[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51508-51511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13387]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Matching Fund Opportunity for Ocean and Coastal Mapping 
and Request for Partnership Proposals

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

ACTION: Notice of matching fund opportunity; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: This notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with the 
ocean and coastal mapping programs of NOAA's National Ocean Service on 
jointly-funded projects of mutual interest, and establishes selection 
criteria and submission requirements for such projects under the NOAA 
Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund program. With this 
funding opportunity, NOAA will match selected non-Federal partners at a 
70:30 NOAA:partner ratio for projects totaling up to $1,000,000, and 
proposing to contract for ocean, coastal and/or Great Lakes mapping 
data. Selected non-Federal partners further benefit from this 
opportunity by leveraging NOAA's contracting (NOAA has a pool of pre-
qualified technical experts in surveying and mapping) and data 
management expertise. This ocean and coastal mapping funding 
opportunity is subject to the availability of funds.

DATES: Project proposals, including any optional GIS files of the 
proposed project areas, must be received via email at the email address 
listed in the ADDRESSES section below by 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 
October 11, 2024. If an entity is unable to apply for this particular 
opportunity, but is interested in participating in similar, future 
opportunities, NOAA requests a one-page statement of interest, also by 
October 11, 2024. Please include all required components of the 
proposal in one email. Incomplete and late submissions will not be 
considered.
    After reviewing the project proposals, NOAA will issue its decision 
on the proposals, which are subject to the availability of funding, on 
November 18, 2024. Between December 2024 and January 2025, NOAA will 
work with the project partners it selects to develop agreements to 
facilitate the transfer of funds for the projects. By March 2025, these 
agreements will be finalized. Between June and September 2025, non-
Federal partners will transfer their matching funds to NOAA. Between 
January and September of 2026, NOAA will issue task orders to its 
survey contractors for the partner projects.
    NOAA will host an informational webinar and office hours to provide 
more information about the matching fund opportunity and answer any 
questions:
     August 1, 2024: Informational Webinar at 1 p.m. ET. To 
participate, please register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8298435806847389269.
     September 13, 2024: Virtual office hours between 8:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m. ET. These office hours will present an opportunity for 
interested entities to validate their proposals with experts before 
submitting a project proposal. In advance of September 13, 2024, 
register for a 30-minute time slot by emailing [email protected].
    NOAA also welcomes questions at any point before the proposal 
submission deadline at [email protected].

ADDRESSES: Project proposals must be submitted via email to 
[email protected].
    The following is a list of documents that applicants may find 
useful and the websites where they may be found:
     the National Ocean Mapping, Exploring and Characterizing 
Strategy (NOMEC), the Alaska Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS) 
Implementation Plan, and the Office of Coast Survey Strategic Plan: 
https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html;
     the Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP): https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/Ocean-Climate-Action-Plan_Final.pdf;
     the U.S. Bathymetry Gap Analysis: https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-bathymetry.html;
     the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/united-states-interagency-elevation-inventory-usiei;
     the U.S. Mapping Coordination site: fedmap.seasketch.org;
     OCS's Hydrographic Surveys Specifications and Deliverables 
publication: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/standards-and-requirements.html;
     NGS's Shoreline Mapping Specifications and Deliverables: 
https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/cmp-sow-v15.pdf;
     the International Hydrographic Organization Standards for 
Hydrographic Surveys, Special Publication 44: https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-44/S-44_Edition_6.1.0.pdf; and
     NOAA's Equitable Climate Services Action Plan: https://
www.noaa.gov/

[[Page 51509]]

sites/default/files/2024-04/NOAA-ECSAP-Final.pdf.
    More information on NOAA's surveying and mapping contracting 
vehicles is available at https://iocm.noaa.gov/planning/contracts-grants-agreements.html, along with background information, questions 
and answers, and slides on this funding opportunity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
to register for the September 13, 2024 office hours, contact Ashley 
Chappell, NOAA Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping, at 
[email protected], or (240) 429-0293.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) and National Geodetic Survey 
(NGS) are responsible for conducting hydrographic surveys and coastal 
mapping for safe navigation, the conservation and management of coastal 
and ocean resources, and emergency response. NOAA has considerable 
hydrographic and shoreline mapping contracting expertise, including a 
cutting-edge understanding of the science and related acoustic systems 
as well as data standards to ensure broad usability of that data.
    NOAA is committed to meeting its mapping missions as 
collaboratively as possible, adhering to the Integrated Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping (IOCM) principle of ``Map Once, Use Many Times.'' 
However, the resources needed to fully achieve the goal of 
comprehensively mapping U.S. waters and coasts currently exceed NOAA's 
capacity. Mapping the full extent of waters subject to U.S. 
jurisdiction means relying on partners to contribute to the effort.
    The establishment of the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean 
Mapping Fund program is one way that NOAA seeks to expand partnerships 
and acquisition of U.S. ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes mapping data. 
NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan, one of IOCM's strongest 
advocates, developed the Ocean Mapping Plan for OCS in August 2020 in 
which IOCM plays a large role. The Ocean Mapping Plan responds to a 
number of national drivers to map the full extent of U.S. waters 
subject to U.S. jurisdiction to modern standards, including the June 
2020 publications of the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and 
Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (NOMEC), the Alaska 
Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS), and the 2023 Ocean Climate Action Plan 
(OCAP). The Ocean Mapping Plan also describes a number of reasons NOAA 
is committed to 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;
     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 interest in mapping the ocean by 2030.
    Sadly, Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan passed away in May 2021. 
IOCM continues to implement Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan's vision 
and passion for collaborative ocean mapping through this matching fund 
opportunity named in his honor.

II. Description

    This notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with the ocean 
and coastal mapping programs of NOAA's National Ocean Service on 
jointly-funded projects of mutual interest that address the drivers 
noted in section I above. These projects will establish ocean, coastal, 
and Great Lakes survey and mapping partnerships using NOAA's geospatial 
contracting vehicles. NOAA will use the selection criteria and 
submission requirements described below in sections V and VI, 
respectively, to review project proposals.
    The goal of the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund 
program is to leverage NOAA and non-Federal partner funds to acquire 
more ocean and coastal mapping data from qualified contract surveyors 
during Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, NOAA will provide up to 70 percent of the total project 
cost, with the selected entity providing at least 30 percent of the 
total project cost. For example, for a $1 million project, the partner 
must provide at least $300,000, and NOAA would provide up to $700,000.
    NOAA anticipates funding between two and five projects, with a 
total cost of up to $1 million per project. NOAA may consider providing 
additional funding for a project, thereby exceeding $1 million, subject 
to the availability of funds and NOAA's discretion. All projects are 
expected to have a FY 2026 project start date, and NOAA must receive 
all non-Federal partner matching funds before October 1, 2025. NOAA 
reserves the right to increase or decrease its funding match based on 
the quality and feasibility of proposals received.
    After NOAA selects a non-Federal entity as a partner, NOAA will 
enter into an agreement with the partner pursuant to the Coast and 
Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883e), which enables NOAA to 
receive funds for the mapping project.
    In addition to providing matching funds, NOAA brings its expertise 
to manage survey planning, quality-ensure all data and products, 
provide the data and products to the partners within an agreed-upon 
timeframe, and handle data submission to the National Centers for 
Environmental Information for archiving and public accessibility. All 
ocean and coastal data and related products from the Rear Admiral 
Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund program will be available to the 
public to the greatest extent allowed by applicable laws.
    The specific value-added services NOAA will provide include:
     Assurance that the data are collected by qualified survey 
contractors to ensure broadest use and accessibility of the data;
     Project management and GIS-based task order planning, 
negotiation, and award of necessary procurement contracts that are 
tailored to meet the interests of matching fund partners and managed on 
aerial, shipboard, and uncrewed vehicles;
     Managing survey compliance with applicable laws, such as 
the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic 
Preservation Act;
     Data processing, quality assessment, and review of all 
acquired hydrographic data; and
     Data management and stewardship through data archive at 
the National Centers for Environmental Information.
    Data acquisition collection methods include, but are not limited 
to, multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, lidar (topographic, 
bathymetric, mobile), subsurface and airborne feature investigations, 
and sediment sampling. Products acquired may include, but are not 
limited to:
     Bathymetric data (multibeam, single beam, lidar),
     Backscatter,
     Water column (depth dependent),
     Side scan sonar imagery,
     Feature detection reports,

[[Page 51510]]

     Sensor/data corrections and calibrations (e.g., 
conductivity, temperature and depth casts, horizontal/vertical position 
uncertainty),
     Survey and control services, including the installation, 
operation, and removal of water level and Global Positioning System 
stations,
     High-resolution topographic/bathymetric product 
generation, and
     A final project report.
    More information on NOAA's surveying and mapping processes and 
products can be found in the OCS Hydrographic Surveys Specifications 
and Deliverables and the NGS Shoreline Mapping Specifications and 
Deliverables publications.

III. Strategic Areas of Focus

    For this opportunity, proposals will be considered that align with 
national priorities for climate and infrastructure and the goals of the 
NOMEC, ACMS, the OCS Ocean Mapping Plan, and OCAP. Those goals include:
    1. Map U.S. Waters: Mapping U.S. deep waters (> 40m) by 2030 and 
shallower waters by 2040 would give the United States unprecedented and 
detailed information about the depth, shape, and composition of its 
seafloor and Great Lakes (NOMEC Goal 2). Based on the January 2023 
analysis of data holdings at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental 
Information, 50 percent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are 
unmapped (https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-status.html). Acquiring the 
best available data in poorly surveyed and gap areas means working with 
partners to contribute to the effort. By sharing its mapping expertise 
with others, NOAA can build depth in the ocean and coastal mapping 
community to increase the quantity and quality of seafloor data 
acquired overall (Ocean Mapping Plan Goal 2).
    2. 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-benefit 
ratio of expanded mapping activities (ACMS Goal 2).
    3. Expand Coastal Mapping to Inform Science-Based Decision-Making 
Capabilities: This priority stems from a broader OCAP action for 
coastal climate resilience to ``expand coastal mapping, monitoring, 
observational systems, research, and modeling to inform science-based 
decision-making capabilities and advance use of nature-based 
solutions.'' Climate change is greatly influencing the need to map all 
of our named oceans and coasts in detail. The data is integral to 
decision-making on coastal resilience efforts to save lives, implement 
proper infrastructure planning, and protect sensitive coastal 
ecosystems in light of ocean-born natural disasters.

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 30 percent of the funds needed for the 
proposed project. A coalition of non-Federal entities may assemble 
funds for the match and submit a proposal jointly. Use of other Federal 
agency funds as part of the non-Federal entities' match funds will be 
considered on a case-by-case basis and only as authorized by applicable 
laws. In-kind contributions are welcome to strengthen the project 
proposal but do not count toward the match and are not required.

V. Selection Criteria

    Proposals will be evaluated by the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan 
Ocean Mapping Fund Program Management Team. Submissions will be ranked 
based on the following selection criteria:
    1. Project justification (30 points)--This criterion ascertains 
whether there is intrinsic IOCM value in the proposed work and/or 
relevance to NOAA's missions and priorities (several noted in section 
III), including downstream partner proposals and uses. Use of, and 
reference to, national priorities on coastal climate resilience and 
infrastructure, NOMEC, ACMS, the Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Plan, and 
OCAP; gap assessment tools such as the U.S. Bathymetry Gap Analysis; 
and the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory, among others, are 
recommended. The U.S. Mapping Coordination site shows current NOAA 
mapping plans as well as the latest in Federal mapping priorities and 
select regional mapping priorities.
    2. Statement of need (10 points)--This criterion assesses clarity 
of project need, partner project funding alternatives if not selected, 
anticipated outcomes, and public benefit.
    3. 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 and 
are not required.
    4. Project costs (15 points)--This criterion evaluates whether the 
proposed budget is realistic and commensurate with the proposed project 
needs and timeframe..
    5. Project feasibility and flexibility (25 points)--This criterion 
assesses the likelihood that the proposal would succeed, using 
evaluations of survey conditions, project size, location, weather, NOAA 
analysis of environmental compliance implications, project flexibility 
and adaptability to existing NOAA plans and schedules, and other 
factors.
    During the proposal review period, the Rear Admiral Richard T. 
Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund Program Management Team reserves the right 
to engage with proposal points of contact to ask questions and provide 
feedback on project costs and feasibility.

VI. Submission Requirements

    Project Proposal--To qualify, a proposal shall not exceed six (6) 
total pages 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, 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 match to NOAA. The budget 
must confirm that partner funds can be transferred to NOAA before 
October 1, 2025 (1 page maximum).
    Proposals must be sent in a PDF format, and use 12-point, Times New 
Roman font, single spacing, and 1-inch margins. Failure to adhere to 
these submission requirements will result in the proposal being 
returned without review and eliminated from further consideration.
    To facilitate review, NOAA welcomes the submission of GIS files of 
project areas. These ancillary GIS files must be in SHP format.

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VII. Management and Oversight

    Once the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund Program 
Management Team selects project proposals, NOAA will coordinate the 
development of agreements, funding transfers, project planning, 
environmental compliance, acquisition awards, and the quality assurance 
process with the project partners. NOAA may bring in additional 
partners and/or funding (Federal and/or non-Federal) to expand a 
project further, if feasible. Projects will be reviewed by NOAA 
annually 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: 33 U.S.C. 883e.

Benjamin K. Evans,
RDML Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-13387 Filed 6-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-G1-P