Competition for a Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration | NOAA OAR OER 2019 2005712

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NOAA Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of Commerce funding opportunity announced through NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and its Ocean Exploration program. It is a discretionary funding opportunity to establish a single Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration.

2) What is the main purpose of establishing a Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration?

The purpose is to create a durable, long-term partnership environment between NOAA and the selected recipient organization (and its collaborators). The institute is intended to coordinate and sustain ocean exploration, applied research, technology development, and education and outreach in a unified, long-term way.

3) Is this funding for one institute or multiple awards?

The notice indicates there is one expected award, meaning the opportunity is designed to select a single Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration.

4) What type of funding instrument will be used?

The award would be made as a cooperative agreement.

5) What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement signals substantial federal involvement in shaping and carrying out the work. In other words, NOAA is expected to play an active role in the institute's activities rather than simply providing pass-through grant funding.

6) What is the overarching aim of the institute?

The overarching aim is to build and sustain, in a coordinated way, a long-term partnership that supports ocean exploration, applied research, technology development, and education and outreach aligned with NOAA priorities for global ocean resources and related phenomena.

7) What are the central goals the Cooperative Institute is expected to advance?

The institute is expected to advance three central goals:

• Support discovery and initial characterization of new marine life and ocean phenomena (including living and non-living resources or features).
• Strengthen undersea technology capabilities for NOAA and the nation through partnerships (including potential partnerships with academia, private industry, and not-for-profit institutions).
• Increase the usefulness of ocean exploration results to stakeholders by translating outputs into products, information, and services that are easier to understand and apply.

8) What does "discovery and initial characterization" mean in this context?

Based on the description, "initial characterization" emphasizes moving discoveries from first observation to early-stage description and contextual understanding. The intent is to produce foundational information that can support follow-on science, management, and policy decisions by NOAA and partners.

9) What kinds of discoveries are in scope for the institute?

The scope includes discovery and initial characterization of new marine life and ocean phenomena, including both:

• Living resources: marine flora and fauna
• Non-living resources or features: non-living aspects of the marine environment and related phenomena

10) What technology outcomes does NOAA expect from this institute?

The institute is expected to strengthen undersea technology capabilities for NOAA and the nation. The description highlights an applied focus such as developing, testing, and transitioning tools and platforms that enable deeper and more effective exploration, as well as improving technical capacity to access, observe, and map the ocean.

11) Are partnerships required or encouraged?

Partnerships are explicitly referenced as part of strengthening undersea technology capabilities. The opportunity notes partnerships may include academia, private industry, and not-for-profit institutions, indicating a collaborative structure is expected.

12) Who are the intended stakeholders for the institute's outputs?

The opportunity indicates that results should be made more useful to stakeholders, including examples such as other government agencies, researchers, educators, resource managers, and broader public audiences.

13) What does it mean to "increase the usefulness" of ocean exploration results?

It implies an expectation that exploration outputs will be translated into products, information, and services that stakeholders can more easily understand and apply, rather than remaining only as raw results or technical findings.

14) Is this meant to be a single research project or a broader program?

It is framed as a broad-based program rather than a narrow, single-project effort. NOAA describes the institute as a vehicle for sustained capabilities across exploration and research activities, technology development, and education and outreach.

15) What major activity areas are expected to be included in the institute?

The opportunity describes an institute that spans multiple connected activity areas, including ocean exploration, applied research, technology development, and education and outreach, all aligned with NOAA priorities.

16) What does "education and outreach" suggest for the institute's responsibilities?

The description suggests the institute should help build awareness and workforce capacity through training and public engagement efforts, alongside its exploration, research, and technology roles.

17) How large is the potential award?

The award ceiling is listed as up to $150,000,000, indicating a potentially large, institute-scale investment rather than smaller grant-sized awards.

18) What is the opportunity name, funding opportunity number, and CFDA number?

• Opportunity name: Competition for a Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration
• Funding opportunity number: NOAA OAR OER 2019 2005712
• CFDA number: 11.432

19) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development. This reflects a blend of discovery science and applied technology development.

20) When was the opportunity posted and what were the listed dates?

The posting shows a creation date of July 10, 2018, with an original closing date of September 10, 2018.

21) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is summarized as "Others." The notice also indicates applicants should consult the opportunity's additional eligibility information for specifics, which typically means eligibility may include a range of institutions depending on NOAA's stated criteria in the full notice.

22) Does the provided information include detailed eligibility requirements?

No. The provided information only states that eligibility is summarized as "Others" and refers readers to additional eligibility information in the full opportunity notice for the specific criteria.

23) What role is NOAA expected to play after an award is made?

Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, NOAA is expected to have substantial involvement in shaping and carrying out the work, consistent with establishing a long-term partnership environment.

24) What kinds of capabilities might the institute be expected to sustain?

The description suggests sustained capabilities across exploration and research activities, technology development, and education and outreach, including coordinating multidisciplinary teams, supporting an integrated pipeline from exploration to data and knowledge dissemination, and maintaining or accessing specialized assets and expertise.

25) Is this opportunity focused only on NOAA internal needs?

The description emphasizes benefits to NOAA and broader national priorities, including strengthening undersea technology capabilities for NOAA and the nation and improving the usefulness of results to a broad set of stakeholders.