[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73325-73335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-6224]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 070817470-7855-03; I.D. 051906D]
RIN 0648-ZB83


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: NOAA publishes this notice to supplement the agency's 
solicitation for applications published on July 2, 2007 in an action 
entitled ``Omnibus Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds 
for Fiscal Year 2008''. This notice announces 11 additional programs 
that are soliciting applications for FY 08 funding.

DATES: Proposals must be received by the date and time specified under 
each program listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
document.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to the program address listed in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. NOAA's 
discretionary grant fund notices may be found on the internet at 
Grants.gov. The URL for Grants.gov is http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For those without Internet access 
request a copy of the full funding opportunity announcement and/or 
application kit, from the person listed as the information contact 
under each program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants must comply with all requirements 
contained in the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement for each of 
the programs listed in this omnibus notice. These Federal Funding 
Opportunities are available at http://www.grants.gov.
    The list of grant opportunities under NOAA Project Competitions 
(below) describe the basic information and requirements for the 
competitive grant/cooperative agreement programs offered by NOAA. These 
programs are open to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria 
specified under each grant. To be considered for an award in a 
competitive grant/cooperative agreement program, eligible applicants 
must submit a complete and responsive application to the appropriate 
address by the deadline specified in this notice. An award is made upon 
conclusion of the evaluation and selection process for the respective 
program.

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. NOAA Project Competitions
    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
    1. FY08 Hawaii Seafood Program
    2. Proactive Species Conservation Program
    National Ocean Service (NOS)
    1. FY 2008 Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan 
Implementation
    2. FY08 Bay Watershed Education and Training Program, Adult and 
Community
    Watershed Education in the Monterey Bay
    3. NOAAs National Height Modernization Program
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    1. Hydrologic Research
    2. National Weather Service MSI Program
    Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
    1. 2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination
    2. Ballast Water Management Demo (RDTE Facility)
    3. Ballast Water Management Demonstration Program (Technologies 
and Practices)
    Office of the Under Secretary (USEC)
    1. Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education
III. Classification
IV. NOAA Project Competitions Listed by NOAA Mission Goals

1. 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, the employment rate 
in near shore areas is growing three times faster than the 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 
the largest marine territory of any nation in the world.
    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    1. Healthy and productive coastal and marine ecosystems that 
benefit society.
    2. A well-informed public that acts as a steward of coastal and 
marine ecosystems.
    Program Names:
    1. Ballast Water Management Demonstration Program (Technologies and 
Practices).
    2. 2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination.
    3. Proactive Species Conservation Program.
    4. FY08 Hawaii Seafood Program.
    5. Ballast Water Management Demo (RDTE Facility).
    6. NOAAs National Height Modernization Program.
    7. FY08 Bay Watershed Education and Training Program, Adult and 
Community Watershed Education in the Monterey Bay.

2. 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 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.

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    Funded proposals should help achieve the following outcomes:
    1. Safe, secure, efficient, and seamless movement of goods and 
people in the U.S. transportation system.
    2. Environmentally sound development and use of the U.S. 
transportation system.
    Program Names:
    1. Ballast Water Management Demonstration Program (Technologies and 
Practices).
    2. 2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination.
    3. Ballast Water Management Demo (RDTE Facility).
    4. NOAAs National Height Modernization Program.

3. 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 nongovernmental 
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:
    1. Reduced loss of life, injury, and damage to the economy.
    2. Better, quicker, and more valuable weather and water information 
to support improved decisions.
    3. Increased customer satisfaction with weather and water 
information and services.
    Program Names:
    1. FY 2008 Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan 
Implementation.
    2. 2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination.
    3. National Weather Service MSI Program.
    4. Hydrologic Research.
    5. NOAAs National Height Modernization Program.

4. 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:
    1. 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.
    2. Climate-sensitive sectors and the climate-literate public 
effectively incorporating NOAA's climate products into their plans and 
decisions.
    Program Names:
    1. 2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination.
    2. National Weather Service MSI Program.
    3. NOAAs National Height Modernization Program.
    4. Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education.

5. 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, dataprocessing 
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:

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    1. A dynamic workforce with competencies that support NOAA's 
mission today and in the future.
    Program Names:
    1. No programs are currently soliciting proposals for this mission 
goal.

I. Background

    In this notice, NOAA announces that 11 programs are making funds 
available for financial assistance awards. Each of the following grant 
opportunities provide: A description of the program, funding 
availability, statutory authority, catalog of federal domestic 
assistance (CFDA) number, application deadline, address for submitting 
proposals, information contacts, eligibility requirements, cost sharing 
requirements, and intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372. 
[Interested applicants should consult the July 2, 2007, in an action 
entitled ``Omnibus Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds 
for Fiscal Year 2008'' (72 FR 36244) notice for the selection criteria, 
evaluation criteria, and other requirements for submitting an 
application.]

II. NOAA Project Competitions

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

FY08 Hawaii Seafood Program
    Summary Description: NMFS is soliciting competitive applications 
for the FY08 Hawaii Seafood Program. The Hawaii Seafood Program is 
proposed for an effort to help strengthen and sustain the economic 
viability of Hawaii's fishing and seafood industry through activities 
that promote Hawaii fisheries products as high quality and safe 
domestic seafood produced by a responsible and well-managed fishery. 
Projects may request support for cooperative seafood safety research, 
technical assistance, and/or seafood education.
    Funding Availability: Total funding available under this notice is 
anticipated to be approximately $700,000. Actual funding availability 
for this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional 
appropriations. Proposals in any amount may be submitted, but awards in 
excess of $250,000 are unlikely. Award amounts will be determined by 
the number of proposals selected and the amount of available funds. 
There is no set minimum or maximum amount, within the available 
funding, for any award. There is also no limit on the number of 
applications that can be submitted by the same applicant; however, 
multiple applications submitted by the same applicant must clearly 
identify different projects. If an application for a financial 
assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA/NMFS has no obligation 
to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in 
subsequent years. Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may 
have been received, pre-award costs are not allowed under the award 
unless approved by the NOAA Grants Officer.
    Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for the Hawaii Seafood 
Program is 15 U.S.C. 713c-3(d).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.452, 
Unallied Industry Projects.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. Hawaii 
Standard Time on January 30, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposals should be submitted 
through Grants.gov. For those applicants without internet access, 
proposals should be submitted to NOAA Federal Program Officer, Pacific 
Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96814.
    Information Contacts: If you have any questions regarding this 
proposal solicitation, please contact Scott W.S. Bloom at the NOAA/NMFS 
Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, Hawaii 
96814, by phone at 808-944-2218, or by e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of 
higher education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, 
international organizations, foreign governments, organizations under 
the jurisdiction of foreign governments, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies, or employees of Federal agencies 
are not 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 undeserved areas. The 
Hawaii Seafood Program encourages proposals involving any of the above 
institutions.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing or matching is required 
under this program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs''.
Proactive Species Conservation Program
    Summary Description: The Proactive Species Conservation Program 
supports voluntary conservation efforts designed to conserve marine and 
anadromous species before they reach the point at which listing as 
threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) becomes 
necessary. Such proactive conservation efforts can serve as an 
efficient, non-regulatory, and cost-effective means of managing 
potentially at-risk species. To raise awareness of potentially at-risk 
species and to foster their proactive conservation, the NMFS created a 
`species of concern' list in April 2004 (69 FR 19975). `Species of 
concern' are species that are potentially at risk of becoming 
threatened or endangered or may potentially require protections under 
the ESA, yet for which sufficient data are lacking. The species-of-
concern status carries no procedural or regulatory protections under 
the ESA. The list of species of concern and descriptions of each 
species are available at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/concern/#list). Under this solicitation, the NMFS is seeking to provide federal 
assistance, in the form of grants or cooperative agreements, to support 
conservation efforts for the current list of marine and anadromous 
species of concern. Any state, territorial, Tribal or local entity that 
has regulatory or management authority over one or more species of 
concern is eligible to apply to this grant program. This document 
describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2007 
and how the NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $500,000 may be available for distribution in FY 2008 
under the PSCP; there are no restrictions on minimum or maximum funding 
requests. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent 
upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. Applicants are 
hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for this 
program. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available 
to make awards for all qualified projects. Publication of this notice 
does not oblige the NMFS to award any specific project or to obligate 
any available funds; and, if an application is selected for funding, 
the NMFS has no obligation to provide any additional funding in 
connection with that award in subsequent years. Notwithstanding verbal 
or written assurance that may have been received, pre-award costs are 
not allowed under the award unless approved by the Grants Officer.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 661.

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    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.472, 
Unallied Science Program.
    Application Deadline: Applications submitted through Grants.gov 
must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on February 12, 2008. Hard copy 
applications must be postmarked by February 12, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
online through the Grants.gov Web site at http://grants.gov. If online 
submission is not possible, paper applications may be mailed to NOAA/
NMFS/Office of Protected Resources, Attn: Dwayne Meadows, NMFS Office 
of Protected Resources F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.
    Information Contacts: If you have any questions regarding this 
proposal solicitation, please contact Dwayne Meadows at the NMFS Office 
of Protected Resources F/PR3, Endangered Species Division, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, by phone at 301-713-1401 x199, 
or by email at [email protected]. You may also contact one of the 
following people in your region for further guidance: Kim Damon-
Randall, Northeast Regional Office ([email protected], 
978-281-9300 x6535), Alex Meyer, Southeast Regional Office 
([email protected], 727-824-5312), Krista Graham, Pacific Islands 
Regional Office ([email protected], 808-944-2238), Melissa Neuman, 
Southwest Regional Office ([email protected], 562-980-4115), 
Scott Rumsey, Northwest Regional Office ([email protected], 503-
872-2791), Brad Smith, Alaska Regional Office ([email protected], 
907-271-3023).
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are U.S. state, territorial, 
tribal, or local governments that have regulatory or management 
authority over one or more SOC or activities that affect one or more 
SOC. A current list of SOC can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/concern/#list or obtained from the Office of Protected 
Resources (see Full Funding Opportunity, section G, Agency Contacts). 
Applicants are not eligible to submit a proposal under this program if 
they are a federal employee; however, federal employees may serve as 
Cooperators. In addition, NMFS employees are not allowed to actively 
engage in the preparation of proposals or write letters of support for 
any application. However, if applicable, NMFS employees can write a 
letter verifying that they are collaborating with a particular project. 
NMFS contacts (see Full Funding Opportunity, section G, Agency 
Contacts) are available to provide information regarding programmatic 
goals and objectives associated with the PSCP, other ongoing ESA 
programs, regional funding priorities, and, along with other Federal 
Program Officers, can provide information on application procedures and 
completion of required forms.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There are no cost-sharing or matching 
requirements under this solicitation.
    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.

National Ocean Service (NOS)

FY 2008 Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan Implementation
    Summary Description: The purpose of this notice is to solicit 
proposals for cooperative agreements between NOAA and partnering 
entities from Gulf of Mexico States to implement Action Blueprint Steps 
identified in the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan. 
Proposals submitted in response to this announcement should contribute 
to the beneficial public outcomes associated with the five priority 
issues in the NOAA Plan: Water quality for healthy beaches and 
shellfish beds; wetland and coastal conservation and restoration; 
environmental education; identification and characterization of Gulf 
habitats; and nutrient reduction as well as Coastal Community 
Resiliency, a priority issue elevated by the Alliance since release of 
the Plan. Beneficial public outcomes can include (among many other 
possibilities) reduced social disruptions and storm resilient 
economies; improved fisheries production, increased storm damages 
reduction from wetland buffers, and improved water quality with the 
natural filtering from wetland processes; less harmful algal blooms and 
beach closures. This competition is focused on the geography of the 
Gulf of Mexico in response to NOAAs development of the Gulf of Mexico 
Alliance implementation plan and subsequent congressional 
appropriations. The program priorities for this opportunity support 
NOAAs mission support goal of: Weather and Water Serve Society's Needs 
for Weather and Water Information.
    Funding Availability: Total anticipated funding for all awards is 
approximately $4,500,000 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 
$750,000 to $1,000,000 per year. The anticipated number of awards 
ranges from five (5) to seven (7), approximately, and will be adjusted 
based on available funding. The intent is to award a minimum of one 
grant to each Gulf coast state.
    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: Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be received by 
the Coastal Services Center by 4 p.m. ET on January 10, 2008. Full 
proposals must be received no later than 4 p.m. ET, February 8, 2008. 
An LOI must be submitted to be able to submit a full proposal.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Letters of intent (LOI) may be 
sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Insert ``FY 2008 Gulf of 
Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan Implementation'' as the subject 
line of the e-mail. If hard copy LOIs are submitted, an original and 
two copies 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, including any 
letters of support, should be submitted through Grants.gov. If an 
applicant does not have Internet access, one set of originals (signed) 
and two copies of the proposals and related forms should be mailed to 
the attention of James Lewis Free, NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 
South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413. No e-mail 
or fax copies will be accepted.
    Information Contacts: For administrative questions, contact James 
Lewis Free, NOAA CSC; 2234 South

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Hobson Avenue, Room B-119; Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413, or by 
phone at 843-740-1185, or by fax 843-740-1224, or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. For technical questions regarding this 
announcement, contact Todd Davison, NOAA CSC; 2234 South Hobson Avenue, 
Charleston, South Carolina 29405-2413, or by phone at 770-486-0028 
Extension 214, or by fax 770-486-0930, or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Because this competition is focused on the geography 
of the Gulf of Mexico in response to NOAAs development of the Gulf of 
Mexico Alliance implementation plan and subsequent congressional 
appropriations, eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher 
education, regional or watershed authorities, nonprofit organizations, 
and state and Indian tribal governments from the Gulf States (Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas). Federal agencies 
are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve 
as collaborative project partners and may contribute services in kind.
    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 (SPOC) 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.

FY08 Bay Watershed Education and Training Program, Adult and Community 
Watershed Education in the Monterey Bay

    Summary Description: The California B-WET Program, Adult and 
Community Watershed Education, 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 Monterey Bay watershed. 
Funded projects provide meaningful watershed education to adults and 
communities. The term meaningful watershed education is defined as 
outcome-based programs that educate citizens about their role in 
protecting water quality and demonstrate behavioral changes that 
improve water quality and promote environmental stewardship.
    Funding Availability: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $100,000 may be available in FY 2008 in award amounts to 
be determined by the proposals and available funds. The National Marine 
Sanctuary Program anticipates that approximately 2-4 grants will be 
awarded with these funds and that typical project awards will range 
from $10,000 to $50,000. 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. There is not 
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, 15 U.S.C. 1540.
    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 on February 14, 2008. Both hard copy and electronic 
proposals received after that time will not be considered for funding 
and will be returned to the applicant.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Application packages should be 
submitted through Grants.gov. If an applicant does not have Internet 
access, the applicant should send the application package to: Seaberry 
Nachbar, B-WET Program Manager, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 
Office, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the National Marine Sanctuaries 
B-WET website 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 
831-647-4204, or fax to 831-647-4250, or via Internet at 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are 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 underserved 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 to share as much of the costs of the award as 
possible. Funds from other Federal awards will not be accepted 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.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
NOAA's National Height Modernization Program
    Summary Description: The purpose of this notice is to solicit 
proposals for grants or cooperative agreements between NOAA and 
partnering entities in the United States, implementing NOAA's National 
Height Modernization Program (NHMP). Proposals submitted in response to 
this announcement should contribute to the beneficial public outcomes 
associated with the five priority issues in the NOAA Plan; enhancing 
the vertical component of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS); 
enabling users to access the vertical component of the NSRS; outreach 
and education regarding geospatial issues and activities as they relate 
to Height Modernization; capacity building and technology transfer as 
they relate to Height Modernization; coordination, cooperation, and 
collaboration with other entities to accomplish common goals as they 
relate to Height Modernization. This competition is focused on the 
geography of the United States and its territories in response to 
NOAA's Height Modernization Regional Implementation Plan and subsequent 
congressional appropriations. The program priorities for this 
opportunity support NOAA's mission support goal of: Commerce and 
Transportation; Enable safe, secure, and seamless movement of goods and 
people

[[Page 73330]]

in the United States transportation system. Priorities addressing this 
mission goal also are found frequently to support NOAA's other mission 
goals: ``Improve protection, restoration, and management of coastal and 
ocean resources through ecosystem-based management; increase 
understanding of climate variability and change; and improve accuracy 
and timeliness of weather and water information.''
    Funding Availability: Total anticipated funding for all awards is 
approximately $9,500,000 and is subject to the availability of FY 2008 
appropriations. The anticipated federal funding per award (min-max) is 
approximately $100,000 to $1,200,000 per year. The anticipated number 
of awards ranges from 10 to 15, approximately, and will be adjusted 
based on available funding and quantity of awards made by NOAA.
    Statutory Authority: Statutory authority for this program is 
provided under 33 U.S.C. 883a and 33 U.S.C. 883d.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.400, 
Geodetic Surveys and Services (Applications of the National Geodetic 
Ref System).
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be received by 
the National Ocean Service by 4 p.m. ET on January 10, 2008. Full 
proposals must be received no later than 4 p.m. ET, February 11, 2008. 
A LOI must be submitted to be able to submit a full proposal.
    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 NOAAs 
National Height Modernization Program) 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 National Ocean Service. Any U.S. Postal 
Service correspondence should be sent to the attention of James Gilbert 
Mitchell at 1315 East-West Highway, N/NGS1, Room 9356, SSMC3, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. 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 National Ocean Service. Any U.S. Postal Service correspondence 
should be sent to the attention of Gilbert Mitchell at 1315 East-West 
Highway, N/NGS1, Room 9356, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Information Contacts: For administrative questions, contact Gilbert 
Mitchell, NOAA NOS, SSMC3; 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910, or by phone at 301-713-3228 extension 114, or by fax 301-713-
4176, or via e-mail at [email protected]. For technical 
questions regarding this announcement, contact Renee Shields, NOAA NOS 
SSMC3; 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or contact her 
by phone at 301-713-3231 extension 115, or by fax 301-713-4176, or via 
e-mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible funding applicants are institutions of higher 
education, state, local and Indian tribal governments.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There is no requirement for cost 
sharing.
    Intergovernmental Review: Funding applications under the National 
Ocean Service are subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental 
Review of Federal Programs. It is the state agency's responsibility to 
contact their state's Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out about 
and comply with the state's 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.

National Weather Service (NWS)

Hydrologic Research
    Summary Description: This program represents a NOAA/NWS effort to 
create a cost-effective continuum of basic and applied research through 
collaborative research between the Hydrology Laboratory of the NWS 
Office of Hydrologic Development and academic communities or other 
private or public agencies which have expertise in the 
hydrometeorologic, hydrologic, and hydraulic routing sciences, as well 
as those aspects of social sciences that apply to hydrologic and water 
resources forecasting and how information on those forecasts is 
distributed and assimilated by managers and the public. These 
activities will engage researchers and students in basic and applied 
research to improve the scientific understanding of river forecasting. 
Ultimately these efforts will improve the accuracy of forecasts and 
warnings of rivers and flash floods by applying scientific knowledge 
and information to NWS research methods and techniques, resulting in a 
benefit to the public. NOAA's program is designed to complement other 
agency contributions to that national effort.
    Funding Availability: Because of Federal budget uncertainties, it 
has not been determined how much money will be available through this 
announcement. It is also uncertain exactly when the funding from the 
Federal budget will be available. It is expected that up to two awards 
will be made, depending on availability of funds and quality of the 
proposals.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the Hydrologic Research programs 
is provided by Weather Service Organic Act, 15 U.S.C. 313, and 33 
U.S.C. 883d.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.462, 
Hydrologic Research.
    Application Deadline: Proposals are due no later than 3 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time January 28, 2008. We anticipate that a review of 
proposals will be completed during January and February, 2008, and 
funding should begin during spring 2008 for most approved projects. 
June 1, 2008, should be used as the proposed start date on proposals. 
Applicants should be notified of their status within 3 months of the 
closing date.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through http://www.grants.gov. For applicants without internet access, 
or Federal agencies without access to www.grants.gov, please submit 
three copies to: Pedro Restrepo, NOAA/NWS 1325 East-West Highway, Room 
8176; Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283. No facsimile or e-mail copies 
will be accepted.
    Information Contacts: The point of contact is Pedro Restrepo, NOAA/
NWS/W-OHD1; 1325 East-West Highway, Room 8176; Silver Spring, Maryland 
20910-3283, or by phone at 301-713-0640 ext. 210, or fax to 301-713-
0963, or via internet at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are Federal agencies; institutions 
of higher education; other nonprofits; commercial organizations; 
foreign governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; international organizations; state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Applications from non-Federal and Federal 
applicants will be competed against each other. Proposals selected for 
funding from non-Federal applicants will be funded through a project 
grant or cooperative agreement under the terms of this notice. 
Proposals selected for funding from NOAA scientists shall be effected 
by an intra-agency fund transfer. Proposals selected for funding from a 
non NOAA Federal agency will be

[[Page 73331]]

funded through an interagency transfer. 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. 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: A matching share is not required by this 
program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
National Weather Service MSI Program
    Summary Description: The NWS is soliciting projects to be conducted 
by university investigators for 1-year to 3-years, with an anticipated 
start date of August 1, 2008. The NWS MSI Program represents an NOAA/
NWS effort to promote and increase diversity in the atmospheric and 
related sciences through collaborative research between operational 
forecasters and academic institutions which have expertise in the 
environmental sciences in support of the NOAA Weather and water mission 
goal. These activities will engage researchers and students in applied 
research of interest to the operational meteorological community and 
will result in the development of new educational opportunities for the 
public.
    Funding Availability: This funding opportunity announces that 
approximately $50,000 will be available through this announcement for 
fiscal year 2008. Proposals should be prepared assuming an annual 
budget up to $50,000. No award less than $25,000 will be made. It is 
expected that one to two awards will be made, depending on availability 
of funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the MSI 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: Applications must be received by the NWS no 
later than 5 p.m., EST on February 29, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Proposals must be submitted 
through grants.gov, unless an applicant does not have internet access. 
In that case, hard copy applications may be sent to Sam Contorno, 1325 
East-West Highway, Room 15330, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Proposals may 
not be e-mailed or faxed.
    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, or fax to 301-713-1253, or via Internet 
at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Minority Serving Institutions eligible to submit 
proposals include institutions of higher education identified by the 
Department of Education as: (i) Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, (ii) Hispanic-Serving Institutions, (iii) Tribal Colleges 
and Universities, or (iv) Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian Serving 
Institutions on the most recent United States Department of Education 
Accredited Post-Secondary Minority Institutions list (at the date of 
publication of this announcement). Proposals will not be accepted from 
non-profit organizations, foundations, auxiliary services or any other 
entity on behalf of MSIs.
    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 (OAR)

2008 Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination
    Summary Description: To continue the development of regional 
research and information plans for U.S. coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes 
areas, NOAA Sea Grant anticipates (depending on appropriations) making 
available about $750,000 in FY 2008 for grants to regional planning 
teams in the following three regions: the Greater New York Bight 
region, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the Caribbean region. It is 
expected that Sea Grant programs within each of these regions will work 
together and submit one proposal per region that covers a 2-5 year 
period. The objective is to use Sea Grant's university capabilities to 
facilitate discussions among the broad range of regional ocean, 
coastal, and Great Lakes stakeholders to help identify and prioritize 
critical resource management problems and associated research and 
information needs necessary for practical solutions. Depending on 
appropriations and the number and quality of applications received, 
NOAA Sea Grant anticipates making three awards of between $250,000 and 
$400,000 each.
    Funding Availability: Depending on appropriations, a total of 
$250,000 of federal Sea Grant funds will be made available for each 
eligible region over two years to cover the completion of a regional 
research and information plan (assuming appropriations are available). 
Proposals may request up to an additional three years of staff support 
(up to $50,000 per region per year) to help implement completed 
regional plans. The maximum support requested for an individual 
application is $400,000, of which no more than $250,000 can be for the 
first two years of the proposed project. Additional support may be made 
available in subsequent competitions for regional research and outreach 
activities. Approximately three awards will be made in FY 2008. It is 
expected that multiple Sea Grant Programs and institutions will be 
involved in each region, and that they will designate in their 
application a single managing Sea Grant Program, to whom the grant 
award would be made. All other participating Sea Grant Programs and 
institutions must be handled through subawards.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the Regional Research, 
Information Planning and Coordination is provided by 33 U.S.C. 1121 et 
seq., as amended. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 
Number(s): 11.417, Sea Grant Support.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.417, Sea 
Grant Support.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. EST, 
February 5, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications are to be submitted 
through grants.gov, under Federal Funding Opportunity number OAR-SG-
2008-2001255. Applicants without internet access may submit a hard copy 
application, but must include documentation stating their lack of 
internet access. Hard copy applications (one UNBOUND original and one 
copy) should be submitted to: Mrs. Geri Taylor, National Sea Grant 
College Program, R/SG, Attn: Regional Research Competition, Room 11841, 
NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone number for 
express mail applications is 301-734-1066.) Faxed or e-mailed 
applications will not be accepted.
    Information Contacts: Contact Dr. Leon M. Cammen, Director, 
National Sea Grant College Program, 1315 East-West Highway, R/SG, Rm 
11841, Silver Spring, MD 20910; tel: (301) 734-1088; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Proposals may be submitted only by the designated

[[Page 73332]]

managing Sea Grant College or Institutional Program.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Matching funds equal to at least 50 
percent of the Federal funding must be provided to support the proposed 
regional planning.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, `Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.'
Ballast Water Management Demo (RDTE Facility)
    Summary Description: The Ballast Water Management Demonstration 
Program supports projects to develop, test, and demonstrate ballast 
water treatment methods in order to reduce the threat of introduction 
of aquatic invasive species to U.S. waters through the discharge of 
ballast water. THIS SOLICITATION IS ONLY FOR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS TO 
ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TESTING AND EVALUATION 
(RDTE) FACILITY. There is a separate FFO for technologies and practices 
development (Funding Opportunity Number: OAR-SG20082001206).
    Funding Availability: Depending on FY2008 appropriations and the 
quality of proposals, NOAA expects to make available up to about $1 
million in 2008 funds for four-year cooperative agreements to create 
and operate ballast water RDTE facilities. We anticipate making 1 or 2 
multiyear awards in FY2008. Depending on future year appropriations and 
satisfactory execution of the terms of the cooperative agreement, NOAA 
anticipates funding up to $1,250,000 over the next four years for each 
successful award.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.417, Sea 
Grant Support.
    Application Deadline: Preliminary proposals must be received by the 
National Sea Grant Office by 4 p.m. EST February 21, 2008. Full 
proposals must be received by 4 p.m. EDT April 24, 2008. Only those who 
submit preliminary proposals meeting the preliminary proposal deadline 
and other requirements of this notice are eligible to submit full 
proposals.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Preliminary proposals should be 
submitted by hardcopy (one unbound original and one copy) to Mrs. Geri 
Taylor, National Sea Grant College Program, R/SG, Attn: Ballast Water 
Competition, Room 11841, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910, telephone 301-734-1072. Full Proposals must be submitted 
through Grants.gov unless the applicant does not have Internet access 
or is a Federal agency without access to Grants.gov, in which case they 
should be submitted to the above address. Any application that includes 
an appendix B (oversize documents) must submit appendix B in hardcopy 
to the above address.
    Information Contacts: Dorn Carlson, National Sea Grant Office, 
NOAA, Room 11828, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, or 
via e-mail at [email protected]. Prospective applicants with 
questions about this announcement should ask the Agency Contact in 
writing (e-mail preferred). All questions (without attribution) and any 
answers provided will be made available to all applicants who request 
to be kept informed, either by e-mail or by posting them on a Web site, 
or, for applicants without e-mail access, by conventional mail. To be 
kept informed of questions and responses prior to the preproposal 
deadline, send an e-mail to [email protected], and ask to be kept 
informed of all questions and responses concerning Federal Funding 
Opportunity number OAR-SG-2008-2001279. Applicants without Internet 
access please send your request by mail to the above mailing address. 
After the preproposal deadline, all applicants who submitted 
preproposals by the preproposal deadline will be informed of any 
questions and responses, unless they ask not to be so informed.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of 
higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, 
Federal, State, local and Indian tribal governments, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, and international organizations. Applications from non-
Federal and eligible Federal applicants (including NOAA employees) will 
be evaluated in the same selection process. Note: Before non-NOAA 
Federal applicants may be funded, they must demonstrate that they have 
legal authority to receive funds from another Federal agency in excess 
of their appropriation. Because this announcement is not proposing to 
procure goods or services from applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 
1535) is not an appropriate legal basis. Only those who submit 
preliminary proposals by the preliminary proposal deadline are eligible 
to submit full proposals.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Applications for RDTE facility 
cooperative agreements must include additional non-federal matching 
funds equal to at least 20% of the total NOAA funds requested over the 
duration of the cooperative agreement. In-kind contributions are 
eligible to satisfy the match requirement. Matching funds for each 
individual year need not equal a 20% match of that year's request, as 
long as the total matching funds for the duration of the cooperative 
agreement meet the 20% match requirements for the total request amount.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this Program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
Ballast Water Management Demonstration Program (Technologies and 
Practices)
    Summary Description: ``The Ballast Water Management Demonstration 
Program supports projects to develop, test, and demonstrate ballast 
water technologies and practices in order to reduce the threat of 
introduction of aquatic invasive species to U.S. waters through the 
discharge of ballast water. This FFO is for projects dealing with 
technologies and practices necessary for successful ballast water 
management. For example, this could include technologies or practices 
that treat ballast water, or that make it possible to test, evaluate, 
regulate or use ballast water treatment technologies or practices. 
There is a separate FFO for establishing a Research, Development, 
Testing and Evaluation (RDTE) Facility (Funding Opportunity Number: 
OAR-SG-2008-2001279).''
    Funding Availability: Depending on 2008 appropriations, NOAA 
expects to make available up to $1 million in FY 2008, and the U.S. 
Maritime Administration (MARAD) expects to make available several 
vessels for use as test platforms, to support ballast water management 
demonstration projects. Depending on the funding available and the 
number and quality of proposals received, we anticipate between 3 and 6 
grants with a median value of about $200,000 will be awarded, and about 
one applicant will have certain expenses associated with verification 
testing at an ETV facility paid for.
    Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131; 
46 U.S.C. App 1211 (2000); 50 U.S.C. App 1744 (2000).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.417, Sea 
Grant Support.
    Application Deadline: Letters of Intent must be received by the 
National Sea Grant Office by 4 p.m. EST February 21, 2008. Full 
proposals must be received by 4 p.m. EDT April 3, 2008. Only those 
applicants who submit

[[Page 73333]]

Letters of Intent by the preliminary proposal deadline and who submit 
LOIs that meet the other requirements of this notice are eligible to 
submit full proposals.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Letters of Intent must be 
submitted by hard copy to Mrs. Geri Taylor, National Sea Grant College 
Program, R/SG, Attn: Ballast Water Competition, Room 11841, NOAA, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone number for express 
mail LOIs is 301-734-1066). Full Proposals must be submitted through 
grants.gov (Web site html://grants.gov) to Funding Opportunity Number: 
OAR-SG-2008-2001206. Applicants without internet access may submit one 
unbound original hard copy of the proposal, but must submit 
documentation demonstrating their inability to use grants.gov. 
Facsimile and electronic mail transmissions of proposals will not be 
accepted for either Letters of Intent or Full Proposals.
    Information Contacts: Dorn Carlson, NOAA National Sea Grant Office, 
301-734-1080; via electronic mail at [email protected]. Carolyn 
Junemann, U.S. Maritime Administration, 202-366-1920; via electronic 
mail at [email protected].
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of 
higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, 
Federal, State, local and Indian tribal governments, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, and international organizations. Applications from non-
Federal and eligible Federal applicants (including NOAA and MARAD 
employees) will be evaluated in the same selection process. Note: 
Before non-NOAA Federal applicants may be funded, they must demonstrate 
that they have legal authority to receive funds from another Federal 
agency in excess of their appropriation. Because this announcement is 
not proposing to procure goods or services from applicants, the Economy 
Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate legal basis. Only those who 
submit Letters of Intent by the Letters of Intent deadline are eligible 
to submit full proposals.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost sharing or matching funds is NOT 
required. However, any such funding (direct or indirect) offered by the 
Applicant will be considered in the Evaluation Criteria of Project 
Costs.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''

Office of the Under Secretary (USEC)

Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education
    Summary Description: The NOAA Office of Education (OED) is issuing 
a request for applications for environmental literacy projects in 
support of K-12 education. Funded projects will be between one and five 
years in duration and will promote changes in K-12 education to expand 
the amount of Earth System Science taught in the classroom and improve 
student learning of that subject. Successful projects will catalyze 
change in K-12 education through development of new programs and 
materials and/or revision of existing programs and materials by 
supporting transformative methods: Those practices (which are not 
necessarily new) that are likely to increase the environmental literacy 
of K-12 teachers and their students by increasing the amount of Earth 
System Science taught in grades K-12. This federal funding opportunity 
meets NOAA's Mission Goal to understand climate variability and change 
to enhance society's ability to plan and respond. For any questions 
concerning this funding opportunity, please visit our FAQ Web site 
www.oesd.noaa.gov/elg_faqs.html before contacting the Office of 
Education.
    Funding Availability: NOAA anticipates the availability of 
approximately $4,000,000 of Federal financial assistance in FY 2009 and 
FY2010 for K-12 education projects. Approximately 5 to 7 awards in the 
form of grants or cooperative agreements will be made. NOAA will only 
consider projects that have duration of 1 to 5 years. The total Federal 
amount for all years that may be requested from NOAA for the direct and 
indirect costs of the proposed project shall not exceed $750,000. The 
minimum Federal amount that must be requested from NOAA for all years 
for the direct and indirect costs is $200,000. Applications requesting 
Federal support from NOAA of less than $200,000 total or more than 
$750,000 total for the duration of the project will not be considered 
for funding. The amount of funding available through this announcement 
will be dependent upon the final FY09 and FY10 appropriations. 
Publication of this announcement does not obligate NOAA to award any 
specific project or to obligate all or any part of the available funds. 
It is likely that there will be no additional solicitation issued for 
these projects for FY10. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to 
receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA Grants 
Officer, the applicant would do so solely at one's own risk of such 
costs not being included under the award. The exact amount of funds 
that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations 
between the applicant and NOAA representatives.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the Environmental Literacy 
Grants for Formal K-12 Education program is provided by the following: 
33 U.S.C. 892a(a).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.469, 
Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects.
    Application Deadline: Preliminary proposals (pre-proposals) are 
required for submission of a full application and must be received by 5 
p.m., EST, February 20, 2008. Applicants who submit a pre-proposal will 
receive notification authorizing submission of a full application on or 
about April 30, 2008. Please contact Stacey Rudolph if you have not 
heard from the Office of Education by May 14, 2008. The full 
applications must be received by 5 p.m., EDT, June 25, 2008.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Pre-proposals must be submitted 
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). It is strongly suggested 
that Grants.gov be accessed using a PC and Internet Explorer for 
maximum compatibility. If an applicant does not have Internet access, 
one hard copy must be mailed to ATTN: ELG Competition Manager, DOC/
NOAA, Office of Education, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 6863, 
Washington, DC 20230; Telephone: 202-482-3384. Full applications must 
be submitted through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). If an 
applicant does not have Internet access, one hard copy should be sent 
to ATTN: ELG Competition Manager, DOC/NOAA Office of Education, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230; Telephone: 
202-482-3384. If submitting a hard copy, applicants are also requested 
to provide a CD-ROM of the full application, including scanned signed 
forms or forms with electronic signatures. Facsimile or e-mail 
transmissions of full applications will not be accepted. Please note: 
Hard copies of pre-applications or full applications submitted via the 
U.S. Postal Service can take up to 4 weeks to reach this office; 
applicants are recommended to send hard copies via expedited shipping 
methods (e.g., Airborne Express, DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Facsimile or 
e-mail transmissions of pre-proposals will not be accepted.
    Information Contacts: Please visit the OEd Web site for further 
information at

[[Page 73334]]

http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html or contact Sarah 
Schoedinger at 704.370.3528 or [email protected] or Stacey 
Rudolph at 202.482.3739 or [email protected]. For those 
applicants without Internet access, hard copies of referenced documents 
may be requested from NOAA's Office of Education by contacting Stacey 
Rudolph at 202.482.3739 or sending a letter to Stacey Rudolph, DOC/NOAA 
Office of Education, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 6863, 
Washington, DC 20230.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and state, local and 
Indian tribal governments in the United States. Among those eligible 
applicants are K through 12 public and independent schools and school 
systems, and science centers and museums. Foreign institutions, foreign 
organizations and foreign government agencies are not eligible to 
apply. Federal agencies are not eligible to receive Federal assistance 
under this announcement, but may be project partners. Individuals not 
connected to an institution are ineligible to apply for funding under 
this announcement. The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to 
increasing the participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), 
i.e., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving 
institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaskan Native and 
Native Hawaiian institutions, and institutions that work in underserved 
communities. Applications are encouraged that involve any of the above 
types of institutions. An applicant may serve only once 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.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs (refer to item 19 on the grants.gov version of the SF-424).

III. Classification

Limitation of Liability

    Funding for potential projects 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 any 
proposed activities in this notice. In no event will NOAA or the 
Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs. 
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, for programs which have deadline 
dates on or after October 1, 2003, they may be required to provide a 
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during 
the application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register, 
Vol. 67, No. 210, pp. 66177-66178 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, NEPA Questionnaire, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/questionnaire.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 and habitat to be affected, possible 
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist 
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, 
introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and 
threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef 
systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve 
as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be 
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if 
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be 
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to 
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their 
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an 
application. In some cases if additional information is required after 
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer 
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit 
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable 
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on 
the environment.

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

    (a) This section applies to the extent that this BAA results in 
financial assistance awards involving access to export-controlled 
information or technology.
    (b) In performing a financial assistance award, the recipient may 
gain access to export-controlled information or technology. The 
recipient will then be 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 parts 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.

[[Page 73335]]

    (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 a 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 section is intended to change, 
supersede, or waive any 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 the 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, 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: December 18, 2007.
Helen Hurcombe,
Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 07-6224 Filed 12-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P