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11.454 UNALLIED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

FEDERAL AGENCY

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

AUTHORIZATION

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C. 661; Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1854(e); National Fisheries Research and Development Program, 15 U.S.C. 713c 3(d), Department of Commerce Appropriation Act of 1999.

OBJECTIVES

Projects provide economic, sociological, public policy, and other information needed by Federal and State natural resource administrators for conserving and managing fishery resources and protected species and their environment in Federal, State, and U.S. territorial waters. Information derived from project studies may consist of econometric data, user profiles, sociological case studies, policy and systems analyses, and other knowledge, and is used in such decisions as resource allocations, total and zonal harvest determinations, and initial apportionment of harvesting rights under controlled access management regimes. Primary users of project information include the National Marine Fisheries Service, Regional Fishery Management Councils, Interstate Marine Fisheries Commissions, State, and other Federal resource management agencies.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS

Funds can be used by recipients to support a wide variety of management activities for high-priority marine and estuarine resources, especially for species and/or their habitat currently under or proposed for future Federal or interjurisdictional management.

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 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 application and conduct.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS

Preapplication Coordination

The standard application forms as furnished by the agency. This program is covered 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 information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. See http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

Application Procedure

Proposals are submitted through Grants.Gov. Applicants will need to enter the Funding Opportunity Number and/or CFDA number to access the application package and instructions. Application package will then be submitted directly to the (Name of your Office - Example Coastal Services Center). Proposals are subject to the requirements of 15 CFR Parts 14 and 24, as applicable.

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 for review and approval.

Deadlines

Project applications must be received by the receiving NMFS office at least 90 days before the requested start date of the project.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approval time is expected to range from 90 to 120 days, which includes processing of the award through the NMFS and NOAA financial assistance procedures.

Appeals

None.

Renewals

Approval time is expected to range from 90 to 120 days, which includes processing of the award through the NMFS and NOAA financial assistance procedures.

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 or 18-month period, but in some instances, award periods may extend beyond these periods, or may be completed in less time. Award funds must be spent in the indicated budget period and are expended in accordance with DOC/NOAA finance and reporting procedures. Funds are requested through the Financial Management System as part of the Department of Treasury's Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP). See http://www.fms.treas.gov/asap/pr_gettingstarted.html.

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 27, 2003), recipients that are States, Local Governments, Nonprofit 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

Generally, a recipient is required to retain records relating to a particular grant for three (3) years from the date of submission of the final financial report. In cases where litigation, claim or an audit is initiated prior to expiration of the three-year period, records must be retained until the action and resolution of any issues associated with it are complete or until the end of the three-year retention period; whichever is latest.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Account Identification

13-1450-0-1-306.

Obligations

(Grants and Cooperative Agreements) FY 04 actual: $8,627,619; FY 05 est $10,000,000; and FY 06 est $10,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$146,500 to $1,225,000. Average: $539,250.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Alaska Region: Development of programs seeking to stabilize and restore fisheries access to the Gulf of Alaska community-based small boat fleets and assist in the creation of new fisheries opportunities. Provide research assistance to aid in run forecasting and restoration of Yukon River salmon. These activities are carried out by 5 grants to Alaska recipients. Northeast Region: Conduct a study aimed at evaluating the performance of a 4.0" ring scallop dredge in comparison to the presently regulated 3.5" ring dredge in an effort to determine its applicability as part of an area management strategy for Atlantic sea scallops. To produce a series of maps of the sea floor in Georges Bank Closed Area II containing high aggregations of scallops. Work will entail conduct of a systematic video survey to document Atlantic sea scallop abundance, distribution, densities, biomass estimates, information on the associated benthos community, and sediment composition. Northeast Center: Northeast Center: Pop-up Archival Satellite Tags applied to giant bluefin tuna are being used to gather data to help define migration patterns, and the environmental conditions encountered and preferred by this species in the North Atlantic. Tag returns are producing data showing that bluefin tuna tagged in the U.S. fishery area travel. Southeast Region: Protected species management in South Carolina. Better defined parameters for the red snapper stock assessment. Development of a program to better document fishing effort in the southeastern shrimp fishery. Development of the Cooperative Research Program to increase and improve the working relationship between researchers from NMFS, state fishery agencies, universities and fishermen. Funded assessment of sea turtle excluder devices in shrimp fishery.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE

For cost principles, see OMB Circular Nos. A-21 (educational institutions), A-87 (State and local governments) or A-122 (nonprofit organizations). For grants management principles, see 15 CFR 24 (States and local governments) and 15 CFR 14 for other recipients.

INFORMATION CONTACTS

Regional or Local Office

Alaska: Shawn Carey, Alaska Regional Office, NMFS, P.O. Box 12668, Juneau, AK 99802- 1668. Telephone: (907) 586-7845. Use the same numbers for FTS. Email: shawn.carey@noaa.gov. Northeast: Harold C. Mears, Director, State, Federal and Constituent Programs Office, National Marine Fisheries Service; Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. Telephone: (978) 281-9243. Fax: (978) 281-9117. Email: Grants.Information@noaa.gov. Northwest: Kevin Ford, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Regional Office, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115. Telephone: (206)526-6150. Fax: (206) 526-6426. Email: Joe.Scordino@noaa.gov. Southeast: Federal Program Officer, State/Federal Liaison Branch, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Telephone: (727) 824-5324. Fax: (727) 824-5364. Email: cynthia.binkley@noaa.gov. Southwest: Patricia J. Donley, Federal Program Officer, Southwest Region Office, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. Telephone: (562) 980-4033. Fax: (562) 980-4047. Email: pat.donley@noaa..gov.

Headquarters Office

JoAnna Grable, Management and Administration Division,, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Telephone: (301) 713-1364. Fax: (301) 713-2258. Email: joanna.grable@noaa.gov.

Web Site Address

Alaska: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Southeast:http://caldera.sero.nmfs.gov/grants/programs/manage.htm

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS

Alaska: Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition; Support efforts to stabilize and restore fisheries access to Gulf of Alaska Community-based small-boat fleets. Create and activate plans to do run forecasting and restoration of Yukon River salmon. Support program reports on current events in the fisheries arena of the major fishing nations of the Pacific Rim. Northeast Center: Pop-up archival tags will be applied on giant bluefin tuna in New England and Canadian waters to gather data which will help define migration patterns, and the environmental conditions encountered and preferred by this species in the North Atlantic. Southeast: Compilation of information on sea turtle/shrimp fishing interactions and the use of turtle excluder devices. Assessment of how imports, consumer taste preferences, and damage to benthic habitat impact southeastern shrimp fisheries. Cooperative research project to investigate the interactions of pelagic fishes with commercial pelagic longline gear in the western North Atlantic.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS

Proposals are selected from several sources: Unsolicited proposals; special solicitations in the Federal Register, FedBizOppss,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.