AK-25-01, Alaska Coastal Marine Institute Administrative Award

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has announced the availability of funding under Notice of Funding Opportunity M25AS00273, titled "Alaska Coastal Marine Institute Administrative Award." BOEM is responsible for managing the development of the nation’s offshore energy and mineral resources in an environmentally and economically responsible way. In support of this mission, BOEM collaborates with academic institutions to support applied scientific research. This funding opportunity is specifically designed to support the ongoing partnership between BOEM and the University of Alaska's Coastal Marine Institute (Alaska CMI), which facilitates research to inform decision-making on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) resource development. The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement is to fund administrative operations for the Alaska Coastal Marine Institute. The program seeks to ensure continued support for environmental research projects that provide critical scientific data used by state and local governments to guide resource management decisions. The award will provide support for coordination of funding cycles, communication between BOEM and university researchers, tracking and monitoring of expenditures, and completion of deliverables including formatting, Section 508 compliance, and data dissemination. Key activities also include scheduling meetings, aligning research objectives with BOEM’s strategic goals, resolving funding issues, and supporting program presentations. This opportunity is only available to select entities, specifically public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and state governments. It is not an open competition; instead, it targets entities already involved in the CMI partnership, particularly the University of Alaska. All awarded projects must include a staff member from the applicant organization serving as the Principal Investigator. Awards are subject to substantial involvement from BOEM personnel, including oversight on study design, data collection, and synthesis. Funding for this opportunity is expected to be between $65,000 and $67,000, with an anticipated single award. Importantly, the program requires a one-to-one non-federal cost-sharing commitment, meaning applicants must provide matching funds or in-kind contributions equivalent to the federal funding amount. The cooperative agreement will be governed under the authority of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) at 43 USC 1345(e). Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 PM ET on July 31, 2025. The anticipated start date for the project is August 21, 2025, with a completion date of September 21, 2026. Interested applicants must ensure that they are registered in SAM.gov and have obtained a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin this registration process early, as it can take several weeks to complete. Only Authorized Organization Representatives (AOR) registered in Grants.gov may submit an application. The evaluation process includes eligibility screening, merit review, and risk review. Merit review will assess scientific quality, project methodology, applicant competence, budget justification, and planned deliverables. Maximum points are assigned in each of these areas. Applications must include SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL (if applicable), a project abstract, narrative, budget justification, and required DOI research and development documentation. The designated contact for this award is Deja Bracey, Contracting Officer, reachable by email at Deja.Bracey@bsee.gov.

Submit early; ensure SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations are active; include all required forms to avoid disqualification