CALL FOR PRE-PROPOSALS
GULF OF MEXICO (GOM) REGIONAL NATURAL HAZARD AND
CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCY RESEARCH AND OUTREACH PROGRAM
Deadline:February 23, 2009, 4 p.m. EST -- NO EXTENSIONS
Priorities
To address research questions indentified in the GOM Regional Research Plan and proposed actions in the GOM Alliance Action Plan II, the GOM Sea Grant programs, the USEPA GOM program, the NOAA Northern Gulf Institute, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are inviting pre-proposals for one- or two-year projects that address Natural Hazard and Climate Change Resiliency priorities. Additional organizations may also sponsor this initiative.
The goal of the initiative is to develop information, tools, technologies, products, policies, or public decision processes that can be used by coastal communities to increase resilience to coastal natural hazards and sea level rise. Research projects must address one or more of the following priorities:
- Develop and/or evaluate the effectiveness of innovative approaches to increase public understanding of risks associated with coastal hazards and sea level rise and to encourage adaptive behaviors.
- Develop new technologies, construction products, planning tools and guidelines, and/or model policies that can be used by local governments to increase resiliency to coastal hazards and sea level rise.
- Determine the socioeconomic costs and benefits of implementing different adaptation and resilience actions for GOM communities and states.
- Predict socioeconomic impacts of climate and sea level change on population dynamics, community infrastructure, short- and long-term community demographic shifts, social capital, and commerce centers for county and community planners and local governments.
- Design updated real-time storm surge models and products that include meteorological, land use and land cover, and improved boundary data to better predict impacts from storms at a scale that is relevant for local and regional decision making.
- Determine linkages between human actions (e.g., physical alterations to coasts, groundwater depletion) and natural systems that can either increase or compromise ecological integrity and community resiliency to storm events and climate change.
Award and Process
Federal funds for each selected project will not exceed $200,000 per year for two years. Non-federal matching funds at 50 percent of the federal amount are required. Non-federal matching funds from agencies and/or stakeholders will be considered a plus.
Interdisciplinary projects are highly encouraged and projects must be regional in scope. They must include investigators from states associated with at least two of the four GOM Sea Grant programs (Florida, Mississippi/Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas). Collaboration with faculty from Mexican universities is encouraged.
The knowledge gained from research is most valuable when it is effectively shared with end-users in a format that is easily understood and directly applicable for decision support. Successful applicants must incorporate the technical expertise, tools, and methods to answer the research question AND design an effective education, outreach, and/or extension plan that will lead to application of the research results. Principal investigators (PIs) are encouraged to work with end-users (agencies, the private sector, NGOs, etc.) in developing relevant proposals, and to contact their local GOM Sea Grant program for recommendations of Sea Grant Extension personnel who might be appropriate collaborators with regard to the education, outreach, and extension requirement.
The pre-proposal should be submitted to the Florida Sea Grant Program as a PDF file attached to an e-mail message to Jackie Whitehouse (jhw04@ufl.edu). An investigator may only participate in up to two regional proposals in any capacity (as a PI, co-PI or associate PI). Review of the pre-proposals will be coordinated by project sponsors, and they will jointly determine which PIs will be encouraged to submit full proposals.
Pre-proposals will be evaluated using the criteria listed below. The review will also consider the level of involvement of people and groups who will directly use the results of the project and how these groups are involved in the development and execution of the proposed work.
Review criteria for pre- and full proposals include:
- Rationale (15%) – The degree to which the proposed activity addresses an important issue, problem, or opportunity related to reducing the risks to life, property, and the environment from coastal natural hazard events as defined the regional priorities outlined above.
- Scientific or Professional Merit (40%) – The degree to which the activity is innovative and will advance the state of the science or discipline through rigorous use and extension of state-of-the-art methods.
- Expected Results, Applications,. and Benefits (20%) – The degree to which the completed project is expected to create new commercial opportunities, improve technological and economic efficiency, improve governmental and management decisions, and be integrated into education and outreach programs. Results, applications, and benefits must be applicable throughout the GOM region.
- Users, Participants, and Co-Sponsors (20%) – The degree to which users or potential users of the results of the proposed activity have been brought into the planning and funding of the activity, will be brought into the execution of the activity, or will use the results. Incorporating support from local, state, or federal agencies in real or in-kind funding will enhance the proposal. Funding from other federal agencies will be a plus, but cannot count toward the non-federal match requirement.
- Investigator Qualifications (5%) – The degree to which the investigators are qualified by education, training, and/or experience to execute the proposed activity consistent with stage of career development and record of productivity with previous Sea Grant funding (if applicable).
The PIs of pre-proposals receiving a positive review will be encouraged to submit full proposals. By law, PIs of pre-proposals who are not encouraged to submit a full proposal are still eligible to do so. Review comments on pre-proposals and guidelines for developing full proposals will be provided at the time pre-proposal reviews are circulated to PIs.
Timeline
- February 23, 2009 — Pre-proposals are due at Florida Sea Grant.
- April 17, 2009 — Principal investigators will be notified of the review process outcome relative to their Pre-proposals.
- June 8, 2009 — Full proposals are due.
- August 28, 2009 — Principal investigators will be notified of the review process outcome relative to full proposals.
- September 13, 2009 — Written response to proposal merit reviews, if requested, are due.
- February 1, 2010 — Projects begin.
- January 31, 2012 — Projects end.
Pre-Proposal Submission Information
Pre-Proposal guidelines and required forms:
Gulf of Mexico Regional Preproposal Guidelines
For More Information
Please contact your state’s Sea Grant director if you have questions regarding this request for pre-proposals.
Texas Sea Grant College Program: Dr. Robert Stickney
Louisiana Sea Grant College Program: Dr. Charles Wilson
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Dr. LaDon Swann
Florida Sea Grant College Program: Dr. Karl Havens