Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2006, 76253-76259 [E5-7786]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76253-76259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7786]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 030602141-5340-33; I.D. 061505A]
RIN 0648-ZB55


Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2006

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

ACTION: Omnibus notice; availability of grant funds.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 
announces a second availability of grant funds for Fiscal Year 2006. 
The purpose of this notice is to provide the general public with a 
consolidated source of program and application information related to 
NOAA's competitive grant offerings. It contains the information about 
those programs as required to be published in the Federal Register. 
This omnibus notice is designed to replace multiple Federal Register 
notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's 
discretionary funds for its various programs. Applicants must comply 
with all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity 
announcements for each project competition in this announcement. It 
should be noted that additional program initiatives unanticipated at 
the time of

[[Page 76254]]

the publication of this notice may be announced later in the year.

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

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the addresses listed in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for each program. This Federal 
Register notice may be found at the Grants.gov Web site, https://
www.grants.gov, and the NOAA Web site at https://www.ago.noaa.gov/
grants/funding.shtml.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the full funding 
opportunity announcement and/or application kit, access it at 
Grants.gov, via NOAA's Web site, or by contacting the person listed as 
the information contact under each program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA published its first omnibus notice 
announcing the availability of grant funds for both projects and 
fellowships/scholarships/internships for Fiscal Year 2006 in the 
Federal Register on June 30, 2005 (70 FR 37766). The evaluation 
criteria and selection procedures contained in that notice are 
applicable to this solicitation. For a copy of the June 30, 2005, 
omnibus notice, please go to: https://www.Grants.gov or https://
www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/funding.shtml. Applicants must comply with all 
requirements contained in the full funding opportunity announcements 
for each project competition in this announcement. This omnibus notice 
describes funding opportunities for the following NOAA discretionary 
grant programs:

List of NOAA Project Competitions

    Detailed information is found elsewhere in this notice.

National Marine Fisheries Service

    1. Chesapeake Bay Integrated Science Program
    2. Mid-Atlantic Research Set-Aside
    3. Proactive Species Conservation Program

National Ocean Service

    1. Bay Watershed Education & Training (B-WET) Program, San 
Francisco and Santa Barbara
    2. Geodetic Science and Applied Research

National Weather Service

    1. Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Program

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

    1. NOAA's Great Lakes Ecosystem Research Program
    2. Sea Grant - Marine Aquaculture Program
    3. Sea Grant - Regional Research, Information Planning and 
Coordination

Electronic Access

    As has been the case since October 1, 2004, applicants can access, 
download and submit electronic grant applications for NOAA Programs 
through the Grants.gov Web site at www.Grants.gov. These announcements 
will also be available at the NOAA web site or by contacting the 
program official identified below. However, applicants without Internet 
access may still submit hard copies of their applications. The closing 
dates for applications filed through Grants.gov are the same as for the 
paper submissions noted in this announcement. For applicants filing 
through Grants.gov, NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until 
the application deadline date to begin the application process. 
Registration may take up to 10 business days.
    Getting started with Grants.gov is easy! Go to www.Grants.gov. 
There are two key features on the site: Find Grant Opportunities and 
Apply for Grants. Everything else on the site is designed to support 
these two features and your use of them. While you can begin searching 
for grant opportunities for which you would like to apply immediately, 
it is recommended that you complete the remaining Get Started steps 
sooner rather than later, so that when you find an opportunity for 
which you would like to apply, you are ready to go.

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

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

Get Started Step 2 B Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR)

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

Get Started Step 3 B Register with the Credential Provider

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

Get Started Step 4 B Register with Grants.gov

    The final step in the Get Started process is to register with 
Grants.gov. This will be required to submit grant applications on 
behalf of your organization. After you have completed the registration 
process, you will receive e-mail notification confirming that you are 
able to submit applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started Step 5 B Log on to Grants.gov

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

NOAA Project Competitions

National Marine Fisheries Service

1. Chesapeake Bay Integrated Science Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office's (NCBO) 
Chesapeake Bay Integrated Science Program is a competitive program that 
supports vital restoration, research, monitoring, analysis, modeling 
and assessment activities that will assist the Chesapeake Bay Program, 
NOAA, and other program partners in reaching the goal of effective 
ecosystem-based management and integrated restoration. All projects 
supported through this program must address the strategic goals and 
objectives of NCBO https://noaa.chesapeakebay.net and provide timely 
information for making resource management decisions in an ecosystem 
context. Science Program priorities are designed to be responsive to 
and

[[Page 76255]]

compatible with the scientific and technical information needs of the 
Chesapeake Bay as identified on NCBO's Funding Opportunities web page 
https://noaa.chesapeakebay.net/fundingopportunities.aspx.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: This solicitation announces funds in the 
amount of $5,000,000 may be available in FY 2006 in award amounts to be 
determined by the proposals and available funds. Annual funding is 
anticipated to fund projects for up to 3 years duration, but is 
dependent on funding made available in the federal FY06 appropriation. 
Funding for subsequent years will also depend on the performance of 
grantees to successfully conduct activities as determined by the 
Federal Program Officer through performance reports, site visits, and 
compliance with award conditions. It is the intent of the NOAA 
Chesapeake Bay Office to renew funding for several projects currently 
being supported by this ongoing science program, pending successful 
review of a new workplan and adequate progress reports and/or site 
visits. It is also the intent of NCBO to award funding to new projects 
as available funds permit.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 16 U.S.C. 661
    CFDA: 11.457 Chesapeake Bay Studies
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Full proposals must be received by 5 p.m. 
eastern time on March 15, 2006. Letters of Intent must be received by 5 
p.m. eastern time on February 3, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Electronic application packages 
are strongly encouraged and are available at: https://www.grants.gov/. 
If the applicant has difficulty accessing Grants.gov or downloading the 
required forms from the NCBO Web site, they should contact Derek Orner, 
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A, Annapolis, 
MD 21403, or by phone at 410-267-5676, or fax to 410-267-5666, or via 
Internet at derek.orner@noaa.gov. Paper applications are available on 
the NCBO Web site: https://noaa.chesapeakebay.net/ or can be obtained by 
contacting Derek Orner.
    INFORMATION CONTACTS: Derek Orner, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office; 410 
Severn Avenue, Suite 107A, Annapolis, MD 21403, or by phone at 410-267-
5676, or fax to 410-267-5666, or via Internet at derek.orner@noaa.gov.
    ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are 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. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this notice.
    COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS: No cost sharing is required under this 
program, however, the NCBO strongly encourages applicants to share as 
much of the project costs as possible. Funds from other Federal awards 
may not be considered matching funds. The nature of the contribution 
(cash versus in-kind) and the amount of matching funds will be taken 
into consideration in the review process. Priority selection will be 
given to proposals that propose cash rather than in-kind contributions.
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
2. Mid-Atlantic Research Set-Aside
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The research set-aside (RSA) Program provides 
a mechanism to fund research and compensate vessels through the sale of 
fish harvested under a research quota. For fishing year 2007 (January 
1-December 31, 2007), NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
announces that up to 3 percent of the total allowable landings (TAL) in 
certain Mid-Atlantic fisheries may be dedicated to research endeavors 
under the RSA program. The setting of the actual RSA quotas will be the 
subject of future rulemaking. NMFS is soliciting proposals for research 
activities concerning the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Loligo 
squid, Illex squid, Atlantic mackerel, butterfish, bluefish, and 
tilefish fisheries. The set-asides may range between 0 and 3 percent of 
each species' TAL. The set-aside allocated for a given species is 
designated primarily for research involving that species. However, to 
promote research for species where it would otherwise be infeasible, 
individual research projects may involve a percentage of the set-aside 
allocations for several other species listed in this notice. Therefore, 
in addition to, or in lieu of, applying for part of the set-aside 
involving a species directly involved in a research project, applicants 
may also apply for up to 25 percent of the RSA quota for species not 
directly involved in a particular research project. No Federal funds 
are provided for research under this notification, but rather the 
opportunity to fish and sell the catch to generate income to offset 
research costs. Projects funded under an RSA allocation (or award) must 
enhance understanding of the fishery resource or contribute to the body 
of information on which management decisions are made.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: No Federal funds are provided for research 
under this notification, but rather the opportunity to fish and sell 
the catch to generate income. The Federal Government may issue an 
Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) or Letter of Acknowledgment (LOA), as 
applicable, which may provide special fishing privileges in response to 
research proposals selected under this program. In the past several 
years, two to five awards have been issued per year. It is anticipated 
that no more than five awards will be issued for the 2007 fishing year.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Issuing grants is consistent with sections 
303(b)(11), 402(e), and 404(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1853(b)(11), 16 U.S.C. 
1881a(e), and 16 U.S.C. 1881c(c), respectively.
    The award of a set-aside from the TAL of selected species resulted 
from the approval of Framework Adjustment 1 (Framework 1) to the 
Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish; Summer Flounder, Scup, and 
Black Sea Bass; and Bluefish Fishery Management Plans (FMPs); and the 
RSA provisions of the Tilefish FMP. Framework 1 established a procedure 
through which RSA amounts are set annually as part of the Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council's (Council) quota-setting process and 
codified in regulations at 50 CFR 648.21(g).
    CFDA: 11.454, Unallied Management Projects
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be received by NMFS on or 
before 5 p.m. e.s.t. on February 21, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATION(S): Applications should be 
submitted through https://www.grants.gov, and use the following funding 
opportunity  NMFS-NERO-2006-2000437 unless an applicant does 
not have Internet access. In that case, hard copies should be sent to 
NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930. Mark proposals ``Attention: Mid-Atlantic Research Set-Aside 
Program.''
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, by phone at 302-674-2331 ext. 19, 
or fax at 302-674-5399; Clay Heaton, Fishery Management Specialist, 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, by phone 302-674-2331 ext. 13, 
or via e-mail at cheaton@mafmc.org; or Paul Perra, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One

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Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, by phone 978-281-9153, by fax at 
978-281-9135, or via e-mail at paul.perra@noaa.gov.
    ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, 
institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofits, 
commercial organizations, individuals, state, local and Native American 
tribal governments. Federal agencies and institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this notice. Additionally, 
employees of any Federal agency or Regional Fishery Management Council 
are ineligible to submit an application under this program. However, 
Council members who are not Federal employees may submit an 
application.
    COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS: None
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applicants under this program are subject 
to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
3. Proactive Species Conservation Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
announces the availability of federal funding to support the 
conservation of marine and anadromous species of concern. 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). Under this solicitation, the NMFS is seeking to 
support the development and implementation of conservation plans for 
these federally identified species of concern. Any state, tribal, or 
local entity that has management or regulatory authority over 
activities that affect these species is eligible to apply. A current 
list of NMFS' species of concern can be found at https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/concern/#list.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: Approximately $2.0M in funding may be 
available for multi-year awards in FY 2006, in award amounts of $400K 
to $1.0M per fiscal year. Award periods will be for 5 years, with 
annual funding contingent on the availability of Federal 
appropriations.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 16 U.S.C. 661
    CFDA: 11.472, Unallied Science Programs.
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. eastern 
time on March 1, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Applicants should submit 
proposals online through www.grants.gov. If online submission is not 
possible, paper or electronic applications may also be submitted to 
NOAA/NMFS/Office of Protected Resources, Attn: Lisa Manning, 1315 East-
West Highway, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910; e-mail: 
lisa.manning@noaa.gov.
    INFORMATION CONTACTS: Lisa Manning, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910; e-mail: lisa.manning@noaa.gov; phone: 301-713-1401.
    ELIGIBILITY: State, local or Indian tribal governments that have 
regulatory or management authority over activities that affect one or 
more species of concern identified by NMFS.
    COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS: There are no cost-sharing or matching 
requirements under this solicitation.
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''

National Ocean Service

1. Bay Watershed Education & Training (B-WET) Program, San Francisco 
and Santa Barbara
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The California B-WET grant program is a 
competitively based program that supports existing environmental 
education programs, fosters the growth of new programs, and encourages 
the development of partnerships among environmental education programs 
throughout the Monterey Bay, San Francisco Bay and Santa Barbara 
Channel watersheds. Funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed 
Experiences for students and Professional Development Opportunities for 
Teachers in the Area of Environmental Education.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: This solicitation announces that 
approximately $1,050,000 may be available in FY 2006 in award amounts 
to be determined by the proposals and available funds. It is 
anticipated that approximately 25 grants will be awarded with these 
funds. This solicitation announces that approximately $1,050,000 may be 
available in FY 2006 in award amounts to be determined by the proposals 
and available funds. About $700,000 will be made available to the San 
Francisco watershed area and about $350,000 will be made available to 
the Santa Barbara Channel watershed area. About $525,000 will be for 
proposals that provide opportunities for students to participate in a 
Meaningful Watershed Experience. About $525,000 will be for proposals 
that provide opportunities for Professional Development in the area of 
Environmental Education for Teachers. Proposals may be submitted for up 
to 3 years. However, funds will be made available for only a 12-month 
award period and any continuation of the award period will depend on 
submission of a successful proposal subject to technical and panel 
reviews, adequate progress on previous award(s), and available funding 
to continue the award. The National Marine Sanctuary Program may 
continue funding existing grants that were funded in the previous 
application process. New grants will be awarded to continue these 
projects under this announcement pending successful review of a new 
application package, and adequate progress reports and/or site visits.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 16 U.S.C. 1440, 15 U.S.C. 1540.
    CFDA: 11.429, Marine Sanctuary Program.
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. pacific 
standard time on February 21, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Applicants are encouraged to 
submit proposals electronically through the Grants.gov on-line system. 
If you are submitting hard copy proposals you may send them to Seaberry 
Nachbar, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Office; 299 Foam 
Street, Monterey, CA 93940.
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Seaberry Nachbar, phone 831-647-4204, fax 831-
647-4250, Internet at seaberry.nachbar@noaa.gov.
    ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants for both areas of interest are K-
through-12 public and independent schools and school systems, 
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state or 
local government agencies, and Indian tribal governments. Individuals 
and Federal agencies are not eligible.
    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 may not be considered 
matching funds. The nature of the contribution (cash versus in-kind) 
and the amount of matching funds will be taken into consideration in 
the review process with cash being the preferred method of 
contribution.
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''

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2. Geodetic Science and Applied Research (GSAR) Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The GSAR Program represents an NOAA/NGS effort 
to conduct basic and applied research in the geodetic sciences that 
advances positioning operations and services in support of 
transportation and commerce on a national basis. This opportunity is 
focused on a specific problem: To develop scientific and management 
applications for the Shallow Water Positioning System (SWaPS). Post-
processing the GPS data allows the user to recover the same position 
again with sub-meter accuracy. There are at least five additional 
priorities that will be addressed in the future in the GSAR Program.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: This funding opportunity announces that 
$27,300 will be available through this announcement for fiscal year 
2006. Proposals should be prepared assuming a three-year budget of no 
more than $75,000. It is expected that one award will be made, 
depending on availability of funds.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 33 U.S.C. 883d.
    CFDA: 11.400, Applied Geodetic Research.
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Proposals must be received by the NGS no 
later than 5 p.m., eastern standard time January 23, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Proposals should be submitted 
through Grants.gov APPLY. For those applicants without Internet access, 
proposals should be submitted to: Geosciences Research Division; NOAA 
National Geodetic Survey; N/NGS6; 1315 East-West Highway, Room 8106; 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    INFORMATION CONTACTS: Dr. Gerald Mader: (301) 713-2854 ext. 201, or 
fax to (301) 713-4176, or via Internet at Gerald.L.Mader@noaa.gov.
    ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international 
organizations, state, local, and Indian tribal governments and 
federally funded educational institutions such as the Naval 
Postgraduate School. 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: 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.''

National Weather Service

1. Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: NWS is soliciting projects to be conducted by 
university investigators for 1-year or 2-years, with an anticipated 
start date of [244 days after RFA publication date or nearest first day 
of the month]. 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, as well as capacity building for colleges and universities 
with emerging programs. These activities will engage researchers and 
students in applied research of interest to the operational 
meteorological community and develop new educational opportunities for 
the public.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: Approximately $150,000 will be available 
through this announcement for fiscal year 2006. Proposals should be 
prepared assuming an annual budget of no more than $50,000. It is 
expected that approximately three awards will be made, depending on 
availability of funds.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 15 USC 313; 49 USC 44720(b); 33 USC 883d; 15 
USC 2904; 15 USC 2934
    CFDA: 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Proposals must be received by the NWS no 
later than 5 p.m., e.s.t., March 23, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Proposals should be submitted 
through Grants.gov. For applicants without Internet access, send hard 
copies of proposals to: OAA/NWS; 1325 East-West Highway, Room 15330; 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283.
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Contorno, NOAA/NWS; 1325 East-West 
Highway, Room 15330, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, or by phone at 301-
713-3557 ext. 150, or fax to 301- 3-1253, or via Internet at 
samuel.contorno@noaa.gov.
    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: None.
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

1. NOAA's Great Lakes Ecosystem Research Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory 
(GLERL) is actively involved in research on ecological prediction, 
aquatic invasive species, physical environment prediction, and 
environmental observing systems. Specific research projects include 
studies on the zebra mussel in the Great Lakes, the impacts of climate 
change on the Great Lakes and mid-U.S. water resources, the development 
of coastal environmental forecast systems, Great Lakes water supplies, 
water level forecasting, food web interactions and regulation and 
forecasting risks to Human Health (e.g. beach closings, drinking water 
quality and harmful algal blooms).
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: Total anticipated federal funding for FY 2006 
is $2.1M in first year funding for 40 - 200 number of awards. Federal 
Funding for FY 2007 and beyond may be used in part to fund some awards 
submitted under this competition. We anticipate that the annual cost of 
most funded projects will fall between $1,000 and $200,000 per year. 
Actual funding levels will depend upon the final FY 2006 and subsequent 
budget appropriations.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 33 USC 883d.
    CFDA: 11.460, Special Oceanic and Atmospheric Projects
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Letters of Intent should be received at GLERL 
no later than 5 p.m. eastern standard time, February 15, 2006. Full 
proposals must be received no later than 5 p.m. eastern standard time, 
March 15, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL(S): Letters of Intent (LOI). LOIs 
are encouraged to be submitted by facsimile or e-mail to the identified

[[Page 76258]]

NOAA program element's program manager or to GLERLgrants@noaa.gov. If 
an applicant does not have Internet access, LOI hard copies should be 
sent to the Program Managers listed with each program in the Program 
Priorities section or to the GLERL Grants Manager, Sandra Salyers, 
NOAA/GLERL, 2205 Commonwealth Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, phone 734-
741-2246. Proposals should be submitted through Grants.gov APPLY http:/
/www.grants.gov. If an applicant does not have Internet access, please 
contact the GLERL Grants Manager (see above) for hard copy 
instructions.
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Salyers, NOAA/GLERL, 2205 Commonwealth 
Blvd; Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, phone 734-741-2246
    ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international 
organizations, state, local and Indian tribal governments. Federal 
agencies or institutions are not eligible to receive Federal assistance 
under this notice.
    COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS: No cost sharing is required.
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
2. Sea Grant - Marine Aquaculture Program
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: NOAA is seeking preliminary proposals and full 
proposals for demonstration projects and innovative research for the 
development of environmentally and economically sustainable marine 
aquaculture in nearshore, open water, and terrestrial environments. The 
Great Lakes are considered marine for this competition. Priorities 
include: (1) site specific commercial/pilot scale projects to 
demonstrate technical and economic feasibility; (2) studies to assess 
environmental impacts of current marine aquaculture facilities; (3) 
development of environmental models and GIS tools to aid site selection 
for new facilities; and (4) research on such topics as husbandry 
techniques and production systems, nutrition, disease diagnostics and 
control, economic and marketing analyses, product transport, worker 
safety, and others.
    Projects funded under this competition should support NOAA's 
overall goals for its marine aquaculture program, which are to: (1) 
Establish a comprehensive regulatory program for the conduct of marine 
aquaculture operations; (2) Develop appropriate technologies to support 
commercial marine aquaculture and enhancement of wild stocks; (3) 
Establish and implement procedures for the environmental assessment and 
monitoring of marine aquaculture activities; (4) Conduct education and 
outreach activities to establish a well informed public on marine 
aquaculture; and (5) Meet international obligations to promote 
environmentally sustainable practices for the conduct of marine 
aquaculture. Accomplishment of these goals should lead to a well-
managed marine aquaculture industry in the United States; a well-
informed public that understands U.S. aquaculture issues, and improved 
access to the latest aquaculture research results.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: Up to $4 million will be available for 
proposals of one or two years duration, with individual projects up to 
$800,000. It is anticipated that we will make approximately ten awards, 
two or three pilot scale demonstration projects at the $800,000 level 
for the two-year period and the remainder at or about the $200,000 
level.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131
    CFDA: 11.417, Sea Grant Support
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Preliminary proposals: 4 p.m., e.s.t., on 
February 28, 2006. Full proposals: 4 p.m., e.d.s.t., April 13, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: Preliminary proposals should 
be submitted in hard copy only. Preliminary proposals and full 
proposals from those that do not have access to Internet should be sent 
to: James McVey, NOAA R/SG; 1315 East-West Highway, Bldg SSMC 3, Room 
11828, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, tel. 301-713-2435.
    Applications for full proposals are made through grants.gov. For 
academic submissions from Sea Grant states it is recommended that you 
contact your local Sea Grant Director to facilitate full proposal 
submission through Grants.gov.
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. James McVey, 301-713-2435; via Internet at 
Jim.McVey@noaa.gov.
    ELIGIBILITY: Institutions of higher education, nonprofit 
organizations, commercial organizations, Federal, state, local and 
Indian tribal governments are eligible. Only those who submit 
preliminary proposals by the preliminary proposal deadline are eligible 
to submit full proposals.
    COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS: None
    INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.
3. Sea Grant - Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination
    SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The NOAA National Sea Grant College Program 
(Sea Grant) is soliciting proposals for the development of regional 
research and information plans for U.S. coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes 
areas. 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.
    FUNDING AVAILABILITY: NOAA Sea Grant will make available $750,000 
in FY 2006, $1,375,000 in FY2007, $925,000 in FY2008, $550,000 in 
FY2009, $550,000 in FY2010, and $250,000 in FY2011 (assuming 
appropriations are available) for grants to regional planning teams. A 
total of $250,000 of federal Sea Grant funds will be made available for 
each region over two years to cover the completion of a regional 
research and information plan. In FY2006, $750,000 will be made 
available for six regions. In FY2007, $1,375,000 will be made available 
for all eleven regions. In FY2008, $625,000 will be made available to 
complete the five regional plans that were initiated in FY2007. 
Proposals may request up to an additional three years of staff support 
(up to $50,000 per year) to help implement completed regional plans. 
NOAA will make available $300,000 in FY2008, $550,000 in FY2009 and 
FY2010, and $250,000 in FY2011 to support these regional staff. It is 
expected that Sea Grant programs within each region will work together 
and submit one proposal that covers a 2-5 year period. It is 
anticipated that final recommendations for funding under this 
announcement will be made in March 2006, and that projects funded under 
this announcement will have a start date no earlier than June 1, 2006.
    STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq., as amended
    CFDA: 11.417, Sea Grant Support
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. 
e.s.t. on February 9, 2006.
    ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: Applications should be 
submitted through Grants.gov APPLY https://www.grants.gov. Applicants 
for whom online application is an undue hardship may submit hard copies 
(an original and two copies) to: National Sea Grant College Program, R/
SG, Attn:

[[Page 76259]]

Regional Competition, Rm 11732, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. The full text of the funding opportunity announcement 
for this competition can be accessed via Grants.gov FIND Web site: 
https://www.grants.gov. This announcement will also be available at the 
NOAA Web site: https://www.ofa.noaa.gov/%7Eamd/SOLINDEX.HTML or by 
contacting the program official identified in INFORMATION CONTACT.
    INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Leon M. Cammen at leon.cammen@noaa.gov or 
301-713-2435 ext. 136.
    ELIGIBILITY: Proposals may be submitted only by the designated 
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.''

Limitation of Liability

    Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the 
availability of Fiscal Year 2006 appropriations. In no event will NOAA 
or the Department of Commerce be responsible for application 
preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding or are 
cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this 
announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to 
obligate any available funds.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware that, they are required to provide a Dun 
and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the 
application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register, (69 FR 
66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet https://
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 that are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. 
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the 
following NOAA NEPA Web site: https://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our 
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, https://www.nepa.noaa.gov/
NAO216__6__TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementation regulations, https://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 and implementing 
feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse 
environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be 
grounds for the denial of not selecting an application. In some cases 
if additional information is required after an application is selected, 
funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award 
condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental 
compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment 
on any impacts that a project may have on the environment.

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, and CD-346 has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control numbers 0348-
0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. 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 20, 2005.
Helen Hurcombe,
Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E5-7786 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-S