Title: U.S. GLOBEC - Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics: Pan-Regional Synthesis
Date: 9/20/07
Replace: NSF 05-552



U.S. GLOBEC - Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics: Pan-Regional Synthesis

Program Solicitation
07-594

Replaces Document(s):
  NSF 05-552

[NSF Logo]  National Science Foundation

            Directorate for Geosciences
                 Division of Ocean Sciences

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

     January 08, 2008

REVISION NOTES

In furtherance of the President's Management Agenda, NSF has identified
programs that will offer proposers the option to utilize Grants.gov to
prepare and submit proposals, or will require that proposers utilize
Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals. Grants.gov provides a single
Government-wide portal for finding and applying for Federal grants online.

In response to this program solicitation, proposers may opt to submit
proposals via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system. In determining
which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the
proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate
submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF
FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.3 of the Grant Proposal Guide
provides additional information on collaborative proposals.



SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

     U.S. GLOBEC - Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics: Pan-Regional
     Synthesis

Synopsis of Program:

     As the culmination of a series of solicitations for the U.S.
     Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics Program (U.S. GLOBEC), this
     solicitation seeks a broader understanding of climate impacts on
     marine ecosystems that builds upon findings from the three
     regional U.S. GLOBEC studies: the Northwest Atlantic, the
     Northeast Pacific, and the Southern Ocean.  Investigators
     submitting proposals in response to this solicitation should
     focus on: (1) synthetic activities, including conceptual and
     analytical modeling activities that capitalize upon and integrate
     concepts, methods, and/or data from the prior solicitations; (2)
     broad-scale studies including comparisons across system types,
     encompassing both GLOBEC and non-GLOBEC study areas; and/or (3)
     the development of management strategies at the population,
     community, and ecosystem levels. Participation of investigators
     new to the U.S. GLOBEC program is strongly encouraged to maximize
     the scope of the synthesis.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

   * Phillip  Taylor, telephone: (703) 292-7715, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

   * 47.050 --- Geosciences

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:  Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards:    15   About 15 integrated, interdisciplinary
projects, of two or three year duration.

Anticipated Funding Amount:   $7,000,000  The Program anticpates awards
totaling $7,000,000, subject to availability of funding. Please see Section
IV. AWARD INFORMATION for details about anticipated funding.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

     Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

        * Academic Institutions located in the U.S.: U.S. universities
          and colleges located in the U.S.
        * For-profit organizations: U.S. commercial organizations,
          especially small businesses with strong capabilities in
          scientific or engineering research or education.
        * Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums,
          observatories, research labs, professional societies and
          similar organizations in the U.S. associated with
          educational or research activities.

PI Limit:

     None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

     None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

     None Specified

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

   * Letters of Intent: Not Applicable

   * Full Proposals:
        o Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
          Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available
          electronically on the NSF website at:
          http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
        o Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov
          Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of
          NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF
          Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov
          website and on the NSF website at:
          http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf/)

B. Budgetary Information

   * Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required by NSF.   0.00

   * Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:  Not Applicable

   * Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable

C. Due Dates

   * Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

          January 08, 2008

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria:   National Science Board approved criteria apply.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:   Standard NSF award conditions apply

Reporting Requirements:   Standard NSF reporting requirements apply

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     Summary of Program Requirements

  I. Introduction

 II. Program Description

III. Award Information

 IV. Eligibility Information

  V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
       A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
       B. Budgetary Information
       C. Due Dates
       D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

 VI. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
       A. NSF Merit Review Criteria
       B. Review and Selection Process

VII. Award Administration Information
       A. Notification of the Award
       B. Award Conditions
       C. Reporting Requirements

VIII.Agency Contacts

 IX. Other Information

I. INTRODUCTION

This solicitation is being issued under the auspices of the U.S. Global
Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC) program. The goals of U.S. GLOBEC
include understanding and, ultimately, predicting how populations of marine
animals (holozooplankton, fish, benthic invertebrates, seabirds, and marine
mammals) respond to changes in the global climate. The U.S. GLOBEC program
is a component of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. U.S. GLOBEC is
also a component of the International GLOBEC program, a core project of the
International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP), with co-sponsorship from
the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and affiliate
intergovernmental programs within ICES (International Council for the
Exploration of the Seas) and PICES (Pacific ICES).

Prior phases of U.S. GLOBEC research have been supported jointly by the NSF
Ocean Sciences Division and Office of Polar Programs, and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean
Research and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with additional
participation by NASA.  It is expected that NOAA research scientists and
other Federal Researchers will participate in Pan-Regional Synthesis as
no-cost collaborators.

Specific goals of the U.S. GLOBEC program are: (1) to understand the
potential impacts of climate variability and change on the dynamics of
shelf ecosystems and on the distribution, abundance and production of
several specific target species; (2) to embody this understanding in
conceptual and quantitative models capable of capturing population and
ecosystem responses over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales; and
(3) to improve predictions of U.S. living marine resource populations which
can lead to enhanced management capabilities. U.S. GLOBEC science and
implementation plans and other program reports are available at
http://www.usglobec.org/reports.php.

U.S. GLOBEC has comprised three regional ecosystem programs -- Northwest
Atlantic/Georges Bank (NWA), Northeast Pacific (NEP) and Southern Ocean
(SO) -- and a series of technology and modeling development projects. Data
collection and process studies in each of the three regions have been
funded through a series of previous solicitations. Publications resulting
from these U.S. GLOBEC studies are catalogued at
http://www.usglobec.org/papers.php, and the entirety of the data derived
from these research programs can be freely accessed at
http://www.usglobec.org/data.php (see below for more details).

The U.S. GLOBEC program is now focused on comparing and contrasting the
results from the prior phases of U.S. GLOBEC, and on extending these
results with comparisons to, or tests within, other comparable ecosystems.
This solicitation seeks to build upon this effort, and support the
synthesis and integration of results across study regions.  For all three
regions, synthesis and comparative analysis efforts are presently underway,
as described further below. The priority focus for the Pan-Regional
Synthesis phase of U.S. GLOBEC will be to achieve a broader understanding
of climate impacts on marine populations and ecosystems employing
hypotheses, concepts, methods and/or data derived from the regional studies
in the Northwest Atlantic, Northeast Pacific, and Southern Ocean. This
solicitation marks the culmination of synthesis in U.S. GLOBEC. The
Pan-Regional Synthesis program, its goals, and the research themes are
described in the Program Description Section below.

Electronic Data Access: The synthesis and comparative analysis
opportunities described in this solicitation are open to scientists without
past involvement in U.S. GLOBEC as well as those who have had funding
through previous GLOBEC activities. U.S. GLOBEC Data Policy requires that
all data collected under the U.S. GLOBEC program and associated
documentation be made available to all researchers. The U.S. GLOBEC Data
Policy (U.S. GLOBEC Report 10) is available at
http://www.usglobec.org/reports/datapol/datapol.contents.html. Again, data
for all three U.S. GLOBEC regional programs is available at
http://www.usglobec.org/data.php.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

         Part I.  Regional Program Descriptions and Current Status

A.  U.S. GLOBEC Northwest Atlantic / Georges Bank Program (NWA)

Within the overall U.S. GLOBEC goals, the NWA / Georges Bank Program has
the following specific goals:

   * To determine the mechanisms by which physical and biological processes
     control the population dynamics of the target organisms (early life
     stages of cod and haddock and their copepod prey, e.g., Calanus
     finmarchicus, Pseudocalanus spp., and Oithona) in the NWA / Georges
     Bank area;
   * To develop conceptual and quantitative models capable of predicting
     ecosystem dynamics and responses on a broad range of space and time
     scales; and
   * To understand the effects of climate variability and climate change on
     the distribution, abundance and production of the target organisms.

The specific objectives and scientific questions related to these goals are
described in greater detail in the U.S. GLOBEC NWA Plan (Report No. 6),
available at http://www.usglobec.org/reports/nwaip/nwaip.contents.html.

The NWA regional program included modeling studies together with
broad-scale and process-oriented field studies on Georges Bank and the
surrounding continental margin and shelf, in the context of the larger
oceanic boundary region with emphasis on the processes and phenomena that
affect the ecosystem of the Bank. Each process-oriented field study focused
on a particular physical process and the influence of that process on the
bank’s biology: Phase I – stratification, Phase II -
source/retention/loss of water and organisms from the Bank, and Phase III
– cross frontal exchange. The coordinated modeling and field effort was
in support of improving the predictability and management of U.S. marine
resources through better understanding of the NWA / Georges Bank ecosystem.

The U.S. NWA Program is now nearing completion of its regional synthesis
phase (Phase IV). Phase IVa initiated the overall synthesis effort
resulting in several data integration and modeling studies. Phase IVb
proposals were selected to place the research findings of the Georges Bank
program into the context of basin-scale phenomena in the North Atlantic,
and to use that knowledge to predict the Georges Bank ecosystem response to
future climate variability with international and other U.S. GLOBEC study
areas.

B.  U.S. GLOBEC Northeast Pacific Program (NEP)

Within the overall U.S. GLOBEC goals, the NEP program has the following
specific goals:

   * To determine how changing climate, especially its impacts on local
     wind and buoyancy forcing and basin-scale currents, affect spatial and
     temporal variability in mesoscale circulation and water column
     structure;
   * To quantify how physical features in the NEP, and variability related
     to climate change, impact zooplankton biomass, production,
     distribution, and the retention and loss of zooplankton from coastal
     regions, and how these, in turn, influence the distributions of higher
     trophic levels, such as forage fish, salmon, and marine birds and
     mammals;
   * To quantify the impacts of key coastal physical and biological
     processes on controlling juvenile salmon growth and survival in the
     coastal zone of the NEP;
   * To determine the extent to which high and variable mortality of
     juvenile salmon in the coastal regions of the Northeast Pacific is
     responsible for large inter-annual variation in adult salmon
     populations, and to determine whether and how the proximate mortality
     causes (e.g., predation, parasites, starvation, loss by advection) are
     affected by climate variability; and
   * To compare the impacts of climate variability and change (such as El
     Niño-La Niña cycles and regime decadal variability) on similar
     marine animal populations (copepods, euphausiids, salmon) across the
     sub-regions of the NEP.

The specific objectives and scientific questions related to these goals are
described in greater detail in the U.S. GLOBEC NEP Implementation Plan
(Report No. 17), available at
http://www.usglobec.org/reports/rep17/nepip.contents.html.

The NEP regional program has two sub-regions, the California Current System
(CCS) and the Coastal Gulf of Alaska (CGOA). Thus far, the NEP program has
consisted of regionally combined modeling, retrospective and pilot field
studies (Phase I) and separate sub-regional field and model studies (Phase
II). These studies have resulted in substantial new data sets and
understanding of the physical-chemical-biological interactions in shelf,
slope and adjacent deep-ocean habitats in the NEP.

Synthesis (Phase III) in the CCS was initiated with funding in 2004 and in
the CGOA in 2005.  The objective of Phase III is the integration and
synthesis of data collected during the field phases of the NEP program, and
the implementation of robust and reliable coupled biophysical models,
leading to improved knowledge of, and predictive tools for, the impact of
climate variability on specific marine populations and ecosystems of the
eastern North Pacific.

C.  U.S. GLOBEC Southern Ocean Program (SO)

Within the overall U.S. GLOBEC goals, the SO program has the following
specific goals:

   * To elucidate shelf-circulation processes and their effect on sea-ice
     formation and Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) distribution, and

   * To examine the factors that govern Antarctic krill survivorship and
     availability to higher trophic levels, including penguins, seals and
     whales.

The program also seeks to improve the predictability of living marine
resources – including their abundance, distribution and behavior – with
respect to local and global climatic shifts.  The U.S. SO GLOBEC
Implementation plan (International GLOBEC Report No. 7A) may be found at
http://www.globec.org.

The goals of the first phase of the US SO GLOBEC program were accomplished
through broad-scale synoptic studies and process-oriented investigations,
conducted primarily during the austral winter (2001-2002). These studies
addressed the following questions:

   * What is the physical environment of the Western Antarctic Peninsula
     shelf and how does it govern the distribution of and the resources
     available to krill?

   * What physical, chemical and biological factors govern krill
     recruitment?

   * What is the relationship between the physical environment, krill
     ecology and the success of krill-dependent predators?

The field and process studies undertaken in the first phase of SO-GLOBEC
resulted in new data sets and an increased understanding of climatic and
geophysical forcing factors that structure ecological communities in the
Southern Ocean.

The first SO GLOBEC Synthesis and Modeling activities were initiated in
2005 with goals that included: (1) improved knowledge of the impact of
environmental and climate variability on specific marine species,
communities, and ecosystems of Antarctic continental shelf waters; (2)
circulation, sea ice, ecosystem, and coupled physical-biological models
that can be used to examine impacts of environmental and climate
variability on Antarctic ecosystems; (3) detailed and quality controlled
datasets of physical, chemical and biological conditions that will be used
in model validation and can provide a baseline and basis for future
research in the region; and (4) new indices or strategies that provide
increased understanding of the structure and function of Antarctic marine
food webs.

   Part II.  Program Description: U.S. GLOBEC Pan-Regional Synthesis (PRS
                                   Phase)

This solicitation for Pan-Regional Synthesis is the culmination of U.S.
GLOBEC.  The objective of Pan-Regional Synthesis is to seek a broader
understanding of climate impacts on marine animal populations and
ecosystems that will build upon regional studies in the Northwest Atlantic,
Northeast Pacific, Southern Ocean, and elsewhere.  A higher-order synthesis
effort incorporating basin-scale and circum-Antarctic efforts, for example,
and comparative analyses among U.S. and International GLOBEC studies and
related programs is required to meet the overarching GLOBEC goal of
predicting the effects of global climate change on marine ecosystems.  A
copy of the U.S. GLOBEC Implementation Plan for Pan-Regional Synthesis may
be found at: http://www.usglobec.org/.

Proposals are sought to compare, contrast, and/or extend the concepts,
hypotheses, models and/or data from two or more study regions, including at
least one of the three U.S. GLOBEC focus regions (NWA/Georges Bank,
Northeast Pacific, or Southern Ocean).  The remaining region(s) may be
drawn from U.S. GLOBEC, GLOBEC International, or elsewhere.  For the
purposes of this solicitation, the Northeast Pacific will be considered a
single U.S. GLOBEC region.

The focus of Pan-Regional Synthesis within the U.S. GLOBEC Program is
the synthesis of individual elements within each regional program, as well
as comparative analysis among them and other with other research
programs. The importance of comparative analysis has been recognized in
U.S. GLOBEC since its inception. The overall synthesis and integration
effort includes comparing the dynamics of closely related taxa in relation
to physical processes (e.g. stratification, upwelling and downwelling, or
sea ice extent). Some examples of cross-cutting issues suitable for
comparative analysis are top-down vs. bottom-up controls on productivity,
and the importance of topographic controls on local and regional
circulation patterns.  Synthetic studies of population and system states
over time in relation to climate forcing are also desired.

Integrated understanding of the effects of climate on the systems
represented in U.S. GLOBEC will require comparison with results of national
and international programs in other similar systems.  The worldwide GLOBEC
program and related research efforts provide opportunities for comparative
analyses and to address basin-scale processes.   Some examples are
comparisons with other studies of calanoid copepods and gadoids on bank and
shelf systems in the North Atlantic; copepods, euphausiids, and salmonids
in the North Pacific; and euphausiids, calanoid copepods, and upper trophic
level predators (e.g., seabirds, penguins, seals and cetaceans) in
continental shelf waters of the Southern Ocean.

Modeling is expected to be a major focus of the GLOBEC Pan-Regional
Synthesis, having already played a central role in the regional studies.
Here, models are broadly defined to encompass validated models of all kinds
– conceptual, mathematical, numerical, and statistical.

A.  Research Themes and Questions

U.S. GLOBEC held its first Pan-Regional Synthesis Workshop in November
2006.  At this Workshop, the science community had the opportunity to
discuss and to define the goals and approaches of pan-regional synthesis.
The Workshop report can be obtained at
http://www.usglobec.org/workshops/synth06/index.php.

Based on the consensus developed at this Workshop, three research themes
were identified for the Pan-Regional Synthesis phase.  These general
themes, and representative research questions appropriate to each, are
described below.  Proposed work may address more than one of these or other
themes.

     1.  The influence of climate on physical and biological
     processes: Synthetic understanding of how basin- and
     global-scales changes in climate force physical processes that in
     turn determine local- and regional-scale biological communities
     is fundamental to the success of U.S. GLOBEC.

Some example questions appropriate to this theme include: How will features
of global climate (e.g., the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Pacific
Decadal Oscillation (PDO), global warming, and acidification) that affect
physical processes in the ocean (e.g., fresh water input, wind patterns,
and circulation) affect regional ecosystems? Are there common features and
responses among the ecosystems?  How are the thresholds of response for
climate defined in each ecosystem? How do climate-mediated changes in
physical conditions interact with organism behavior and influence species
distributions, trophic interactions, and community structure? How does
climate influences on primary production and lower trophic levels determine
the life cycles, distribution, abundance, and species composition of higher
trophic levels? How does this understanding support, and provide specific
strategies for, ecosystems approaches to management? What defines the
capabilities of models for reliable forecasts of end-to-end ecosystem
change?

     2.  Population dynamics and recruitment of target species: This
     theme seeks to identify the processes controlling the population
     dynamics and recruitment of the target organisms as a function of
     system type, and to ascertain how these processes would be
     affected by a changing climate.  This analysis could be done by
     comparing/contrasting the different systems being studied.

Some example questions appropriate to this theme include: What are the
common mechanisms that control population dynamics and recruitment
across/between regions in response to climate change? How valuable are
frameworks, like ecological theories or simulation modeling, to determine
the differences and commonalities between the systems? What key
environmental/ecosystem indicators emerge that can relate these findings to
ecosystem-based management needs and do these have commonalities across
regions?

     3.  Ecosystem structure and function: Taking the knowledge gained
     in U.S. GLOBEC about target species’ physiology, behavior and
     population dynamics, the third theme seeks to better understand
     ecosystem response to climate change, particularly in connection
     with other, anthropogenic forcing.  This activity should provide
     guidance on how to assess ecosystem level questions using GLOBEC
     concepts, methods and/or data, and on further implications for
     the management of marine resources in a changing climate.

Some example questions appropriate to this theme include: What is the role
of individual species dynamics in determining ecosystem and food web
dynamics?  How has climate forcing altered ecosystem structure and function
across regions?  What are the characteristics that contribute to the
resilience and sensitivity of ecosystems?  To what extent does the strength
of climate effects in systems result from different
anthropogenic/historical effects? How does climate change impact the range
and distribution of top predators and their impacts on ecosystems?

B.  Research approaches

This phase of the U.S. GLOBEC program aim at synthesis among the U.S.
GLOBEC study regions, as well as comparison with other systems worldwide.
The intent is to coordinate activities that collectively address the
program goals stated above. Examples of appropriate approaches to be
applied are described below. It is anticipated that proposed work may
utilize more than one of these approaches.

  1. Synthesis of Data Sets across U.S. GLOBEC and other study regions:

Answering the questions posed above will require a concerted effort to
integrate the results of physical observations, estimates of in situ animal
abundances, the condition and reproductive rates of plankton, and the
distributions of predators. Data from multiple disciplines need to be
integrated to enable inter-annual comparisons of population processes and
their coupling to the physical structure and variability of the
environment. Integration of data sets from the long-term observation
program (LTOP), process and survey components of the regional programs,
remote sensing data, retrospective data sets, and modeling analyses will
contribute to the development of multidisciplinary synthesis research
efforts.

  2. Physical/biological modeling:

Conceptual and quantitative models to investigate physical and coupled
physical/biological processes have been developed and used in the U.S.
GLOBEC program. Circulation models have been used to explore the influence
of wind forcing on alongshore and cross-shelf flow using realistic regional
bathymetry and forcing. Ecosystem models have been developed to examine the
specific contributions of multiple zooplankton grazers (micro, meso, and
macro) to energy transfer from lower trophic levels to higher levels. In
Pan-Regional Synthesis, these and other modeling approaches (including both
prognostic and data-assimilative) will be encouraged, with the aim of
comparing and contrasting responses to climate variability across system
types. Effort is also encouraged on the further development of approaches
that effectively couple the lower and upper trophic levels. Modeling
approaches that can be readily adapted and applied to different regions
into a comprehensive “toolbox” will be key for comparative studies.
This effort will provide predictive tools for advancing understanding of
climate-related changes to ecosystems, an important consideration in an
ecosystem approach to management.

  3. Comparative Regional Studies:

This solicitation encourages comparative studies with other GLOBEC regions
and non-GLOBEC-funded studies in similar shelf systems elsewhere.
Comparative studies could include such topics as analyses of target
zooplankton or predator taxa with other species having similar (or
contrasting) life histories; comparative study of regional circulation and
ecosystem responses to basin- and larger-scale climate influences;
contrasts of the effects of wind and buoyancy forcing on near-shore
retention and loss of pelagic organisms. Comparative studies could employ
remote sensing and bio-physical models to analyze ecosystem responses to
climate variability in different regions, or develop new indices and
measures for comparison. The proposals aiming at comparison should clearly
identify the processes and characteristics that will be better understood
through generalizations to and/or contrasts with the other systems. By
encouraging proposals that reach beyond the three U.S. GLOBEC study sites,
this solicitation does not downplay the value of studies that integrate the
data sets, models and understanding gained entirely within U.S. GLOBEC.

  4. Scientific development and evaluation of metrics to characterize
     environmental and ecosystem status and change.

The more complete understanding of pan-regional ecosystem dynamics gained
through the U.S. GLOBEC program should allow for the design of more
efficient and more informative monitoring programs in the region. Achieving
this improvement will involve determining indices (sets of key parameters)
to optimally characterize the status of the ecosystem, particularly in
relation to potential higher trophic level production. Determining the
optimal spatial and temporal scales for sampling and reporting of these key
parameters will provide important information for transitioning GLOBEC
monitoring activities to long-term monitoring programs.  An important goal
is for the indices to identify environmental influences on living marine
resource variability (e.g., cod and haddock, salmon, and krill) and
protected species (e.g., marine mammals) that can be incorporated into the
assessment of the status of these resources and populations in the region.
Indices may be derived from directly measured parameters (from field
observations), remotely sensed parameters, or from output of specific
configurations of coupled physical-biological models.

C.  Coordination of Pan-Regional Synthesis and dissemination of results

As the culmination of U.S. GLOBEC, the two most important objectives for
the Pan-Regional Synthesis phase are to achieve a comprehensive
pan-regional synthesis, and to disseminate the understanding and data/model
products  to the scientific community as well as to natural resource
managers and lay people. The National Office for U.S. GLOBEC will help to
coordinate inter-project communication and to facilitate dissemination
activities.  As part of its coordination activities, the National Office
will host yearly (nominally, Fall 2007, 2008 and 2009) Pan-Regional
Synthesis Workshops.  The Third and Fourth Pan-Regional Synthesis Workshops
in 2008 and 2009 will provide an opportunity for communication and
coordination among the projects funded under this announcement.  Funded
investigators will be expected to attend these two Workshops, with support
for their participation provided by the National Office.

In addition to hosting the Pan-Regional Workshops, the National Office will
request the active participation of Pan-Regional Synthesis investigators in
efforts to hold symposia, to contribute to synthesis publications (e.g.,
books), to transfer knowledge to fisheries managers, and to communicate to
the public. Proposals are encouraged that include well-defined
dissemination plans that leverage/form partnerships with established
outreach programs (e.g., NSF COSEE, NOAA Sea Grant College Programs,
non-profit groups, etc.), and/or envision novel/integrative techniques to
promote dissemination of Pan-Regional Synthesis results.

  D.  Who may apply

Proposals are encouraged from single investigators as well as integrated
multidisciplinary teams.  Researchers from NOAA and/or other Federal
agencies are eligible to participate as no-cost collaborators, or funded by
cooperating agencies, but they cannot be lead Principal Investigators.
Participation of investigators new to the U.S. GLOBEC program is greatly
encouraged.

III. AWARD INFORMATION

NSF anticipates recommending and supporting about 15 projects or proposals
of 2-3 year duration with a total support of approximately $7,000,000.
Actual awards depend on the quality of proposals reviewed and availability
of funds.

IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Organization Limit:

     Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

        * Academic Institutions located in the U.S.: U.S. universities
          and colleges located in the U.S.
        * For-profit organizations: U.S. commercial organizations,
          especially small businesses with strong capabilities in
          scientific or engineering research or education.
        * Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums,
          observatories, research labs, professional societies and
          similar organizations in the U.S. associated with
          educational or research activities.

PI Limit:

     None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

     None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

     None Specified

Additional Eligibility Info:

     Researchers from NOAA and/or other Federal agencies are eligible
     to participate as no-cost collaborators, or funded by cooperating
     agencies, but they cannot be lead Principal Investigators.
     Participation of investigators new to the U.S. GLOBEC program is
     greatly encouraged.

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit
proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or via
the NSF FastLane system.

   * Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response
     to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in
     accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant
     Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available
     electronically on the NSF website at:
     http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies
     of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse,
     telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are
     reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program
     solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National
     Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to
     determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to
     submit this information may delay processing.

   * Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in
     response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be
     prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov
     Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF
     Applications via Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.gov
     Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the
     NSF website at:
     (http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf). To
     obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package,
     click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then click on the Apply
     Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application
     Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the
     program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the
     Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Application
     Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse,
     telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and
submission of the proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate
submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF
FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.3 of the Grant Proposal Guide
provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:   Cost sharing is not required by NSF in proposals submitted
to the National Science Foundation.

C. Due Dates

   * Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

          January 08, 2008

D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

   * For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:

     Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of
     preparation and submission via FastLane are available at:
     https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user
     support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail
     fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical
     questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific
     questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to
     the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this
     funding opportunity.

     Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized
     Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the
     proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications
     (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing
     of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic
     certifications within five working days following the electronic
     submission of the proposal. Further instructions regarding this
     process are available on the FastLane Website at:
     https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.

     For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:

     Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must
     register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the
     applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the
     Grants.gov website. The Grants.gov's Grant Community User Guide is a
     comprehensive reference document that provides technical information
     about Grants.gov. Proposers can download the User Guide as a Microsoft
     Word document or as a PDF document. The Grants.gov User Guide is
     available at: http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport. In addition, the
     NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical
     guidance regarding preparation of proposals via Grants.gov. For
     Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at
     1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact
     Center answers general technical questions related to the use of
     Grants.gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation
     should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in
     Section VIII of this solicitation.

     Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the
     Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the
     application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity
     and agency to which the application is submitted. The AOR must then
     sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed
     application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further
     processing.

VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program and,
if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements, for review. All
proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator
serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other
persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by
the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with
the oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names
of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the
proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These
suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at
the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is
optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the
proposer.

A. NSF Merit Review Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science
Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the
broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF
will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific
objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. The criteria
include considerations that help define them. These considerations are
suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers
must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address
only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being
considered and for which the reviewer is qualified to make judgements.

What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and
understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well
qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If
appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.)
To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and
original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed
activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while
promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed
activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g.,
gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it
enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities,
instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be
disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding?
What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making
funding decisions:

Integration of Research and Education
One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster
integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and
activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These
institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may
concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and
students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education
with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity
of learning perspectives.

Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens --
women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities
-- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF
is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the
programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be
reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or
decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the
proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate
a recommendation.

After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of
appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant
Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended
for award. NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their
proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months.
The time interval begins on the date of receipt.  The interval ends when
the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted
by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential
documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the
reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the
Program Officer.  In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of
the decision to award or decline funding.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals
recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and
Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and
the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are
cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments,
obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of
funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical
or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal
Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments
in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants
and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a
Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations
whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the
cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of
reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided
automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.B. for
additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special
provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2)
the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which
NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals
or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in
the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant
General Conditions (GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)
Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that
may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative
agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative
Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and
the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are
electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and
transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/general_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper
copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone
(703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important
information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF
Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on
the NSF Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants),
the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the
cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current
budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project
reports). Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is
required to submit a final project report.

Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports will delay
NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any
pending proposals for that PI. PIs should examine the formats of the
required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system,
available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and
final project reports.  Such reports provide information on activities and
findings, project participants (individual and organizational)
publications; and, other specific products and contributions.  PIs will not
be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a
proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.  Submission of
the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the
contents of the report are accurate and complete.

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

   * Phillip   Taylor, telephone: (703) 292-7715, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

   * FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail:
     fastlane@nsf.gov.

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

   * Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational
     Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from
     Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please
     contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

The NSF Website provides the most comprehensive source of information on
NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding
opportunities. Use of this Website by potential proposers is strongly
encouraged. In addition, MyNSF (formerly the Custom News Service)is an
information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other
interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and
publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and
procedures, and upcoming NSF Regional Grants Conferences. Subscribers are
informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new
publications are issued that match their identified interests. MyNSF also
is available on NSF's Website at http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/.

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for
Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may
be accessed via this new mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may
be obtained at http://www.grants.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency
created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC
1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress
of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare
by supporting research and education in all fields of science and
engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering.
It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000
colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science
organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The
Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic
institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research,
education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded.
In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for
graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories
itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain
oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also
supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US
participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and
educational activities at every academic level.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide
funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant Proposal Guide
Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these
types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD)
and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable
individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation
about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed
at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703)
292-5111.

 The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
 progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
 cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences,
 mathematics, and engineering.

 To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
 copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
 NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov

        * Location:                       4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington,
                                          VA 22230
        * For General Information         (703) 292-5111
          (NSF Information Center):
        * TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090

        * To Order Publications or Forms:

              Send an e-mail to:          pubs@nsf.gov

                 or telephone:            (703) 292-7827

        * To Locate NSF Employees:        (703) 292-5111

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in
connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports
submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting
within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may
be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the
proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or
obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the
administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers
and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to
other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding
applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in
order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency,
court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the
government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be
added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve
as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records,
NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69
Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File
and Associated Records, " 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004).
Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and
complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an
award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this
collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding the burden
estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Division of Administrative Services
National Science Foundation
Arlington, VA 22230


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