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

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR CIPO 2019 2005712

The Department of Commerce, through NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), announced a discretionary funding opportunity to establish a new Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration. The award would be made as a cooperative agreement, which generally means NOAA expects to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply providing funds with minimal interaction. The intent is to create a long-term, collaborative institute environment where NOAA and the selected recipient can jointly plan and carry out ocean exploration activities over multiple years, building sustained capacity rather than supporting a short, one-off project.

The institute's mission is framed around three core goals. First, it is meant to expand discovery and initial characterization of the ocean by finding and documenting previously unknown or poorly understood marine life (flora and fauna) as well as oceanic features and phenomena. This is positioned as direct support for NOAA and broader national priorities, especially those tied to understanding and managing marine resources. Second, the institute is expected to push forward undersea technology capabilities for both NOAA and the nation. That emphasis on technology development points to advancing the tools needed for exploration, such as sensors, platforms, mapping systems, autonomous or remotely operated vehicles, and other enabling technologies that make modern deep-sea and water-column exploration possible. Third, the institute is expected to increase the practical value and usability of ocean exploration outputs for stakeholders, meaning the results should not only be collected but also translated into forms that decision-makers, researchers, educators, and other users can apply.

A notable feature of the opportunity is the explicit expectation of partnership beyond NOAA and a single academic team. The description highlights collaboration with academia, the private sector, and not-for-profit institutions, suggesting NOAA wants a hub that can coordinate contributions from multiple communities and leverage complementary strengths. In practical terms, that implies an institute that can convene experts across disciplines, coordinate field activities, and integrate exploration, research, and technology development in a way that produces usable knowledge, data products, and capabilities. The institute is also expected to include education and outreach as a core function, not as an afterthought, helping broaden awareness and understanding of ocean exploration and expanding the pipeline of skilled people who can support NOAA-relevant work in the future.

Funding for this competition was substantial, with an award ceiling listed at $150,000,000 and an expectation of a single award. The opportunity was published under Funding Opportunity Number "NOAA OAR CIPO 2019 2005712" and tied to CFDA 11.432. It was created on July 16, 2018, with an original application closing date of October 15, 2018. Eligibility is indicated as "Others" with additional clarifications expected in the full announcement, which typically means applicants must consult the notice for specifics about which organizations can apply and under what conditions.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at creating a flagship, NOAA-aligned institute that can continuously explore and characterize the ocean, accelerate development and adoption of undersea exploration technologies, and ensure that the resulting knowledge and products are more accessible and useful to a broad set of stakeholders. The structure and scale signal an effort to institutionalize ocean exploration as an ongoing national capability, integrating field discovery, technological innovation, collaborative partnerships, and public-facing education and outreach under a single coordinated program.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Competition for a Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.432.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 16, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR CIPO 2019 2005712

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