Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2018 2005325
Round 3 of the NOAA Research to Operations (R2O) Initiative: NGGPS and HFIP is a competitive federal funding opportunity from the Department of Commerce focused on moving high-impact weather research into day-to-day operational forecasting at the National Weather Service (NWS). The program is designed to speed up the transition from research results to tools, models, and methods that forecasters can actually use, with the broader aim of meeting growing public service demands and improving forecast accuracy. It is closely tied to NOAA's Weather Ready Nation (WRN) goals, which emphasize better preparedness and resilience through stronger weather prediction and communication capabilities.
The opportunity supports two-year projects, with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2018 (unless otherwise specified). Awards are issued as cooperative agreements, which typically means NOAA expects active involvement during the project period (for example, coordination with NOAA teams, alignment with operational requirements, and participation in transition-to-operations activities). The anticipated maximum award amount is $200,000, and NOAA expected to make about 24 awards under this announcement. The funding opportunity number is NOAA NWS NWSPO 2018 2005325, and it is associated with CFDA 11.468. The original posting date was November 8, 2017, and the original closing date was February 7, 2018.
Eligibility is aimed at institutions of higher education and federally funded educational institutions, with the Naval Postgraduate School specifically mentioned as an example. While the listing indicates "Others" under eligible applicants, the text clarifies that the intended applicants are primarily academic and federally supported educational research entities that can deliver applied science and technical advancements relevant to operational numerical weather prediction.
Programmatically, NOAA is seeking proposals that directly support the development and operational readiness of the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) and the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP). For NGGPS, the emphasis is on applied research, modeling, and data assimilation at both global and regional scales that can realistically be incorporated into NWS operational analyses and forecasts. For HFIP, the focus is on coordinated hurricane research that leads to measurable improvements in operational hurricane and tropical cyclone forecasts, with an explicit connection to societal needs such as reducing loss of life and mitigating economic disruption.
The technical scope is broad but clearly oriented toward operational impact. Priority topics include accelerating the development and implementation of improved global weather prediction models, especially work that strengthens Earth system coupling among the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and ice components. NOAA also highlights improved data assimilation techniques as a core need, recognizing that better use of observations can substantially improve initial conditions and downstream forecast skill. Additional emphasis areas include nested regional prediction capabilities (for capturing higher-resolution regional detail within broader global models), improved hurricane and tropical cyclone modeling techniques (to advance track, intensity, and structure forecasts), improved ensemble techniques (to better quantify uncertainty and support probabilistic forecasting), post-processing tools and techniques (to convert raw model output into more accurate and decision-relevant forecast products), and improved software architecture and system engineering (to make modeling systems more scalable, maintainable, and suitable for real-time operations).
A defining feature of this opportunity is that it is not just funding general atmospheric science research; it is explicitly about demonstrating capabilities that can be transitioned into operations. The announcement provides submission guidelines and application procedures with that transition goal in mind, meaning competitive proposals would be expected to show a clear operational pathway, practical deliverables, and relevance to NWS numerical weather prediction workflows. In short, this grant is meant for teams that can produce applied advances in modeling and assimilation, test them in realistic settings, and help NOAA move them toward operational implementation within NGGPS and/or HFIP over a two-year performance window.Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2018 2005325
- 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 "Round 3 of Research to Operations Initiative: NGGPS and HFIP" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.468.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 08, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 07, 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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 24 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: Round 3 of the NOAA Research to Operations (R2O) Initiative: NGGPS and HFIP
What is this funding opportunity?
This is Round 3 of the NOAA Research to Operations (R2O) Initiative: NGGPS and HFIP, a competitive federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce. It focuses on moving high-impact weather research into day-to-day operational forecasting at the National Weather Service (NWS).
What is the main purpose of the program?
The purpose is to speed up the transition of research results into operational tools, models, and methods that NWS forecasters can actually use. The broader goal is to meet growing public service demands and improve forecast accuracy through practical, operationally ready advances.
How does this opportunity relate to NOAA's Weather Ready Nation (WRN) goals?
The opportunity is closely tied to NOAA's Weather Ready Nation goals, which emphasize improved preparedness and resilience through stronger weather prediction and communication capabilities. Projects are expected to contribute to that overall mission by improving operational forecasting performance and usefulness.
Which NOAA/NWS initiatives does this grant support?
The grant supports work that directly advances the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) and/or the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP). Proposals should be clearly aligned to one or both of these operational priorities.
What types of projects is NOAA looking to fund?
NOAA is looking for applied science and technical projects that produce capabilities that can be transitioned into NWS operations. The emphasis is not on general atmospheric science research, but on developments that can be tested in realistic settings and moved toward operational implementation.
What is meant by "Research to Operations (R2O)" in this program?
In this context, R2O means taking research outcomes and converting them into operationally usable forecasting capabilities. Competitive proposals are expected to demonstrate a clear transition pathway, practical deliverables, and direct relevance to NWS numerical weather prediction workflows.
What is the period of performance for funded projects?
The opportunity supports two-year projects.
What is the anticipated project start date?
The anticipated start date is September 1, 2018, unless otherwise specified.
What type of award instrument is used?
Awards are issued as cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
Cooperative agreements typically mean NOAA expects active involvement during the project period. Examples mentioned include coordinating with NOAA teams, aligning with operational requirements, and participating in transition-to-operations activities.
What is the maximum anticipated award amount?
The anticipated maximum award amount is $200,000.
How many awards does NOAA expect to make?
NOAA expected to make about 24 awards under this announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at institutions of higher education and federally funded educational institutions. The Naval Postgraduate School is specifically mentioned as an example. While the listing indicates "Others" under eligible applicants, the text clarifies that the intended applicants are primarily academic and federally supported educational research entities.
Is this opportunity intended for general research organizations?
Based on the description provided, the intended applicants are primarily academic and federally supported educational research entities that can deliver applied science and technical advancements relevant to operational numerical weather prediction.
What is the focus for NGGPS-related proposals?
For NGGPS, the emphasis is on applied research, modeling, and data assimilation at both global and regional scales, with work that can realistically be incorporated into NWS operational analyses and forecasts.
What is the focus for HFIP-related proposals?
For HFIP, the focus is coordinated hurricane research that leads to measurable improvements in operational hurricane and tropical cyclone forecasts, explicitly connected to societal needs such as reducing loss of life and mitigating economic disruption.
What are the priority technical topics mentioned in the announcement?
The opportunity highlights priority areas oriented toward operational impact, including:
- Accelerating development and implementation of improved global weather prediction models
- Strengthening Earth system coupling among atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and ice components
- Improved data assimilation techniques to better use observations and improve initial conditions
- Nested regional prediction capabilities (higher-resolution regional detail within global models)
- Improved hurricane and tropical cyclone modeling techniques (track, intensity, and structure)
- Improved ensemble techniques to better quantify uncertainty and support probabilistic forecasting
- Post-processing tools and techniques to convert raw model output into more accurate, decision-relevant products
- Improved software architecture and system engineering to support scalability, maintainability, and real-time operations
Why is Earth system coupling emphasized?
The announcement calls out coupling across the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and ice components as a priority for improving global prediction models, reflecting the need for more integrated Earth system representation to improve forecast performance in operational settings.
Why is data assimilation highlighted as a core need?
NOAA highlights improved data assimilation because better use of observations can substantially improve model initial conditions and, as a result, improve downstream forecast skill.
What does "nested regional prediction capabilities" refer to in this context?
It refers to the ability to capture higher-resolution regional detail within broader global modeling systems, supporting better depiction of regional-scale features while maintaining consistency with global analyses and forecasts.
What kinds of hurricane forecast improvements are targeted?
The opportunity references improvements in hurricane and tropical cyclone modeling techniques that advance operational forecasts of track, intensity, and structure, with a requirement that improvements be measurable and operationally relevant.
What is the role of ensemble techniques in this program?
Ensemble techniques are emphasized for better quantifying forecast uncertainty and enabling probabilistic forecasting, which supports more informative decision-making in operational weather services.
What is meant by post-processing tools and techniques?
Post-processing refers to methods that convert raw model output into forecast products that are more accurate and more decision-relevant for end users, aligning with the program's operational focus.
Why does the opportunity emphasize software architecture and system engineering?
Because operational forecasting requires modeling systems that can run reliably in real time, scale to operational computing environments, and remain maintainable over time. The announcement specifically emphasizes making systems more scalable, maintainable, and suitable for real-time operations.
Is this opportunity intended to fund basic research?
The description makes clear that this is not funding for general atmospheric science research. It is specifically about demonstrating capabilities that can be transitioned into operations, with practical deliverables and a clear operational pathway.
What makes a proposal competitive based on the description provided?
Competitive proposals would be expected to show: (1) clear relevance to NWS operational numerical weather prediction workflows; (2) practical deliverables (tools, models, methods) that forecasters can use; and (3) a credible pathway and activities to transition the work into operations within the two-year performance window.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is NOAA NWS NWSPO 2018 2005325, and it is associated with CFDA 11.468.
When was the opportunity originally posted and when did it close?
The original posting date was November 8, 2017, and the original closing date was February 7, 2018.
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