**Number range CHAPTERThis is a draft of the NOAA Coastal Services
Center "Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Hawaii Program"
competitive grant funding announcement.**

**Number range CHAPTERThe announcement\'s final wording and publishing
date, if any, are subject to approval by the NOAA Grants Management
Division.**

**Proposed deadlines include a full proposal deadline of August 15,
2008.**

**The official NOAA notice of the availability of grant funds for FY
2009 will be published in the "Federal Register" if approved by NOAA
management. A detailed announcement will also be posted on the
Grants.gov web site.**

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic
And

Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
Hawaii

Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOS-CSC-2009-2001413

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, Coastal
Services

Center.

Dates: Full proposals must be received through Grants.gov no later than
11:59 p.m.

ET / 5:59 PM Hawaii time, August 15, 2008. If applicants do not have
Internet

access and submit through surface mail, full proposals must be received
no later than

5:59 p.m. Hawaii time, August 15, 2008.

Funding Opportunity Description:

The purpose of this notice is to solicit proposals for grants to support
NOAA\'s goal of developing a well-informed citizenry involved in
decision-making that positively impact our coastal, marine and watershed
ecosystems in the state of Hawaii. This opportunity is an annually
awarded, competitively-based grant that provides initial funding to: 1)
assist in the development of new programs; 2) encourage innovative
partnerships among environmental education programs throughout Hawaii;
and 3) support geographically targeted programs to advance environmental
education efforts that complement appropriate school requirements.
Funded projects provide meaningful science-based outdoor experiences for
K-12 students and professional development opportunities for

teachers in the area of environmental education as defined in this
announcement.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program was

established in 2002 to create environmentally literate students and
teachers through

education. Recognizing that an informed community is the key to
sustaining the

Nation\'s watershed, coastal and ocean environment, NOAA developed B-WET

Programs in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, California (which includes San
Francisco

Bay, Monterey Bay, and Santa Barbara Channel) and Hawaii.

Established in FY 2004, the B-WET Hawaii program is administered by the
NOAA

Pacific Services Center based in Honolulu on behalf of the NOAA Office
of

Education. The B-WET Hawaii Program Grant Opportunity annually awarded,

competitively-based grant that provides initial funding to: 1) assist in
the development

of new programs; 2) encourage innovative partnerships among
environmental

education programs throughout Hawaii; and 3) support geographically
targeted

programs to advance environmental education efforts that complement
appropriate

school requirements. Funded projects provide meaningful science-based
outdoor

experiences in the study of earth sciences and community resilience to
hazards for

K-12 students and professional development opportunities for teachers in
the area

of environmental education, earth sciences, and community resilience to
hazards.

The B-WET Hawaii Program provides opportunities to create a population
that is

knowledgeable about earth science and to understand the role this
knowledge plays in

community resilience by supporting organizations that use the
environment as the

context for learning. Using the watershed and the surrounding landscape
as a living

laboratory provides a platform that engages learners and revitalizes
teachers. Students

immediately grasp Earth processes and resilience linkages in the
watershed and are

immersed in a dynamic learning environment. The program supports NOAA\'s
goal

of developing a well-informed citizenry involved in decision-making that
positively

impact our coastal, marine and watershed ecosystems. Individuals that
have been

educated about Earth\'s processes can become effective problem solvers
and future

community leaders and decision-makers charged with managing Hawaii\'s
island

resources.

1\. DEFINITIONS: The terms used above and throughout each Section are
defined

as follows:

a\. HAWAII: the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai,
and Niihau

b\. TEACHERS: formal (school-based) and non-formal (non school-based)
educators

for kindergarten through high school

c\. STUDENTS: kindergarten through high school (K-12)

d\. KUPUNA: Native Hawaiian elder

e\. WATERSHED (for the intent and purpose of B-WET Hawaii, watershed and

ahupuaa are interchangeable): The ahupuaa is a traditional Hawaiian
division of land

that extended from the mountains to the sea that used culturally-based
knowledge and

practices to manage its resources. By definition the ahupuaa integrated
the

management of land and sea, the foundation of modern western integrated
watershed

management. The concept of a watershed can be defined as:

\"an area of land that drains downslope to the lowest point. The water
moves through

a network of drainage pathways, both underground and on the surface.
Generally,

these pathways converge into streams and rivers, which become
progressively larger

as the water moves on downstream, eventually reaching an estuary and the
ocean.\"

In contrast to this definition, the Hawaiians practiced a sustainable
relationship with

their environment for thousands of years. This unique relationship was
premised on

the need to care for the earth (malama i ka honua) and its terrestrial,
marine,

atmospheric, and spiritual resources. Referred to as ahupuaa, this
relationship

between man and his environment provides a culturally-based management
tool to

balance environmental, social, and economic development needs.

Each island, or moku, was divided into several land divisions, or
ahupuaa, which ran

from the mountains to the sea. The ancient management of the ahupuaa
drew upon

the collective knowledge of experts (i.e., botany,
architecture/construction, and marine

resources) and its community members who were intimate with the
resources of the

land, sea, and sky. Within the ahupuaa, human interactions and the use
of resources

were strictly managed through orally communicated laws of the land or
kanawai,

passed from generation to generation. Although this was practiced
traditionally in

ancient Hawaiian culture, the knowledge is still applied to today\'s
contemporary

society affording opportunities to integrate both traditional and modern
methods of

resource management.

f\. RESILIENCE: the capacity of a system to tolerate disturbance without
collapsing

into a qualitatively different state controlled by different processes
(Source:

Resilience Alliance, Folke et al (2002)). Examples of hazards may
include, but not be

limited to tsunamis, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, sea level
change, and coastal

subsidence.

g\. COMMUNITY RESILIENCE: The capacity of communities to survive,
mitigate

the effects of, and recover from the effects of natural or other hazards
in order to

withstand disasters and support their long-term sustainability.
Resilient

communities are well informed of their vulnerability to hazards and are
able to

comprehend the potential environmental, social and economic impact on
their

community. Examples of natural hazards include tsunamis, hurricanes,
floods,

earthquakes, erosion, and landslides. Human-induced or man-made hazards
include

but are not limited to runoff, leaching, pollution, sewage, effects and
pressure of land

use in the ahupuaa.

h\. EARTH SCIENCES: an all-embracing term for sciences related to any of
the

sciences (such as geology, meteorology, or oceanography) that deal with
the earth or

with one or more of its parts. Many scientists use the Earth systems
science

approach which treats the entire Earth as a system. Through the use of
computer

models and application of scientific methods, the systems approach
provides

scientists the ability to explain the past and possible future behavior
of the Earth

system. Multi-disciplinary studies include but are not limited to:
meteorology,

climatology, atmospheric chemistry, geology, geodesy, geophysics, soil
science,

oceanography, hydrology, glaciology, and atmospheric science.

B. Program Priorities

A proposal must address one of the following priorities: 1) Meaningful

science-based outdoor experiences in the study of earth sciences and
community

resilience to hazards for Students or 2) Professional Development for
Teachers in the

area of environmental education, earth sciences or community resilience
to hazards.

If proposals do not address one of these priorities, the application
will not be

considered for further review. If a proposal addresses both priorities,
applicants

should identify the priority that represents the majority of funding
requested. The

secondary priority must constitute less than 25% of the total requested
funding.

NOTE: Multiple proposals submitted by the same organization must address

different priorities in order to be considered for review.

1\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences for Students (PRIORITY
1)

The NOAA Pacific Services Center seeks proposals for projects that
provide

opportunities for K-12 students to participate in meaningful
science-based outdoor

experience in the study of earth sciences and community resilience to
hazards.

Hawaii\'s unique ahupuaa provides an excellent opportunity for
environmental

education. In many cases, the ahupuaa and surrounding landscape provide

\"hands-on\" laboratories where students can see, touch, and learn about
the Earth

processes in the dynamic interactions of different ecosystems within an
ahupuaa as

well as potential hazards that may impact a community. In other cases,
the islands\'

complex, diverse, and unique ecosystems can be brought to life in the
classroom

through a strong complement of outdoor and classroom experiences.

As defined in Section I.A.1.e., Hawaiians were recognized for their
integrated and

sustainable resource management practices and their ability to instill
environmental,

cultural, and spiritual values from generation to generation. The
Hawaiian culture is

recognized for their keen observations of Earth\'s processes and
applying that

knowledge to create sustainable practices that supported a population of
nearly 1

million Hawaiians prior to western contact. The practice of ahupuaa
management

evolved in Hawaii as a result of the interrelationship of man and his
environment that

is recorded by the Kumulipo (story of creation). The island perspective
regards

humans as connected to nature and as a part of their environment, not as
a separate

entity. This unique relationship was premised on the need to care for
the earth and

it\'s terrestrial, marine, atmospheric and spiritual resources and
provides a powerful

study and management mechanism to integrate earth sciences and community

resilience to hazards in our contemporary land-use planning and
decision-making

processes.

Modern ahupuaa management focuses on knowledge of Earth\'s processes and

fostering stewardship of the land and sea and understanding the
interconnectedness of

the health of our environment to the resilience of our communities. It
provides

opportunities to promote community-based efforts with localized
knowledge to take

an active part in decisions about the management of the ahupuaa to
balance the use

of environmental resources with social and economic needs. In applying
the

ahupuaa concept, communities can begin to assess the resilience of their
surrounding

environment by having a more in-depth understanding of Earth\'s
processes to arrive

at sustainable land and natural resource management goals.

B-WET Hawaii provides a venue for students and teachers to learn and
incorporate

the ahupuaa and community resilience to hazards concepts into
science-based

learning and contemporary resource management practices. The islands\'
ahupuaa

provide a genuine and locally relevant opportunity for engaging in
meaningful

science-based outdoor experiences while advancing student learning
skills and

problem-solving abilities through the introduction of culturally-based
knowledge and

practices with the general school curriculum.

Proposals submitted under this area should address the following
elements and types

of activities:

a\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences should make a direct
connection to

the ahupuaa: Experiences should demonstrate to students that local
actions within

an island ahupuaa can impact the greater environment and ultimately
stewardship

and long-term community sustainability.

As it relates to Earth sciences: Experiences should encourage and
inspire student and

teacher participants to engage in exploring and investigating Earth\'s
dynamic

processes. Projects and activities must have an intentional connection
to the ahupuaa

and should reflect a multi-disciplinary approach in the study of earth
sciences and the

interaction of different ecosystems within an island ahupuaa to support
appropriate

resource management, long-term sustainability and resilient communities
in both

water-based and terrestrial-based activities.

As it relates to Community Resilience to hazards: Understanding the
balance

between long-term resource management and land-use planning also affords

opportunities to learn about the impact of past episodic natural and
human-induced

hazards on a community\'s sustainability. Hawaii\'s unique ahupuaa are

geographically situated near or around areas susceptible to hazards.
Building

awareness of potential vulnerabilities to hazards and increasing the
ability to prepare

for, respond to and recover from such events provides students and
teachers

opportunities to enhance the resilience of their own community and
increases the

capacity for long-term sustainability.

b\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences are an integral part of
the

instructional program: Experiences should be clearly part of what is
occurring

concurrently in the classroom. The experience should be part of the
instructional

coursework and be aligned with relevant and current academic content and

performance standards appropriate for the public, private, independent
and charter

school systems (i.e. The Hawaii Department of Education Public School
system is

aligned with the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards

\[http://doe.k12.hi.us/standards/hcps.htm\]). Experiences should occur
where and

when they fit into the instructional sequence appropriate for each
school system.

c\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences are project-oriented,
hands-on, and

investigative: Experiences should be focused around questions, problems,
and issues

that are investigated through data collection, observation, interviews,
and hands-on

activities. These experiences should also include the scientific method
and best

management practices for both pre and post activities. Experiences
should stimulate

observation, motivate critical thinking, develop problem-solving skills,
and instill

confidence in students.

d\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences are part of a sustained
activity:

Experiences are not meant to be tours, gallery visits, demonstrations,
or nature

walks. Meaningful experiences are a substantive part of a sustained
activity that

stimulates, engages and motivates the student from beginning to end, and
that the

outdoor experience contributes to student and/or teacher participant\'s
learning.

The total duration leading up to and following the experience should
involve a

significant investment of instructional time. An experience should
consist of three

general parts - a preparation phase; an outdoor phase; and an analysis,
reporting

phase. Projects should provide teachers with the support, materials,
resources, and

information needed to conduct these three parts:

PHASE I: Preparation - Focus on a question, problem, or issue to engage
and involve

PHASE II: Action - Outdoor learning and analysis include outdoor
experiences that

PHASE III: Reflection - Refocus on the question, problem, or issue,
analyze the

conclusions reached, evaluate the results; assess the activity and the
learning

outcomes, and include sharing and communication of the results with a
wide audience.

e\. Meaningful science-based outdoor experiences reflect an integrated
approach to

learning: Experiences do not have to be based solely on science
disciplines.

Experiences should be multi-disciplinary and involve the use of
materials, resources,

and instruments to address multiple topics, such as traditional resource
management

knowledge and practices, ahupuaa education, earth sciences, technology,
maritime

heritage, cultural traditions, history, economics, math, English, art
(including

traditional art), and the cultural significance of our natural
resources. Experiences

should make appropriate connections between subject areas and reflect an
integrated

approach to learning.

f\. Projects involve external sharing and communication: Projects should
promote

peer-to-peer sharing and emphasize the need for external sharing and
communication.

Projects should include a mechanism that encourages the students to
share their

experiences with other students or other members of a community, (i.e.,
through a

mentoring program, newsletters, journals, local conferences, websites,
community

presentations or other venues for outreach). External communication may
also include

the creation of new songs, dances and other forms of expression that are
consistent

with the native Hawaiian oral and artistic traditions. Many of these
interpretive

forms convey traditional beliefs of man\'s direct connection with the
environment and

role as a steward.

g\. Projects demonstrate partnerships: Project proposals should include
partnerships

with Hawaii-based communities, schools and/or school systems that will
directly

benefit from or contribute to the project. A partnership is a
collaborative working

relationship between two or more organizations. All partners should be
actively

involved in the project, not just supply equipment or curricula. Signed
letters of

support from each partner shall be submitted with the application
package to

demonstrate the level of commitment and involvement. Only letters dated
in the

current calendar year of this announcement will be considered.
Preference will be given

to applicants that partner with a Hawaii school, school system or
communities

supporting a school or system.

h\. Experiences are for all students: The B-WET Hawaii Program is
strongly

committed to expanding the knowledge and participation of low income,

underrepresented and underserved student population in environmental
education. It

is crucial for all citizens to have an understanding of and connection
with their own

environment, therefore all students should be provided an outdoor
experience

regardless of where they live or go to school. Preference will be given
to those

applicants that work with a low income or underserved student population
(e.g.,

Title I school, underrepresented and minority groups, academically
low-performing

students, etc.).

2\. Professional Development in Environmental Education for Teachers
(PRIORITY 2)

The NOAA Pacific Services Center seeks proposals for projects that
provide teachers

opportunities for professional development in the area of environmental
education as

it relates to earth sciences and community resilience to hazards. As the
purveyors of

education, teachers can ultimately provide meaningful environmental
education

experiences for students by weaving together classroom and field
activities, within

the context of their instructional coursework and of current critical
issues that impact

the Islands. Hawaii is vulnerable to a range of hazards including
earthquakes,

landslides, hurricanes and tsunamis among others. Systematic, long-term
education

programs and professional development opportunities will reinforce a
teacher\'s

ability to teach, inspire, and lead young people toward thoughtful
stewardship of our

natural and cultural resources as well as develop the next generation of

decision-makers to support the development of hazard-resilient
communities.

Proposals submitted under this area should address the following
elements and types

of activities:

a\. Projects should provide teachers the understanding and essence of a
meaningful

science-based outdoor experience: Professional development opportunities
should

instruct teachers about the content and meaning of a meaningful
science-based outdoor

experience (for the definition of a meaningful science-based outdoor
experience please

refer to Section I.B.1.a-e). Professional development opportunities
should be

designed so that teachers not only understand what a meaningful
science-based

outdoor experience is, but why this type of pedagogy is important.

Projects should be designed so that teachers are capable of conducting
an experience

during in-class instruction, outdoor field experiences or elsewhere. For
example,

professional development courses could result in a lesson plan that is
aligned with the

appropriate school system academic standards, (i.e., Hawaii Content and

Performance Standards) or provide teachers with materials or resources
needed for

carrying out a meaningful science-based outdoor experience in their
in-class

instruction or outdoor field experience. In addition to providing the
resources needed

to conduct an experience, projects should also include a mechanism to
encourage the

teacher to implement an experience in their classroom. The goal is to
ensure that

professional development experiences for the teacher ultimately benefit
the student.

b\. Projects involve external sharing and communication: Projects should
promote

peer-to-peer sharing and emphasize the need for external sharing and
communication.

Projects should include a mechanism that encourages teachers to share
their

experiences with other teachers and with the community, i.e. through
mentoring

opportunities, presentations at local conferences, developing websites,
in-school

service days, community presentations or other public forums and other
venues for

outreach. External communication may also include the creation of new
songs, dances

and other forms of expression that are consistent with the native
Hawaiian oral and

artistic traditions. Many of these interpretive forms convey traditional
beliefs of

man\'s direct connection with the environment and role as a steward.

c\. Projects demonstrate partnerships: Project proposals should include
partnerships

with Hawaii-based communities, schools and/or school systems that will
directly

benefit or contribute to the project. A partnership is a collaborative
working

relationship between two or more organizations. All partners should be
actively

involved in the project, not just supply equipment or curricula. Signed
Letters of

Support from each partner shall be submitted with the application
package to

demonstrate the level of commitment and involvement. Only letters dated
in the

current calendar year of this announcement will be considered.
Preference will be

given to applicants that partner with a Hawaii school, school system or
communities

supporting a school or system.

d\. Experiences are for all teachers: The B-WET Program is strongly
committed to

expanding the knowledge and participation of teachers who serve a low
income and

underserved student population. Therefore, preference will be given to
applicants

who work with teachers that serve this community (i.e., partnering with
a Title 1

school, minority groups, underserved or underrepresented).

C. Program Authority

15 U.S.C. 1540; 33 U.S.C. 892a

D. Cost Principles

Funds awarded cannot necessarily pay for all the costs that the
recipient might

incur in the course of carrying out the project. Allowable costs are
determined by

reference to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), 2 CFR 230 (formerly OMB Circular A-122), Cost
Principles for

Nonprofit Organizations; 2 CFR 220 (formerly OMB Circular A-21), Cost

Principles for Education Institutions; and 2 CFR 225 (formerly OMB
Circular

A-87), Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments.
Generally,

costs that are allowable include salaries, equipment, supplies, and
training, as long as

these are necessary and reasonable.

II\. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

This solicitation announces that approximately \$1,000,000 may be
available

in FY 2009 in award amounts to be determined by the proposals and
available funds.

The NOAA Pacific Services Center anticipates that approximately 5 to 15
grants will

be awarded with these funds, pending availability of funds. Applicants
are hereby

given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for this program.

It is anticipated that typical project awards for Priority 1 and 2 will
range from

approximately \$10,000 to \$100,000. Applications requesting Federal
support from

NOAA of more than \$100,000 total will not be considered for review or
funding.

There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make
awards for all

qualified projects. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will
be

determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA
representatives.

Publication of this notice does not oblige NOAA to award any specific
project or to

obligate any available funds. If applicants incur any costs prior to an
award being

made, they do so at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the
government.

Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received,
there is no

obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award costs unless approved
by the

Grants Officer as part of the terms when the award is made.

B. Project/Award Period

This is a one year funding opportunity. Proposals may be submitted for
up

to 3 years for either priority area. However, funds will be made
available for only a

12-month award period and any funding of the award period will depend on
(1) the

submission of a successful proposal subject to a review process; (2)
successfully

meeting individual project goals; (3) meeting NOAA Grants Management
Division

financial reporting guidelines; (4) providing adequate progress on
previous award(s);

and (5) the availability of funding to renew the award. No assurance for
funding

renewal exists; funding will be at the complete discretion of NOAA.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

The funding instrument for these awards may be grants or cooperative

agreements. A cooperative agreement will be used if NOAA shares
responsibility for

management, control, direction, or performance of the project with the
recipient. In

the event a cooperative agreement is awarded, the federal government
will agree to be

substantially involved by (for example) acquiring, increasing access to,
and enhancing

capacity to use data and tools; convening partners and building diverse
teams to

accomplish broad based work; providing meeting planning and
facilitation; assisting

with instructional design; developing spatial databases, models, and
analyses to

address the identified management needs; guiding in the development of
social,

economic and other human dimension information and analyses; and/or
designing of

Geographic Information System (GIS), Internet products, and system
architectures.

If the NOAA Pacific Services Center is proposed as a partner in a
cooperative

agreement, applicants should clearly articulate those roles and
responsibilities and

discuss prospective roles in the project after notification that the
proposal is

successful. Specific terms regarding substantial involvement will be
contained in

special award conditions.

III\. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for Priority 1 and 2 are K-12 public and independent

schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, commercial
and

nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, and Indian
tribal

governments. Individual applicants and Federal agencies are not
eligible.

Federal agencies are not allowed to receive funds under this
announcement but

may serve as collaborative project partners.

The Department of Commerce/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration

(DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of
historically

Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal
colleges and

universities, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian institutions, and
institutions that

service undeserved areas.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

No cost sharing is required under this program, however, the NOAA
Pacific

Services Center strongly encourages applicants to share as much of the
costs of the

award as possible. Funds from other Federal awards may not be considered
matching

funds. The nature of the contribution (cash versus in-kind) and the
amount of

matching funds will be taken into consideration in the review process
with cash being

the preferred method of contribution.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

1\. Previously Funded Projects

The NOAA Pacific Services Center may provide new funding for grants that
were

funded in the previous application process. The length of funding for
previously

awarded projects shall not exceed three (3) years. Each grant will be
made available

for only a 12-month award period. No assurance for funding renewal
exists. New

grants will be awarded to fund these projects under this announcement
pending (1)

the submission of a successful proposal subject to a review process; (2)
successfully

meeting individual project goals; (3) meeting NOAA Grants Management
Division

financial and progress reporting guidelines; (4) providing adequate
progress on previous

award(s); and (5) the availability of funding to renew the award.

2\. Indirect Cost Rates

Regardless of any approved indirect cost rate applicable to the award,
the maximum

dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for which the Department of
Commerce will

reimburse the recipient shall be the lesser of 25 percent of the total
proposed direct

costs for this program or the Federal share of the total allocable
indirect costs of the

award based on the indirect cost rate approved by an oversight or
cognizant Federal

agency and current at the time the cost was incurred, provided the rate
is approved on

or before the award end date. Applicants whose indirect cost rate would
result in

indirect costs above 25 percent of the total proposed direct costs may
use the

amount above the 25 percent level as cost sharing. The indirect cost
rate agreement

must be included with the application package.

IV\. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Application packages for full proposals are available through

Grants.gov/APPLY. Additional assistance for Grants.gov is available at
the

Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. If
an

applicant does not have Internet access, application packages can be
requested from

Stephanie Bennett, Federal Program Officer at NOAA Pacific Services
Center, 737

Bishop Street, Suite 1550, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 or by phone at (808)
522-7481,

or via e-mail at \< Stephanie.Bennett@noaa.gov \>.

B. Content and Form of Application

The following defines the preferred content and form of required
proposal

packages. Proposals must be complete and must follow the format
described in this

notice. Incorrect formatting will deem a proposal incomplete and not be
considered

for further review. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the
part of the

NOAA Pacific Services Center as to the relative merits of the project
described in the

application.

Format must be in at least a 10-point font, one-sided and double-spaced
throughout

entire package. Executive Summary may not exceed one (1) page and must
follow the

required content as defined in section IV.B.4. Project and Budget
Narrative

combined, should be no more than 25 pages. Brevity will assist reviewers
and

program staff in dealing effectively with proposals. Please note that
information

described in the government forms must be consistent with information on
the

Project and Budget Narrative. Any inconsistencies or incorrect
information will deem

a proposal incomplete and will not be considered for further review.
Appendices

may be included and may not exceed a total of twelve (12) pages. Up to
two (2)

pages may be dedicated to respond to the required NEPA questions listed
in section

IV.B.6. This section may also include information such as specific
coursework,

lesson plans and activities, chronological schedule of events, maps,
resumes of staff

and partners involved.

All funding application packages must contain the following components:

1\. Required Government Forms

At time of application submission, all applicants shall submit the
following forms

with signatures of the Authorized Representative of the submitting
institution.

GOVERNMENT FORM, TITLE, WHEN APPLICABLE

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, Required for all applicants

SF-424A, Budget, Nonconstruction Programs, Required for all applicants

SF-424B, Assurances, Non-Construction Programs, Required for all
applicants

CD-511, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, Required for organizations
involved in

lobbying

2\. Title Page (Proposal Cover Sheet). Include proposal title, complete
contact

information for the Principal Investigator and Financial Representative,
duration of

proposed project, funding type (grant or cooperative agreement), funding
request

by year (as appropriate), and priority area of interest -1) Meaningful
science-based

outdoor experiences for Students and/or 2) Professional Development in
the Area of

Environmental Education for Teachers.

3\. Executive Summary. Provide a one page summary of the proposed
project. The

summary should be prepared to be readable to a broad audience and
contain the

following sections:

a\. Project Name/Title

b\. Primary Contact (name, address, phone, fax, e-mail)

c\. Recipient Institution

d\. Other Investigators (name, affiliated institution or agency)

e\. Brief Project Summary including objectives and intended benefits

f\. NOAA and non-NOAA partners

g\. Area of interest for which you are applying (1- Meaningful
science-based outdoor

experiences for students or 2- Professional development in the area of
environmental

education for teachers)

h\. Project duration (1-year project period beginning to end dates,
starting on the first

of the month and ending on the last day of the month)

i\. Total Federal Funds requested

j\. Total Project Cost and Cost-sharing

k\. Number of teachers and/or students that will be involved in your
project

4\. Project Description.

All project descriptions must include the following sections:

a\. Goal and Objective(s): Describe in the narrative the specific
project goals and

objectives to be achieved. Goals and objectives should be specific for
each year of the

work plan presented. Recipients will be required to submit semi-annual
progress

reports in which progress against these goals and objectives will be
reported. Explain

the purpose of your project. This should include a clear statement of
the work to be

undertaken and include the following: Explain which Priority area will
be addressed

and include responses to each element within the identified priority
(Priority 1 or 2).

b\. Background: Provide sufficient background information for NOAA and

non-NOAA reviewers to independently assess the significance of the
proposed

project. Summarize the problem to be addressed and the status of ongoing
efforts to

address the identified needs. Summarize the relationship of the proposed
work to

other regional efforts.

c\. Audience: Explain who will conduct the project and the target
audience. List each

organization, cooperator, or other key individuals who will work on the
project, along

with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution;
identify the

target audience and demonstrate an understanding of the needs of that
audience;

identify specifically how many students and/or teachers are involved in
your project.

Give a precise location of the project and area(s) to be served.

d\. Approach: Provide a work plan that identifies specific tasks to be
accomplished,

explains the technical approach (including quality assurance) needed to
accomplish

the tasks, identifies the roles of partners and cooperators, and
identifies potential

obstacles to successful completion of the goals and objectives. If the
project includes

federal partners, the roles and responsibilities of the federal partners
must be clearly

identified. Outline a detailed plan of action pertaining to the scope
and detail of how

the proposed work will be accomplished. Explain your strategy,
objectives,

activities, delivery methods, and accomplishments to establish for
reviewers that you

have realistic goals and objectives and that you will use effective
methods to achieve

them. When accomplishments cannot be quantified, list the activities in
chronological

order to show the schedule of accomplishments and target completion
dates.

Objectives should be simple and understandable; as specific and
quantitative as

possible; and clear as to the \"what and when.\" Projects should be
accomplishment

oriented and identify specific performance measures.

e\. Benefits: Identify, with a high degree of specificity, the users of
the information

derived from the work, and the benefits that will be achieved for those
users, as well

as society as a whole. Document how valid user requirements are guiding
the

proposed work. Describe how the information from the project will be
delivered to

those users, and any special considerations or requirements for ensuring
or improving

the delivery of information. Demonstrate the need for assistance.
Explain why other

funding sources cannot fund all the proposed work.

f\. Project evaluation: Explain how you will ensure that you are meeting
the goals and

objectives of your project. Evaluation plans may be quantitative and/or
qualitative and

may include, for example, evaluation tools, pre and post tests, and/or
surveys.

g\. Previously Funded Projects: Applicants requesting renewal are asked
to include

the accomplishments to date from previously funded projects through the
B-WET

Program to demonstrate that project goals and objective have been or are
being met.

h\. Milestone Schedule: Display time lines for major tasks, target
milestones for

important intermediate and final products, and key project outcomes.

i\. Number of Student and/or Teachers that will be involved in your
project.

5\. Project Budget

Provide a budget description that follows the categories and formats in
the NOAA

grants package (Standard Form 424-A) and a brief narrative justification
of the

budget. Applicants must itemize and describe the intended use of
equipment greater

than \$5,000 in value to be purchased under the award. The budget
narrative must

also provide the cost and description of anticipated travel. Applicants
should allocate

travel funds for any coordination meetings at regional or national
levels. Foreign

travel must receive prior approval and should be anticipated in the
proposal to the

extent possible. The budget narrative submitted with the application
should match

the dollar amounts on all required Federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A).
Additional cost

detail may be required prior to a final analysis of overall cost
allowability,

allocability, and reasonableness.

6\. Appendices

a\. Letters of Support

Signed Letters of support from each significant partner must be
submitted with the

application package to demonstrate the level of commitment and
involvement. Total

number of letters of support may not exceed 5 letters. Individual
letters of support

should be formatted in at least 10-point font, one-sided and may not
exceed 1 page in

length. Again, brevity will assist reviewers and program staff in
dealing effectively

with proposals. Letters must be dated in the year the proposal is
submitted. Letters

dated outside this requirement will not be considered for review with
the proposal

package.

b\. Resumes/CV

Provide resumes of the Principal Investigator for the project and other
key personnel

critical to the success of the project. Ensure that resumes address
qualifications

relevant to conducting the proposed work. Please limit resumes to a
maximum of two

pages for each key investigator.

c\. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

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 Web

site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/ including our NOAA Administrative Order
216-6

for NEPA, 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). Applicants should answer the NEPA questions to the
best of

their ability with as much detail as possible. If the applicant does not
answer all of

the questions indicated in the Announcement of Federal Funding
Opportunity the

application may be considered incomplete.

NOAA may require follow-up information after the application process has
been

completed. 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

and implementing feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified
adverse

environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be
grounds for the

denial of 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.

Some of the questions may overlap with material provided in other parts
of the

application. This overlap occurs because the answers to the
questionnaire are

provided to NOAA staff who do not review the other parts of the
application. If

appropriate, the applicant may copy the information from other parts of
the

application and paste it into the answers to the questionnaire. Many
questions have

a \'yes\' or \'no\' response. If the response is \'no\' the applicant
does not need to

elaborate on their answer. If the response is \'yes\' the question will
have a second part

asking the applicant to provide more information.

Applicant NEPA questions are as follows:

Question A2. Describe the purpose and need of the proposed activity. If
the

proposal is a continuation of an on-going project, fully explain any
changes in the

purpose and need in relation to information gathered in previous years.

Question A3. Provide a description of potential alternatives to the
proposed activity

(e.g., alternative times, locations, methods, etc.).

Question C1. Is the proposed activity going to be conducted in
partnership with

NOAA or would the proposed activity require NOAA\'s direct involvement,
activity,

or oversight? If yes, describe NOAA\'s involvement, activity, or
oversight, including

the name of the office or program that is involved.

Question C2. Would the proposed activity involve any other federal
agency(ies)

partnership, direct involvement, activity, or oversight? If yes, provide
the name(s) of

the agency(ies) and describe its involvement, activity, or oversight.

Question D1. Provide a brief description of the location of the proposed
activity.

Question E1. List any federal, state, or local permits, authorizations,
or waivers that

would be required to complete the proposed activity. Provide the date
the permit,

authorization, or waiver was obtained or will be obtained. Provide
copies of the

permit, authorization, or waiver as appropriate. Was a NEPA analysis
prepared for

the permit, authorization, or waiver? If yes, state the title of the
NEPA analysis and

provide copies of the NEPA analysis.

Question F1. Is there the potential for the proposed activity to cause
changes that

would be different from normal ambient conditions (e.g., temperature,
light,

turbidity, noise, other human activity levels, etc.)? If yes, describe
the changes and

the circumstances that would cause these changes.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

Public reporting burden for this collection of NEPA information is
estimated to

average 3 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching

existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and

reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this
burden

estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to Ms. Shelby
Mendez,

NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration, SSMC 3, Room 15718,
1315 East

West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The information collection does
not

request any proprietary or confidential information. No confidentiality
is provided.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required
to respond to,

nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply
with, a collection

of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act, unless

that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control
Number. The

valid OMB Control Number is 0648-0538, which expires on June 30, 2009.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Full proposals must be received through Grants.gov no later than 11:59
p.m.

ET / 5:59 PM Hawaii time, August 15, 2008. If applicants do not have
Internet

access and submit through surface mail, full proposals must be received
no later than

5:59 p.m. Hawaii time, August 15, 2008. Failure to follow the guidelines
as described

in this announcement will deem a proposal incomplete and result in
proposals not

being considered for further review.

D. Intergovernmental Review

Funding applications under the Center are subject to Executive Order
12372,

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. It is the state agency\'s
responsibility

to contact their state\'s Single Point of Contact (SPCO) to find out
about and comply

with the state\'s process under EO 12372. To assist the applicant, the
names and

addresses of the SPOCs are listed on the Office of Management and
Budget\'s website

\< http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html \>.

E. Funding Restrictions

Please note the following funding restrictions:

1\. The B-WET Program should not be considered a long-term source of
funds.

Explain your strategy for long-term sustainability after NOAA funding
ends.

2\. Funding may not be used to support endowments; individuals; building

campaigns or capital construction; deficit financing; annual giving; or
fund-raising.

3\. Reasonable amount of funds for salaries and fringe benefits may be
requested

only for those personnel who are directly involved in implementing the
proposed

project and whose salaries and fringe benefits are directly related to
specific products

or outcomes of the proposed project.

F. Other Submission Requirements

Proposal application packages should be submitted through Grants.gov
APPLY.

If an applicant does not have Internet access, the applicant must submit
through

surface mail one set of originals (signed) and two copies of the
proposals and related

forms to the Pacific Services Center. No e-mail or fax copies will be
accepted.

Proposal application packages submitted by mail must be received by NOAA

Coastal Services Center no later than 11:59 p.m. ET, August 15, 2008.
Any U.S.

Postal Service correspondence should be sent to: NOAA Pacific Services
Center, 737

Bishop Street, Suite 1550, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, ATTN: Stephanie
Bennett.

All proposal package material must be submitted through Grants.gov or
through

surface mail by the submission deadline, including any letters of
support.

With regard to applicants who do not have Internet access, application
kits may be

requested from Stephanie Bennett, Federal Program Officer for grants at

808-522-7481. These applicants are asked to mail one (1) hard copy of
the entire

application package, a CD copy of the package, including all forms with
original

signatures to the following address: NOAA Pacific Services Center, 737
Bishop

Street, Suite 1550, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, ATTN: Stephanie Bennett. The

postmark will be used to determine the timeliness of the proposal.
Hand-delivered,

facsimile transmissions and electronic mail submissions and proposals
received after

the deadline will not be accepted.

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

1\. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to
the

program goals (30 points): This ascertains whether there is intrinsic
value in the

proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, Federal, regional, State, or
local activities.

For the B-WET Program this includes the following categories as
referenced in Section I:

a\. Connection to the greater ahupuaa environment (5 points)

b\. Meaningful science-based outdoor Experience (15 points)

c\. Partnerships (5 points)

d\. Target audience (5 points)

2\. Technical and scientific merit (35 points): This criterion assesses
whether the

approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are
appropriate, and

whether there are clear project goals and objectives. For the B- WET
Program this

includes the following categories as referenced in Section I and Section
IV:

a\. Integration with school program (10 points)

b\. Clearly defined, focused and realistic objectives (5 points)

c\. Earth sciences, community resilience, environmental education (10
points)

d\. Evaluation (5 points)

e\. Spelling and Grammar (5 points)

3\. Overall qualifications of the funding applicants (15 points): This
criterion

ascertains whether the funding applicant possesses the necessary
education,

experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to
accomplish the project.

For the B-WET program questions relevant to this criterion include: Does
the

applicant show the capability and experience in successfully completing
similar

projects? Does the applicant demonstrate knowledge of the target
audience? Does

the applicant demonstrate knowledge of the Hawaii Content and
Performance

Standards? Does the applicant document past collaborations with schools
or school

systems? Does the applicant show the capability and experience in
successfully

completing similar projects? Are the partners involved in the project
qualified?

4\. Project costs (10 points): This criterion evaluates the budget to
determine if it is

realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame. For
the B-WET

program questions relevant to this criterion include: Does the applicant
demonstrate

the ability to leverage other resources? Is the nature of the cost share
cash or in-kind?

Is the budget request reasonable and does the applicant justify the
proposed budget

request? Is a significant percentage of the budget directly related to
bringing students

and teachers in contact with the environment? Are requested funds for
salaries and

fringe benefits only for those personnel who are directly involved in
implementing the

proposed project and/or are directly related to specific products or
outcomes of the

proposed project? Does the applicant demonstrate that the project will
continue after

NOAA funding has expired?

5\. Outreach and education (10 points): This criterion assesses whether
the project

provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy
regarding NOAA\'s

mission to understand and protect the Nation\'s natural resources. For
the B-WET

program questions relevant to this criterion include: Does the project
involve external

sharing and communication?

B. Review and Selection Process

An initial administrative screening is conducted to determine compliance
with

requirements/completeness. All proposals will be evaluated and
individually ranked

in accordance with the assigned weights of the above evaluation criteria
by at least

three independent peer reviewers, who are regional experts in the field
of

environmental education, through a full merit review process (i.e., a
mail and panel

review process). The merit reviewer\'s ratings are used to produce a
rank order of the

proposals. The Selecting Official will award in the rank order unless
proposals are

justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the
selection

factors provided below. The Selecting Official or designee may negotiate
the funding

level of the proposal.

C. Selection Factors

Based on outcomes of the merit and panel reviews, the B-WET Hawaii

Coordinator will provide award recommendations to the Selecting
Official. The

Selecting Official will award in the rank order unless proposals are
justified to be

selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the selection
factors provided

below. The Selecting Official or designee may negotiate the funding
level of the

proposal. The Selecting Official shall award according to rank order
unless the

proposal 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\. Duplication of other projects funded or considered for funding by
NOAA/federal

agencies

4\. Program priorities and policy factors

5\. Applicant\'s prior award performance

6\. Partnerships with/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.

NOTE: Projects that were funded in the previous year\'s application
process will be

evaluated by the Selecting Official, in consultation with the B-WET
Coordinator and

other NOAA Pacific Services Center staff, to determine whether funding
should be

granted based upon the advice of the review panel. If there has been
satisfactory

prior award performance, projects considered for renewal may take
priority over new

proposals.

D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Subject to the availability of funds, review of proposals will occur
during the

fall and early winter of 2008, and funding is expected to begin during
June of 2009 for

most approved projects. The start date on proposals should be on or
after June 1,

2009; or the first day of any proceeding month after June 1, 2009, but
no later than

January 1, 2010 unless otherwise directed by the NOAA Program Officer.

VI\. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Applications recommended for funding by the selecting official will be

forwarded to the NOAA Grants Management Division (GMD) by the Program

Office. The applicant will be notified by the program office by e-mail
that their

application was recommended for funding. The applicant must be aware
that the

notification by the program office is NOT the official award notice.
Official

notification of an award notice is provided by the Grants Management
Division, not

the program office. If one incurs any costs prior to receiving an award
agreement

from an authorized NOAA grant official, one would do so solely at one\'s
own risk of

these costs not being included under the award.

Unsuccessful applications for all Pacific Services Center programs will
be destroyed

and not returned to the applicant.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

1.  Administrative and national policy requirements for all Department
of\
Commerce awards are contained in the Department of Commerce Pre- Award\
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements
contained in the\
Federal Register notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696). A copy of the
notice may\
be obtained at <http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/search.html>.

2\. Limitation of Liability: In no event will NOAA or the Department of
Commerce be

responsible for proposal preparation costs if these programs are
cancelled because of

other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not
oblige NOAA to

award any specific project or to provide special fishing privileges.

3\. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). See the NEPA information
in Section

IV, B, of this announcement.

C. Reporting

Grant recipients will be required to submit financial and performance

(technical) progress reports electronically through the NOAA Grants
Online System.

Instructions for submitting financial and progress reports will be
provided by NOAA

Grants Management Division and the B-WET Federal Program Officer.

Successful applicants will be requested to ensure that all interim
progress reports

indicate whether financial reports have been submitted to NOAA\'s Grants

Management Division and are up-to-date. Applicants in their final
progress report

will be asked to a) clearly state the resulting impact of their project
and products in

the coastal management community; and b) certify that final financial
reports have

been submitted to NOAA\'s Grants Management Division and a final funding

draw-down has been made through the Automated Standard Application for

Payments (ASAP).

VII\. Agency Contacts

For administrative and technical questions, contact Stephanie Bennett,
Federal

Program Officer at NOAA Pacific Services Center, 737 Bishop Street,
Suite 1550,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 or by phone at (808) 522-7481, or via e-mail at
\<

Stephanie.Bennett@noaa.gov \>.

VIII\. Other Information

Funding applicants may also refer to the Pacific Services Center\'s web
site \<

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/psc/bwet.html \> for additional information on
the B-WET

Hawaii program.

Official notification of an award notice is provided by the Grants
Management

Division, not the program office. If one incurs any costs prior to
receiving an award

agreement from an authorized NOAA grant official, one would do so solely
at one_s

own risk of these costs not being included under the award.

The Coastal Services Center will not release the names of applicants
submitting LOIs

or proposals unless ordered by a court or requested to do so by an
appropriate NOAA

official and administrative protocol. Applicants can use a NOAA public
search

feature to find out information about NOAA awards \<

https://grantsonline.rdc.noaa.gov/flows/publicSearch/begin.do;jsessionid=GbZDVT7Jqm

XqNlm84y2DBn5CpmGR2vJvQKfnX5CLd94YvywZQTZq!-1742093309 \> or go

through the Freedom of Information Act process to request more
information about

grant competitions. More information about the NOAA FOI process is
on-line at \<

http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/\~foia/ \>.

Successful applicants will be requested to ensure that all progress
reports a) clearly

state the resulting impact of their project and products in the coastal
management

community; and b) indicate whether financial reports have been submitted
to

NOAA\'s Grants Management Division and are up-to-date. Applicants in
their final

progress report will be asked to certify that final financial reports
have been submitted

to NOAA\'s Grants Management Division and a final funding draw-down has
been

made through the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP).

Please be advised that potential funding applicants must register with
Grants.gov

before any application materials can be submitted. An organization\'s
one time

registration process may take up to three weeks to complete so please
allow

sufficient time to ensure applications are submitted before the closing
date. To use

Grants.gov, applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering

System (DUNS) number and be registered in the Central Contractor
Registry (CCR).

Allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration. (Note:
Your

organization\'s Employer Identification Number (EIN) will be needed on
the

application form.)

The Grants.gov site contains directions for submitting an application,
the application

package (forms), and is also where the completed application is
submitted.

Applicants using Grants.gov must locate the downloadable application
package for

this solicitation by the Funding Opportunity Number or the CFDA number

(11.473). Applicants will be able to download a copy of the application
package,

complete it off line, and then upload and submit the application via the
Grants.gov site.

After electronic submission of the application, the person submitting
the application

will receive within the next 24 to 48 hours two e-mail messages from
Grants.gov

updating them on the progress of their application. The first e-mail
will confirm

receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system, and the second will
indicate that

the application has either been successfully validated by the system
prior to

transmission to the grantor agency or has been rejected due to errors.
After the

application has been validated, this same person will receive another
e-mail when the

application has been downloaded by the federal agency.