Proposed Cooperative Institute to support NOAA Marine Research and Ecosystem Management | NOAA OAR CIPO 2021 2006680

FAQs: Proposed Cooperative Institute (CI) to Support NOAA Marine Research and Ecosystem Management

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a Department of Commerce, NOAA-led cooperative agreement opportunity to establish a Proposed Cooperative Institute (CI) to support NOAA Marine Research and Ecosystem Management. The intent is to build a long-term research partnership focused primarily on the U.S. West Coast, with institute staff working side-by-side with NOAA scientists and programs.

What is the main purpose of the Cooperative Institute?

The CI is intended to strengthen NOAA's ability to monitor changing ocean conditions, anticipate ecosystem shifts, and deliver practical information that supports real-world decisions about ocean and coastal resources. The institute is expected to produce science and also help improve the technical and operational capacity needed to collect data, manage it, and transition results into NOAA-usable products.

Which geographic area is emphasized?

The work is focused primarily on U.S. West Coast priorities. The opportunity also anticipates coordination beyond the immediate region when broader, coast-wide collaboration is necessary, including work spanning the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to non-Federal public and private non-profit universities, colleges, and research institutions that offer accredited graduate-level degree programs in NOAA-relevant sciences.

Can a consortium apply?

Yes. The institute may be led by one or more qualified universities or non-profit degree-granting institutions, and the opportunity explicitly includes a consortium model.

Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism. That means it is a discretionary funding opportunity where NOAA expects substantial involvement in shaping and conducting the work.

What is the central research emphasis of the CI?

A major emphasis is marine ecosystem research, conservation, and management tied to sustainable use and stewardship. The work is framed around developing and applying improved tools and approaches to track ecosystem health and forecast change, including how people and communities respond to that change.

What fisheries-related work is included in the scope?

The scope includes research to improve fisheries assessments and to evaluate fisheries management strategies. This includes examining the effectiveness of management actions and associated tradeoffs.

Does the opportunity include habitat and human impact research?

Yes. The opportunity covers research on the impacts of human activities on marine habitats and ecosystems. Examples in the scope include habitat characterization, ecosystem condition assessments, and evaluation of pressures from multiple uses of the ocean.

Is aquaculture part of the scope?

Yes. The scope explicitly includes aquaculture, including techniques, impacts, and safety considerations.

Is social science research allowed or encouraged?

Yes. The opportunity includes social science research to help explain and support sustainability and resilience of coastal communities, including both the natural systems and the human communities that depend on them.

Does the institute also address ocean hazards and extreme events?

Yes. In addition to ecosystem management, the institute is expected to contribute to oceanographic, climatic, and geologic hazard-related research aligned with NOAA's goal of reducing societal impacts from severe weather and other environmental phenomena.

Which specific ocean condition topics are highlighted?

Highlighted topics include understanding and evaluating marine heat waves, hypoxia, and ocean acidification, particularly their impacts on living marine resources and the conditions that lead to those events.

Are seafloor hazards included in the research scope?

Yes. The opportunity calls for research on seafloor processes connected to hazards such as marine earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, reflecting interest in linking ocean conditions and seafloor dynamics to coastal risks.

Is deep-sea research, including hydrothermal vents, part of this CI?

Yes. A distinct component is capacity to investigate hydrothermal vent systems, including their micro- and macro-fauna, physical and chemical properties, and how vent systems contribute to marine nutrient cycling.

What tools, methods, or platforms does NOAA expect the CI to use?

The CI is encouraged to use a wide range of modern methods and platforms, including genetic and genomic techniques, acoustics, and autonomous vehicles, alongside other observational and analytical approaches.

What does "research-to-operations" mean in this opportunity?

The institute is expected to contribute to NOAA's research-to-operations pipeline by supporting research, development, and transition activities so that scientific advances and tools can be moved into practical, operational use within NOAA.

What mission support capabilities are expected from the CI?

Mission support includes engineering and data science development and applications, as well as enhancements to the fleet of vessels used for NOAA research, including both crewed ships and autonomous systems. The opportunity emphasizes improving the technical and operational capacity needed for data collection, data management, and delivery of NOAA-usable products.

Which NOAA organizations are expected to be core partners?

The CI is expected to work closely with multiple NOAA entities, especially NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), along with other NOAA offices as appropriate.

Can the CI collaborate with other Cooperative Institutes or NOAA-funded programs?

Yes. The CI may collaborate with other Cooperative Institutes and NOAA-funded programs such as Sea Grant Colleges when broader coordination is necessary, including coast-wide work spanning the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem.

Are there expectations about avoiding duplication with existing efforts?

Yes. The prospectus emphasizes that collaborations should be purposeful and coordinated with the NOAA offices responsible for the relevant projects. It also states the CI's work should complement, rather than duplicate, existing CI efforts, except where overlap provides clear benefits.

Is NOAA encouraging partnerships beyond the lead applicant and NOAA?

Yes. NOAA strongly encourages building a broad network of partners beyond the core academic-NOAA collaboration, including other government agencies, private industry, non-traditional partners, NOAA labs and data centers, other Cooperative Institutes, Cooperative Science Centers, and Sea Grant institutions.

What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?

The opportunity number is NOAA OAR CIPO 2021 2006680, under CFDA 11.432.

What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed is $36,800,000.

When was this opportunity posted, and what application due date is listed?

The posting was created on 2020-12-10, and the original application closing date listed is 2021-02-08.

Is this opportunity described as discretionary funding?

Yes. It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism.