Opportunity Information: Apply for M17AS00006
The BOEM FY 2017 Environmental Studies Program opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number M17AS00006) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, under CFDA 15.423. It is focused on applied environmental research that supports the public interest in safe, responsible, and environmentally sound energy and mineral development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). For this specific announcement, BOEM is signaling its intent to undertake a particular study called Spatial Acoustic Ecology of Marine Megafauna (SPAM), which centers on improving the scientific foundation for how BOEM monitors and mitigates impacts to marine mammals in areas where offshore activities may occur.
The core problem the project addresses is that BOEM must design and implement mitigation measures that reduce or eliminate impacts from regulated OCS activities on protected and managed species, but this is difficult when key species are rarely seen, hard to study, or behave in ways that make them difficult to detect. The announcement highlights deep-diving, acoustically sensitive cetaceans such as sperm whales and beaked whales, along with poorly sampled species like sei whales, all of which can use shelf, shelf-break, and deep ocean habitats. Because these animals spend substantial time underwater, are not always visually observable, and may vocalize in ways that vary by context, there are major gaps in knowledge about their diving behavior and acoustic ecology. Those gaps translate directly into uncertainty in detection probabilities and data interpretation for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), which BOEM relies on heavily as a primary monitoring and mitigation tool.
A major emphasis of the SPAM project is improving and validating cue rates, meaning how often animals produce detectable acoustic cues (for example, clicks, calls, or other vocalizations) across different behaviors and habitats. Cue rates are a critical input for many PAM analyses because they help convert acoustic detections into more meaningful estimates of presence, activity, and potentially density or exposure. When cue rates are unknown or highly variable, it becomes harder to interpret PAM results confidently, which can weaken impact analyses and the design of mitigation. By generating stronger, behaviorally informed cue-rate information for understudied species, the project aims to reinforce BOEM passive acoustic work not just in one region, but as a broadly applicable improvement to BOEM acoustic studies nationally.
BOEM frames the need for this work in terms of multiple federal responsibilities. The agency needs up-to-date, defensible science to analyze and disclose potential significant impacts from OCS activities across space and time under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It also needs better information to support Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations, including determinations about jeopardy to a species and adverse modification of designated critical habitat. In addition, BOEM needs improved estimates related to incidental take under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), since take analyses depend on credible assumptions about animal presence, detectability, and exposure. The study is also intended to help BOEM meet broader assessment and consultation requirements with other federal agencies and to support the agency goal of maintaining the health and stability of marine mammals and their ecosystems. Overall, the opportunity is positioned as a way to ensure BOEMs acoustic monitoring and mitigation decisions are built on the best available science, particularly for species and settings where current information is thin.
Eligibility for this cooperative agreement is narrow and targeted. Applicants must be affected coastal state offices or public universities that are members of the Piedmont-South Atlantic Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) and that currently hold a marine mammal authorization permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates BOEM expects substantial involvement in the project during performance, rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
In terms of funding and timing, BOEM anticipated making one award with an award ceiling of $2,350,000. The opportunity was posted with a creation date of February 2, 2017, and an original closing date of April 3, 2017. The activity category is environment, reflecting the project’s focus on environmental science that directly informs offshore management, monitoring, and mitigation related to marine mammals and offshore energy and mineral activities.Apply for M17AS00006
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BOEM FY 2017 Environmental Studies Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 02, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 03, 2017. (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 $2,350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the BOEM FY 2017 Environmental Studies Program announcement, Funding Opportunity Number M17AS00006. It is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), under CFDA 15.423.
What is the overall purpose of BOEMs Environmental Studies Program in this announcement?
The announcement focuses on applied environmental research that supports the public interest in safe, responsible, and environmentally sound energy and mineral development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
Is BOEM seeking proposals for a specific study or for open-ended research topics?
For this specific announcement, BOEM signals its intent to undertake a particular study: Spatial Acoustic Ecology of Marine Megafauna (SPAM).
What is the SPAM study about?
SPAM centers on improving the scientific foundation for how BOEM monitors and mitigates impacts to marine mammals in areas where offshore activities may occur, with a strong emphasis on acoustic ecology and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM).
Why is BOEM focused on acoustic monitoring for this work?
The announcement explains that BOEM relies heavily on passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) as a primary monitoring and mitigation tool, especially because many marine mammal species are difficult to see and spend substantial time underwater.
What management problem is this project trying to solve?
BOEM must design and implement mitigation measures that reduce or eliminate impacts from regulated OCS activities on protected and managed species. This is difficult when key species are rarely seen, hard to study, or behave in ways that make them difficult to detect.
Which marine mammals are highlighted as particularly challenging to monitor?
The announcement highlights deep-diving, acoustically sensitive cetaceans such as sperm whales and beaked whales, and also notes poorly sampled species like sei whales.
What habitats are relevant to the species discussed in the announcement?
The species referenced can use shelf, shelf-break, and deep ocean habitats, which adds complexity to monitoring and impact assessment across different environments.
What are "cue rates" in the context of this opportunity?
Cue rates refer to how often animals produce detectable acoustic cues (for example, clicks, calls, or other vocalizations) across different behaviors and habitats.
Why are cue rates important for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM)?
The announcement describes cue rates as a critical input for many PAM analyses because they help convert acoustic detections into more meaningful estimates of presence, activity, and potentially density or exposure.
What issue arises when cue rates are unknown or highly variable?
When cue rates are unknown or highly variable, it becomes harder to interpret PAM results confidently. The announcement indicates this uncertainty can weaken impact analyses and the design of mitigation measures.
What does BOEM want to improve or validate through SPAM?
A major emphasis is improving and validating cue rates in a behaviorally informed way, particularly for understudied species and across different behaviors and habitats.
How broadly does BOEM expect the SPAM results to be useful?
The announcement positions SPAM as strengthening BOEMs passive acoustic work not just in one region, but as a broadly applicable improvement to BOEM acoustic studies nationally.
How does this work connect to NEPA requirements?
BOEM states it needs up-to-date, defensible science to analyze and disclose potential significant impacts from OCS activities across space and time under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
How does this work support Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations?
The announcement notes BOEM needs better information to support ESA consultations, including determinations about jeopardy to a species and adverse modification of designated critical habitat.
How does this work relate to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)?
BOEM cites the need for improved estimates related to incidental take under the MMPA, since take analyses depend on credible assumptions about animal presence, detectability, and exposure.
Does BOEM describe any broader interagency or ecosystem goals tied to this project?
Yes. The study is intended to help BOEM meet broader assessment and consultation requirements with other federal agencies and to support BOEMs goal of maintaining the health and stability of marine mammals and their ecosystems.
What type of award is being offered?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. The announcement indicates this generally means BOEM expects substantial involvement in the project during performance, rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is narrow and targeted. Applicants must be affected coastal state offices or public universities that are members of the Piedmont-South Atlantic Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) and that currently hold a marine mammal authorization permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
Do applicants need any specific permit to be eligible?
Yes. The announcement states that applicants must currently hold a marine mammal authorization permit from NMFS.
Is CESU membership required for eligibility?
Yes. Applicants must be members of the Piedmont-South Atlantic CESU, as specified in the announcement.
How many awards did BOEM anticipate making?
BOEM anticipated making one award under this opportunity.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling listed in the announcement is $2,350,000.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity has a creation date of February 2, 2017, and an original closing date of April 3, 2017.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is environment, reflecting the focus on environmental science to inform offshore management, monitoring, and mitigation related to marine mammals and offshore energy and mineral activities.
What is the geographic and management context for this work?
The work is tied to BOEMs responsibilities for activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), particularly where offshore activities may occur and where monitoring and mitigation for marine mammals are needed.
What kinds of species-related uncertainties does the announcement emphasize?
The announcement emphasizes uncertainties driven by species that are rarely seen, spend substantial time underwater, are not always visually observable, and may vocalize in ways that vary by context. These factors create gaps in knowledge about diving behavior and acoustic ecology and lead to uncertainty in detection probabilities and interpretation of PAM data.
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