
EAR (15 CFR 730 et seq.), implemented by the DOC Bureau of Industry and 
Security, or the International Traffic I Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 
CFR parts 120-130), implemented by the Department of State, 
respectively. This includes, but is not limited to, dual-us items, 
defense articles and any related assistance, services, software or 
technical data as defined in the EAR and ITAR.
    (d) The recipient shall control access to all export-controlled 
information and technology that it possesses or that comes into its 
possession in performance of this financial assistance award, to ensure 
that access is restricted, or licensed, as required by applicable 
Federal laws, Executive Orders, and/or regulations.
    (e) Nothing in the terms of this financial assistance award is 
intended to change, supersede, or waive and of the requirements of 
applicable Federal laws, Executive Orders or regulations.
    (f) The recipient shall include this clause, including this 
paragraph (f), in all lower tier transactions (subawards, contracts, 
and subcontracts) under this financial assistance award that may 
involve access to export-controlled information technology.

NOAA implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive--12

    If the performance of a financial assistance award, if approved by 
NOAA, requires recipients to have physical access to Federal premises 
for more than 180 days or access to a Federal information system. Any 
items or services delivered under a financial assistance award shall 
comply with the Department of Commerce personal identity verification 
procedures that implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive--12, 
FIPS PUB 201, and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-05-
24. The recipient shall insert this clause in all subawards or 
contracts when the subaward recipient or contractor is required to have 
physical access to a Federally controlled facility or access to a 
Federal information system.
    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements. The Department of Commerce Pre-Award 
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
contained in the Federal Register notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 
78389) are applicable to this solicitation.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424 and 424A, 424B, SF LLL, CD-346, SF 424 Research and Related Family, 
SF 424 Short Organizational Family, SF 424 Individual Form family has 
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
respective control numbers 4040-0004, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, 
0605-0001, 4040-0001, 4040-0003, and 4040-0005. Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall 
any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a 
collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless 
that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies 
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical 
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

    Dated: June 26, 2007.
Helen Hurcombe,
Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-12653 Filed 6-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P