> **ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY**
>
> **[EXECUTIVE SUMMARY]{.underline}**

-   **Federal Agency Name:** Office of Education (OED), National Oceanic
    and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

-   **Funding Opportunity Title:** Environmental Literacy Grants for
    Free-choice Learning

-   **Announcement Type:** Initial Announcement

-   **Funding Opportunity Number:** SEC-OED-2007-2000859

-   **Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:** 11.469

-   **Program Authorities:** 15 U.S.C. 1540

-   **Dates:** Preliminary proposals (pre-proposals) are required for
    submission of a full application and must be received by 5:00 p.m.,
    EST, November 29, 2006. The deadline for full applications is 5:00
    p.m., EST, March 21, 2007. Applicants who submit a pre-proposal will
    receive notification authorizing submission of a full application on
    or about February 2, 2007.

-   **Application Submission:** Pre-proposals are required for all
    applications. Pre-proposals and full applications must be submitted
    either through Grants.gov or as a paper application to: ATTN: ELG
    Competition Manager, NOAA Office of Education, U.S. Department of
    Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave, N.W. HCHB Room 6863, Washington,
    DC 20230. **Please note:** Hard copies submitted via the US Postal
    Service can take up to 4 weeks to reach this office; applicants are
    recommended to send hard copies via expedited shipping methods (e.g,
    Airborne Express, DHL, Fed Ex, UPS).

-   **Overview Content:** NOAA's Office of Education (OED) is issuing a
    request for applications for environmental literacy projects in
    support of free-choice learning[^1]. Funded projects will be between
    one and five years in duration and will create new, or capitalize on
    existing, networks of institutions, agencies and /or organizations
    to provide common messages about key concepts in Earth System
    Science.

> During FY 2007, Environmental Literacy Grants will address 3
> priorities through separate Federal Funding Opportunity announcements.
> These priorities all have the goal of creating a more environmentally
> literate citizenry and are:
>
> \(1\) free-choice learning projects and programs that deliver common
> messages about key concepts in Earth System Science; (2) formal
> education projects that promote long-lasting change in K-12 education
> to improve student understanding of Earth System Science; and (3)
> projects that use data visualization for educational purposes
> (including educational programming related to and installation of
> Science on a Sphere, Magic Planet^®^ or other 3-D display tools). The
> short titles of these Environmental Literacy Grant priorities and
> their corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity Announcements will be:

1.  Environmental Literacy Grants for Free-choice Learning (ELG
    Free-choice Learning)

2.  Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education (ELG Formal
    Ed)

3.  Environmental Literacy Grants for Data Visualizations for Education
    (ELG Data Vis)

> **[FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT]{.underline}**

I.  **[Funding Opportunity Description]{.underline}**

    A.  **Program Objective**

> The purpose of this document is to advise the public that NOAA's
> Office of Education (OED) is requesting applications for environmental
> literacy projects in support of free-choice learning[^2]. Funded
> projects will be between one and five years in duration and will
> create new, or capitalize on existing, networks of institutions,
> agencies and /or organizations to provide common messages about key
> concepts in Earth System Science, for example the Ocean Literacy
> Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts
> ([[http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf)).
> The proposed mechanisms for delivery of these messages may include
> public literacy campaigns, kiosks or traveling exhibits, and/or the
> revision of existing programs that would be made available at multiple
> venues. The proposed projects should support NOAA\'s vision which is:
> an informed society that uses a comprehensive understanding of the
> role of the ocean, coasts, and atmosphere in the global ecosystem to
> make the best social and economic decisions. Successful projects
> should reach significant segments of the U.S. population at a state,
> multi-state or national level. The environmental literacy messages
> should clearly convey how the Earth system influences a project's
> target audience, how the target audience is influencing the Earth
> system and how an environmentally literate public can make informed
> decisions. The goal of these projects should be to provide adequate
> information to move the audience's knowledge beyond basic awareness
> while reaching audiences sufficient in size with a message that
> promotes such a change. **Note:** applications for exhibits involving
> construction of part or all of a building are not eligible for funding
> under this announcement. Formal education projects and projects that
> focus on development of new data visualizations and platforms will not
> be considered for funding through this announcement. Please visit
> [www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html](http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html)
> for information on these additional funding opportunities.
>
> All projects shall employ the relevant strategies articulated in the
> NOAA Education Plan (<http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf>). All
> projects should be implemented at a state, multi-state or national
> level and have evaluations that fully assess the strengths and
> weaknesses of the proposed project. It is anticipated that final
> recommendations for funding under this announcement will be made by
> June 30, 2007, and that projects funded under this announcement will
> have a start date no earlier than September 15, 2007.

B.  **Program Priorities**

> Please refer to I.A., Program Objective. There are no other program
> priorities. This FFO meets NOAA's Mission Goal to protect restore and
> manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystems-based
> management.

C.  **Program Authorities**

> Authority for the Environmental Literacy Grants for Free-choice
> Learning program is provided by the following: 15 U.S.C. 1540.

II. **[Award Information]{.underline}**

    A.  **Funding Availability for FY 2007**

> NOAA anticipates the availability of approximately \$1,500,000 of
> Federal financial assistance in FY 2007 for free-choice learning
> projects. Approximately 2 to 5 awards in the form of grants or
> cooperative agreements will be made. NOAA will only consider projects
> that have duration of 1 to 5 years. The total Federal amount for all
> years that may be requested from NOAA for the direct and indirect
> costs of the proposed project shall not exceed \$750,000. The minimum
> Federal amount that must be requested from NOAA for all years for the
> direct and indirect costs is \$200,000. Applications requesting
> Federal support from NOAA of less than \$200,000 total or more than
> \$750,000 total will not be considered for funding.
>
> The amount of funding available through this announcement will be
> dependent upon the final FY07 appropriation. Publication of this
> announcement does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or
> to obligate all or any part of the available funds. If an applicant
> incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an
> authorized NOAA Grants Officer, the applicant would do so solely at
> one's own risk of such costs not being included under the award. The
> exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in
> pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives.

B.  **Project/Award Period**

> One- to five-year proposals will be accepted for program review.
> Applications must include a project description and a budget for the
> entire award period. The earliest start date for awards will be
> approximately September 15, 2007.

C.  **Type of Funding Instrument**

> Awards may be issued through grants or cooperative agreements under
> the terms of this notice. For applications funded through cooperative
> agreements, substantial involvement of the government may include, but
> is not limited to, liaison activities between the grantee and NOAA
> personnel who are contributing data or expertise to the project.

III. **[Eligibility Information]{.underline}**

     A.  **Eligible Applicants**

> Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, other
> nonprofits, and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the
> United States. Among those eligible applicants are K through 12 public
> and independent schools and school systems, and science centers and
> museums. For-profit organizations, foreign institutions, foreign
> organizations and foreign government agencies are not eligible to
> apply. Federal agencies are not eligible to receive Federal assistance
> under this announcement, but may be project partners.
>
> The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric
> Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to increasing the
> participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), i.e.,
> Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving
> institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaskan Native and
> Native Hawaiian institutions, and institutions that work in
> underserved communities. Applications are encouraged that involve any
> of the above types of institutions.
>
> An individual may apply only once as principal investigator (PI)
> through this funding opportunity. However institutions may submit more
> than one application and individuals may serve as co-PIs or key
> personnel on more than one application.

B.  **Cost Sharing or Matching Requirements**

> There are no cost-sharing requirements.

IV. **[Application and Submission Information]{.underline}**

###### To Request an Application Package

> Pre-proposal and full application packages are available through
> [http://www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/). For those applicants
> without Internet access, pre-proposal and full application packages
> may be requested from NOAA's Office of Education by contacting Alyssa
> Gundersen at 202.482.3739 or sending a letter to Alyssa Gundersen,
> DOC/NOAA Office of Education, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 6863,
> Washington, DC 20230. **Printed forms from Grants.gov are not
> acceptable if submitting a pre-proposal or full application in hard
> copy.**
>
> Grants.gov requires applicants to register with the system prior to
> submitting an application. This registration process can take several
> weeks, involving multiple steps. In order to allow sufficient time for
> this process, you should register as soon as you decide you intend to
> apply, even if you are not yet ready to submit your proposal. If an
> applicant has problems downloading the application package from
> Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or
> <support@grants.gov>. For non-Windows computer systems, please see
> <http://www.grants.gov/MacSupport> for information on how to download
> and submit an application through Grants.gov.

A.  **Content and Format of Application Submission**

> Applicants must submit pre-proposals for review to prevent the
> expenditure of effort on proposals that may not be successful. All
> applicants will receive a response to their pre-proposal via email or
> letter indicating whether they are authorized to submit a full
> application. **Only those who submit pre-proposals are eligible to
> submit a full application.** The provisions for pre-proposal and full
> application preparation are mandatory. Applications that deviate from
> the prescribed format (refer to IV.B.1, Required Elements for
> Pre-proposals and IV.B.2, Required Elements of Full Applications) will
> not be reviewed. Additional guidance, including frequently asked
> questions (FAQ), is available online at
> [www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html](http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html).

1.  [Required Elements for Pre-proposals]{.underline}

> FORMAT: All pre-proposals must be typewritten on 8.5 x 11 inch paper
> in 11-point or greater font. If submitting a hard copy, you must send
> three copies of the complete pre-proposal including one with wet
> signatures on the required forms.
>
> CONTENT: Pre-proposals will be received by this office through
> Grants.gov or in hard copy via mail carrier (Note: expedited mail
> carriers, such as Fed Ex are strongly recommended for hard copy
> submissions.). Neither email nor fax submissions will be accepted.
> Each pre-proposal must contain the following 4 elements:

i.  SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (9/2003 version). Hard
    copy submissions must have a wet signature on one of the three
    copies.

ii. 2-page project description. This description must summarize the
    proposed project, expected output or product, project goals or
    impact, identify the project\'s partners, and explain how the
    project will address NOAA\'s education goals.

iii. 1-page budget. This should describe general costs associated with
     project implementation. For additional guidance on NOAA budget
     descriptions, visit <http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/BUDGTGUD.PDF>

iv. 1-page resume of Principal Investigator.

> **Failure to submit pre-proposals by the deadline will result in
> applicant ineligibility to submit full applications for this funding
> opportunity.**

2.  [Required Elements of Full Applications]{.underline}

> FORMAT: The page margin on standard letter-size paper must be one inch
> (2.5 cm) at the top, bottom, left, and right. The typeface must be
> standard 11-point size or larger and must be clear and easily legible.
> Color or high-resolution graphics, unusually sized materials, or
> otherwise unusual materials submitted as part of the proposal are
> allowed, but should be employed only when necessary for adequate
> description of the proposed project. Applications should be single
> spaced and follow the requirements described in Section IV.B.2.
> **Failure to comply with the application format as described in this
> section may result in proposal exclusion from review.**
>
> CONTENT: Full applications must include the elements (a) through (i)
> below; element (j) is optional. **Failure to provide this information
> in the required format and within prescribed page limits will result
> in the application being excluded from further review.**

a.  [OMB Forms]{.underline}. At time of application submission, all
    applicants anticipating direct funding shall submit the following
    forms with signatures of authorizing representative of the
    submitting institution (Note: submission through Grants.gov results
    in automatic electronic signatures on these forms. Hard copy
    submissions must have a wet signature.):

    i.  SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (9/2003 version)

    ii. SF-424-A, Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs (7/1997
        version)

    iii. SF-424-B, Assurances, Non-Construction Programs (7/1997
         version)

    iv. CD-511, Certifications Regarding Lobbying (1/2005 version)

Depending on the applicant, the following forms may also be required:

v.  SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) (7/1997
    version)

> Only the versions of these forms available in Grants.gov or sent to
> prospective applicants by the federal program officer will be
> acceptable.

b.  [Title Page.]{.underline} The title page identifies the project\'s
    title, the PI\'s and co-PI's names, affiliations, complete mailing
    addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and fax numbers. The
    requested total budget should also be included on the title page.
    One-page maximum. Title page templates are available at
    <http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_templates.html>.

c.  [1-page Project Abstract.]{.underline} Describe the essential
    elements of the proposed project. Include: 1) Title; 2) List of
    names and affiliations of each investigator who will significantly
    contribute to the project; 3) Funding request for each year of the
    project as well as total funding requested; and 4) Concise statement
    of the objectives of the project, description of the project
    activities, the expected outcome and the rationale for the work
    proposed. The abstract is used to help compare proposals quickly and
    allows the respondents to summarize these key points in their own
    words. Project summaries of applications that receive funding may be
    posted on program-related websites. One-page maximum.

d.  [15-page Project Description]{.underline}**.** The project
    description section must not exceed fifteen pages and must follow
    the formatting requirements in IV.B.2, Full Application Format. Page
    limits are inclusive of figures and other visual materials, but
    exclusive of references, the milestone chart, budget information,
    resumes, and letters of commitment. Each page of the project
    description should include page numbers and the Principal
    Investigator's name in the header or footer.

> The proposed 1- to 5-year project must be completely described. The
> project description should clearly identify project implementation and
> management with an explanation of the functions of each project team
> member. It should provide a full justification for and explanation of
> the project. This section should also include:

i.  The objective(s) and scope of work for the period of proposed
    activity, expected outcomes, and an explanation for how the activity
    and outcomes supports the Environmental Literacy Grants program
    objective (refer to I.A);

ii. The relationship to other ongoing environmental education activities
    and/or programs that are funded by NOAA, conducted by NOAA, or
    conducted by NOAA partners;

iii. A discussion of how the proposed project reflects or addresses
     components of the stated NOAA Education Plan and standards;

iv. A discussion of how the proposed project reflects or addresses the
    Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts, if
    applicable;

v.  Coordination with project partners (Note: letters of commitment
    articulating partners\' role should be submitted as a separate
    section of the application);

vi. A description of how project results will be disseminated beyond the
    audience immediately involved in the activities of the project;

vii. A description of how the project activities will be evaluated for
     effectiveness in meeting stated project goals and objectives as
     well as the goals of the NOAA Education Plan. Although a range of
     budgets for project evaluations will be accepted, it is not
     unreasonable for 10% or more of the budget to be allotted to a
     comprehensive evaluation of the project.

```{=html}
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e.  [References Cited]{.underline}. Reference information is required.
    Each reference must include the names of all authors in the same
    sequence in which they appear in the publication, the article title,
    publication or publication title, volume number, page numbers, and
    year of publication. While there is no established page limit, this
    section should include bibliographic citations only and should not
    be used to provide parenthetical information outside the 15-page
    project description. **If there are no references to cite,
    applicants must indicate this.**

f.  [Milestone Chart]{.underline}. Provide time lines of major tasks and
    potential outcomes covering the duration of the proposed project,
    including project evaluation. There is no page limit for this
    element.

g.  [Budget Narrative]{.underline}. All applications must include a
    detailed description of cost justification to support all proposed
    budget categories. The budget justification narrative should provide
    enough detail to allow OED staff and the review panel to evaluate
    the level of effort proposed by investigators and staff on a
    specific project. When appropriate, the narrative must provide
    details on: personnel salaries and fringe benefits (broken out by
    percent time and number of months devoted to the project for each
    individual to be paid by project); travel including per person and
    per trip costs for transportation, lodging and meals; equipment;
    supplies; contractual costs, such as anticipated sub-awards; and
    other costs, including printing, publications and communication
    costs. See <http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_templates.html> for the
    budget justification narrative template and detailed budget table
    template. Documentation regarding indirect-cost-rate agreements must
    also be included. For additional guidance on providing adequate
    budget justifications, visit
    <http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/BUDGTGUD.PDF>. There is no page
    limit for this element.

h.  [Brief Resumes.]{.underline} Each Principal Investigator,
    Co-Principal Investigator, and other key personnel involved in
    carrying out the proposal must provide a resume which includes
    relevant publication references, a list of professional and academic
    credentials and contact information (mailing address, email address,
    phone, fax). There is a 3-page maximum per resume.

i.  [Current and Pending Support.]{.underline} Describe all current and
    pending Federal and non-Federal funding for all principal
    investigators (PIs) and co-PIs. The capability of the applicants
    (PIs and co-PIs) and their collaborators to complete the proposed
    work in light of present commitments to other projects must be
    assessable. Therefore, please discuss the percentage of time the
    applicant and collaborators have committed to other Federal or
    non-Federal projects, as compared to the time that will be committed
    to the project solicited under this notice. Provide the name and
    telephone contact for three references for contracts or grants that
    the PIs have held over the last 1 to 3 years. **If the applicants
    have no current or pending funding beyond this application, this
    must be clearly indicated under a heading "Current and Pending
    Support."**

j.  [Letters of Commitment or other supplemental materials.]{.underline}
    If substantive partnerships are described in the project
    description, letters of commitment should be provided as well. These
    letters should be submitted as separate attachments in Grants.gov or
    submitted along with the hard copy application. Any other
    supplemental material should also be submitted as separate
    attachments in Grants.gov. Letters of commitment and other
    supplemental materials that arrive **after the due date** will not
    be provided for reviewers to consider.

The following table is provided as a checklist of required elements for
full applications

.

+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| **Application    | **Formatting | **Suggested File Naming | **Page  |
| Elements**       | Re           | Convention**            | Limit** |
|                  | strictions** |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| ######### Forms  |              |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| SF-424           | Provided     | Automated within        | N/A     |
|                  | Form         | Grants.gov; wet         |         |
|                  |              | signature required for  |         |
|                  |              | paper submission        |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| SF-424-A         | Provided     | Automated within        | N/A     |
|                  | Form         | Grants.gov              |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| SF-424-B         | Provided     | Automated within        | N/A     |
|                  | Form         | Grants.gov              |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| CD-511           | Provided     | Automated within        | N/A     |
|                  | Form         | Grants.gov              |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| SF-LLL\*         | Provided     | Automated within        | N/A     |
|                  | Form         | Grants.gov              |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| ####             |              |                         |         |
| ##### Narratives |              |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Title Page       | See Template | Title_pg.doc/pdf        | 1 pg    |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Abstract         | yes, see IV. | Abstract.doc/pdf        | 1 pg    |
|                  | B. 2         |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Project          | yes, see IV. | Proj_desc.doc/pdf       | 15 pgs  |
| Description      | B. 2         |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| References Cited | yes, see IV. | Refs.doc/pdf            | none    |
|                  | B. 2         |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Budget           | See Template | Budg_narr.xls/doc/pdf   | none    |
| Justification    |              |                         |         |
| Narrative        |              |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Detailed Budget  | See Template | Budg_just.xls/doc/pdf   | none    |
| Table            |              |                         |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Brief Resumes    | yes, see IV. | Re                      | 3 pages |
|                  | B. 2         | s\_\[lastname\].doc/pdf | per     |
|                  |              |                         | ind     |
|                  |              |                         | ividual |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Current &        | none         | CP\_\                   | none    |
| Pending Support  |              | [lastname\].doc/pdf/xls |         |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+
| Letters of       | none         | Ltr_1.doc/pdf           | None -- |
| Commitment/      |              |                         | please  |
| Other            |              |                         | submit  |
| Supplemental     |              |                         | all     |
| Materials\*      |              |                         | letters |
|                  |              |                         | in 1    |
|                  |              |                         | do      |
|                  |              |                         | cument. |
+------------------+--------------+-------------------------+---------+

> \*Not a Required Element, depends on applicant's status

B.  **Submission Dates and Times**

> **Pre-Proposals**
>
> Pre-proposals are required for all applications and must be received
> by 5:00 p.m., EST, November 29, 2006. Pre-proposals are a prerequisite
> for submission of a full application. Applicants who submit a
> pre-proposal by this deadline will receive notification authorizing or
> not authorizing a full application on or about February 2, 2007.
>
> **Full Applications**
>
> The deadline for full applications is 5:00 p.m., EST March 21, 2007.
>
> Full applications submitted through Grants.gov will be accompanied by
> an automated receipt of the date and time of submission. Hard copy
> applications will be hand stamped with time and date when received.
> (Note that late-arriving hard copy applications provided to a delivery
> service on or before 5 p.m., EST March 21, 2007 will be accepted for
> review if the applicant can document that the application was provided
> to the guaranteed delivery service for delivery to the address listed
> below by the specified closing date and time, and if the proposals are
> received in Office of Education by 5 p.m., EST, no later than 2
> business days following the closing date.)
>
> No email and/or facsimile pre-proposals and/or full applications will
> be accepted. **Pre-proposals and full applications that are late or
> are received by fax or email will not be considered for review.**

C.  **Intergovernmental Review**

> Applications under this program **are not** subject to Executive Order
> 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (refer to item 16a
> on the SF-424).

D.  **Funding Restrictions**

> There are no special restrictions.

E.  **Addresses for Application Submission**

> Pre-proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov
> ([http://www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/)). If an applicant
> does not have Internet access, three copies must be mailed to ATTN:
> ELG Competition Manager, DOC/NOAA, Office of Education, 1401
> Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230. **Please
> note:** Hard copies submitted via the US Postal Service can take up to
> 4 weeks to reach this office; applicants are recommended to send hard
> copies via expedited shipping methods (e.g, Airborne Express, DHL, Fed
> Ex, UPS).
>
> Full applications should be submitted through Grants.gov
> ([http://www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/)). If an applicant
> does not have Internet access, one hard copy should be sent to ATTN:
> ELG Competition Manager, DOC/NOAA Office of Education, 1401
> Constitution Avenue NW, Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230. If submitting
> a hard copy, applicants are also requested to provide a CD-ROM of the
> full application, including scanned signed forms or forms with
> electronic signatures.

V.  **[Application Review Information]{.underline}**

> Please note: there are differences in the evaluation criteria for the
> pre-proposals and full applications with regard to their details and
> relative weights.

A.  **Pre-Proposal Evaluation Criteria**

> The Office of Education will decide to authorize or not authorize full
> application submission based on the following factors:

(1) Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to
    the program goals (50%): This ascertains whether there is intrinsic
    value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA's Federal,
    regional, or local activities. The pre-proposal should describe how
    well the proposed project addresses NOAA's stated objectives and
    priorities. Reviewers will evaluate:

-   If the project creates new, or capitalizes on existing, networks of
    institutions, agencies and /or organizations to provide common
    messages about key concepts in Earth System Science;

-   The scale at which the proposed project is likely to be implemented;

-   If the project is aligned with NOAA education goals, strategies, and
    standards as defined in the NOAA Education Plan
    (<http://www.oeds.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf>);

-   For projects focusing on the ocean as a part of the Earth system,
    whether the project will infuse Ocean Literacy Essential Principles
    and Fundamental Concepts
    ([[http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf))
    into common messages about the Earth system.

(2) Technical/scientific merit (25%): This assesses whether the approach
    is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are
    appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and
    objectives.

(3) Overall Qualifications of Applicants (10%): This ascertains whether
    the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience,
    training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the
    project. Reviewers will evaluate:

    -   Qualifications of PI to lead the project; and

    -   The presence of collaboration with other programs, NOAA,
        entities, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), or other
        educational or research institutions/organizations.

(4) Project Costs (15%): The budget is evaluated to determine if it is
    realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.
    Reviewers will evaluate:

    -   Reasonableness of the project costs given the availability of
        program funds; and

    -   The adequacy of the proposed resources to accomplish the
        proposed work within the indicated time-frame.

(5) Outreach and Education (0%): This criterion ascertains whether this
    project provides a focused and effective education and outreach
    strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural
    resources. This announcement does not use this criterion.

    A.  **Full Application Evaluation Criteria**

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(1) Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to
    the program goals (35%): This ascertains whether there is intrinsic
    value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA's Federal,
    regional, or local activities. The proposal should describe how well
    the proposed project addresses NOAA's stated objectives and
    priorities. Reviewers will evaluate:

-   How well the project creates new, or capitalizes on existing,
    networks of institutions, agencies and /or organizations to provide
    common messages about key concepts in Earth System Science;

-   How well the project is aligned with NOAA education goals,
    strategies, and standards as defined in the NOAA Education Plan
    (<http://www.oeds.noaa.gov/NOAA_Ed_Plan.pdf>);

-   The likelihood that the project will increase knowledge of NOAA and
    the NOAA-related sciences in the context of Earth System Science;
    and

-   For projects focusing on the ocean as a part of the Earth system,
    the extent to which the project will infuse Ocean Literacy Essential
    Principles and Fundamental Concepts
    ([[http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf))
    into free-choice learning.

(2) Technical/scientific merit (40%): This assesses whether the approach
    is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are
    appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and
    objectives. Reviewers will evaluate:

-   The completeness and adequacy of detail in the project description
    including clearly stated goals and measurable objectives;

-   The overall technical feasibility of the project, including whether
    the proposed approach is educationally and technically sound, uses
    appropriate methods to achieve project outcomes and is likely to be
    implemented on the scale described;

-   The likelihood of meeting milestones and achieving anticipated
    results in the time proposed;

-   The innovativeness of the project approach;

-   The extent to which the project leverages other resources or
    investments to achieve its objectives;

-   The likelihood the project can be sustained beyond the duration of
    the grant; and

-   Whether there are appropriate mechanisms to evaluate the success of
    the project in meeting the anticipated outcomes.

(3) Overall Qualifications of Applicants (15%): This ascertains whether
    the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience,
    training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the
    project. Reviewers will evaluate:

    -   The qualifications and demonstrated ability within their areas
        of expertise of the applicants, of key personnel who would
        receive funds from this program, and of key personnel of
        project's partners;

    -   The applicant's previous experience in managing or designing
        educational programs;

    -   Whether there is a clear delineation of responsibilities of the
        project's key personnel and whether there are adequate
        communication mechanisms in place for coordinating among project
        partners;

    -   The likelihood that the participating institution(s) have the
        appropriate resources to carry out the proposed activities and
        that applicant(s) have the ability to complete the proposed
        project successfully;

    -   The level of collaboration with other programs, minority-serving
        institutions (MSIs), NOAA entities, or other educational or
        research institutions; and

    -   The extent to which all partners are contributing meaningfully
        to the project, including articulation of activities in letters
        of commitment.

(4) Project Costs (10%): The budget is evaluated to determine if it is
    realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.
    Reviewers will evaluate:

-   The adequacy of the proposed resources to accomplish the proposed
    work within the indicated time-frame; and

-   The adequacy of detail in the budget narrative to allow an informed
    determination of how well all costs associated with the project are
    justified.

(5) Outreach and Education (0%): This criterion ascertains whether this
    project provides a focused and effective education and outreach
    strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural
    resources. This announcement does not use this criterion.

    A.  **Review and Selection Process**

> [Pre-proposal]{.underline}
>
> Pre-proposals meeting the requirements listed in section IV.B and IV.C
> will be evaluated by government and/or non-government representatives,
> each having relevant expertise. The reviewers will score each
> pre-proposal using the evaluation criteria and relative weights
> provided above. The individual reviewers' ratings shall be averaged
> for each application to establish rank order for the Office of
> Education (OED) Program Officer. The review panel will provide no
> consensus advice. Decisions on whether to authorize or not authorize a
> full application will be based on the rank order of the pre-proposals,
> unless choosing out of rank order is justified by the selection
> factors below (section V.D). The Office of Education anticipates
> asking up to 30 applicants to submit full applications. Full
> applications from applicants who were not asked to submit them will
> not be reviewed or considered for funding.
>
> [Full Application]{.underline}
>
> Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial administrative
> review will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements and
> completeness of the application. All applications that meet the
> minimum eligibility requirements and that are ascertained to be
> complete will be evaluated and scored by independent reviewers. The
> reviews will be conducted by a panel of individuals, who may be
> government or non-government representatives, each having relevant
> expertise. The reviewers will score each proposal using the evaluation
> criteria and relative weights provided above. The individual
> reviewers' ratings will be averaged for each application to establish
> rank order. No consensus advice will be given by the review panel. The
> Program Officer will neither vote nor score applications as part of
> the review panel nor participate in discussion of the merits of any
> proposal.
>
> The Program Officer will make his/her recommendations for funding
> based on rank order and the selection factors listed below to the
> Selecting Official for the final funding decision.

B.  **Selection Factors**

> The panel review ratings shall provide a rank order to the Selecting
> Official for final recommendation to the NOAA Grants Officer. The
> Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the
> application is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon
> one or more of the following factors.

1.  Availability of funding;

2.  Balance/distribution of funds:

    a.  Geographically

    b.  By type of institutions

    c.  By type of partners

    d.  By research areas

    e.  By project types

3.  Whether this project duplicates other projects funded or considered
    for funding by NOAA or other federal agencies;

4.  Program priorities and policy factors;

5.  Applicant's prior award performance;

6.  Partnerships and/or Participation of targeted groups;

7.  Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA
    determination and draft necessary documentation before
    recommendations for funding are made to the Grants Officer.

> Selected applicants may be asked to modify objectives, project plans
> or budgets, and provide supplemental information required by the
> agency prior to the award. When a decision has been made (whether an
> award or declination), anonymous copies of reviews and summaries of
> review panel deliberations, if any, will be made available to the
> applicant.
>
> In anticipation of additional funding, declined applications may be
> retained for up to 1 year and then destroyed.

VI. **[Award Administration Information]{.underline}**

    A.  **Award Notice**

> Successful applicants will receive notification (either hard copy or
> electronically) that the application has been funded from the NOAA
> Grants Management Division. Official notification of funding, signed
> by a NOAA Grants Officer, is the authorizing document that allows the
> project to begin. Notifications will be by e-mail from Grants Online
> to the Authorizing Official.
>
> Successful applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans,
> or budgets prior to final approval of an award. The exact amount of
> funds to be awarded, the final scope of activities, the collaboration
> duration, and specific NOAA cooperative involvement in the activities
> of each partnership will be determined in pre-award negotiations among
> the applicant, the NOAA Grants Office and the NOAA Office of Education
> staff. Project activities should not be initiated in the expectation
> of Federal funding until a notice of award document is received from
> the NOAA Grants Office.
>
> Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their reviewed
> application was not recommended for funding (declined) or was not
> reviewed because it did not meet the minimum requirements prescribed
> in Sections IV.B and IV.C.

B.  **Administrative and National Policy Requirements**

> [The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
> Grants and Cooperative Agreements]{.underline}
>
> The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
> Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
> notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) is applicable to this
> funding opportunity.
>
> [Limitation of Liability]{.underline}
>
> In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for
> proposal preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding
> or are cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of
> this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project
> or to obligate any available funds.
>
> [National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)]{.underline}
>
> NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required by
> the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects
> or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities.
> Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the
> following NOAA NEPA website: <http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/>, including
> our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA,
> <http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf>, and the Council on
> Environmental Quality implementation regulations,
> <http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm>. Consequently, as
> part of an applicant\'s package, and under their description of their
> program activities, applicants are required to provide detailed
> information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites,
> species and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities,
> and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and
> disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of
> non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species,
> aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems). In addition
> to providing specific information that will serve as the basis for any
> required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist
> NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if NOAA determines an
> assessment is required. Applicants will also be required to cooperate
> with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to reduce or avoid any
> identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The
> failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In
> some cases if additional information is required after an application
> is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a
> special award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional
> environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make
> an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the
> environment.

C.  **Reporting**

> Progress reports are due every six months from the start date of the
> project. Progress reports are due electronically through Grants Online
> for all award recipients no later than 30 days after each 6-month
> project period. A final report is due no later than 90 days after the
> expiration date of an award. Progress reports should detail the
> accomplishments that have occurred during the reporting period and
> correspond with the goals, objectives, and milestones identified in
> the project narrative.
>
> Federal Cash Transaction reports, Form SF-272, are due semiannually on
> October 30^th^ and April 30^th^ for the preceding 6-month period
> (April 1^st^ -- September 30^th^ and October 1^st^ to March 30^th^) or
> portion there of if the project start- or end-date falls in the middle
> of one of these intervals. Financial reports are due via fax to the
> NOAA Grants Management Division for all award recipients no later than
> 30 days after each 6-month period.

D.  **Agency Contacts**

> Please visit the OEd website for further information at
> <http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html> or contact Sarah
> Schoedinger at 704.370.3528 or <Sarah.Schoedinger@noaa.gov> or Alyssa
> Gundersen at 202.482.3739 or <Alyssa.Gundersen@noaa.gov>.
>
> For those applicants without Internet access, hard copies of
> referenced documents may be requested from NOAA's Office of Education
> by contacting Alyssa Gundersen at 202.482.3739 or sending a letter to
> Alyssa Gundersen, DOC/NOAA Office of Education, 1401 Constitution
> Avenue NW, Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230.

[^1]: "Free-choice learning" is the most common type of learning that
    people engage in. It takes place outside of schools and the
    workplace, through museums, the internet, media, and other venues.
    It is self-directed, voluntary, and guided by an individual's needs
    and interests (Institute for Learning Innovation,
    http://www.ilinet.org/freechoicelearning.html).

[^2]: "Free-choice learning" is the most common type of learning that
    people engage in. It takes place outside of schools and the
    workplace, through museums, the internet, media, and other venues.
    It is self-directed, voluntary, and guided by an individual's needs
    and interests (Institute for Learning Innovation,
    http://www.ilinet.org/freechoicelearning.html).