Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS IOOS 2025 30552
Apply for NOAA NOS IOOS 2025 30552
- The DOC NOAA - ERA Production in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.012.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-02-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-04-13. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 2026 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) funding opportunity is a NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) competition that will support coordinated, regionally focused ocean observing work over a five-year period. The IOOS Office is looking for proposals that strengthen the nation s ability to understand and make decisions about the coastal ocean and the Great Lakes by combining integrated observations, strong data management and delivery, modeling, and active engagement with users. In practical terms, the program is centered on keeping critical observing and information systems running and improving them so communities, industry, emergency managers, and resource stewards can rely on timely, high-quality environmental intelligence for safety, economic activity, and long-term stewardship.
Awards are expected to be issued as cooperative agreements, which typically means NOAA anticipates ongoing collaboration and substantial involvement during the life of the project rather than a hands-off grant. NOAA expects to make multiple awards, with an estimated ceiling of about 5,000,000 per award per year, for up to five years. Applicants can request less than the ceiling, and proposed budgets should include both direct and indirect costs. Because the funding depends on annual appropriations, the agency notes that final funding levels may change year to year even for a multi-year project.
The timeline is clearly laid out. The opportunity was created on February 10, 2026, and proposals are due by April 13, 2026. NOAA anticipates final funding recommendations around June 2026. If selected, projects are expected to start on September 1, 2026 and run through August 31, 2031, aligning with a full five-year implementation cycle intended to support sustained regional capacity rather than short, one-off efforts.
Eligibility is broad but has important boundaries. Institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments are eligible to apply as primary recipients. Federal agencies and federal institutions, as well as foreign governments, cannot be the main awardee under this announcement, but they can participate as partners when that makes sense for the proposed work. If partners will receive funding, the lead applicant is responsible for setting up subawards, subcontracts, or other appropriate mechanisms to pass funds through. There are also specific rules about federal partners: if the partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, IOOS will handle internal fund transfers; if the proposal includes a federal agency outside NOAA, the applicant must arrange its own method to support that partner because the IOOS Office will not transfer funds to other federal agencies on the awardee s behalf.
The notice also highlights a key cost restriction that applicants need to build into their budgets and project plans: transportation, travel, or other expenses for any federal employee are not allowable charges to the award, even if those federal employees serve in roles like board members within an applicant s governance structure. This means project engagement and collaboration structures need to be designed so that federal participation does not rely on grant funds to cover federal travel or related expenses.
Overall, this opportunity is aimed at sustaining and improving the regional backbone of the U.S. IOOS enterprise, with an emphasis on end-to-end capability: collecting observations, managing and serving data, developing and applying models, and working directly with stakeholders so the information produced is usable for real-world decisions. The announcement is listed under CFDA 11.012, has an expected 11 awards, and is published by DOC NOAA - ERA Production. Additional official background and materials are referenced on the U.S. IOOS website at https://ioos.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/ra-base-nofo/.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY 2026 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) funding opportunity?
This is a NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) competition that supports coordinated, regionally focused ocean observing work. It is designed to strengthen the nation s ability to understand and make decisions about the coastal ocean and the Great Lakes by combining integrated observations, strong data management and delivery, modeling, and active engagement with users.
2) What kinds of activities is this program intended to support?
The opportunity is centered on keeping critical observing and information systems running and improving them. The program emphasizes end-to-end capability, including collecting observations, managing and serving data, developing and applying models, and engaging stakeholders so the resulting information is usable for real-world decisions.
3) What outcomes is NOAA trying to achieve through this funding?
NOAA is aiming for timely, high-quality environmental intelligence that communities, industry, emergency managers, and resource stewards can rely on for safety, economic activity, and long-term stewardship of the coastal ocean and the Great Lakes.
4) What is the expected award type?
Awards are expected to be issued as cooperative agreements, meaning NOAA anticipates ongoing collaboration and substantial involvement during the project period rather than a hands-off grant.
5) How long is the project period?
The competition supports a five-year implementation cycle. If selected, projects are expected to start on September 1, 2026 and run through August 31, 2031.
6) What is the maximum funding amount available per award?
NOAA estimates an award ceiling of about 5,000,000 per award per year, for up to five years. Applicants can request less than the ceiling.
7) Can an applicant request less than the stated ceiling?
Yes. Applicants may propose budgets below the estimated ceiling.
8) Should budgets include direct and indirect costs?
Yes. Proposed budgets should include both direct and indirect costs.
9) Is funding guaranteed for all five years?
No. The notice states that funding depends on annual appropriations, and final funding levels may change year to year even for a multi-year project.
10) How many awards does NOAA expect to make?
The announcement indicates an expected 11 awards.
11) Who is eligible to apply as the primary recipient?
Eligible primary applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments.
12) Who is not allowed to be the main awardee under this announcement?
Federal agencies and federal institutions, as well as foreign governments, cannot be the main awardee (primary recipient) under this announcement.
13) Can federal entities participate in proposals in any capacity?
Yes. Federal agencies and institutions may participate as partners when appropriate, even though they cannot serve as the primary recipient under this announcement.
14) Can foreign governments participate?
The notice specifies that foreign governments cannot be the main awardee. The provided information does not describe other participation roles for foreign governments beyond that restriction.
15) If partners will receive funding, how should that be handled?
If partners will receive funding, the lead applicant is responsible for establishing subawards, subcontracts, or other appropriate mechanisms to pass funds through to partners.
16) How does funding work when a NOAA office or laboratory is a partner?
If the partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, IOOS will handle internal fund transfers.
17) How does funding work when a non-NOAA federal agency is a partner?
If the proposal includes a federal agency outside NOAA, the applicant must arrange its own method to support that partner because the IOOS Office will not transfer funds to other federal agencies on the awardee s behalf.
18) Are federal employee travel and transportation costs allowable on this award?
No. Transportation, travel, or other expenses for any federal employee are not allowable charges to the award. This applies even if those federal employees serve in roles such as board members within an applicant s governance structure.
19) What does the federal travel restriction mean for project planning?
It means collaboration and engagement structures need to be designed so federal participation does not rely on grant funds to cover federal travel or related expenses.
20) What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was created on February 10, 2026. Proposals are due by April 13, 2026. NOAA anticipates final funding recommendations around June 2026. Selected projects are expected to start on September 1, 2026.
21) What CFDA number is associated with this funding opportunity?
The announcement is listed under CFDA 11.012.
22) Which office is publishing this announcement?
The announcement is published by DOC NOAA - ERA Production, and it is a NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) competition.
23) Where can applicants find additional official background and materials?
Additional official background and materials are referenced on the U.S. IOOS website at: https://ioos.noaa.gov/about/funding-opportunities/ra-base-nofo/
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