GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is the IOOS Enterprise?

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a globally linked and nationally coordinated federal and non-federal network of observations and data management, analyses and communications that systematically and efficiently delivers information on past, present, and future states of the coastal ocean. The IOOS “Enterprise” is intended to represent the full scale of partners who may be contributing to, or benefitting from, the integrated ocean observing system. This includes global to local participants in ocean observing, data management and prediction from federal, academic, non-profit, and private firms or organizations. The IOOS Enterprise represents the inclusive mission of U.S. IOOS as defined by the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System (ICOOS) Act of 2009. Any entity contributing toward solutions or implementation of IOOS is welcomed as a part of the Enterprise.

What are the Project priorities for the Funding Opportunity?

The overarching goal of the COMT is to bolster an operational oceanography capability for the nation which provides sustained accurate oceanographic products and services to support decision making.  In support of that goal, IOOS has identified the following objectives:

• Improvements to the coastal physics representation in community models.
• Coupling the National Water Model (Office of Water Prediction)  with ocean circulation models to understand and predict the combined effects of land processes (riverine input/land runoff) and ocean circulation (wind/waves/tides) on coastal inundation, sediment transport and water quality in the coastal zone; of particular interest is 3D modeling approaches for coupling the National Water Model and ocean circulation models with a focus on temperature and salinity. 
• Approaches to improve performance, speed, or accuracy of data assimilation algorithms for operational models.
• Model evaluation through reanalysis/ hindcasting, skill assessment and/or  development of acceptance metrics for operational models within NOAAs portfolio
• Finding efficient approaches to transition ecosystem models (including, but not limited to, ocean acidification, harmful algal bloom (HAB), hypoxia, and pathogens) for incorporation into existing physical modeling frameworks.
• Performance evaluation of competitive forecast model approaches including development of metrics to evaluate model improvements.

Who can apply?

Eligible funding applicants for this competition are institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and State, local and tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions and foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under this announcement, but they are encouraged to partner with applicants when appropriate. 

If an applicant has a partner(s) who would receive funds, the lead grantee will be expected to use subcontracts or other appropriate mechanisms to provide funds to the partner(s). If a partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, the IOOS office will transfer funds internally. 

Applicants should note that paying for transportation or travel for any Federal employee are unallowable costs.

What are important dates in the submission process?

Applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on February 28th, 2024.

The NOFO states that the start date on proposals should be September 1, 2021, or the first day of the month of any month after August 1, 2021, but no later than October 1, 2021. How is that determined?  

The start date is determined when an applicant receives notification from NOAA’s Grants Management Division that they have been selected as the awardee. The date the applicant accepts the award becomes the official start date of the award. Start date is expected to be September 1, 2021.  

Can NOAA employees receive funds as long as they partner with non-Federal entities and use these funds for research/modeling operations​? 

Federal agencies or institutions and foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under this announcement, but they are encouraged to partner with applicants when appropriate. 

If an applicant has a partner(s) who would receive funds, the lead grantee will be expected to use subcontracts or other appropriate mechanisms to provide funds to the partner(s). If a partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, the IOOS office will transfer funds internally. IOOS will transfer the funds to a NOAA office or laboratory internally via a budget operating plan (BOP).

Applicants should note that paying for transportation or travel for any Federal employee are unallowable costs.

Where can I find info about the COMT NOFO and information for application?

The COMT NOFO application forms can be located: COMT NOFO

Click the NOAA-NOS-IOOS-2024-2008197 link.

Go under the Package tab – Enter

Click the Preview or Apply link to find application forms for the COMT NOFO.

What other resources are available to help me complete my application package?

Follow the guidance in the NOFO to ensure your proposal package is responsive. The IOOS website funding opportunities page and www.grants.gov are also resources you may find useful.

Is a letter of intent (LOI) needed?

No letter of intention is needed for this NOFO.

Can a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) apply for the COMT NOFO?

FFRDCs themselves can't be awarded grants so that if they do receive NOAA funding, it is through the contractor organization that operates them. This would mean that the contract organization can directly apply for the award. If the submission application is successfully awarded then the funds would go directly to the contract organization.

If we have received money through the Ocean Technology Transition (OTT) award, will we not be considered for COMT?

Funding from OTT does not affect your eligibility for COMT funding. Your proposals for different work will still be considered.

Is this COMT NOFO looking for individual institution submissions or expecting larger lean (in terms of funding getting split many ways) teams?

Both are acceptable. Individual institutions or multi-institution proposals will be accepted.  However, per the NOFO:

“Applicants to this topic must demonstrate that NOAA, IOOS Regional Associations, and /or other potential operational hosts are integral to the transition activities.  Additional partners are encouraged, especially those representing an end user or customer for the proposed product.   

Applicants should identify intended end users of the model or product that will be evaluated in the Testbed. Commitment from operators and end users is critical to the eventual success of each project and the transition and adoption of the models, tools or forecast products for sustained use. A successful project will involve operators and practitioners, to the fullest extent possible, from the beginning of the project. The applicant must show a clear path for further developing the partnerships and opportunities for transfer throughout the course of the project. To ensure that research leads to practical and valuable management outcomes, proposals should include a minimum of two investigators, a Scientific Principal Investigator and an Transition Principal Investigator”. 

There seems quite an emphasis on transition to operations rather that testing and inter-comparing systems toward scoping out models that could be built for operations. Is that a fair summary?

Not necessarily. This NOFO is targeting projects in RL 4-7 that advance at least 2 RLs. The NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 215-105B (referenced in the NOFO) specifies that end users/operators should be identified as early as RL 4, so this NOFO also follows that guidance with an emphasis on appropriate transition to operations engagement early in the project development and testing.  Applicants should still specify what RL they will be starting and advancing to and how they establish those RLs for their projects based on the guidance in the NAO.

For work I’m considering, I can not move past RL6 without operating beyond the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) firewall for data access.  Can I make plans to get to RL7?

You should be working with your federal partners if you plan to need access beyond the NCEP firewall. You should only propose work that you have a commitment from all partners to execute.

With the requirement to  “demonstrate that that IOOS Regional Associations(RA) and/or other potential operational hosts are integral to the transition activities,” do we have to fund RAs?

No, you are not required to provide funding to the RAs but you must meet the guidance in the NOFO for partnership/engagement.

We are targeting a federal organization for our operational host, do they need to be our Transition PI?

No, they do not need to be, but can be if they choose to. Use the Transition PI responsibilities:

Developing application concept based on stakeholder outreach;

Coordination and communications with the operator and end user groups, ensuring continuous engagement in project activities (meetings, workshops), and outreach of project results;

Ensuring that the milestones representing transition of research to operations are met. 

Enabling collaboration within projects and between COMT project teams to improve COMT and the impact and value of the technical projects done within it.

Could conducting training for operators satisfy the requirement for ‘developing the partnerships and opportunities for transfer throughout the course of the project’?

Conducting training could be an activity that develops partnerships and opportunities for transfer.

Should we be seeking letters of support, etc., to demonstrate that the operator(s) that will ultimately adopt the models or products for operational demonstrate a strong interest in and commitment to the proposed evaluation or model?

Letters of support can be used to demonstrate support for a project and will be considered in applications.

Can we have international partners as a subcontractor?

Yes.

Is it a bad idea to seek the maximum funding in terms of likely selection?

There is no negative repercussion for seeking the maximum level of funding. It will not impact your selection. Be reminded that the NOFO states, “Within the project narrative applicants are encouraged to identify modular components of the project and priority order in which the modules could be funded individually if funding available for the COMT is less than expected.”

COMT is a coastal and ocean modeling testbed, could it include evaluation of global operational model physics in the coastal ocean?

Yes.

Can Federal partners be Co-PIs?

Per the NOFO: Federal agencies or institutions and foreign governments may not be the primary recipient of awards under this announcement, but they are encouraged to partner with applicants when appropriate. 

If an applicant has a partner(s) who would receive funds, the lead grantee will be expected to use subcontracts or other appropriate mechanisms to provide funds to the partner(s). If a partner is a NOAA office or laboratory, the IOOS office will transfer funds internally. 

Applicants should note that paying for transportation or travel for any Federal employee are unallowable costs.

Does this funding opportunity accept projects for issues that are not strictly coastal?

Yes. The COMT is the Coastal AND Ocean Modeling Testbed, so coastal is not a limiting term and proposals will be considered if they are responsive to the target areas of interest.

Can COMT proposals target non-NOAA federal partners?

Per the NOFO language, " Of particular interest are coastal ocean and lake phenomena that intersect the mission goals of NOAA, other operational agencies, and the IOOS Regional Associations."  So a project targeting a different agency to improve coastal and ocean modeling would be eligible for funding.”  

‘RA’s should be integral to transition activities’. What does that mean?

The language in the NOFO states "Applicants to this topic must demonstrate that IOOS Regional Associations and / or other potential operational hosts are integral to the transition activities," so it is really up to you to define how you will integrate or include your targeted RAs in your proposal.

‘There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards for this federal funding opportunity or that any proposal will be selected’. a. How likely is this to happen (has it happened before)? b. If funds are granted, will all submitters receive an evaluation of their proposal? c. Is there a chance that a proposal will only be partially funded?

a. There is no guarantee of funding. The COMT has been funded since 2010 and has not had any years with no funding so far, but anticipated funding for all awards is subject to appropriations.

b. If proposals meet the minimum requirements, they will be reviewed and evaluations provided.

c. There is a chance that if a proposal is selected, there will be a negotiation period where the PO can only partially fund the work.  

Be reminded that the NOFO states, “Within the project narrative applicants are encouraged to identify modular components of the project and priority order in which the modules could be funded individually if funding available for the COMT is less than expected.”

How does the COMT program define operational?

Within NOAA, the transition of research to operations is governed by a NOAA Administrative Order (NAO 216-105B). This NAO defines Operational as “Sustained, systematic, reliable, and robust mission activities with an institutional commitment to deliver specified products and services.”  The key element for determining the likelihood of success for a transition project is an institutional commitment on the part of the operating institution. COMT aims to transition projects for operations within NOS, other parts of NOAA such as NWS, other federal or state agencies, or IOOS Regional Associations.   

Can we list additional PIs or specific roles beyond those identified in the NOFO?

Yes. There is no restriction on listing other planned PIs or roles.

Who should we address letters of support to?

You can address them to Carl Gouldman, Director U.S. IOOS, NOAA/National Ocean Service.

What is the page count guidance for the budget?

The lead institution will have 10 pages double spaced for the detailed budget. A separate detailed budget and a SF-424A must be included in the application package for each sub-award.

Is the budget narrative to be included in what is a 20-page limit?  

The proposal narrative 20 page limit is separate from the detailed budget 10 page limit. 

For costing purposes, what style of deliverables should we plan on providing? Quarterly or annual progress reports (memo style)? Or PowerPoint presentations? Or Formal Technical Reports? Or Journal Papers? 

You can expect semi-annual progress reports. You can also expect the COMT may try to produce a special issue journal at some point so you may be expected to contribute some articles to such a publication as we have done in the past with JGR Oceans.

If I’m including an RA for funding, does the funding get routed from IOOS or do I need to make them a subawardee?

IOOS will draft a Cooperative Agreement grant with the Principal Investigator and their affiliate institution.  Any subcontracts or other agreements are at the discretion of the PI.

Could you define what the IOOS regional association partner is?

IOOS Regional Associations are those specifically identified here.

Can a private industry colleague participate in this opportunity?

Private entities can be part of the proposal.

Is it going to be another similar NOFO for the fiscal year 2022 if our proposal is not awarded for 2021?

There will not be another COMT NOFO in FY22. It is also possible that projects that are not selected during Fiscal Year 2021 may be selected during Fiscal Year 2022 if new funds are identified by IOOS.

Does the data management plan need to be included in the project narrative or can it be part of an appendix?

Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management Plan as part of the project narrative, of up to two pages describing how these requirements will be satisfied. The Data Management Plan should be aligned with the Data Management Guidance provided by NOAA in the Announcement. Cyberinfrastructure(CI) including meeting metadata guidelines of CI group. Guidance and templates for the development of this plan can be found at: US Dept of Commerce/NOAA Environmental Data Management Committee (EDMC) - NOAA PD Data Sharing Policy.