NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, 76341-76344 [E8-29797]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 16, 2008 / Notices
and by reducing the energy intensity of
the unit operations within the chemical
manufacturing industry.
Examples could include challenges
such as: novel, advanced process
chemistries and technologies that are
inherently safer and cleaner, while
creating products and processes with
attributes superior to conventional
methods; advanced chemical
separations; and energy and material
efficient technologies for chemical
processing.
Dated: December 11, 2008.
Patrick Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8–29745 Filed 12–15–08; 8:45 am]
Rowena.forest@noaa.gov, P.O. Box 159
Olema, CA 94950, (415) 663–0314 x105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA
established the Advisory Council for
Cordell Bank in 2002. The Council has
members representing education,
research, conservation, maritime
activity, and community-at-large. The
government seats are held by
representatives from the National
Marine Fisheries Service, the United
States Coast Guard, and the managers of
the Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay
and Channel Islands National Marine
Sanctuaries. The Council holds four
regular meetings per year, and one
annual retreat.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. Sections 1431, et seq.
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog
Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program)
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Dated: December 8, 2008.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries, National Ocean Services,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–29649 Filed 12–15–08; 8:45 am]
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Availability of Seats for the Cordell
Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Advisory Council
BILLING CODE 3510–NK–M
Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice and request for
applications.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
[Docket No. 0811251527–81528–01]
SUMMARY: The ONMS is seeking
applicants for the following vacant seats
on the Cordell Bank National Marine
Sanctuary Advisory Council (Council):
Conservation Alternate and Primary,
Maritime Activities Alternate and
Primary. Applicants are chosen based
upon their particular expertise and
experience in relation to the seat for
which they are applying; community
and professional affiliations; philosophy
regarding the protection and
management of marine resources; and
possibly the length of residence in the
area affected by the Sanctuary.
Applicants who are chosen as members
should expect to serve 2–3 year terms,
pursuant to the Council’s Charter.
DATES: Applications are due by January
30th, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Application kits may be
obtained on the Cordell Bank Web site
at: https://cordellbank.noaa.gov, and
from Cordell Bank National Marine
Sanctuary, Rowena Forest, P.O. Box
159, Olema, CA 94950. Completed
applications should be sent to the above
mailing address or faxed to (415) 663–
0315.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rowena Forest/CBNMS,
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NOAA Bay Watershed Education and
Training (B–WET) Program
AGENCY: Office of Education (OED),
Office of the Under Secretary (USEC),
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
SUMMARY: NOAA B–WET is an
environmental education program that
promotes locally relevant, experiential
learning in the K–12 environment.
Funded projects provide meaningful
watershed educational experiences for
students, related professional
development for teachers, and helps to
support regional education and
environmental priorities in the Pacific
Northwest, the northern Gulf of Mexico
and New England.
DATES: Proposals must be submitted by
5 p.m. Eastern Time on January 26,
2009. See Sections IV C and F of this
announcement for more information on
submission requirements.
ADDRESSES: Electronic application
packages are strongly encouraged and
are available at: https://www.grants.gov/.
Paper application packages are available
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76341
on the NOAA Grants Management Web
site at: https://www.ago.noaa.gov/ago/
grants/forms.cfm. If the applicant has
difficulty accessing Grants.gov or
downloading the required forms from
the NOAA Web site, the applicant
should contact: Bronwen Rice, B–WET
National Coordinator, by phone at 202–
482–6797 or e-mail at
bronwen.rice@noaa.gov. Grants.gov
requires applicants to register with the
system prior to submitting an
application. This registration process
can take several weeks and involves
multiple steps. In order to allow
sufficient time for this process, you
should register as soon as you decide to
apply, even if you are not yet ready to
submit your proposal. If an applicant
has problems downloading the
application forms from Grants.gov,
contact Grants.gov Customer Support at
1–800–518–4726 or support@grants.gov.
For non-Windows computer systems,
please see https://www.grants.gov/
MacSupport for information on how to
download and submit an application
through Grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
the Pacific Northwest, please contact
Seaberry Nachbar at 831–647–4201, or
via e-mail at
seaberry.nachbar@noaa.gov. For the
northern Gulf of Mexico, Stephanie
Bennett at 808–522–7481, or via e-mail
at stephanie.bennett@noaa.gov. For
New England, Shannon Sprague, at
410–267–5664, or via e-mail at
shannon.sprague@noaa.gov. Questions
about this opportunity may also be
directed to Bronwen Rice, B–WET
National Coordinator, by phone at 202–
482–6797 or e-mail at
bronwen.rice@noaa.gov.
The
NOAA Bay Watershed Education and
Training (B–WET) Program is an
environmental education program that
supports experiential learning through
local competitive grant awards in
specific geographic regions. Prior to
2008 NOAA B–WET Programs were
established for the Chesapeake Bay,
California, and the Hawaiian Islands. As
of 2008, three new programs are in place
in New England, the northern Gulf of
Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. In
FY09, it is anticipated that funds will be
available for each of these three regions.
Proposals are currently being solicited
from the Pacific Northwest region, the
northern Gulf of Mexico region, and the
New England region. For the purposes
of this solicitation, these three regions
are defined as follows:
a. Pacific Northwest—the states of
Oregon and Washington;
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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b. Northern Gulf of Mexico—the states
of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Texas;
c. New England—the states of Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and
Connecticut.
NOAA recognizes that knowledge and
commitment built from firsthand
experience, especially in the context of
one’s community and culture, is
essential for achieving environmental
stewardship. Carefully selected
experiences driven by rigorous
academic learning standards,
engendering discovery and wonder, and
nurturing a sense of community will
further connect students with their
watershed, help reinforce an ethic of
responsible citizenship, and promote
academic achievement. Experiential
learning techniques, such as those
supported by the NOAA B–WET
Program, have been shown to increase
interest in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM), thus
contributing to NOAA’s obligations
under the America COMPETES Act (33
U.S.C. 893a(a)).
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Electronic Access
The full text of the full funding
opportunity announcement for this
program can be accessed via the
Grants.gov Web site at https://
www.grants.gov. The announcement
will also be available by contacting the
program officials identified under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Applicants must comply with all
requirements contained in the full
funding opportunity announcement.
Statutory Authority
Under 33 U.S.C. 893a(a), the
Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration is
authorized to conduct, develop,
support, promote, and coordinate formal
and informal educational activities at all
levels to enhance public awareness and
understanding of ocean, coastal, Great
Lakes, and atmospheric science and
stewardship by the general public and
other coastal stakeholders, including
underrepresented groups in ocean and
atmospheric science and policy careers.
In conducting those activities, the
Administrator shall build upon the
educational programs and activities of
the agency.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.469,
Congressionally Identified Awards and
Projects.
Funding Availability
It is anticipated that approximately
$2,000,000 will be available in FY 2009
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for new awards. The distribution of
available funds among the three regions
will depend on the number of highquality proposals received from each
region. NOAA anticipates making
approximately 5 to 15 new awards
during FY 2009. NOAA will consider
only projects with a duration of 1 to 3
years. The total Federal amount that
may be requested from NOAA shall not
exceed $100,000 per year and $300,000
for all years of the proposed project. The
minimum Federal amount that must be
requested from NOAA for all years is
$50,000. Applications requesting
Federal support from NOAA of less than
$50,000 total or more than $100,000 per
year and $300,000 total for the duration
of the project will not be considered for
funding. There is no guarantee that
sufficient funds will be available to
make awards for all qualified projects.
The exact amount of funds that may be
awarded will be determined in preaward negotiations between the
applicant and NOAA representatives.
Publication of this notice does not
oblige NOAA to award any specific
project or to obligate any available
funds. If applicants incur any costs prior
to an award being made, they do so at
their own risk of not being reimbursed
by the government. Notwithstanding
verbal or written assurance that may
have been received, there is no
obligation on the part of NOAA to cover
pre-award costs unless approved by the
Grants Officer as part of the terms when
the award is made.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are K–12 public
and independent schools and school
systems, institutions of higher
education, community-based and
nonprofit organizations, state or local
government agencies, interstate
agencies, and Indian tribal governments.
The Department of Commerce/National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (DOC/NOAA) is
strongly committed to broadening the
participation of historically black
colleges and universities, Hispanic
serving institutions, tribal colleges and
universities, and institutions that
service underserved areas. While
applicants do not need to be from the
targeted geographical regions specified
in the program objectives, they must be
working with target audiences in these
areas.
Cost Sharing Requirements
No cost sharing is required under this
program, however, the NOAA B-WET
Program strongly encourages applicants
include a 25 percent or higher match.
Funds from other Federal awards may
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not be considered matching funds. The
nature of the contribution (cash vs. inkind) and the amount of matching funds
will be taken into consideration during
the review process. Priority selection is
given to proposals that propose cash
rather than in-kind services.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures
The general evaluation criteria and
selection factors that apply to full
applications to this funding opportunity
are summarized below. The evaluation
criteria for full applications will have
different weights and details. Further
information about the evaluation criteria
and selection factors can be found in the
full funding opportunity announcement
at www.grants.gov and the B-WET Web
site at https://www.oesd.noaa.gov/
BWET./
Evaluation Criteria For Projects
1. Importance and/or relevance and
applicability of proposal to the program
goals (30 points): This criterion
ascertains whether there is intrinsic
value in the proposed work and/or
relevance to NOAA, federal, regional,
state, or local activities. For the NOAA
B-WET Program, the following
questions are posed to each reviewer:
Does the project make a direct
connection to the greater marine or
estuarine environment? Does the
proposal make an intentional
connection to the watershed system and
how actions within that system can
affect the marine and estuarine
environment? What is the likelihood of
the proposed environmental activities to
improve the general understanding of
the environment? Does the experience
focus around questions, problems, or
issues pertaining to specific region? Is
the project design project-oriented,
hands-on, investigative, and part of a
sustained activity? Does the project
include pre- and post-project activities?
Does the project address multiple
disciplines?
2. Technical merit (35 points): This
criterion assesses whether the approach
is technically sound and/or innovative,
if the methods are appropriate, and
whether there are clear project goals and
objectives. For the NOAA B-WET
Program, the following questions are
posed to each reviewer:
Does the proposal clearly outline how
the project is an integral part of the
instructional program?
For exemplary programs only: Does
the project combine Teacher
Professional Development with longterm classroom-integrated Meaningful
Watershed Educational Experiences for
their Students?
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For student programs only: Is the
project aligned with academic learning
standards in science and other
disciplines?
For teacher professional development
programs only: Does the teacher receive
the needed support to fully participate
in the program (i.e., continuing
education credit, substitute teachers,
stipends, etc.)? Is this support
reasonable and necessary?
Does the applicant utilize NOAA
programs, lesson plans, or a curriculum
focused on marine and estuarine issues?
Does the applicant use NOAA
personnel to enhance their project?
Does the applicant demonstrate how
their project is aligned and supports the
goals and strategies of the NOAA
Education Plan?
Does the applicant show a knowledge
and understanding of the
NOAA Education Plan (https://
www.oesd.noaa.gov/
NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf)?
Is the project aligned with
environmental literacy principles (e.g.,
Ocean Literacy, https://www.
coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/
documents/OceanLitChart.pdf and
Climate Literacy, https://
climateliteracynow.org/files/Climate_
Literacy_K–12.pdf) where appropriate
(note: estuarine and watershed concepts
should be tied to the Ocean Literacy
principles)?
Are the objectives in the proposal
clearly defined and focused?
Does the applicant demonstrate that
the objectives are realistic and can be
reached within the proposed project
period?
Are the project outcomes measurable
and have significant and lasting benefits
for teachers and students?
Does the evaluation component of the
project focus on measuring changes in
participants (changes can be in
knowledge, attitudes, skills or
conservation actions)?
Do the changes measured in
participants (outcomes) match the
project goals and objectives, which
include engaging participants in
meaningful watershed educational
experiences?
3. Overall qualifications of applicants
(10 points): This criterion ascertains
whether the applicant possesses the
necessary education, experience,
training, facilities, and administrative
resources to accomplish the project. For
the NOAA B–WET Program, the
following questions are posed to each
reviewer:
Does the applicant show the
capability and experience in
successfully completing similar
projects?
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Does the proposal include resumes of
the Principle Investigators and other
staff members?
Does the applicant demonstrate
knowledge of the target audience?
Does the applicant demonstrate
knowledge of the Content Standards for
their state?
Does the applicant document past
collaborations with schools or school
systems?
Does the applicant show the
capability and experience in
successfully completing similar
projects?
Are the partners involved in the
project qualified?
4. Project costs (20 points): This
criterion evaluates the budget to
determine if it is realistic and
commensurate with the project needs
and time frame. For the NOAA B–WET
Program, the following questions are
posed to each reviewer:
Does the applicant demonstrate the
ability to leverage other resources?
Is the nature of the cost share cash or
in-kind?
Is the budget request reasonable and
does the applicant justify the proposed
budget request?
Is a significant percentage of the
budget directly related to bringing
students and teachers in contact with
the environment?
Are requested funds for salaries and
fringe benefits only for those personnel
who are directly involved in
implementing the proposed project and/
or are directly related to specific
products or outcomes of the proposed
project?
Does the applicant demonstrate
sustainability beyond the project
period?
Does the applicant demonstrate that
the project will continue after NOAA
funding has expired?
5. Outreach and education (5 points):
This criterion assesses whether the
project provides a focused and effective
education and outreach strategy
regarding NOAA’s mission to protect
the Nation’s natural resources. For the
NOAA B–WET Program, the following
questions are posed to each reviewer:
Does the project involve external
sharing and communication?
Does the target audience share their
findings, experiences, or results to their
peers or their community?
Review And Selection Process
Upon receipt of a proposal by NOAA,
an initial administrative review will be
conducted to determine compliance
with requirements and completeness of
the proposal. All proposals that meet
the minimum eligibility requirements
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76343
will be evaluated and scored by a panel
of independent reviewers. Three
separate review panels may be held—
one for each geographical region
described in I.B.4 of the Full Funding
Opportunity. Reviewers serving on each
panel may be Federal or non-Federal
experts, each having expertise in areas
relevant to the priority under
consideration. The reviewers will score
each proposal assigned to them using
the evaluation criteria and relative
weights provided above. The individual
reviewers’ ratings will be averaged for
each application to establish rank order
for that region. No consensus advice
will be given by the review panels.
Scores from separate panels will not be
combined to establish an overall rank
order among all geographical regions.
The Program Officer will neither vote
nor score applications as part of the
review panels. The Program Officer will
make his/her recommendations for
funding based on rank order of each
panel and the selection factors listed
below to the Selecting Official for final
funding decisions.
Selection Factors For Projects
The B–WET Program Managers will
review the ranking of the proposals and
recommendations of the review panels.
The average numerical ranking from the
review panel will be the primary
consideration in deciding which of the
proposals will be recommended for
funding to the Selecting Official. The
Selecting Official shall award in 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 as set out in Section I.B.1–5 and
Section III.B. of the Full Funding
Opportunity;
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 recommendation
for funding are made to the Grants
Officer.
Selected applicants may be asked to
modify objectives, project plans or
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budgets, and provide supplemental
information required by the agency
prior to the award. When a decision has
been made (whether an award or
declination), verbatim anonymous
copies of reviews and summaries of
review panel deliberations, if any, will
be made available to the applicant.
Intergovernmental Review
Applications under this program are
not subject to Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.’’
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Limitation of Liability
In no event will NOAA or the
Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal 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.
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)
NOAA must analyze the potential
environmental impacts, as required by
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), for applicant projects or
proposals which are seeking NOAA
Federal funding opportunities. Detailed
information on NOAA compliance with
NEPA can be found at the following
NOAA NEPA Web site: 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 nonindigenous species, impacts to
endangered and threatened species,
aquaculture projects, and impacts to
coral reef systems). In addition to
providing specific information that will
serve as the basis for any required
impact analyses, applicants may also be
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of
an environmental assessment, if NOAA
determines an assessment is required.
Applicants will also be required to
cooperate with NOAA in identifying
feasible measures to reduce or avoid any
identified adverse environmental
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impacts of their proposal. The failure to
do so shall be grounds for not selecting
an application. In some cases if
additional information is required after
an application is selected, funds can be
withheld by the Grants Officer under a
special award condition requiring the
recipient to submit additional
environmental compliance information
sufficient to enable NOAA to make an
assessment on any impacts that a project
may have on the environment.
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
contained in the Federal Register notice
of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696), are
applicable to this solicitation.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This document contains collection-ofinformation requirements subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The
use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B,
and 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, nor shall
a 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 for the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory
flexibility analysis has not been
prepared.
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Dated: December 11, 2008.
Maureen E. Wylie,
Acting Director, Acquisition and Grants
Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–29797 Filed 12–15–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Availability of Seats for the Olympic
Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Advisory Council
AGENCY: Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice and request for
applications.
SUMMARY: The ONMS is seeking
applicants for the following three vacant
seats on the Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
(council): Research, Marine Business/
Ports/Industry, and Conservation/
Environmental. Applicants are chosen
based upon their particular expertise
and experience in relation to the seat for
which they are applying; community
and professional affiliations; philosophy
regarding the protection and
management of marine resources; and
possibly the length of residence in the
area affected by the sanctuary.
Applicants who are chosen as members
and alternates should expect to serve 3year terms, pursuant to the council’s
Charter.
DATES: Applications are due by January
15, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Application kits may be
obtained from Andrew Palmer, Olympic
Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 115 E.
Railroad Ave., Suite 301, Port Angeles,
WA 98362. Completed applications
should be sent to the same address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrew Palmer, Olympic Coast
National Marine Sanctuary, 115 5.
Railroad Ave., Suite 301, Port Angeles,
WA 98362, (360) 452–6622 ext. 15,
andrew.palmer@noaa.gov.
Sanctuary
Advisory Council members and
alternates serve three-year terms. The
Advisory Council meets bi-monthly in
public sessions in communities in and
around the Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary. The Olympic Coast
National Marine Sanctuary Advisory
Council was established in December
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76341-76344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29797]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
[Docket No. 0811251527-81528-01]
RIN 0648-ZC03
NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program
AGENCY: Office of Education (OED), Office of the Under Secretary
(USEC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NOAA B-WET is an environmental education program that promotes
locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Funded
projects provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for
students, related professional development for teachers, and helps to
support regional education and environmental priorities in the Pacific
Northwest, the northern Gulf of Mexico and New England.
DATES: Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on January
26, 2009. See Sections IV C and F of this announcement for more
information on submission requirements.
ADDRESSES: Electronic application packages are strongly encouraged and
are available at: https://www.grants.gov/. Paper application packages
are available on the NOAA Grants Management Web site at: https://
www.ago.noaa.gov/ago/grants/forms.cfm. If the applicant has difficulty
accessing Grants.gov or downloading the required forms from the NOAA
Web site, the applicant should contact: Bronwen Rice, B-WET National
Coordinator, by phone at 202-482-6797 or e-mail at
bronwen.rice@noaa.gov. Grants.gov requires applicants to register with
the system prior to submitting an application. This registration
process can take several weeks and involves multiple steps. In order to
allow sufficient time for this process, you should register as soon as
you decide to apply, even if you are not yet ready to submit your
proposal. If an applicant has problems downloading the application
forms from Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-
518-4726 or support@grants.gov. For non-Windows computer systems,
please see https://www.grants.gov/MacSupport for information on how to
download and submit an application through Grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Pacific Northwest, please
contact Seaberry Nachbar at 831-647-4201, or via e-mail at
seaberry.nachbar@noaa.gov. For the northern Gulf of Mexico, Stephanie
Bennett at 808-522-7481, or via e-mail at stephanie.bennett@noaa.gov.
For New England, Shannon Sprague, at 410-267-5664, or via e-mail at
shannon.sprague@noaa.gov. Questions about this opportunity may also be
directed to Bronwen Rice, B-WET National Coordinator, by phone at 202-
482-6797 or e-mail at bronwen.rice@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and
Training (B-WET) Program is an environmental education program that
supports experiential learning through local competitive grant awards
in specific geographic regions. Prior to 2008 NOAA B-WET Programs were
established for the Chesapeake Bay, California, and the Hawaiian
Islands. As of 2008, three new programs are in place in New England,
the northern Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. In FY09, it is
anticipated that funds will be available for each of these three
regions. Proposals are currently being solicited from the Pacific
Northwest region, the northern Gulf of Mexico region, and the New
England region. For the purposes of this solicitation, these three
regions are defined as follows:
a. Pacific Northwest--the states of Oregon and Washington;
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b. Northern Gulf of Mexico--the states of Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas;
c. New England--the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
NOAA recognizes that knowledge and commitment built from firsthand
experience, especially in the context of one's community and culture,
is essential for achieving environmental stewardship. Carefully
selected experiences driven by rigorous academic learning standards,
engendering discovery and wonder, and nurturing a sense of community
will further connect students with their watershed, help reinforce an
ethic of responsible citizenship, and promote academic achievement.
Experiential learning techniques, such as those supported by the NOAA
B-WET Program, have been shown to increase interest in science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM), thus contributing to NOAA's
obligations under the America COMPETES Act (33 U.S.C. 893a(a)).
Electronic Access
The full text of the full funding opportunity announcement for this
program can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site at https://
www.grants.gov. The announcement will also be available by contacting
the program officials identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the full
funding opportunity announcement.
Statutory Authority
Under 33 U.S.C. 893a(a), the Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration is authorized to conduct, develop,
support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal educational
activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding
of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship
by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, including
underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and policy
careers. In conducting those activities, the Administrator shall build
upon the educational programs and activities of the agency.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.469,
Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects.
Funding Availability
It is anticipated that approximately $2,000,000 will be available
in FY 2009 for new awards. The distribution of available funds among
the three regions will depend on the number of high-quality proposals
received from each region. NOAA anticipates making approximately 5 to
15 new awards during FY 2009. NOAA will consider only projects with a
duration of 1 to 3 years. The total Federal amount that may be
requested from NOAA shall not exceed $100,000 per year and $300,000 for
all years of the proposed project. The minimum Federal amount that must
be requested from NOAA for all years is $50,000. Applications
requesting Federal support from NOAA of less than $50,000 total or more
than $100,000 per year and $300,000 total for the duration of the
project will not be considered for funding. There is no guarantee that
sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified
projects. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be
determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA
representatives. Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to
award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If
applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do so at
their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government.
Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been
received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award
costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when
the award is made.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and
school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and
nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate
agencies, and Indian tribal governments. The Department of Commerce/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly
committed to broadening the participation of historically black
colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal
colleges and universities, and institutions that service underserved
areas. While applicants do not need to be from the targeted
geographical regions specified in the program objectives, they must be
working with target audiences in these areas.
Cost Sharing Requirements
No cost sharing is required under this program, however, the NOAA
B-WET Program strongly encourages applicants include a 25 percent or
higher match. Funds from other Federal awards may not be considered
matching funds. The nature of the contribution (cash vs. in-kind) and
the amount of matching funds will be taken into consideration during
the review process. Priority selection is given to proposals that
propose cash rather than in-kind services.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures
The general evaluation criteria and selection factors that apply to
full applications to this funding opportunity are summarized below. The
evaluation criteria for full applications will have different weights
and details. Further information about the evaluation criteria and
selection factors can be found in the full funding opportunity
announcement at www.grants.gov and the B-WET Web site at https://
www.oesd.noaa.gov/BWET./
Evaluation Criteria For Projects
1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposal to the
program goals (30 points): This criterion ascertains whether there is
intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal,
regional, state, or local activities. For the NOAA B-WET Program, the
following questions are posed to each reviewer: Does the project make a
direct connection to the greater marine or estuarine environment? Does
the proposal make an intentional connection to the watershed system and
how actions within that system can affect the marine and estuarine
environment? What is the likelihood of the proposed environmental
activities to improve the general understanding of the environment?
Does the experience focus around questions, problems, or issues
pertaining to specific region? Is the project design project-oriented,
hands-on, investigative, and part of a sustained activity? Does the
project include pre- and post-project activities? Does the project
address multiple disciplines?
2. Technical merit (35 points): This criterion assesses whether the
approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are
appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and objectives.
For the NOAA B-WET Program, the following questions are posed to each
reviewer:
Does the proposal clearly outline how the project is an integral
part of the instructional program?
For exemplary programs only: Does the project combine Teacher
Professional Development with long-term classroom-integrated Meaningful
Watershed Educational Experiences for their Students?
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For student programs only: Is the project aligned with academic
learning standards in science and other disciplines?
For teacher professional development programs only: Does the
teacher receive the needed support to fully participate in the program
(i.e., continuing education credit, substitute teachers, stipends,
etc.)? Is this support reasonable and necessary?
Does the applicant utilize NOAA programs, lesson plans, or a
curriculum focused on marine and estuarine issues?
Does the applicant use NOAA personnel to enhance their project?
Does the applicant demonstrate how their project is aligned and
supports the goals and strategies of the NOAA Education Plan?
Does the applicant show a knowledge and understanding of the
NOAA Education Plan (https://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf)?
Is the project aligned with environmental literacy principles
(e.g., Ocean Literacy, https://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/
documents/OceanLitChart.pdf and Climate Literacy, https://
climateliteracynow.org/files/Climate_Literacy_K-12.pdf) where
appropriate (note: estuarine and watershed concepts should be tied to
the Ocean Literacy principles)?
Are the objectives in the proposal clearly defined and focused?
Does the applicant demonstrate that the objectives are realistic
and can be reached within the proposed project period?
Are the project outcomes measurable and have significant and
lasting benefits for teachers and students?
Does the evaluation component of the project focus on measuring
changes in participants (changes can be in knowledge, attitudes, skills
or conservation actions)?
Do the changes measured in participants (outcomes) match the
project goals and objectives, which include engaging participants in
meaningful watershed educational experiences?
3. Overall qualifications of applicants (10 points): This criterion
ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education,
experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to
accomplish the project. For the NOAA B-WET Program, the following
questions are posed to each reviewer:
Does the applicant show the capability and experience in
successfully completing similar projects?
Does the proposal include resumes of the Principle Investigators
and other staff members?
Does the applicant demonstrate knowledge of the target audience?
Does the applicant demonstrate knowledge of the Content Standards
for their state?
Does the applicant document past collaborations with schools or
school systems?
Does the applicant show the capability and experience in
successfully completing similar projects?
Are the partners involved in the project qualified?
4. Project costs (20 points): This criterion evaluates the budget
to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs
and time frame. For the NOAA B-WET Program, the following questions are
posed to each reviewer:
Does the applicant demonstrate the ability to leverage other
resources?
Is the nature of the cost share cash or in-kind?
Is the budget request reasonable and does the applicant justify the
proposed budget request?
Is a significant percentage of the budget directly related to
bringing students and teachers in contact with the environment?
Are requested funds for salaries and fringe benefits only for those
personnel who are directly involved in implementing the proposed
project and/or are directly related to specific products or outcomes of
the proposed project?
Does the applicant demonstrate sustainability beyond the project
period?
Does the applicant demonstrate that the project will continue after
NOAA funding has expired?
5. Outreach and education (5 points): This criterion assesses
whether the project provides a focused and effective education and
outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's
natural resources. For the NOAA B-WET Program, the following questions
are posed to each reviewer:
Does the project involve external sharing and communication?
Does the target audience share their findings, experiences, or
results to their peers or their community?
Review And Selection Process
Upon receipt of a proposal by NOAA, an initial administrative
review will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements and
completeness of the proposal. All proposals that meet the minimum
eligibility requirements will be evaluated and scored by a panel of
independent reviewers. Three separate review panels may be held--one
for each geographical region described in I.B.4 of the Full Funding
Opportunity. Reviewers serving on each panel may be Federal or non-
Federal experts, each having expertise in areas relevant to the
priority under consideration. The reviewers will score each proposal
assigned to them using the evaluation criteria and relative weights
provided above. The individual reviewers' ratings will be averaged for
each application to establish rank order for that region. No consensus
advice will be given by the review panels. Scores from separate panels
will not be combined to establish an overall rank order among all
geographical regions. The Program Officer will neither vote nor score
applications as part of the review panels. The Program Officer will
make his/her recommendations for funding based on rank order of each
panel and the selection factors listed below to the Selecting Official
for final funding decisions.
Selection Factors For Projects
The B-WET Program Managers will review the ranking of the proposals
and recommendations of the review panels. The average numerical ranking
from the review panel will be the primary consideration in deciding
which of the proposals will be recommended for funding to the Selecting
Official. The Selecting Official shall award in 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 as set out in Section
I.B.1-5 and Section III.B. of the Full Funding Opportunity;
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 recommendation
for funding are made to the Grants Officer.
Selected applicants may be asked to modify objectives, project
plans or
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budgets, and provide supplemental information required by the agency
prior to the award. When a decision has been made (whether an award or
declination), verbatim anonymous copies of reviews and summaries of
review panel deliberations, if any, will be made available to the
applicant.
Intergovernmental Review
Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
Limitation of Liability
In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal 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.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects
or proposals which are seeking NOAA Federal funding opportunities.
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the
following NOAA NEPA Web site: 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 feasible measures to
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an
application. In some cases if additional information is required after
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on
the environment.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696), 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, and 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,
nor shall a 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 for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not
been prepared.
Dated: December 11, 2008.
Maureen E. Wylie,
Acting Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-29797 Filed 12-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
