To maintain a cooperative university and Federal
partnership to conduct meteorological training, education, professional
development, and research and development on hydrometeorological issues common
to the hydrometeorological community.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Dissemination of Technical Information. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Training. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Funds can be used to support education, training,
research and development on subjects, especially those relating to
modernization of the weather services, related to the atmospheric, near
surface (first ten meters) oceanographic, and hydrologic conditions. Specific
restrictions, other than those mandated for cooperative agreements, are
evaluated on an individual basis.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are accredited Federally recognized institutions of higher
learning, consortia of these institutions, agencies of State or local
governments including school systems, quasi-public institutions, consultants,
and companies involved in using and developing meteorological or hydrologic
forecasts or forecast methodology.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
The benefits of the overall program are for reduction in loss of life and
damage which the general public can realize from improvement in weather
forecasts, watches, and warnings of hazardous weather and resultant flooding.
For the improvements from the modernization of the Nation's weather and
hydrologic services to be realized, there must be significant involvement of
the entire hydrometeorological community. Thus, benefits will accrue to: (1)
General public \through higher quality weather products and information; (2)
State and local agencies responsible for the planning and implementation of
emergency services, fire prevention, allocation and control of water
resources, and those agencies who project economic conditions based on weather
and water resource availability; (3) educational institutions (0-13+) which
need to incorporate the information which will result from modernization of
the weather services into their curricula; (4) scientists and developers who
will be using the new information to enhance the State of the knowledge of the
atmosphere and improve present system safety and reliability; and academic
institutions which are funded for programs dealing with studies of the
atmospheric and hydrologic science.
Credentials/Documentation:
Proposals with statement of work, estimated budget, curriculum vitae, and
statements of appropriate and/or necessary accreditation. Costs will be
determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos. A-87 for State and local
governments, A-21 for educational institutions and A-122 for nonprofit and
for-profit organizations.
Pre-application Coordination:
Pre-application coordination between the proposer and the Office of Climate,
Water and Weather Services (OCWWS) is recommended. Consultation in the
preparation of forms is available from OCWWS. This program is eligible for
coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated
as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the
process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the
State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure:
Proposals, including a statement of work and budget, are submitted to Chief of
the Training Division of OCWWS. When details of the work and budget are
mutually agreed upon, the complete proposal will be prepared and formally
submitted. Complete grant or cooperative agreement proposals will include
forms SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A, Budget Information
Non-Construction Programs, statement of work, budget and supporting details,
negotiated indirect cost rate sheet, and CD-511 Certifications Regarding
Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters, Drug Free Workplace
Requirements, and Lobbying statements. Cooperative activities and funding
amounts are determined through an evaluation conducted in coordination with
the Director of OCWWS, and staff.
Award Procedure: Awards are
made on the basis of proposal evaluations as well as technical and
administrative reviews.
Deadlines: None.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Approval time for grants is expected to range from 90 to 180 days, which
includes processing of the award through the NWS, NOAA, and DOC financial
assistance functions.
Appeals: None.
Renewals: By negotiations
with OCWWS. Cooperative agreement activities are normally continuing subject
to the availability of funding for subsequent budget periods. Renewal of an
award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total
discretion of the Agency.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
This program has no specific matching requirements. Projects are accepted at
up to 100 percent Federal share.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Awards are usually for a 12-month period. In some instances, award periods may
extend beyond 12 months. The funding is spent in the award's budget period
unless an extension is requested by the principal investigator and approved by
NOAA Grants Office. The recipient receives the funds through the financial
assistance disbursement system (FADS).
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Reports are due in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the award. The Department's
financial assistance standard terms and conditions generally require that
financial and performance reports be submitted quarterly.
Audits: In accordance with
the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), recipients
that are States, Local Governments, Nonprofit Organizations (to include
Hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit
requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C.
7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit
requirements as stipulated in the award document. In accordance with the
provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits
of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal
entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal
Awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year.
Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards
are exempt from Federal audit requirements for the year, except as noted in
Circular No. A-133.
Records: All financial and
programming records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other
records of grantees or sub-grantees are required to be maintained by the terms
of the agreement. The grantee must retain records for 3 years from the date
when the final expenditure report is submitted.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
13-1450-0-1-306.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01
$3,861,294; and FY 02 est $2,669,300; and FY 03 est $3,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $15,000 to $4,000,000.
The Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology,
Education, and Training (COMET) has performed in a manner which has met all
expectations. COMET consists of two programs: the Education and Training
Program, and the Outreach Program. Experts from the entire academia community
cooperate in the operational aspects of meteorology and hydrology which leads
to the most current education and training. The Outreach Program seeks to make
partnerships with Federal operational meteorologists and research scientists.
During fiscal year 2001, this program sponsored a total of 12 projects with an
average level of funding of approximately $30,000 per year for collaborative
efforts and a total of 13 smaller projects with an average level of funding of
$8,000. Proposals were treated in the standard peer review process. COMET
produces cost-effective Web- Based modules and has produced four modules
within the last year which are available freely on the web at
http://meted.ucar.edu/.
The COMET, AMS & UVA are the only projects which are
presently funded under this program.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Proposals are subject to office and peer review process
taking into consideration scientific merit, application to office research
goals, principal investigator's qualifications, cost, and available funding.
