Notice2022-12513
Notice of Matching Fund Opportunity for Ocean and Coastal Mapping and Request for Partnership Proposals
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Published
June 10, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
By establishing selection criteria and requirements for the NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Matching Fund program, to be known as the Brennan Matching Fund, this notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with NOAA National Ocean Service's ocean and coastal mapping programs on jointly funded projects of mutual interest. NOAA would receive and match partner funds and rely on its existing contract arrangements to conduct the surveying and mapping activities in FY2024. Proposers benefit from this opportunity by leveraging NOAA's contracting expertise, including its pool of pre- qualified technical experts in surveying and mapping as well as data management to ensure that the mapping data are fit for purpose and are usable for a broad set of purposes. This program is subject to funding availability.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35509-35512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12513]
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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 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of matching fund program opportunity, request for
proposals, and request for interest by September 30, 2022.
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SUMMARY: By establishing selection criteria and requirements for the
NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Matching Fund
program, to be known as the Brennan Matching Fund, this notice invites
non-Federal entities to partner with NOAA National Ocean Service's
ocean and coastal mapping programs on jointly funded projects of mutual
interest. NOAA would receive and match partner funds and rely on its
existing contract arrangements to conduct the surveying and mapping
activities in FY2024. Proposers benefit from this opportunity by
leveraging NOAA's contracting expertise, including its pool of pre-
qualified technical experts in surveying and mapping as well as data
management to ensure that the mapping data are fit for purpose and are
usable for a broad set of purposes. This program is subject to funding
availability.
DATES: Proposals, including any optional GIS files of the proposed
project areas, must be received via email by 5 p.m. ET on September 30,
2022. If an entity is unable to apply for this particular opportunity,
but has an interest in participating in similar, future opportunities,
NOAA requests a one-page statement of interest, also by September 30,
2022, to help gauge whether to offer the Brennan Matching Fund program
in future years.
ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f9908e9e969a94d78a8d989f9fb997969898d79e968f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="82ebf5e5ede1efacf1f6e3e4e4c2ecede3e3ace5edf4">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Meredith Westington or Paul Turner, NOAA
Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bdd4cadad2ded093cec9dcdbdbfdd3d2dcdc93dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a637d6d65696724797e6b6c6c4a64656b6b246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>, or
(505) 278-9851 and (302) 648-7612, respectively.
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 is committed to
meeting these missions as collaboratively as possible, adhering to the
Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) principle of ``Map Once,
Use Many Times.''
One of IOCM's strongest advocates, Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan,
developed an Ocean Mapping Plan for OCS in which IOCM plays a large
role. Responsive to the June 2020 publications of the National Strategy
for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic
Zone (NOMEC) and the Alaska Coastal Mapping Strategy (ACMS), the Coast
Survey Ocean Mapping Plan includes a goal to map the full extent of
waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction to modern standards (all three
plans are available at <a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html</a>). Although we lost RDML Brennan tragically and unexpectedly
in May 2021, we continue to implement his vision and passion for
collaborative ocean mapping through this and other avenues.
The Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Plan describes a number of
motivating forces for surveying and mapping waters subject to U.S.
jurisdiction, including, but not limited to:
<bullet> Safe marine transportation;
<bullet> Coastal community resilience;
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> Interest in capitalizing on the Blue Economy in growth
areas like seafood production, tourism and recreation, marine
transportation, and ocean exploration;
<bullet> The national prerogative to exercise U.S. sovereign rights
to explore, manage, and conserve natural resources in waters subject to
U.S. jurisdiction; and
<bullet> International commitments to map the global oceans by
2030.
Knowledge of the depth, shape, and composition of the seafloor has
far-reaching benefits, including safer navigation, hazard mitigation
for coastal resilience, preservation of marine habitats and heritage,
and a deeper understanding of natural resources for sustainable ocean
economies. However, the resources needed to fully achieve the goal of
comprehensively mapping U.S. oceans 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.
Coast Survey has considerable hydrographic expertise, including
cutting edge understanding of the science and related acoustic systems
as well as data standards to ensure broad usability of that data. More
detail on Coast Survey's surveying expertise and capabilities is
available in the NOAA Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Capabilities report
(<a href="https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/about/docs/about/ocean-mapping-capabilities.pdf">https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/about/docs/about/ocean-mapping-capabilities.pdf</a>). Information on the Hydrographic Services Contract
Vehicle and the types of data and services available can be found at
<a href="https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/data/hydrographic-surveys-contract-vehicle.html">https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/data/hydrographic-surveys-contract-vehicle.html</a>.
The NOAA Coastal Mapping Program under NGS, responsible for
updating the shoreline and nearshore bathymetry for application to NOAA
Nautical Charts and other coastal applications, relies in part on its
NGS Shoreline Mapping Services contract. This contract also supports
additional NGS geodetic and surveying missions in support of the
National Spatial Reference System and
[[Page 35510]]
the Aeronautical Survey Program (more information at <a href="https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/">https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/</a>).
II. Description
This notice announces the Brennan Matching Fund, a program to match
funds with NOAA for ocean and coastal survey and mapping partnerships
using NOAA's geospatial contracting vehicles. NOAA will select
proposals using the review process and criteria evaluation described in
section IX of this notice.
The goal of this program is to leverage NOAA and non-Federal
partner funds to acquire more ocean and coastal mapping data collected
by qualified contract surveyors during FY 2024. If appropriated funds
are available, 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, if a project costs $1,000,000, the
selected entity must provide at least $300,000 and NOAA would provide
up to $700,000. Additional funding for a project exceeding $1 million
may be provided at NOAA's discretion, e.g., if the project aligns with
a larger NOAA survey priority. NOAA will receive partner funds through
memoranda of agreement using the authority granted to NOAA under the
Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 to receive and expend funds for
collaborative hydrographic surveys (33 U.S.C. 883e).
In addition to matching partner funds, NOAA offers its expertise to
manage survey planning, quality-assure all data and products, provide
the data and products to the partners on 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 resulting from this program will be
available to the public to the greatest extent allowed by applicable
laws.
Specific value-added services NOAA will provide include:
<bullet> Assurance that the data are collected by qualified survey
contractors to ensure broadest use and accessibility of the data;
<bullet> Project management and GIS-based task order planning,
negotiation and award of necessary procurement contracts:
[cir] Tailored to meet the interests of matching fund partners
[cir] Managed on aerial, shipboard, and uncrewed vehicles;
<bullet> Managing survey compliance with applicable laws, such as
the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic
Preservation Act;
<bullet> Data processing, quality assessment and review of all
acquired hydrographic data; and
<bullet> Data management and stewardship through data archive at
the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Data acquisition collection methods include, but are not limited
to:
<bullet> Multibeam Echosounder
<bullet> Side Scan Sonar
<bullet> Lidar (topographic, bathymetric, mobile)
<bullet> Subsurface and airborne feature investigations
<bullet> Sediment sampling
Products acquired may include, but are not limited to:
<bullet> Bathymetric data (multibeam, single beam, lidar)
<bullet> Backscatter
<bullet> Water column (depth dependent)
<bullet> Side scan sonar imagery
<bullet> Feature detection reports
<bullet> Sensor/data corrections and calibrations (e.g., conductivity,
temperature and depth casts, horizontal/vertical position uncertainty)
<bullet> Survey and control services, including the installation,
operation, and removal of water level and Global Positioning System
stations
<bullet> High-resolution topographic/bathymetric product generation
<bullet> A final project report
More information on Coast Survey's Hydrographic Surveys
Specifications and Deliverables publication can be found at <a href="https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/standards-and-requirements/specs/HSSD_2022.pdf">https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/standards-and-requirements/specs/HSSD_2022.pdf</a>. More information on NGS Specifications and
Deliverables can be found at <a href="https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/cmp-sow-v15.pdf">https://geodesy.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/cmp-sow-v15.pdf</a>. These specifications are
based in part on the International Hydrographic Organization's
Standards for Hydrographic Surveys, Special Publication 44 (<a href="https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-44/S-44_Edition_6.0.0_EN.pdf">https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-44/S-44_Edition_6.0.0_EN.pdf</a>).
Background information, questions and answers, and slides that
potential applicants might find useful from the expired FY 2023
matching fund program webinar are available at <a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/planning/contracts-grants-agreements.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/planning/contracts-grants-agreements.html</a>. Interested applicants may
also contact NOAA by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ea839d8d858987c4999e8b8c8caa84858b8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9af3edfdf5f9f7b4e9eefbfcfcdaf4f5fbfbb4fdf5ec">[email protected]</span></a> for a rough order
of magnitude cost estimation sheet to use in estimating acquisition
costs for the matching program.
If an entity is unable to apply for this particular opportunity but
has an interest in participating in similar, future opportunities, NOAA
requests a one-page statement of interest by September 30, 2022, to use
in evaluating whether to offer the Brennan Matching Fund program in
future years.
III. 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 Coast Survey Ocean Mapping Plan (all available at
<a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html</a>). Those goals include:
1. Map the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): The goal is
to completely map deep waters (> 40m) of the United States EEZ by 2030
and shallower waters by 2040. Completing this goal will give the United
States unprecedented and detailed information about the depth, shape,
and composition of the seafloor of the United States EEZ (NOMEC 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-to-benefit
ratio of expanded mapping activities (ACMS Goal 2).
3. Map the full extent of waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction to
modern standards: Based on the January 2022 analysis of data holdings
at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, 52 percent of
waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are unmapped (<a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-status.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-status.html</a>). 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,
Coast Survey 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).
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, which must be transferred to NOAA by September 2023
using a memorandum of agreement. A coalition of non-Federal
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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 proposal, but do not count toward the match
and are not required.
V. Deadlines and Process Dates
All submissions, including the proposal in PDF format and any
accompanying GIS files, must be emailed to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#076e706068646a297473666161476968666629606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="056c72626a66682b7671646363456b6a64642b626a73">[email protected]</span></a>.
Partner proposals are due by 5 p.m. ET on September 30, 2022 (see
Section VIII. for details). Please include all required components of
the proposal in one email. Incomplete and late submissions will not be
considered.
<bullet> June 28, 2022: Informational Webinar at 2 p.m. ET;
register at <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5547610530319292942">https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5547610530319292942</a>.
<bullet> September 14, 2022: Office hours opportunity for
interested parties to validate their proposals with experts before
submitting; register by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4ddc3d3dbd7d99ac7c0d5d2d2f4dadbd5d59ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fe978999919d93d08d8a9f9898be90919f9fd0999188">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> September 30, 2022: Due date for proposals and statements
of interest.
<bullet> November 1, 2022: NOAA issues its decisions on proposals
(subject to the availability of appropriations).
<bullet> November 2022-January 2023: NOAA works with selected
partners to develop memoranda of agreement to facilitate the transfer
of funds from the non-Federal partner to NOAA.
<bullet> February 2023: NOAA finalizes the memoranda of agreement
with partners.
<bullet> June-September 2023: Non-Federal partners transfer
matching funds to NOAA; funds must be available to NOAA for contracting
in October 2023.
<bullet> January-September 2024: NOAA issues task orders to its
survey contractors for NOAA/partner projects in FY 2024.
VI. Funding Availability
In the third year of this program, NOAA anticipates funding between
two to five survey projects up to 70 percent, with a total cost of
$1,000,000 per project. Additional funding for a project exceeding $1
million may be provided at NOAA's discretion. All projects are expected
to have a FY 2024 project start date and NOAA must receive all non-
Federal partner matching funds no later than September 2023. NOAA
reserves the right to increase or decrease its funding match based on
the quality and feasibility of proposals received. This notice is
subject to the availability of appropriations.
VII. Project Period
NOAA intends to complete each selected project within two (2)
years. However, the period to complete a project may be extended in
coordination with the partner(s), if additional time is needed. NOAA
will submit a final report to the non-Federal partner within 60 days of
the conclusion of each project.
VIII. 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. Budget
must confirm that partner funds can be transferred to NOAA by September
2023 (1 page maximum).
Proposals, as PDF format, must use 12-point, Times New Roman font,
single spacing, and 1-inch margins. Failure to adhere to these
requirements will result in the proposal being returned without review
and eliminated from further consideration.
To facilitate a more detailed review of the second component of the
proposal, NOAA welcomes the submission of GIS files of project areas.
These ancillary GIS files must be in SHP format.
IX. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by the Brennan Matching Fund Program
Management Team. Submissions will be ranked based on the following
criteria:
1. Project justification (30 points)--This criterion ascertains
whether there is intrinsic IOCM value in the proposed work and/or
relevance to NOAA missions and priorities, including downstream partner
proposals and uses. Use of, and reference to, national priorities on
climate and infrastructure, NOMEC, ACMS and the Coast Survey Ocean
Mapping Plan (all available at <a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html</a>); gap assessment tools such as the U.S. Bathymetry Gap
Analysis (<a href="https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-bathymetry.html">https://iocm.noaa.gov/seabed-2030-bathymetry.html</a>); and the
U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory (<a href="https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/united-states-interagency-elevation-inventory-usiei">https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/united-states-interagency-elevation-inventory-usiei</a>), among others, are
recommended. The U.S. Mapping Coordination site (<a href="http://fedmap.seasketch.org">fedmap.seasketch.org</a>)
shows current Coast Survey and NGS mapping plans as well as the latest
in Federal mapping priorities and select regional mapping priorities;
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#79100e1e161a14570a0d181f1f3917161818571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="650c12020a06084b1611040303250b0a04044b020a13">[email protected]</span></a> for assistance with the layers on this
site, if needed.
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. If needed, please contact <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#147d63737b77793a6760757272547a7b75753a737b62"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7c150b1b131f11520f081d1a1a3c12131d1d521b130a">[email protected]</span></a>
for a rough estimate of cost per square nautical mile for surveys in a
particular region.
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, NOAA reserves the right to
engage with proposal points of contact to ask questions and provide
feedback on project costs and feasibility.
X. Management and Oversight
Once selections are made, NOAA will coordinate the development of
the memoranda of agreement, funding transfers, project planning,
environmental compliance, acquisition awards and quality assurance
process. 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 on an annual basis to ensure they are
responsive to partner interests
[[Page 35512]]
and NOAA mission requirements, and to identify opportunities for
outreach and education on the societal benefits of the work.
Authority: Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883e).
RDML Benjamin K. Evans,
Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-12513 Filed 6-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P
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