Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003736
Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003736
- The Department of Commerce in the education environment information and statistics science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Round 2 of Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.468 Applied Meteorological Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 17, 2013 and posted on May 17, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Individuals Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility For profit organizations other than small businesses.
- Eligible applicants include all but government laboratories and government organizations in the US, and is open to proposals world wide, and may include unaffiliated qualified investigators, non government organizations, and industry applicants.
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Opportunity Summary:
Round 2 of the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program (HFIP) is a NOAA-led research funding opportunity focused on making measurable, near-term improvements in operational hurricane prediction. The program is designed to coordinate hurricane research across NOAA and partner agencies while also pulling in expertise from universities and private industry. The core purpose is practical: produce better numerical guidance for hurricane track, intensity, and related coastal impacts, and in doing so increase user confidence in NOAA forecasts. HFIP sets explicit performance targets, aiming to cut average track and intensity forecast errors by 20 percent within five years and 50 percent within ten years, with guidance extending out to seven days. The larger public value is framed in terms of clearer decision-making, better public response, and reduced loss of life and property.
This solicitation emphasizes research that can transition into operations quickly rather than purely exploratory work. Successful projects are expected to deliver promising improvements that can be moved into operational hurricane forecast systems within roughly two to three years after the end of the award period. The technical backdrop is modern numerical weather prediction (NWP), recognizing that most recent forecast gains have come from better observations, improved data assimilation, higher-resolution global and regional models with stronger physics, and ensemble-based guidance. HFIP is essentially trying to accelerate the next wave of those gains by funding targeted developments that can be tested, validated, and then inserted into NOAA workflows.
HFIP identifies several priority research themes. First is improving how observations are used, especially observations that capture both the larger-scale environment and the inner-core (vortex-scale) structure of tropical cyclones, and ensuring those data are beneficial in both global and high-resolution regional modeling systems. Second is advancing data assimilation methods for those same scales, since the way observations are incorporated can be as important as the observations themselves. Third is model development for both global and high-resolution regional hurricane models, which includes upgrades to model physics and configuration that demonstrably improve forecast skill. Fourth is enhancing high-resolution ensemble hurricane prediction systems to improve the utility of guidance for forecasters, including better handling of uncertainty. Fifth is research into the intrinsic predictability of tropical cyclone genesis, track, intensity, and rapid intensification, recognizing that understanding limits of predictability can guide smarter modeling and observational strategies.
The solicitation expects funded work to involve high-resolution regional hurricane models used in both research and operations, specifically referencing NOAA's operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) and related community systems. It points applicants to existing community support resources for the Advanced Hurricane Research WRF (AHRW) and HWRF through NCAR and the Developmental Testbed Center (DTC). For proposals that include HWRF model development, NOAA expects a clear testing and evaluation plan. That plan should describe a sensible testing hierarchy, starting with "do no harm" checks to ensure existing capabilities are not degraded, then moving through case studies, and potentially into multi-season evaluations that are typically needed for an operational transition. The DTC may be involved in conducting the more comprehensive testing in collaboration with the project team.
On the administrative side, this is a discretionary Department of Commerce opportunity administered through NOAA, using a cooperative agreement funding instrument. The program anticipated making about 15 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $2.5 million. Individual awards were expected to fall between $100,000 and $200,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated. The opportunity was posted May 17, 2013, with a closing date of July 15, 2013 (archived August 14, 2013). The CFDA listing is 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research, and the activity categories span areas such as environment, science and technology, education, and research and development.
Eligibility is broad and aimed at bringing in non-government expertise. Eligible applicants include many types of non-federal entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including those without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (with small businesses explicitly included), independent school districts, and individuals or unaffiliated qualified investigators. The notice indicates that eligibility includes applicants worldwide, but it excludes U.S. government laboratories and government organizations. The overall intent is to attract capable research teams who can partner effectively with NOAA to deliver improvements that are not just scientifically sound, but operationally testable and transferable to NOAA hurricane forecasting systems.
Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program (HFIP) Round 2 - FAQs
1) What is HFIP Round 2?
Round 2 of the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program (HFIP) is a NOAA-led research funding opportunity focused on making measurable, near-term improvements in operational hurricane prediction. The emphasis is on research that can be tested, validated, and transitioned into NOAA operations rather than purely exploratory work.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The core goal is practical: produce better numerical guidance for hurricane track, intensity, and related coastal impacts, and increase user confidence in NOAA forecasts. HFIP is designed to coordinate hurricane research across NOAA and partner agencies while incorporating expertise from universities and private industry.
3) What performance targets does HFIP set for forecast improvements?
HFIP sets explicit performance targets to cut average track and intensity forecast errors by 20 percent within five years and by 50 percent within ten years, with guidance extending out to seven days.
4) How quickly should results transition into operations?
The solicitation emphasizes outcomes that can transition into operational hurricane forecast systems quickly. Successful projects are expected to deliver promising improvements that can be moved into operations within roughly two to three years after the end of the award period.
5) What types of research does HFIP Round 2 prioritize?
HFIP Round 2 highlights targeted developments in modern numerical weather prediction (NWP), especially those tied to observations, data assimilation, model development, ensemble guidance, and predictability research. The overarching priority is operationally testable improvements that can be inserted into NOAA workflows.
6) What are the priority research themes identified by HFIP?
The solicitation identifies several priority themes:
- Improving the use of observations, especially data capturing both large-scale environment and inner-core (vortex-scale) tropical cyclone structure, and ensuring those observations benefit both global and high-resolution regional modeling systems.
- Advancing data assimilation for both the large-scale and vortex-scale, recognizing that how data are incorporated can be as important as the observations themselves.
- Model development for global and high-resolution regional hurricane models, including model physics and configuration upgrades that demonstrably improve forecast skill.
- Enhancing high-resolution ensemble prediction systems to improve operational guidance and better represent uncertainty for forecasters.
- Predictability research on tropical cyclone genesis, track, intensity, and rapid intensification, including understanding intrinsic limits that can inform modeling and observational strategies.
7) Is this opportunity focused on operational forecasting systems?
Yes. HFIP is explicitly aimed at improvements that can be used in operational hurricane prediction. It prioritizes near-term, measurable enhancements and expects proposals to be structured around testable and transferable changes to NOAA hurricane forecast systems.
8) Are specific models mentioned as relevant to this solicitation?
Yes. The solicitation expects funded work to involve high-resolution regional hurricane models used in research and operations, specifically referencing NOAA's operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) and related community systems.
9) Where can applicants find community support resources for the referenced models?
The solicitation points applicants to existing community support resources for the Advanced Hurricane Research WRF (AHRW) and HWRF through NCAR and the Developmental Testbed Center (DTC).
10) What is expected if a proposal includes HWRF model development?
For proposals that include HWRF model development, NOAA expects a clear testing and evaluation plan. That plan should describe a sensible testing hierarchy starting with "do no harm" checks to ensure existing capabilities are not degraded, then progressing through case studies, and potentially into multi-season evaluations that are typically required for an operational transition.
11) What does "do no harm" testing mean in this context?
In this solicitation, "do no harm" checks refer to initial testing designed to confirm that a proposed change does not degrade existing model capabilities before advancing to deeper evaluations such as case studies or multi-season testing.
12) Will any organization help with large-scale testing and evaluation?
The solicitation notes that the Developmental Testbed Center (DTC) may be involved in conducting more comprehensive testing in collaboration with the project team, particularly for evaluations that support operational transition decisions.
13) What kind of funding mechanism is used?
This is a discretionary Department of Commerce opportunity administered through NOAA, using a cooperative agreement funding instrument.
14) How many awards were anticipated?
The program anticipated making about 15 awards.
15) What is the estimated total funding level for the program?
The estimated total funding level was $2.5 million.
16) What is the expected size of individual awards?
Individual awards were expected to fall between $100,000 and $200,000.
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the provided opportunity information.
18) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on May 17, 2013, with a closing date of July 15, 2013. It was archived on August 14, 2013.
19) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research.
20) What activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories span areas such as environment, science and technology, education, and research and development.
21) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and aimed at bringing in non-government expertise. Eligible applicants include many types of non-federal entities, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (including those without 501(c)(3) status)
- Small businesses
- Other for-profit organizations
- Independent school districts
- Individuals or unaffiliated qualified investigators
22) Is eligibility limited to U.S.-based applicants?
The notice indicates eligibility includes applicants worldwide.
23) Are U.S. government labs or government organizations eligible?
No. The notice excludes U.S. government laboratories and government organizations.
24) What is the intended public benefit of the program?
The larger public value is framed as supporting clearer decision-making, improving public response, and reducing loss of life and property through better hurricane forecast guidance and improved confidence in NOAA forecasts.
25) What overall approach does HFIP take to improving forecasts?
HFIP is grounded in modern numerical weather prediction (NWP) and recognizes recent forecast gains from better observations, improved data assimilation, higher-resolution global and regional models with stronger physics, and ensemble-based guidance. The program aims to accelerate the next wave of these improvements through targeted, operationally oriented research.
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