[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2387-2390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00385]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Matching Fund Opportunity for Hydrographic Surveys and 
Request for Partnership Proposals

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

ACTION: Announcement of matching fund pilot program opportunity, 
request for proposals, and request for interest by February 26, 2021.

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SUMMARY: This notice establishes selection criteria and requirements 
for the NOAA National Ocean Service Office of Coast Survey's (Coast 
Survey) Hydrographic Surveying Matching Fund opportunity pilot program 
(pilot program). The purpose of this notice is to encourage non-Federal 
entities to partner with NOAA on jointly funded hydrographic surveying 
and mapping and related activities of mutual interest. NOAA would match 
partner funds and rely on its existing contract arrangements to conduct 
the actual surveying and mapping activities. NOAA is requesting that 
interested entities submit proposals by February 26, 2021. The goal of 
the pilot program is to acquire more ocean and coastal hydrographic 
surveying for mutual benefit, including for safe navigation, integrated 
ocean and coastal mapping, coastal zone management, coastal and ocean 
science, and other activities. The program relies on NOAA's 
hydrographic expertise, appropriated funds, and its authority to 
receive and expend matching funds contributed by partners to conduct 
surveying and mapping activities. This pilot program is subject to 
funding availability.

DATES: Proposals must be received via email by 5 p.m. EST on February 
26, 2021 with any accompanying GIS files due no later than March 5, 
2021. If an entity is unable to apply for this particular opportunity 
but has an interest in participating in similar, future opportunities, 
NOAA requests a one-page statement of interest by February 26, 2021, to 
help gauge whether to offer this matching fund program in future years.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted in PDF format via email to 
[email protected] by the February 26, 2021, deadline. Coast Survey 
strongly encourages interested entities to submit their proposals in 
advance of the deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ashley Chappell, NOAA Integrated Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping Coordinator, 240-429-0293, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Coast Survey is responsible for conducting hydrographic and 
seafloor surveys for safe navigation, the conservation and management 
of coastal and ocean resources, and emergency response. Coast Survey is 
committed to meeting these missions as collaboratively as possible, 
adhering to the Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) principle 
of ``Map Once, Use Many Times.''
    After the June 2020 publications of the National Strategy for 
Mapping, Exploring (NOMEC), and Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive 
Economic Zone and the Alaska Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS), Coast 
Survey released a responsive Ocean Mapping Plan with a goal to map the 
full extent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction to modern standards 
(all three plans are available at https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html. The Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Plan describes a 
number of motivating forces for surveying and mapping waters subject to 
U.S. jurisdiction, including, but not limited to:
     Safe marine transportation;
     Coastal community resilience;
     A need to better understand the influence of the ocean's 
composition on related physical and ecosystem processes that affect 
climate, weather, and coastal and marine resources and infrastructure;

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     Interest in capitalizing on the Blue Economy in growth 
areas like seafood production, tourism and recreation, marine 
transportation, and ocean exploration;
     The national prerogative to exercise U.S. sovereign rights 
to explore, manage, and conserve natural resources in waters subject to 
U.S. jurisdiction; and
     International commitments to map the global oceans by 
2030.
    Ocean mapping data is needed for safe navigation and also informs 
decisions regarding emergency planning, climate adaptation and 
resilience, economic investment, infrastructure development, and 
habitat protection. Emerging sectors that require high-resolution 
seafloor surveys include deep sea mineral exploration, national 
security, and maritime domain awareness in the Arctic Ocean. Numerous 
other fields that rely on high-resolution ocean mapping data include 
fisheries management and sustainable use of natural resources, offshore 
renewable energy construction, and tsunami and hurricane modelling. 
Bathymetry is a critical factor in assessing and preparing for 
potential impacts of threats such as sea level rise, flooding, and 
storm surge to coastal communities. However, the resources needed to 
fully achieve the goal of comprehensively mapping U.S. oceans and 
coasts currently exceed Coast Survey's capacity. Mapping the full 
extent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction means relying on partners 
to contribute to the effort.
    Coast Survey has considerable hydrographic expertise, including 
cutting edge understanding of the science and related acoustic systems. 
More detail on Coast Survey's surveying expertise and capabilities is 
available in the NOAA Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Capabilities report 
(https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/about/docs/about/ocean-mapping-capabilies.pdf). Coast Survey's hydrographic expertise is a resource 
available to NOAA partners, both federal and non-Federal.
    Through this pilot program, Coast Survey will match funds 
contributed by non-Federal entities for hydrographic surveys. Coast 
Survey hydrographic survey services include single beam and multibeam 
echo sounding, side scan sonar, lidar, and backscatter acquisition by 
means of air and surface vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and 
uncrewed surface vehicles.

II. Description

    This notice announces a pilot program to assess whether there is 
sufficient stakeholder interest in matching funds with Coast Survey to 
partner on ocean and coastal hydrographic surveys. Proposals will be 
evaluated and prioritized for funding based on submitted 
justifications. Coast Survey will select proposals using the review 
process and criteria evaluation described in section IX of this notice. 
If there is sufficient interest in the pilot program, Coast Survey 
plans to increase its allocation for matching funds in future years, as 
appropriations allow.
    The goal of this pilot program is to leverage NOAA and partner 
funds to acquire more coastal and ocean mapping data to a consistent 
standard for projects during FY2022. If appropriated funds are 
available, NOAA will match funds contributed by selected entities for 
hydrographic surveys. Coast Survey will receive the contributions 
through memoranda of agreement using the authority granted to NOAA 
under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 to receive and expend 
funds for collaborative hydrographic surveys (33 U.S.C. 883e).
    Coast Survey will manage survey planning, quality-assure all data 
and products, provide the data and products to the partners, and handle 
data submission to the National Centers for Environmental Information 
(NCEI) for archiving and accessibility. All hydrographic data and 
related products resulting from this pilot program will be available to 
the public. The value-added services Coast Survey will provide include:
     Project management and GIS-based task order planning, 
negotiation and award of necessary procurement contracts:

[cir] Tailored to meet the interests of matching fund partners
[cir] Managed on aerial, shipboard, and uncrewed/autonomous vehicles

     Data acquisition collection methods include, but are not 
limited to:

[cir] Multibeam Echosounder
[cir] Side Scan Sonar
[cir] Lidar (topographic, bathymetric, mobile)
[cir] Subsurface and airborne feature investigations
[cir] Sediment sampling

     Managing survey compliance with applicable laws Products 
acquired may include, but not be limited to:

 Bathymetric data (multibeam, single beam, lidar)
 Backscatter
 Water column (depth dependent)
 Side scan sonar imagery
 Feature detection reports
 Sensor/data corrections and calibrations (e.g., conductivity, 
temperature and depth (CTD) casts, horizontal/vertical position 
uncertainty)
 Survey and control services, including the installation, 
operation, and removal of water level and Global Positioning System 
(GPS) stations
 Data processing, quality assessment and review of all acquired 
hydrographic data
 Data management and stewardship through data archive at NCEI
 High-resolution topographic/bathymetric product generation

    More information on Coast Survey's Hydrographic Surveys 
Specifications and Deliverables publication can be found at https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/standards-and-requirements/specs/hssd-2020.pdf. This publication details the requirements for NOAA 
hydrographic surveys. These specifications are based in part on the 
International Hydrographic Organization's Standards for Hydrographic 
Surveys, Special Publication 44 (https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/Drafts/S-44_Edition_6.0.0-Final.pdf).
    Coast Survey would also like to gauge interest in this matching 
fund pilot program by eligible, non-Federal entities that do not plan 
to apply this year but that would consider applying in future years. 
Coast Survey welcomes eligible entities to submit a one-page statement 
of interest by February 26, 2021, that Coast Survey will consider in 
deciding whether to offer this matching fund program in future years.

III. Areas of Focus

    For this opportunity, proposals will be considered that are well 
aligned with the goals of the NOMEC, ACMS, and the Coast Survey Ocean 
Mapping Plan (all available at https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html). Those goals include:
    A. Map the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): The goal is 
to coordinate mapping efforts to compile a complete map of deep water 
by 2030 and nearshore waters by 2040. Completing this goal will give 
the United States unprecedented and detailed information about the 
depth, shape, and composition of the seafloor of the United States EEZ 
(NOMEC Goal 2).
    B. Expand Alaska Coastal Data Collection to Deliver the Priority 
Geospatial Products Stakeholders Require: Mapping the Alaska coast is 
challenging. However, using targeted and coordinated data collections 
will potentially reduce overall costs and improve the cost-to-benefit 
ratio of

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expanded mapping activities. (ACMS Goal 2)
    C. Map the full extent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction to 
modern standards: Based on analysis of data holdings at the NOAA NCEI, 
54 percent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are unmapped, 
covering an area of about two million square nautical miles (Coast 
Survey Ocean Mapping Plan).

IV. Proposal Eligibility

    This matching fund opportunity is available to non-Federal 
entities. Examples of non-Federal entities include state and local 
governments, tribal entities, universities, researchers and academia, 
the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and 
philanthropic partners. Qualifying proposals must demonstrate the 
ability to provide at least 50% matching funds, which would be 
transferred to NOAA by October 2021 using a memorandum of agreement. A 
coalition of non-Federal entities may assemble matching funds and 
submit a proposal jointly. In-kind contributions are welcome to 
strengthen the proposal, but do not count toward the match and 
therefore are not required.

V. Deadlines and Process Dates

    All submissions must be emailed to [email protected]. Partner 
proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. EST on February 26, 2021 (see Section 
VIII. for details). Please include all required components of the 
proposal in one email. Incomplete and late submissions will not be 
considered.

 Informational Webinar, January 28, 2021, 2 p.m. EST; register 
at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2034875377454911502.
 February 26, 2021: Due date for proposals
 February 26, 2021: Due date for statements of interest 
regarding potential future proposals
 March 5, 2021: Due date for additional GIS files supporting a 
proposal
 March 26, 2021: NOAA issues its decisions on proposals 
(subject to appropriations)
 April 2021: NOAA works with selected partners to develop 
memoranda of agreement to facilitate the transfer of funds from the 
non-Federal partner to NOAA
 August 2021: NOAA finalizes the memoranda of agreement with 
partners
 October 2021: Non-Federal partners transfer matching funds to 
NOAA
 October 2021-September 2022: NOAA issues task orders to its 
survey contractors for NOAA/partner projects

VI. Funding Availability

    In the first year of this pilot program, Coast Survey anticipates 
funding between two to five survey projects at a 50% match of up to $1 
million per project. All projects are expected to have a FY2022 project 
start date and all non-Federal partner matching funds must be received 
by NOAA in October 2021. Coast Survey reserves the right to increase or 
decrease the available amount of matching funds based on the quality 
and feasibility of proposals received. This notice is subject to the 
availability of appropriations.

VII. Project Period

    NOAA intends to complete each selected project within two (2) 
years. However, the period to complete a project may be extended, with 
no additional funding, if additional time is needed. Coast Survey will 
submit a final report to the non-Federal partner within 60 days of the 
conclusion of each project.

VIII. Submission Requirements

    Project Proposal--To qualify, a proposal shall not exceed six (6) 
total pages (plus GIS files of project areas) and must include the 
following three components:
    1. A project title; executive summary (3-5 sentences); and the 
names, affiliations, and roles of the project partners and any co-
investigators, as well as the project lead that will serve as primary 
contact (1 page maximum).
    2. A justification and statement of need; description and graphics 
of the proposed survey area polygon(s) including relevance to the 
strategic areas of focus noted in Section III and degree of flexibility 
on timing of survey effort (4 pages maximum).
    3. A project budget that lists the source(s) and amount(s) of 
funding that the partner would provide as its 50% contribution to NOAA. 
Budget must confirm that partner funds can be transferred to NOAA by 
October 31, 2021 (1 page maximum).
    Proposals must use 12-point, Times New Roman font, single spacing, 
and 1-inch margins. Failure to adhere to these requirements will result 
in the proposal being returned without review and eliminated from 
further consideration. Coast Survey welcomes the submission of GIS 
files of project areas noted in VIII B. as ancillary attachments to the 
proposal to facilitate review. These files will not count toward the 6-
page proposal limit. The GIS files may arrive no later than March 5, 
2021.

IX. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

    Proposals will be evaluated by the Coast Survey Hydrographic 
Surveying Matching Fund Program Management Team. Submissions will be 
ranked based on the following criteria=:
    A. Project justification (30 points)--This criterion ascertains 
whether there is intrinsic IOCM value in the proposed work and/or 
relevance to NOAA missions and priorities, including downstream partner 
proposals and uses. Use of, and reference to, NOMEC, ACMS and the Coast 
Survey Ocean Mapping Plan (all available at https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html); gap assessment tools such as the U.S. 
Bathymetric Gap Analysis (https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-bathymetry.html); and the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory (https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/united-states-interagency-elevation-inventory-usiei), among others, are recommended. Coast Survey's 
Hydrographic Health Model showing priority survey areas for navigation 
safety is available upon request. The U.S. Federal Mapping Coordination 
site shows current Coast Survey mapping plans (fedmap.seasketch.org); 
email [email protected] for assistance with the layers on this site 
if needed.
    B. Statement of need (10 points)--This criterion assesses clarity 
of project need, partner proposal alternatives if not selected, 
anticipated outcomes and public benefit.
    C. Specified partner match (20 points)--The proposal identifies a 
point of contact for the entity submitting the proposal, as well as any 
partnering entities, a clear statement on partner matching funds 
provenance (e.g., state appropriations, NGO funds, or other sources), 
and timing of funds availability. In-kind contributions are welcome to 
strengthen the proposal, but do not count toward the funding match.
    D. Project costs (15 points)--This criterion evaluates whether the 
proposed budget is realistic and commensurate with the proposed project 
needs and timeframe. If needed, please contact [email protected] 
for a rough estimate of cost per square nautical mile for surveys in a 
particular region; this figure will not be exact, as actual cost will 
be negotiated by region and scale of project.
    E. Project feasibility and flexibility (25 points)--This criterion 
assesses the likelihood that the proposal would succeed based on survey 
conditions at the proposed time of year, such as project size, 
location, weather, NOAA analysis of environmental compliance

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implications, project flexibility and adaptability to existing Coast 
Survey plans and schedules, and other factors.
    During the proposal review period, Coast Survey reserves the right 
to engage with proposal points of contact to ask questions and provide 
feedback on project costs and feasibility.

X. Management and Oversight

    Once selections are made, Coast Survey will coordinate the 
development of the memoranda of agreement, funding transfers, project 
planning, environmental compliance, acquisition awards and quality 
assurance process. Coast Survey may bring in additional partners and/or 
funding (federal and/or non-Federal) to expand a project further if 
feasible and agreed to by all partners. Projects will be reviewed by 
Coast Survey on an annual basis to ensure they are responsive to 
partner interests and NOAA mission requirements, and to identify 
opportunities for outreach and education on the societal benefits of 
the work.

    Authority: Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883 
et seq.)

Shepard M. Smith,
Rear Admiral, Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-00385 Filed 1-11-21; 8:45 am]
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