Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2008, 36244-36274 [E7-12653]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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



[[Page 36244]]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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


Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2008

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

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

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

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

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

NOAA Project Competitions

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

National Marine Fisheries Service

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

National Ocean Service

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

National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service

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

National Weather Service

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

Oceans and Atmospheric Research

    1. Climate Program Office for FY 2008.

Office of the Under Secretary (USEC)

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

NOAA Mission Goals

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

NOAA Project Competitions Listed by NOAA Mission Goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

V. Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission

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

I. Electronic Access

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

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

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

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

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

Get Started Step 3 Register With the Credential Provider

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

Get Started Step 4 Register With Grants.gov

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

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

Get Started Step 5 Log on to Grants.gov

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

Electronic Application File Format and Naming Conventions

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

II. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures

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

Proposal Review and Selection Process for Projects

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

Evaluation Criteria for Projects

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

Selection Factors for Projects

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

Scholarship and Internship Programs

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

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

Evaluation Criteria for Fellowship/Scholarships/Internships

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

Selection Factors for Fellowship/Scholarships/Internships

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

III. NOAA Project Competitions

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

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

[[Page 36249]]

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

[[Page 36250]]

section 3 of the ESA. Currently eligible state agencies are from the 
following states: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South 
Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Any state agency that enters 
into a section 6(c) agreement with the NMFS prior to the application 
deadline (September 15, 2007) is also eligible to apply. Proposals may 
address federally listed species that are included in the state's ESA 
section 6 agreement or any species that has become a ``candidate'' 
species by the grant application deadline.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: In accordance with section 6(d) of the 
ESA, all proposals submitted must include a minimum non-Federal cost 
share of 25 percent of the total budget if the proposal involves a 
single state. If a proposal involves collaboration of two or more 
states, the minimum non-Federal cost share decreases to 10 percent of 
the total project costs.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
(4) Cooperative Research Program
    Summary Description: The CRP program provides financial assistance 
for projects that seek to increase and improve the working relationship 
between researchers from the NMFS, state fishery agencies, 
universities, and fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico and off the South 
Atlantic states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida 
involving the U.S. fishing industry (recreational and commercial). The 
program is a means of involving commercial and recreational fishermen 
in the collection of fundamental fisheries information. Collection 
efforts support the development and evaluation of management and 
regulatory options.
    Funding Availability: Approximately $2.0 million may be available 
in fiscal year (FY) 2008 for projects. Actual funding availability for 
this program is contingent upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional 
appropriations. The NMFS Southeast Regional Office estimates awarding 
eight projects that will range from $25,000 to $400,000. The average 
award is $150,000. Publication of this notice does not obligate NMFS to 
award any specific grant or cooperative agreement or any of the 
available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the CRP is provided by the 
following: 15 U.S.C. 713c-3(d).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.454, 
Unallied Management Projects.
    Application Deadline: Applications must be received by 5 p.m., 
eastern time on August 31, 2007. For applications submitted through 
Grants.gov, a date and time receipt indication is included and will be 
the basis of determining timeliness. Hard copy applications will be 
date and time stamped when they are received. Facsimile transmission 
and electronic mail submission of applications will not be accepted.
    Address for Submitting Proposals: Applications should be submitted 
through www.grants.gov. Only if an applicant does not have internet 
access, hard copies may be sent to: National Marine Fisheries Service, 
State/Federal Liaison Branch, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701.
    Information Contacts: For questions regarding the application 
process, you may contact: Robert Sadler, State/Federal Liaison Branch, 
(727) 824-5324, or Robert.Sadler@noaa.gov.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants may be Institutions of higher 
education, nonprofits, commercial organizations, individuals, and 
state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or 
institutions are not eligible. Foreign governments, organizations under 
the jurisdiction of foreign governments, and international 
organizations are excluded for purposes of this solicitation since the 
objective of the CRP is to optimize research and development benefits 
from U.S. marine fishery resources. Applicants who are not commercial 
or recreational fishermen must have commercial or recreational 
fishermen participating in their project. There must be a written 
agreement with a fisherman describing the involvement in the project 
activity.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost-sharing is not required for this 
program.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted by state and local 
governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. Any applicant submitting 
an application for funding is required to complete item 16 on SF-424 
regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 
established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and comply with 
a States process under EO 12372, the names, addresses and phone numbers 
of participating SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and 
Budget's home page at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
(5) General Coral Reef Conservation
    Summary Description: The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program/
General Coral Reef Conservation Grants (GCRCGP) provides funding to 
institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, commercial 
organizations, Freely Associated State government agencies, and local 
and Indian tribal governments to support coral reef conservation 
projects in the United States and the Freely Associated States in the 
Pacific, as authorized under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. 
Projects funded through the GCRCGP support on-the-ground efforts that: 
(1) Help preserve, sustain and restore the condition of coral reef 
ecosystems, (2) promote the wise management and sustainable use of 
coral reef resources, (3) increase public knowledge and awareness of 
coral reef ecosystems and issues regarding their conservation and (4) 
develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef 
ecosystems and the threats to such ecosystems. Projects should 
complement and fill gaps in state, territorial and commonwealth coral 
reef programs, emphasize community-based conservation, or address local 
action strategy priorities. Proposals selected for funding through this 
solicitation require a 1:1 match and will be implemented through a 
grant. Funding of up to $600,000 is expected to be available for GRCGP 
in FY 2008. These funds will be divided approximately equally among the 
U.S. Pacific and Atlantic to maintain geographic balance, as outlined 
in the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Awards will range from 
$15,000-$50,000.
    Funding Availability: NOAA announces the availability of up to 
$600,000 of Federal assistance may be available in FY 2008 for the 
GCRCGP to support financial assistance awards for coral conservation 
activities. Actual funding availability for this program is contingent 
upon Fiscal Year 2008 Congressional appropriations. Proposals can be 
submitted for a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $50,000; NOAA will 
not accept proposals requesting over $50,000 of Federal funds.
    There is no limit on the number of applications that can be 
submitted by the same applicant during the 2008 competitive grant 
cycle. However, multiple applications submitted by the same applicant 
must clearly identify different projects and must be successful in the 
competitive review process. The number of awards made as a result of 
this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications

[[Page 36251]]

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

[[Page 36252]]

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

[[Page 36253]]

any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
    Statutory Authority: Authority for the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation 
G