National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) managed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and the President's Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI). It seeks collaborative research proposals that advance the NOPP mission established in Title II, Subtitle E of Public Law 104-201.

What is the main purpose of the solicitation?

The solicitation is designed to bring multiple sectors together to address ocean science and technology needs that benefit from coordinated, cross-organization work. It emphasizes solutions that can operate as part of a broader, integrated program rather than stand-alone demonstrations.

Is this tied to a single agency's research agenda?

No. While ONR is managing the solicitation, funding may ultimately come from any NOPP member agency. This means proposals can align with broader interagency priorities rather than a single-agency research agenda.

What are the research topic areas?

The solicitation is organized into four topic areas:

• Topic 1: Detection, classification, and localization algorithms (methods to identify/characterize targets or events and determine where they are located).
• Topic 2: Active acoustic monitoring (use of actively transmitted sound and analysis of returns to monitor ocean environments or phenomena).
• Topic 3: Database services and computational capacity (improving data infrastructure, access, management, and computing resources for large/complex ocean datasets).
• Topic 4: Novel uses of existing technologies (creative adaptation of mature or already-available tools and systems to new ocean science and monitoring challenges).

How much funding is expected?

Total funding is projected at approximately $3.75 million over three years, but it is not guaranteed. Availability depends on congressional appropriations and final approval by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Partnerships (IWG-OP) under ICOSRMI.

How long is the funding period?

The funding projection is described as spanning three years (approximately $3.75 million total over that period, subject to availability and approvals).

What types of awards can be made?

Awards may be made as grants or other assistance instruments under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research).

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply as a lead organization?

The competition is broadly open to responsible sources in academia and industry. However, proposals must meet the teaming requirement: they must include participants from at least two of three sectors: academia, industry (including NGOs), and government (including state and local government).

What does the solicitation mean by "true teaming"?

It requires multi-sector collaboration. Specifically, each proposal must include participants from at least two of these sectors: academia, industry (including NGOs), and government (including state and local government).

Are government participants allowed or required?

Government entities (including state and local government) can be part of the team, but the teaming requirement is to include at least two of the three sectors. A proposal could meet this requirement through academia + industry, academia + government, or industry + government.

Are HBCUs and Minority Institutions encouraged to participate?

Yes. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are explicitly encouraged to participate either as lead applicants or as team members. However, the announcement does not provide set-aside funding reserved specifically for them.

Can foreign institutions participate?

Yes. Foreign institutions may participate as partners. The solicitation notes that the National Science Foundation (NSF) rarely funds foreign organizations directly, but NSF may consider funding the U.S. portion of an otherwise international collaboration when NSF is the funding agency for a selected project.

Can FFRDCs receive awards under this BAA?

No. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy national laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards under this BAA.

Can an FFRDC, federal laboratory, or other federal entity serve as the Principal Investigator (PI)?

No. The announcement states that FFRDCs, federal laboratories, and other federal entities may not serve as Principal Investigators.

Can Navy laboratories and warfare centers submit proposals directly?

No. Navy laboratories and warfare centers, as well as other Department of Defense and civilian agency laboratories, are not eligible to submit white papers or full proposals directly.

Can federal labs or FFRDCs participate in some way?

Yes, in a limited way. These organizations may participate through teaming arrangements with eligible applicants, as long as those arrangements comply with the relevant sponsoring agreements. In practice, the lead organization and PI must come from an eligible non-federal applicant, while certain federal labs or FFRDCs may contribute in a supporting role if permitted.

What collaboration expectations apply to selected teams?

Teams must be willing to work in a cooperative, integrated environment. Offerors must be prepared to coordinate with other contractors and system integrators selected by ONR and to exchange software, data, and related information as part of the larger program effort.

Does the solicitation expect export-controlled technologies?

The announcement indicates that the topics are not expected to involve export-controlled technologies, which can reduce administrative complexity for collaboration and information sharing.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is ONRBAA10-024.

When was the opportunity posted?

The posting date is August 18, 2010.

What is the proposal deadline?

The proposal deadline is November 23, 2010.

What is the archive date?

The archive date listed is December 23, 2010.

Who is the point of contact for access issues or announcement-related questions?

The listed point of contact is Frank Kennedy, Contract Specialist. Phone: 703-696-2440.

Which organizations are involved in releasing and managing the solicitation?

The opportunity was released by ONR on behalf of NOPP and ICOSRMI. ONR is managing the solicitation, and funding may come from any NOPP member agency.

Does the solicitation emphasize standalone demonstrations or integrated program contributions?

It emphasizes integrated program contributions. Across all four topic areas, the announcement signals an interest in solutions that can operate as part of a broader, integrated program rather than as isolated demonstrations.