NOAA RESTORE Science Program

The purpose of this document is to advise the public that NOAA/NOS/NCCOS is soliciting applications for the NOAA RESTORE Science Program for projects of five years in duration with the option for a five year, non-competitive renewal award for high performing projects. This funding opportunity invites applications that propose to identify, track, understand, and/or predict trends and variability in the Gulf of Mexico’s living coastal and marine resources and the processes driving them. Funding is contingent upon the availability of funds in the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. It is anticipated that final recommendations for funding under this Announcement will be made in June 2019, and that projects funded under this Announcement will have a September 1, 2019 start date. Total funding for this competition will be approximately $15 million over five years and approximately six projects may be funded. The minimum individual award amount is approximately $500,000 over five years (an average of $100,000 per year) and the maximum individual award amount is approximately $7.5 million over five years (an average of $1.5 million per year). An additional $15 million may be available for five year, non-competitive renewals for high performing projects.

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Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education; not-for-profit institutions; local, state, and tribal governments; for-profit organizations; and U.S. territories and federal agencies that possess the statutory authority to accept funding for this type of work. The lead applicant must be from a U.S. based entity.Applicants from federal agencies are required to have a co-investigator from at least one non-NOAA entity and it is strongly encouraged that the co-investigator(s) be from a non-federal eligible entity. Science Program funding opportunities may not be used to hire and fund the salaries of any permanent federal employees. Federal award recipients may use their funding to cover travel, equipment, supplies, and contractual personnel costs associated with the proposed work.Investigators are not required to be employed by an eligible entity that is based in one of the five Gulf of Mexico States (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). However, investigators that are not employed by or associated with Gulf of Mexico-based eligible entities are strongly encouraged to collaborate with partners from Gulf of Mexico-based eligible entities.Applicants may be investigators on no more than two (2) pre-proposals and subsequent full applications, and may only be the lead investigator on one (1) of them. Investigators, including the lead investigator, may change from a pre-proposal to the full application. Foreign researchers may participate by submitting a subaward or contract through an eligible U.S. entity. Science Program funding may not be spent in Cuba.The DOC and NOAA support cultural and gender diversity and encourage applications involving women and minority investigators, participants, and groups. In addition, the DOC and NOAA are strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. The DOC and NOAA encourage any of the above institutions to apply.