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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

11.472:  Unallied Science Program

Objectives:  To provide grants and cooperative agreements of biological, socio-economic and physical science research on the stocks of fishery and protected resources of the United States and their environment that will contribute to their optimal management for the benefit of the Nation; also, to award grants and cooperative agreements to develop innovative approaches and methods for marine and estuarine science.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

11.472 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Eligible applicants for assistance include: State and local governments, including their universities and colleges; U.S. territorial agencies; federally and State-recognized Indian Tribal governments; private universities and colleges; private profit and nonprofit research and conservation organizations and/or individuals.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  This program benefits Federal, State and interstate marine resource conservation and management agencies; U.S. and foreign commercial and recreational fishing industries; conservation organizations, academic institutions; international and Indian Tribal treaties; private and public research groups; consumers; and the general public.

Credentials/Documentation:  Applicants are required to satisfy all DOC/NOAA standards and regulations, including routine and special terms and conditions, for financial assistance programs applications and conduct.

11.472 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  The standard application forms as furnished by the agency. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:  Submission of an application on Standard Form 424 as furnished by NOAA, including all required certifications, to the appropriate National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Regional Director, Science and Research, or Office Director. This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR Part 24 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments), and OMB Circular Nos. A-110 and A-87. NOAA reserves the right to withhold the awarding of a grant or cooperative agreement to any individual or organization delinquent on a debt to the Federal government until payment is made or satisfactory arrangements are made with the agency to whom the debt is owed.

Award Procedure:  Proposals are initially evaluated by the pertinent NMFS Office/Region/Science Center, and are subject to review for technical merit, soundness of design, competency of the applicant to perform the proposed work, potential contribution of the project to national or regional goals, and appropriateness and reasonableness of proposed costs. Projects approved for funding will be submitted to the NOAA Grants Management Division and the Department of Commerce's Office of Federal Assistance for review and approval.

Deadlines:  Project applications must be received by the receiving NMFS office at least 120 days before the requested start date of the project.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Approval time is expected to range from 90 to 150 days, which includes processing of the award through the NMFS, NOAA, and DOC financial assistance procedures.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Renewal of an award to increase funding and/or extend the period of an award is at the sole discretion of the Department.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Proposals are selected from several sources: Unsolicited proposals; special solicitations in the Federal Register or Commerce Business Daily; or Congressionally-mandated projects. Regardless of source, proposals must undergo rigorous technical review and comply with all OMB, DOC, and NOAA grants policies and procedures.

Examples of Funded Projects:  NER- Activities include investigating the movements and ecology of migrating Atlantic salmon within Maine waters, and the growth, recruitment and survival of hard clams in Long Island's South Shore Estuary. SER-Funded a cooperative program that investigated the technical, economic and commercial feasibility of farm raising marine finfish in cages in the northern Gulf of Mexico utilizing oil and gas production platforms as operation centers. Provided funds to refine, field-test and demonstrate a successful marine fisheries stock management program for the Gulf of Mexico that blends aquaculture technology with traditional fishery management practices. Georgia and South Carolina were funded for their endangered species programs on sea turtles. Funded research in red drum biology to better understand survival rates in the wild.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  $32,374 to $427,500; $62,000.

11.472 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

11.472 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

SER - South Carolina endangered species program; recovery of threatened and endangered marine species in Georgia; U.S. Gulf of Mexico marine stock enhancement program; Northern Gulf of Mexico mariculture projects; Contributions to the biology of the red drum in South Carolina; funded research to examine the biological and hydrographic characteristics of the Charleston Bump; provided support for research into pathogens affecting shrimp in the southeastern United States; funded sampling survey to develop an index of sea turtle abundance along the southern U.S. Atlantic coast. AKR - Feasibility study for a Pacific Salmon Aquarium and Fisheries Center in the Ship Creek basin of Anchorage, Alaska.

11.472 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AGENCY, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

Obligations:  (Cooperative Agreements) FY 99 $3,807,251; FY 00 est $2,649,600; and FY 01 est $2,649,600.

Budget Account Number:  13-1450-0-1-306.

Authorization:  Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C. 661; Fish and Wildlife Act, 16 U.S.C. 753a.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  For grants management principles, see OMB Circular No. A-102, as implemented by 15 CFR Part 24 (State and local governments), and OMB Circular No. A-110 (educational institutions and nonprofit organizations).

11.472 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Northeast: Mr. Harold C. Mears, State, Federal, and Constituent Programs; Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. Phone: (978) 281-9243. E-mail: Grants.Information@noaa.gov; Southeast: Mr. Jeffrey Brown, State/Federal Liaison Staff, Southeast Regional Office, 9721 Executive Center Drive, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432. Phone: (727) 570-4324, Fax: (727) 570-5364, Email: jeff.brown@noaa.gov; Southwest: Mr. James Morgan, Grants Coordinator, Southwest Regional Office, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. Phone: (310) 980-4001; Alaska: Alaska Regional Office, Peter Jones, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Phone: (907) 586-7280, Fax: (907) 586-7255. Use the same numbers for FTS.

Headquarters Office:  Office of Operations, Management and Information, Administrative and Budget Processes Division, National Marine Fisheries Services, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Phone (301) 713-2245. Use the same numbers for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

11.472 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  This program has no statutory formula. Projects are funded at up to 100 percent of the Federal share. Grantee matching contributions are not required, but are encouraged.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Awards are normally for a 12-month period but in some instances, award periods may extend beyond 12 months, or may be completed in less than 12 months. Award funds must be spent in the indicated budget period and in accordance with DOC/NOAA finance and reporting procedures.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Funds can be used by recipients to support a wide variety of research on high-priority marine and estuarine resource issues, especially for resources and/or their habitat currently under, or proposed for future Federal or interjurisdictional management.

11.472 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Reporting requirements are outlined in the Terms and Conditions of the Financial Assistance Award. Progress reports summarize work accomplished and explain situations where expected work has not been completed. Financial reports indicate use of funds on a semi-annual schedule.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), recipients that are States, Local Governments, Non-profit Organizations (to include Hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award document.

Records:  All records must be maintained for a period of three years from the date of the final financial report of each segment.