Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR OER 2020 2006011

The Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Opportunity is a discretionary federal grant and cooperative agreement program offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA, specifically NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). The program is aimed at advancing ocean exploration in waters under U.S. jurisdiction, with particular emphasis on the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). At its core, the opportunity seeks proposals that will generate new ocean data, observations, and knowledge products that help fill critical gaps in understanding of the seafloor, water column, and associated ocean features that are still poorly characterized.

A central theme of this funding opportunity is producing information that can be used in practical, economy-relevant ways, especially in support of ocean-related parts of the U.S. economy commonly referred to as the "Blue Economy." In this context, NOAA is looking for exploration outputs that could inform decision-making and opportunity development in areas such as marine transportation, offshore energy, fisheries and aquaculture, marine biotechnology, tourism and recreation, and other ocean-dependent industries. While the program is rooted in scientific exploration, it is also clearly oriented toward collecting data and building foundational knowledge that can be translated into broader public value, including economic, environmental, and management applications.

The opportunity also explicitly aligns with Seabed 2030, an international initiative to achieve complete mapping of the global ocean floor by 2030. Proposals that directly contribute bathymetric data, seafloor characterization, and mapping products that support Seabed 2030 objectives are therefore especially relevant. This highlights NOAA's interest not only in discovery-driven exploration, but also in systematic mapping and data standardization efforts that can be integrated into global datasets and used by scientists, governments, and industry stakeholders.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number NOAA OAR OER 2020 2006011 under CFDA 11.011. The expected award mechanism includes both grants and cooperative agreements, which typically means NOAA may anticipate varying degrees of involvement during project execution depending on the specific award. The anticipated number of awards is about 10, and the stated maximum funding per award (award ceiling) is $750,000. The opportunity was originally posted on April 5, 2019, with an original application deadline of September 6, 2019, indicating it was intended to support a portfolio of projects for the FY2020 funding cycle.

Eligibility is broadly indicated as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement, which usually signals that a range of applicant types may be considered (often including universities, nonprofits, research institutions, private entities, and potentially state, local, or tribal entities), but that applicants must consult the complete eligibility language to confirm fit. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a competitive NOAA research and exploration funding call focused on expanding what is known about U.S. ocean areas and producing high-value datasets that support national economic interests and international mapping goals.

  • 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 "Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.011.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 05, 2019.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 06, 2019. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Opportunity?

This is a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA, specifically NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). It supports projects that advance ocean exploration and generate new ocean data, observations, and knowledge products.

Which federal agency and program office administer this opportunity?

The opportunity is administered by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) within the U.S. Department of Commerce, through NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER).

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The primary goal is to fund proposals that fill critical gaps in understanding of ocean areas that remain poorly characterized, including the seafloor, the water column, and associated ocean features. The emphasis is on producing new data and foundational knowledge products.

What geographic areas are the focus of the program?

The program is aimed at ocean exploration in waters under U.S. jurisdiction, with particular emphasis on the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

What kinds of project outputs is NOAA looking for?

NOAA is looking for outputs such as new ocean data, observations, mapping products, seafloor characterization, and other knowledge products that help address gaps in understanding of U.S. ocean areas and features.

How does this opportunity relate to the "Blue Economy"?

A central theme is producing information that can be used in practical, economy-relevant ways to support ocean-related sectors of the U.S. economy (the "Blue Economy"). The funded exploration outputs are expected to be useful for decision-making and opportunity development in ocean-dependent industries.

Which Blue Economy sectors are specifically mentioned?

The opportunity notes potential relevance to marine transportation, offshore energy, fisheries and aquaculture, marine biotechnology, tourism and recreation, and other ocean-dependent industries.

Is this funding strictly for scientific research, or does it also support applied outcomes?

While it is rooted in scientific exploration, the opportunity is also oriented toward collecting data and building foundational knowledge that can translate into broader public value, including economic, environmental, and management applications.

How does this opportunity align with Seabed 2030?

The opportunity explicitly aligns with Seabed 2030, the international initiative to map the global ocean floor by 2030. Proposals that contribute bathymetric data, mapping products, and seafloor characterization that support Seabed 2030 objectives are especially relevant.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NOAA OAR OER 2020 2006011.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 11.011.

What types of awards will be made under this opportunity?

The expected award mechanisms include both grants and cooperative agreements.

What is the difference between a grant and a cooperative agreement in this context?

The opportunity indicates that NOAA may have varying degrees of involvement during project execution depending on the award type, which is why both grants and cooperative agreements are included as possible mechanisms.

How many awards does NOAA expect to make?

The anticipated number of awards is about 10.

What is the maximum funding available per award?

The stated maximum funding per award (the award ceiling) is $750,000.

When was this funding opportunity posted?

The opportunity was originally posted on April 5, 2019.

What was the original application deadline?

The original application deadline was September 6, 2019.

What funding cycle was this intended to support?

Based on the description, it was intended to support a portfolio of projects for the FY2020 funding cycle.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broadly indicated as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement. This typically suggests a range of applicant types may be considered, but applicants must consult the complete eligibility language in the full announcement to confirm eligibility.

Does the opportunity specify which applicant types fall under "Others"?

The information provided notes that "Others" often includes universities, nonprofits, research institutions, private entities, and potentially state, local, or tribal entities, but it directs applicants to the full announcement for the official eligibility requirements.

What makes a proposal especially relevant to NOAA under this opportunity?

Proposals are especially relevant when they generate high-value datasets that fill important characterization gaps in U.S. ocean areas, support practical uses tied to the Blue Economy, and/or directly contribute mapping and bathymetric products that align with Seabed 2030 objectives.

What is the overarching goal of the program in plain terms?

In practical terms, the program is a competitive NOAA exploration funding call designed to expand what is known about U.S. ocean areas and to produce high-value data products that can support national economic interests and international mapping goals.

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