[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51508-51511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13387]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice of Matching Fund Opportunity for Ocean and Coastal Mapping
and Request for Partnership Proposals
AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of matching fund opportunity; request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: This notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with the
ocean and coastal mapping programs of NOAA's National Ocean Service on
jointly-funded projects of mutual interest, and establishes selection
criteria and submission requirements for such projects under the NOAA
Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund program. With this
funding opportunity, NOAA will match selected non-Federal partners at a
70:30 NOAA:partner ratio for projects totaling up to $1,000,000, and
proposing to contract for ocean, coastal and/or Great Lakes mapping
data. Selected non-Federal partners further benefit from this
opportunity by leveraging NOAA's contracting (NOAA has a pool of pre-
qualified technical experts in surveying and mapping) and data
management expertise. This ocean and coastal mapping funding
opportunity is subject to the availability of funds.
DATES: Project proposals, including any optional GIS files of the
proposed project areas, must be received via email at the email address
listed in the ADDRESSES section below by 5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on
October 11, 2024. If an entity is unable to apply for this particular
opportunity, but is interested in participating in similar, future
opportunities, NOAA requests a one-page statement of interest, also by
October 11, 2024. Please include all required components of the
proposal in one email. Incomplete and late submissions will not be
considered.
After reviewing the project proposals, NOAA will issue its decision
on the proposals, which are subject to the availability of funding, on
November 18, 2024. Between December 2024 and January 2025, NOAA will
work with the project partners it selects to develop agreements to
facilitate the transfer of funds for the projects. By March 2025, these
agreements will be finalized. Between June and September 2025, non-
Federal partners will transfer their matching funds to NOAA. Between
January and September of 2026, NOAA will issue task orders to its
survey contractors for the partner projects.
NOAA will host an informational webinar and office hours to provide
more information about the matching fund opportunity and answer any
questions:
August 1, 2024: Informational Webinar at 1 p.m. ET. To
participate, please register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8298435806847389269.
September 13, 2024: Virtual office hours between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. ET. These office hours will present an opportunity for
interested entities to validate their proposals with experts before
submitting a project proposal. In advance of September 13, 2024,
register for a 30-minute time slot by emailing [email protected].
NOAA also welcomes questions at any point before the proposal
submission deadline at [email protected].
ADDRESSES: Project proposals must be submitted via email to
[email protected].
The following is a list of documents that applicants may find
useful and the websites where they may be found:
the National Ocean Mapping, Exploring and Characterizing
Strategy (NOMEC), the Alaska Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS)
Implementation Plan, and the Office of Coast Survey Strategic Plan:
https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html;
the Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP): https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/Ocean-Climate-Action-Plan_Final.pdf;
the U.S. Bathymetry Gap Analysis: https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-bathymetry.html;
the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/united-states-interagency-elevation-inventory-usiei;
the U.S. Mapping Coordination site: fedmap.seasketch.org;
OCS's Hydrographic Surveys Specifications and Deliverables
publication: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/standards-and-requirements.html;
NGS's Shoreline Mapping Specifications and Deliverables:
https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/cmp-sow-v15.pdf;
the International Hydrographic Organization Standards for
Hydrographic Surveys, Special Publication 44: https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-44/S-44_Edition_6.1.0.pdf; and
NOAA's Equitable Climate Services Action Plan: https://
www.noaa.gov/
[[Page 51509]]
sites/default/files/2024-04/NOAA-ECSAP-Final.pdf.
More information on NOAA's surveying and mapping contracting
vehicles is available at https://iocm.noaa.gov/planning/contracts-grants-agreements.html, along with background information, questions
and answers, and slides on this funding opportunity.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
to register for the September 13, 2024 office hours, contact Ashley
Chappell, NOAA Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping, at
[email protected], or (240) 429-0293.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) and National Geodetic Survey
(NGS) are responsible for conducting hydrographic surveys and coastal
mapping for safe navigation, the conservation and management of coastal
and ocean resources, and emergency response. NOAA has considerable
hydrographic and shoreline mapping contracting expertise, including a
cutting-edge understanding of the science and related acoustic systems
as well as data standards to ensure broad usability of that data.
NOAA is committed to meeting its mapping missions as
collaboratively as possible, adhering to the Integrated Ocean and
Coastal Mapping (IOCM) principle of ``Map Once, Use Many Times.''
However, the resources needed to fully achieve the goal of
comprehensively mapping U.S. waters and coasts currently exceed NOAA's
capacity. Mapping the full extent of waters subject to U.S.
jurisdiction means relying on partners to contribute to the effort.
The establishment of the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean
Mapping Fund program is one way that NOAA seeks to expand partnerships
and acquisition of U.S. ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes mapping data.
NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan, one of IOCM's strongest
advocates, developed the Ocean Mapping Plan for OCS in August 2020 in
which IOCM plays a large role. The Ocean Mapping Plan responds to a
number of national drivers to map the full extent of U.S. waters
subject to U.S. jurisdiction to modern standards, including the June
2020 publications of the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and
Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (NOMEC), the Alaska
Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS), and the 2023 Ocean Climate Action Plan
(OCAP). The Ocean Mapping Plan also describes a number of reasons NOAA
is committed to surveying and mapping waters subject to U.S.
jurisdiction, including, but not limited to:
Safe marine transportation;
Coastal community resilience;
A need to better understand the influence of the ocean's
composition on related physical and ecosystem processes that affect
climate, weather, and coastal and marine resources and infrastructure;
Interest in capitalizing on the Blue Economy in growth
areas like seafood production, tourism and recreation, marine
transportation, and ocean exploration;
The national prerogative to exercise U.S. sovereign rights
to explore, manage, and conserve natural resources in waters subject to
U.S. jurisdiction; and
International interest in mapping the ocean by 2030.
Sadly, Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan passed away in May 2021.
IOCM continues to implement Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan's vision
and passion for collaborative ocean mapping through this matching fund
opportunity named in his honor.
II. Description
This notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with the ocean
and coastal mapping programs of NOAA's National Ocean Service on
jointly-funded projects of mutual interest that address the drivers
noted in section I above. These projects will establish ocean, coastal,
and Great Lakes survey and mapping partnerships using NOAA's geospatial
contracting vehicles. NOAA will use the selection criteria and
submission requirements described below in sections V and VI,
respectively, to review project proposals.
The goal of the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund
program is to leverage NOAA and non-Federal partner funds to acquire
more ocean and coastal mapping data from qualified contract surveyors
during Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. Subject to the availability of
appropriations, NOAA will provide up to 70 percent of the total project
cost, with the selected entity providing at least 30 percent of the
total project cost. For example, for a $1 million project, the partner
must provide at least $300,000, and NOAA would provide up to $700,000.
NOAA anticipates funding between two and five projects, with a
total cost of up to $1 million per project. NOAA may consider providing
additional funding for a project, thereby exceeding $1 million, subject
to the availability of funds and NOAA's discretion. All projects are
expected to have a FY 2026 project start date, and NOAA must receive
all non-Federal partner matching funds before October 1, 2025. NOAA
reserves the right to increase or decrease its funding match based on
the quality and feasibility of proposals received.
After NOAA selects a non-Federal entity as a partner, NOAA will
enter into an agreement with the partner pursuant to the Coast and
Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883e), which enables NOAA to
receive funds for the mapping project.
In addition to providing matching funds, NOAA brings its expertise
to manage survey planning, quality-ensure all data and products,
provide the data and products to the partners within an agreed-upon
timeframe, and handle data submission to the National Centers for
Environmental Information for archiving and public accessibility. All
ocean and coastal data and related products from the Rear Admiral
Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund program will be available to the
public to the greatest extent allowed by applicable laws.
The specific value-added services NOAA will provide include:
Assurance that the data are collected by qualified survey
contractors to ensure broadest use and accessibility of the data;
Project management and GIS-based task order planning,
negotiation, and award of necessary procurement contracts that are
tailored to meet the interests of matching fund partners and managed on
aerial, shipboard, and uncrewed vehicles;
Managing survey compliance with applicable laws, such as
the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic
Preservation Act;
Data processing, quality assessment, and review of all
acquired hydrographic data; and
Data management and stewardship through data archive at
the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Data acquisition collection methods include, but are not limited
to, multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, lidar (topographic,
bathymetric, mobile), subsurface and airborne feature investigations,
and sediment sampling. Products acquired may include, but are not
limited to:
Bathymetric data (multibeam, single beam, lidar),
Backscatter,
Water column (depth dependent),
Side scan sonar imagery,
Feature detection reports,
[[Page 51510]]
Sensor/data corrections and calibrations (e.g.,
conductivity, temperature and depth casts, horizontal/vertical position
uncertainty),
Survey and control services, including the installation,
operation, and removal of water level and Global Positioning System
stations,
High-resolution topographic/bathymetric product
generation, and
A final project report.
More information on NOAA's surveying and mapping processes and
products can be found in the OCS Hydrographic Surveys Specifications
and Deliverables and the NGS Shoreline Mapping Specifications and
Deliverables publications.
III. Strategic Areas of Focus
For this opportunity, proposals will be considered that align with
national priorities for climate and infrastructure and the goals of the
NOMEC, ACMS, the OCS Ocean Mapping Plan, and OCAP. Those goals include:
1. Map U.S. Waters: Mapping U.S. deep waters (> 40m) by 2030 and
shallower waters by 2040 would give the United States unprecedented and
detailed information about the depth, shape, and composition of its
seafloor and Great Lakes (NOMEC Goal 2). Based on the January 2023
analysis of data holdings at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental
Information, 50 percent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are
unmapped (https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-status.html). Acquiring the
best available data in poorly surveyed and gap areas means working with
partners to contribute to the effort. By sharing its mapping expertise
with others, NOAA can build depth in the ocean and coastal mapping
community to increase the quantity and quality of seafloor data
acquired overall (Ocean Mapping Plan Goal 2).
2. Expand Alaska Coastal Data Collection to Deliver the Priority
Geospatial Products Stakeholders Require: Mapping the Alaska coast is
challenging. However, using targeted and coordinated data collections
will potentially reduce overall costs and improve the cost-benefit
ratio of expanded mapping activities (ACMS Goal 2).
3. Expand Coastal Mapping to Inform Science-Based Decision-Making
Capabilities: This priority stems from a broader OCAP action for
coastal climate resilience to ``expand coastal mapping, monitoring,
observational systems, research, and modeling to inform science-based
decision-making capabilities and advance use of nature-based
solutions.'' Climate change is greatly influencing the need to map all
of our named oceans and coasts in detail. The data is integral to
decision-making on coastal resilience efforts to save lives, implement
proper infrastructure planning, and protect sensitive coastal
ecosystems in light of ocean-born natural disasters.
IV. Proposal Eligibility
This matching fund opportunity is available to non-Federal
entities. Examples of non-Federal entities include State and local
governments, tribal entities, universities, researchers and academia,
the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and
philanthropic partners. Qualifying proposals must demonstrate the
ability to provide at least 30 percent of the funds needed for the
proposed project. A coalition of non-Federal entities may assemble
funds for the match and submit a proposal jointly. Use of other Federal
agency funds as part of the non-Federal entities' match funds will be
considered on a case-by-case basis and only as authorized by applicable
laws. In-kind contributions are welcome to strengthen the project
proposal but do not count toward the match and are not required.
V. Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan
Ocean Mapping Fund Program Management Team. Submissions will be ranked
based on the following selection criteria:
1. Project justification (30 points)--This criterion ascertains
whether there is intrinsic IOCM value in the proposed work and/or
relevance to NOAA's missions and priorities (several noted in section
III), including downstream partner proposals and uses. Use of, and
reference to, national priorities on coastal climate resilience and
infrastructure, NOMEC, ACMS, the Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Plan, and
OCAP; gap assessment tools such as the U.S. Bathymetry Gap Analysis;
and the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory, among others, are
recommended. The U.S. Mapping Coordination site shows current NOAA
mapping plans as well as the latest in Federal mapping priorities and
select regional mapping priorities.
2. Statement of need (10 points)--This criterion assesses clarity
of project need, partner project funding alternatives if not selected,
anticipated outcomes, and public benefit.
3. Specified partner match (20 points)--The proposal identifies a
point of contact for the entity submitting the proposal, as well as any
partnering entities, a clear statement on partner matching funds
provenance (e.g., State appropriations, NGO funds, or other sources)
and timing of funds availability. In-kind contributions are welcome to
strengthen the proposal but do not count toward the funding match and
are not required.
4. Project costs (15 points)--This criterion evaluates whether the
proposed budget is realistic and commensurate with the proposed project
needs and timeframe..
5. Project feasibility and flexibility (25 points)--This criterion
assesses the likelihood that the proposal would succeed, using
evaluations of survey conditions, project size, location, weather, NOAA
analysis of environmental compliance implications, project flexibility
and adaptability to existing NOAA plans and schedules, and other
factors.
During the proposal review period, the Rear Admiral Richard T.
Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund Program Management Team reserves the right
to engage with proposal points of contact to ask questions and provide
feedback on project costs and feasibility.
VI. Submission Requirements
Project Proposal--To qualify, a proposal shall not exceed six (6)
total pages and must include the following three components:
1. A project title; executive summary (3-5 sentences); and the
names, affiliations, and roles of the project partners and any co-
investigators, as well as the project lead that will serve as primary
contact (1 page maximum).
2. A justification and statement of need; description and graphics
of the proposed survey area, including relevance to the strategic areas
of focus noted in section III and degree of flexibility on timing of
survey effort (4 pages maximum).
3. A project budget that lists the source(s) and amount(s) of
funding that the partner would provide as its match to NOAA. The budget
must confirm that partner funds can be transferred to NOAA before
October 1, 2025 (1 page maximum).
Proposals must be sent in a PDF format, and use 12-point, Times New
Roman font, single spacing, and 1-inch margins. Failure to adhere to
these submission requirements will result in the proposal being
returned without review and eliminated from further consideration.
To facilitate review, NOAA welcomes the submission of GIS files of
project areas. These ancillary GIS files must be in SHP format.
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VII. Management and Oversight
Once the Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund Program
Management Team selects project proposals, NOAA will coordinate the
development of agreements, funding transfers, project planning,
environmental compliance, acquisition awards, and the quality assurance
process with the project partners. NOAA may bring in additional
partners and/or funding (Federal and/or non-Federal) to expand a
project further, if feasible. Projects will be reviewed by NOAA
annually to ensure they are responsive to partner interests and NOAA
mission requirements, and to identify opportunities for outreach and
education on the societal benefits of the work.
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 883e.
Benjamin K. Evans,
RDML Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-13387 Filed 6-17-24; 8:45 am]
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