Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce | NOAA OAR OER 2022 2006910

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR OER 2022 2006910

This NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER), also referred to as NOAA Ocean Exploration, funding opportunity supports projects that carry out or directly enable ocean exploration in U.S. waters where conditions, seafloor features, ecosystems, or cultural resources are still unknown or poorly understood. The core purpose is to generate exploration outcomes that allow initial assessments, meaning the work should help establish a first clear picture of what is present in a given area (for example, baseline mapping, characterization, discovery-oriented surveys, or other early-stage observations that reduce major knowledge gaps and guide future research or management).

The competition is specifically focused on the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Pacific Ocean and is anchored in two guiding documents. First, proposals are expected to align with the topical and/or geographic priorities identified in the 2020 "Report on the Workshop to Identify National Ocean Exploration Priorities in the Pacific," convened by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in partnership with OER. Second, proposals should advance the broader "National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone," which sets a national direction for improving what the U.S. knows about its offshore areas, including where exploration and mapping can produce the greatest public value. For projects proposed under the ocean exploration and marine archaeology themes, the work must be located in unknown or poorly understood areas as defined and referenced in the National Strategy implementation plan, reinforcing that this funding is aimed at frontier-type exploration rather than well-studied locations.

A distinctive emphasis of this opportunity is the expectation that applicants treat ocean exploration as something that happens in a real cultural and community context, especially in the Pacific, where there are many distinct and deeply connected coastal and island communities. The workshop report highlights that exploration is stronger and more beneficial when Pacific communities are engaged as partners and stakeholders rather than treated as peripheral audiences. Applicants are therefore encouraged to consider the interests of Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples in or near the proposed exploration areas and to engage them in meaningful ways. In practice, that can include early consultation, co-development of questions or objectives where appropriate, respectful handling of cultural knowledge, and planning for how project information will be shared back with communities. NOAA frames this engagement as a way to broaden public support, strengthen and diversify the workforce involved in ocean exploration, and incorporate traditional knowledge systems alongside scientific methods.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the Department of Commerce under NOAA OAR, issued under CFDA 11.011. Funding may be provided through grants and/or cooperative agreements, which usually indicates NOAA may have substantial involvement during the project period for certain awards (for example, coordination, data management expectations, or participation in expedition planning). The listed award ceiling is $750,000, and NOAA anticipated making about 10 awards under this announcement. The opportunity was created May 17, 2021, with an original closing date of October 8, 2021. Eligibility is noted as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," meaning applicants needed to consult the full announcement for the precise list of eligible organization types and any restrictions.

Overall, the program is aimed at accelerating discovery and first-order characterization in the Pacific U.S. EEZ while staying tightly aligned with nationally defined exploration priorities and demonstrating culturally aware, community-engaged practices, particularly with Tribal and Indigenous partners who have longstanding relationships to these ocean spaces.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.011.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 17, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 08, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR OER 2022 2006910

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